I don't like this place. It's cold, dark and there isn't even a path anymore; we've just taken to trekking straight through the middle of the woods, in the middle of the night. I have a feeling that the Volsci Empire made it like this - made it unnatural - for people like me and Xavier; people who tried to find them. All I want is to get my brother back; I don't care if they torture me, or even kill me. As long as I know that Kai is alive and okay. Apparently, this is the only way to find out.
"...Up?" Xavier says suddenly, and I lift my head.
"Hm?" He smirks at my attentiveness and clears his throat.
"I said, how are you holding up?" he repeats quietly, and I widen my eyes.
"Oh," I murmur. "No, I am okay. I just..."
"You just...?" Xavier presses, and I sigh.
"I just want this to be over, already," I mutter, rubbing my forehead to soothe my thoughts a little. Xavier bites his lip.
"Yeah, I know," he murmurs, head down. "I really am sorry, Cecily. For your sake, I hope the Empire gets everything they deserve." He says this last part with a bit of venom, and it makes me feel a little better, to be honest. I didn't know why he initially agreed to help me track Kai down, but I'm starting to get it. At first, I thought it was to avenge his family, who died because the Trackers were looking for me and my brother. Now, I think that he has other reasons for helping me. Although I'm not entirely sure; one day, I'll have to ask him. When we're not caught up trying to actually finish what we've set out here to do.
As we walk, with all these things in my mind, I don't realise that something's wrong until I actually stop walking to listen. And that's when I hear it.
A branch, snapping in two. Footsteps, come to a sudden halt behind us. I stiffen, and Xavier turns around from where he's continued walking, realising that I'm no longer beside him.
"What-" he begins, those bright red eyes of his narrowed, but my hand snaps up and interrupts him before he can even state his question. The world is quiet around us, but I know better than to take that as a safe answer.
"Something is following us," I whisper, slowly walking over to meet Xavier where he stopped walking.
"How do you know?" he whispers back, looking around with his eyebrows furrowed. "I cannot sense anyone near; if someone is out there, I would be able to read their mind."
"There is something here, I can hear it," I hiss back, looking around quickly. It's dark out, and I can hardly see as it is. But, even though I can't see it, doesn't mean I don't know its there.
"Cecily," Xavier warns, but I shake him off.
"I am not kidding!" I shoot back, and something to my right snaps again, louder and much closer than before. I flinch, stepping back. "Did you hear that?" I whisper, grabbing his arm and holding onto it tightly. My heart starts beating faster, heavier, and the sounds get closer and louder, until I'm basically stumbling over myself.
"Cecily!" Xavier hisses.
"Run, we need to run," I shoot back quickly. "Now!" Xavier hesitates, but I pull at his arm as I turn and bolt.
My footsteps echo loudly through the forest, and I can hear another pair behind me. I'm hoping their Xavier's. My breathing gets heavier as I run, tossing my head left and right as I can hear my assailant running parallel with me, about half a dozen metres away. My mind dragged to an image of the person I saw watching Xavier and I leave the city, but that thought is soon disregarded. The footsteps... they're too light, too delicate. No, they're airy, now. Really faint, almost non-existent...
YOU ARE READING
The Dark Side #1
Fantasy#1 in The Dark Side Trilogy Cecily has never lived an ordinary life, being a Warlock. Who would? Her parents are dead, she doesn't know who to trust, and the only family she has left is her eight year old brother Kai. But even though Cecily is seven...
