The Dragon Bond: Heirs of Lyra

Chapter 7

She only had the one drink but it was enough to churn her stomach. The bitter taste lingered in her mouth as she exited the pub and walked quickly to Phillip's small shack. When she got there she knocked softly on the door and waited for his face to appear.

Within seconds the door opened and Phillip's smile greeted her. "What a pleasant surprise."

For a moment she forgot everything and smiled at her friend. Then her face dropped, remembering the foul news she needed to deliver. "We need to talk," she said, stepping in and closing the door behind her. 

"Where is everyone?" she asked as she finally looked around. The room was eerily quiet compared to her other visits. Normally the house was a tornado of children.

"Ma took the kids out to help gather some wood for a fire. I just got back from working."

Not knowing how to begin, Elysia took a seat on the hard wooden chair by the fire. The basket lay in her lap and she opened it. "I brought you some food."

Phillip's eyes widened with excitement. "There must be enough in there to feed us for weeks!"

"That's kind of what I need to talk to you about," she said quietly.

His face instantly fell, knowing bad news was sure to come. "What's wrong?"

Knowing there wasn't much time to waste, she decided to get right to the point. "I can't come visit you anymore, my dad is furious with me. He's already increased my protection to six guards."

"But you managed to escape them today, right?" he asked.

"Well, yes," she admitted, "but apparently my father has some full-proof plan to keep me from escaping my guards anymore. He was really serious and I know he's finally figured out some way to keep me from coming here."

Phillip sighed and sat down in the other chair across from Elysia. "So this food really is meant to feed us for weeks?"

Hearing the hurt in his voice broke Elysia's heart. She hated that she would no longer be able to provide food anymore for his family. "I'm so sorry, I know this isn't enough. I have some money," she offered, reaching in her pocket for the Pents.

She held them out to her friend but he got up and turned away. "I don't want your money, Elysia." he said. "I don't even want to take this food from you but I can't deny that my family needs it. I hate that you have to sneak out to keep my family alive, I should be able to provide for them."

His voice was sharp and Elysia flinched. "I'm just trying to help," she whispered.

Phillip sighed and ran a hand through his hair, a notion she knew meant that he was trying to calm down. "I know," he said apologetically, "I only wish you didn't have to come here all the time to give me food. I wish you could just come here to visit me."

His eyes met hers and then darted away as if he were embarrassed.

"I don't only ever come to give you food," she argued. However, after a moment she began to wonder. Had she ever simply visited Phillip to talk?

He shook his head. "Name one time you actually stopped by just to be with me."

She bit her lip, unable to think of an instance. "Maybe I do always come bearing supplies, but what difference does it make? We always end up talking for a short while."

Phillip scoffed. "I wouldn't even call it a short while. Five minutes is more like it. As soon as you drop the food off and braid Emmy's hair, you run out the door. I barely get a few words with you."

Elysia's mood suddenly changed and she became increasingly livid. How dare her friend completely disregard the obstacles she went through every time she snuck away to visit. True, maybe she never stayed long, but at least she came, at least she tried!