Starborn Legacy (A Starborn Series prequel)

Chapter twenty-two

Even with the added weight of two humans on their back, Emandi covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. A distance that would take Audrey five long strides to cross took Emandi a single bound. Within minutes they were already a safe distance from Ardent, which was a good thing because Connor was not making their escape easy.

"Stop!" he bellowed over the sound of Emandi's thundering footfalls and the whipping of passing foliage. He clung to Emandi's traveling cloak for dear life while Audrey was forced to cling to him, partially because she had nothing else to hold on to but also to keep Connor from flinging himself into the woods. At this point in their journey, he'd already tried to leap to freedom twice.

It wasn't until they found themselves at the bank of a wide and swiftly flowing river cutting through the forest that Emandi finally slowed to a halt. Audrey released her arms from where she'd locked them around Connor's middle and watched impassively as he flailed himself onto the ground in an undignified heap.

"You're embarrassing yourself, dude," Audrey said as Connor staggered to his feet in a huff. As if to show him how it was done, she slid carefully from Emandi's back. "It's the same as riding a horse."

"I resent that!" Emandi balked.

"Sorry."

Connor rounded on her, his eyes wild. "Seriously? That's not why I'm upset!"

Audrey frowned and crossed her arms. "Then what's your problem?"

"My problem is that you kidnapped me!"

"What are you talking about?" Audrey cried. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "We were literally being chased by an angry mob, Connor! Would you rather we left you behind?"

"You have to take me back." Connor ran a hand back through his hair and paced. "I'm already in enough trouble as it is."

Shocked, Audrey looked to Emandi for support but instead found them lapping up mouthfuls of water on the riverbank. She turned back to Connor and studied him in the moonlight. "And do you really think going back is going to change that? I know you heard the same thing I did: your uncle has already decided that we're partners in crime, and I doubt he'll believe you when you tell him otherwise. He's going to hurt you again, Connor — you know that."

"I do, which is why I'd rather get it over with now."

"Bullshit," Audrey said, tempering her argument with a touch of softness. "I get that it's scary, but it's okay to admit that you don't want to go back there."

Connor stopped his pacing and glared at her. "What makes you think that?"

"C'mon, dude.You're probably the strongest person in the world — there's no way I should have been able to stop you from jumping ship if you'd really wanted to bail back there."

Even in the darkness, Audrey could tell Connor was blushing. Embarrassed, he clamped his mouth shut tightly and dropped his gaze to the forest floor. Meanwhile, Emandi lifted their head from the river. Water dribbled messibly down their chin.

"I'm no more a ship than I am a horse," they complain, wiping the water from their face with the back of their paw. "You youths have no respect."

Audrey motioned for them to join the conversation. "Maybe you can settle something for us, Emandi."

"Oh, here we go," Connor huffed with an exasperated roll of his eyes. Audrey waved him off.

"Are there any other Wishes out there? Or is Connor the sole survivor?"

Emandi sat back on their haunches and stared at them thoughtfully. "There are others. Most were put into hiding shortly after the wishing star scandal was discovered, and regrettably an unlucky few have been murdered over the years. But, no, to the best of my knowledge Connor is hardly the last of his kind."