Rise of the Erifs (The Fire Song Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 8

Earth

ALEX GROANED. HIS EYES FLUTTERED OPEN TO FIND LIGHT STREAMING IN through the window. He blinked again. He was back in the lounge room of their cabin. He went to move his hands only to find they were secured together and he discovered the same with his ankles. Alex felt his panic rising but quickly squashed it. He glanced over to see Aurora on the other couch, still unconscious. 

"Oh good, you're finally awake."

Alex jumped, startled. He looked up to see a young woman peering down at him from over the back of the couch. She walked around to stand in front of him.

Alex was surprised to find she was very beautiful. Tall and slender with long flowing blonde hair and warm brown eyes. 

Alex stared at her strange clothing. She wore a one piece suit made out of a tightly woven material with hard armoured plates over the top. It was white with gold strips going down the sides. A long hooded jacket-like coat that went to her knees and some sort of matching helmet sat on the armchair behind her. Matching knee-high boots finished it off. Alex was shocked to see a belt laden with knives and two double headed axes strapped to her back.

Alex looked back to her smiling face. "Who are you?"

"My name's Daye." She drew a knife and approached Alex. He shrunk back but all she did was slice through the ropes that bound his wrists and ankles.

"Now last night didn't exactly go how I'd planned. Sorry about all this but I had to after you two went a little crazy." She gestured at the ropes.

Alex pushed himself into a sitting position. He rubbed his stiff wrists as Daye continued.

"First of all, I want you to know I'm not here to harm you. I was actually hoping you could help me with something."

Alex didn't reply but eyed her warily. He glanced at Aurora.

"What about my sister?"

"She was the one I was worried about. But here." Daye smiled, offering Alex the knife.

Alex didn't move.

Daye knew she had to gain their trust if she was going to find her father. So she nodded at Alex to take the knife. She was fairly certain she could overpower Alex if she had to.

Alex cautiously took the knife. He quickly cut Aurora's bonds. He turned back to Daye but she waved him away.

"Keep it. You're not my prisoner. I want us to be friends not enemies."

Alex sat back down, holding the knife in his hand. He wasn't convinced. He knew the knife was no match for the axes she had strapped to her back. One swipe with one of those could slice him in two. 

"So why are you here? Where are you from?" he asked.

Daye sighed. "That is a little difficult to explain. Have you ever heard of Latainia or the Pathway?"

Alex shook his head. He had no idea what she was talking about.

"I'm from a kingdom called Latainia. My father is a scientist and he went missing, so that's why I'm here. To find him."

"Okay," Alex said, slowly. "What's the Pathway?"

"It's exactly that. A pathway to travel from kingdom to kingdom. It's a gateway or entrance to other places. I used it to come here. It's the only known way to travel throughout the kingdoms and is guarded by the Pathguards. They are entrusted with monitoring, keeping records of and protecting the Pathway." Daye frowned. "But there were none when I arrived. The chamber was deserted and seemed to have been for some time."