Rune Stealer

Healed

With Jhestan in tow, I raced in the direction of the stables. I knew this running would only make Jhestan's condition worse, but I had to get him to safety, then I could work from there. Jhestan's breathed heavily and his face was pale almost like he was a ghost; he was basically a walking corpse. Without me in his mind, he would collapse and most likely die.

I nearly collapsed with relief when Story's head came over the hill, which was followed by Toril and Kian's head atop their horses with the other horses tied to them.

Story, I called as we ran towards each other, can you carry both Jhestan and I?

Of course I can, scoffed Story haughtily as she skidded to a stop in front of me. What do you take me for? A regular horse?

Now is not the time for jokes, Story. I hastily climbed on top of her. "Jhestan's riding with me," I bellowed as I ordered the droopy captain to climb on behind me. Jhestan, a weak, walking corpse, could hardly lift himself off the ground and Brynley and Zyn rushed over to help him up. Toril was sweating buckets and looking about ready to make a run for it and leave us here and Kian sat up on his horse and glared at me. I glared back and then refocused my attention on saving the captain.

Hold tight, I told Jhestan when he finally made it up. Jhestan wrapped his large arms tightly around my small frame and I could feel his consciousness slipping; his heart beat was dangerously slow. And stay awake, I added as I kicked Story into gear.

We raced back down the center of the market place, because the trees were too tightly packed to race our horses through them. People threw themselves out of our way as we crashed down the packed road and soldiers dove at us in futile attempts to stop one of us.

"Brynley," I screamed when I realized that we needed to find a place to hide and I couldn't do so as long as I held onto Jhestan's mind. "Find somewhere to hide!" Instantly, Brynley sat up straight and stuck his nose in the air as if he was sniffing for a direction the way a dog would sniff for a scent. He pulled ahead and led us to the path we came from, but as soon as he hit the tree line, Brynley took a hard right onto a hidden path that I would have never found. We followed the bath deep into the dense forest.

"Here," yelled Brynley as he yanked his horse to a stop and we did the same. Hastily, the boys leaped off our horses and began leading them off the path. I jumped off Story and then told Jhestan to get off. The man slid off of Story mechanically and I barely caught him before he hit the ground. I ordered him to follow Zyn and I galloped after them into the trees with Story close behind me.

My head pounded with each step; I have never held control of someone for so long. I squeezed my eyes shut as the pain pulsated at my temples. It felt as if a nail was being hammered into both sides of my brain and each second longer I held onto Jhestan the more painful each pulse was.

I stopped running and leaned on a tree for support. I rubbed my temples in an attempt to lessen the throbbing, but if anything, it made it worse. I couldn't hold on for much longer, so I didn't.

Jhestan dropped like a rock the moment I let go. All the boys leaped towards their captain to catch him, but Zyn was already lowering the large man to the ground

"Sorry," I moaned as the pain receded from my head. "I couldn't hold onto him for much longer." Toril spun towards me sputtering angrily. "You were controlling our captain?"

"Yes I was," I snapped. "If not for me he would be lying dead back at the fief entrance." The short man writhed in prideful anger.

"How dare you take con-"

"What were you doing about the situation you blubbering coward? 'Oh what are we going to do'," I mocked childishly in deep man-like voice. Toril turned a dark red before he started to charge me.