All The Dark Places

24. Complicated Captivity

    It was almost nightfall by the time they reached Abbot's Rest. They were all grumpy and felt a bit cheated that Ethan had claimed it was a half day walk when in fact it was twice that. They could see the ruins of the old abbey peering up in the distance.

"We should make camp here," Ethan said. "The houses aren't far off but I think I'd rather not bother folks for a bed."

"Agreed. The weather's mild enough and the ground's soft," Ivy said cheerfully. "I'll go to the creek and gather up some water. Hand me your canteens."

Toby slung his rifle over his back and set off to find some firewood nearby. Ivy and Ramona started toward the creek. Ethan, exhausted by the day's walk, settled back and used Toby's buck knife to carve a three foot stick into a short spear, whittling down the end to a point. Ramona took Drago to do some hunting nearby, hoping for a rat or mouse to satisfy the bird.

"Hey, fairy girl," Ethan said, and she found herself alone with him. "Fancy a cuddle."

"Do fuck off."

His face softened, and the flirty smile became serious and sensitive.

"Hey, I'm seriously just trying to joke around here. Things are... intense, and it seems like you hate my guts and have since you laid eyes on me. I'm not sure why."

He was right. A little levity wouldn't hurt, and his kind of flirting was harmless.

"I... don't know why. It's not you. It's everybody," she said, sitting down on the soft grass. "And you should know, I'm married."

She wiggled her ring finger on her left hand and saw him smile.

"I know that, Luv. When I said you looked like a fairy, I wasn't just trying to get up your skirt."

"Yes you were."

"All right, maybe I was, but I meant it too. I just mean that you're special. You are deeply a part of this new world, and it seems like you don't take any time to realize how amazing that is. You and your little band of misfits fit right into a fantasy novel for teenage nerds. The grumpy old hermit, his werewolf daughter, and then there's Ladyhawk over there... and you; the reluctant leader dwelling in her castle."

"It's not my castle," she stated.

"It is now."

"The Hollings would disagree. They are the rightful owners."

"And they aren't there. You are the one making things happen."

"I don't want to be a leader, Ethan. People tear down leaders. Why do you think no one else wants the position?" Dropping her quiver next to her, she tightened the field tips of her arrows.

"You need to start making tough decisions. I understand that."

"I doubt that and I don't mean to be rude by saying that. This is not a position anyone has ever been in before."

She turned her back on him, not wanting to see the look on his face as if he were examining her, looking for details. Finding some tinder sticks on the ground, she gathered bundles up into her arms. A sudden 'thunk' noise startled her, and she heard an "Ugh!" from Ethan. Spinning around, she saw Ethan splayed out over the grass, unconscious.

"What the... Ethan?"

Cold steel pressed against her throat, and she gasped, dropping her bundle of firewood onto the ground at her feet.

"Do what I tell ye to and nobody get's hurt. You scream, and I cut you ear to ear," a man with a thick Scottish brogue growled into her ear. "You know what that's called, do ye? That's called a Glasgow smile, and it'll look pretty on yer face if ye try anythin' against me. Are we clear?"