Soul Bound

Chapter 2

Hayden Greene, Eva's father, was already outside of their home, leaning heavily into his cane when she arrived. He must have heard the bell from the tower signalling an evacuation. Hiron left Eva's side the first chance he had and ran to Hayden. You'd think she abused the horse, he was so eager to get away from her.

Hayden calmed the gelding, stroking his muzzle, but his eyes were searching for someone else. His brow pulled into a deep valley between his eyebrows. "Where's Erika, Eva?"

Eva's heart hit rock bottom. She halted on the porch then swung to face him. "What do you mean? She's not here?"

Wrinkles and lines etched into his face as he tied Hiron to the nearest post and set his cane aside. "You usually come home at this time of day. She wanted to greet you by the entrance. . . ."

Eva clenched her fists. She loved her little sister, and it was adorable that she wanted to be the first person she saw when she came home--but the timing couldn't have been worse.

"I didn't come back through the main entrance." She gripped her father's shoulder before he could mount Hiron to look for her. "I'll bring Erika back. Help Mom pack."

Eva couldn't take Hiron--her father needed him to carry provisions--so she ran. She wove between the families who were already packed and ready to go, then slipped passed wagons loaded with provisions. The main road was packed with people, but there was one dusty blonde head missing.

Eva slowed down, both her mind and body, as she scanned the archway by the entrance more thoroughly. Erika had to be here somewhere.

She stopped by the Owen family, a large family of five children. The oldest, Brady, was twenty, like Eva, while the youngest two were Erika's age. She crouched in front of one of the twins. "Andy, have you seen Erika?"

The bright, blue-eyed child looked up at Eva, terror marring his features. "She was waiting for you there." He pointed at the empty bench attached to the fence line. "I don't know where she is now."

She ruffled his hair. "Thanks, little guy."

Eva directed her efforts to the bench. Erika very clearly wasn't here anymore, but there were obvious signs that she had been waiting. Her little feet had carved grooves into the saturated ground from pacing the length of the bench. She left a muddied track behind when she abandoned the bench. Eva followed it along the fence line, past the pond. . . straight into the woods. Too far away to hear the bell's toll.

A strong gust of wind smacked into her side, tearing through the trees.

"Gods damn it, Erika. . ."

Erika wasn't in any immediate danger from monsters, but she knew--she knew--she wasn't allowed in the forest by herself. She was too young and could easily get turned around and then find herself in monster territory. Or worse--lost, never to be seen again.

Eva's stomach knotted tighter with every step she took without finding her sister. As darkness took over the forest, the wind was too loud to hear over it; her voice grew hoarse trying to compete with it. By the time she reached the end of the mud trail, a light rain had begun, slithering between the treetops and soaking through her clothes.

At last, she caught a glimpse of a small balled up figure against a tree trunk. Her dusty blonde hair was a beacon in the darkness.

Erika.

The tension running amuck in her chest and stomach released, replaced by her sheer gratitude to the gods for keeping her little sister safe.

Erika cradled her knees to her chest, too lost in her despair to notice Eva approaching. The once beautiful flowers she'd collected were withered at her feet, covered in mud.