Crown of Shadow

Chapter 15

Roy was just dozing off into a fitful sleep when a cold hand clamped over his mouth.  He yelped but the sound was muffled.  He thrashed about in a panic until he saw who the hand belonged to.  It was the dark haired girl he had met only yesterday.  She glared at him and raised her other hand to her lips motioning for him to be silent.  He nodded slowly telling her he understood.  Carefully Ailiyah took her hand off of his mouth and started untying his ropes.  He glance about noticing the sentry a while off facing the other direction.  In an instant Ailiyah was done and helped him to his feet.  He winced rubbing his bruised wrists and watched as Ailiyah awoke Saleyah and Elisia with the same treatment. 

Once everyone was alert and ready Ailiyah quietly led them into the woods.  Ailiyah turned to them once they were a while off and quickly whispered: "Amaro is in the clearing just up a ahead.  We're going to shadow travel you out of here."

Roy raised his eyebrows.  Shadow travel?  But that was impossible wasn't it?  Bending the shadows to take you somewhere else?  It sounded unbelievable.  But even though he had barely met this Ailiyah girl he somehow felt like he could trust her.  And that worried him.

"So what exactly is going on?"  Saleyah whispered to Ailiyah.  "That man... Why exactly does he want to hurt us?" Ailiyah shook her head angrily.  "I can't be sure...Airen won't tell me anything.  In fact I'm not supposed to be here but I just couldn't let you...  Any of you die because of my mistake.  It's my fault I revealed myself as being from the league."

"Here we are."  Ailiyah said rushing them to the center of the clearing.  Amaro was waiting leaning up against a tree.  "It's about time. ". He grumbled.  "You ready to go or are we going to mill around and get captured AGAIN."  Ailiyah rolled her eyes and held out her hands.  "Okay let's get a move on then.  Everyone hold hands with either Amaro or I and then-". Her sentence trailed off as archers appeared along the clearing almost out of no where.

William sauntered into the clearing with a loud laugh.  "Fancy seeing you here."  He grinned maniacally and outstretched his hand.  "Now all of you come along peacefully." 

Amaro glanced at Ailiyah silently asking a question.  She sighed furrowing her brow.  "No."  She said firmly stretching out her palms to either side.  She closed her eyes and screamed sending out a powerful brainwave that radiated throughout the clearing making the archers drop their weapons  clutching their heads.  Ailiyah groaned collapsing to her knees breathing heavily then she noticed a body lying to her left.  She scrambled over to it.  It was Roy.  He was breathing heavily an arrow dangerously near his heart.  "No!!!"  She sobbed clutching him.  Every time she used her powers something like this always happened. 

Elisia glanced up holding her head wondering what had just happened. Then she blinked. Ailiyah was crying holding Roy....Roy!!  Elisia scrambled over to him moving his head into her lap sobbing.  "Roy..Roy!!  Don't leave me!!!! " She sobbed running her hand across his face.  He gasped looking up at her breathing heavily.  "Elisia?"   "Yes Roy?!"  She asked quickly.  Gasping he quietly answered "I think... I think I might have loved you..." She let out a wavering sob.  "I think I loved you to!" 
Ailiyah closed her eyes in frustration then looked up at Amaro.  "Their starting to recover Amaro you need to get them out of here right now." Amaro studied her face then nodded placing one hand on Saleyah and the other on Elisia.  Elisia glanced at the hand then panicked.  "No!! No!!"  She cried but it was to late they had disappeared.

Ailiyah looked down at Roy.  "Roy I know we haven't known each other for long but do you still want to help your friends?"  He gave the slightest nod and Ailiyah pursed her lips putting her hands on either side of his head.  She concentrated willing the energy to flow through him to change his whole being.  She let out a cry as the energy surged through her.  Then Roy began to change.  His whole body writhing with the change.  Finally she couldn't hold it anymore and she let out a final scream and curled up next to Roy.  Or at least it used to be Roy.  In his place was a brown wolf.  The wolf looked up at her and tilted his head.  Ailiyah struggled to her knees looking about at the almost fully recovered army.  She let out a gasp and struggled to her feet.  "Cmon Roy we don't have a choice we have to run I'm to weak to travel."  She wheezed.  William staggered to his feet just in time to watch Ailiyah and Roy race out of the clearing.