Domain of Power-The Dreamer (Book 3)

Chapter 27: Breakout!

East winds lifted the burning embers, carrying them like dandelion seeds. Once they settled on the rubble, new flames were born. Adding to the smoke was a scent I knew all too well. Death. With the sun long gone, I looked up hoping the heavens could tell us the way to depart, but the stars would not give their light. Instead a thick gloom choked the heavens. Beside me Romeos' countenance was crumbling at the sight of his belongings acting as food to the flames.

"Why?" he muttered. The older man, who was down to the last few items to hurl, hesitated before throwing the final scroll. His wary gaze watched the flames engulf the pile of furnishings. I nudged Romeos, but I was afraid the man who appeared to be a guard already heard him. It was no use clamping his mouth shut. I motioned with my hands to duck low to the ground. He held out his torch in our direction. We crawled backwards, making our way inside an overturned chariot.

Sweat doused my friend's brow. His breath heavy and ragged. "We have to get out of here!" he whispered.

"I know. But we have to stay here." I whispered back. The sound of crunching grew louder than the crackling flames. He was closing in. We sat huddled, praying he would pass.

"I thought I heard someone here," the man muttered under his breath. He aimed his torch by one of the small openings in the overturned chariot.

"Anyone in there!" he shouted. He kicked the side where Romeos was crouched by. I held my breath, hoping he would keep quiet. The man shoved the wagon, causing it to rattle violently. My beating heart pounded into my ears, threatening to drive me mad. As the wagon slowly lifted to one side, it suddenly slammed back down on the pile of rocks it sat on. His last words were, "Let them die there."

Then the footsteps resumed to a steady stomp until that too grew faint. While Romeos was busy swooning, I noticed the crackling was growing louder. The building heat sent my skin crawling with sweat. We had hot days this summer but I was beginning to feel like we stepped into a hearth! Then I realized why when my eyes stung from the billowing smoke. Both of us dove to the opening between the chariot and the earth, only to ram our elbows into each other.

"Aw, my leg!" Romeos hissed. I looked back and saw that his leg was pinned when the man rattled the chariot. "You go first, Troy. Save yourself."

"I am not leaving you!" I exclaimed. Romeos tried to scrunch his body back inside the fuming wagon, allowing me to wiggle free. Ignoring the flames that surrounded the chariot, I dove in, prying away the stones before lifting the wheel. Romeos slithered out the chariot, gagging. I reached in to lift him from the rubble. The safest place was the hills. Romeos gritted his teeth as he limped the whole way to the hillside. Just as I set foot on a stump—

"Agh!" I squealed. I cupped my ankle where a spindly twig jabbed me. Blood quickly filled the wound.

"What happened?" Romeos exclaimed. Now both of would be limping.

"A stupid twig got me," I muttered. I tore off a small fringe from the cloak. Memories of Cornelia gently wrapping my self-inflicted wound resurfaced, guiding my fingers as they tightened the jagged strip of cloth. Romeos urged me to hurry. We had to make the climb uphill before the guard found us. There was no telling what he would do to us.

We trudged up the sparsely covered hill. With each step it seemed the hill only got steeper. I forced myself to climb with my hands and feet. I gripped the earth only for the clods of dirt crumble in my grasp. I rested on a flatter plane before continuing the arduous trek. Romeos struggled to keep up to my pace. But he continued without complaining although the strained look on his face told me the pain was catching up to him.

I was almost to the top ledge, when my foot slipped on the loose gravel. Romeos who snuck ahead of me offered a hand. "I thought you might need a little lift," he said with a weak smile.