A Blaze in the Dark (A New Dawn #1)

Chapter 9 - Sebastian

Frederic informed me of the increase in taxes. Since I have no intention to finance your wicked plan to send fresh batches of arselings up north to guard rocks and snow, Laneby will continue to pay one hundred gold coins.

Through the valley resounded the last guttural roar of a stag, yet the fire raged on with wood splintering as the green fury continued devouring the trees. There was no mercy but the relief of death to those tired of outrunning the ruthless dance.

Sebastian wasn't tired yet. His middle finger ripped open as he pulled the reins to avoid the burning birch that was toppling into the river. Water splashed all over the wood, killing the flames before they reached the reed this side of the shore.

Goddess of Kindness. The treetop now lay smouldering where they had ridden just moments ago.

He kicked Billy in the side, his eyes desperately scanning the forest. There had to be someone here. He and his friends could not have been the only survivors.

"Father, where are you? I need you." Sebastian turned his head. Father must be hiding behind that rock with Mother, Emily, and Lucy; pulling a prank.

The God of Pride punched him in the stomach. Nobody there.

From below came a soft murmuring. Abby was still floating in a state between sleep and unconsciousness. He should pick up the pace, to get her to Sundale faster, but he didn't want to give up. Not yet. His family had to be here somewhere. They had to be alive.

"Nicky?" Her voice was as fragile as a butterfly's wings.

"No." He pulled her up, relieving the strain of her slumping body on his upper legs. "I'm Seb. You know me, right? Nick's idiotic friend who's always stealing him whenever he wants to read with you."

An uneasy smile tugged at the corners of his trembling mouth. He had only been riding for a couple of hours, yet the banter-filled afternoon in the sun seemed a distant memory of a long gone past. 

His heart ached more than the blisters and the cramps in his limbs combined. Alex should have been here instead of him. Once again, she had convinced him to do something he didn't want to do.

"Where's..." A deep wheeze cut Abby's sentence short.

"It's just me and Billy. We're taking you to the big castle in Sundale where the smartest people in the kingdom live. They will make you all better. I promise."

"Nicky."

"He will come too. And... maybe your parents and George will be there as well, waiting for you."

"Nicky, where..."

Sebastian clamped her mouth shut. It was selfish, but he couldn't bear her strangled voice anymore. Her usual gibberish was more irritating than his sisters' yammering, especially whenever she claimed all of Nick's attention, but now he would trade everything just to get her annoying chatter back.

He had never known that Nick and Abby were this close, but then again, Nick was a closed book when it came to himself. He always believed that other people's stories were more interesting than his own, which wasn't a wonder. Eating an entire basket of muffins in less than an hour was hardly an accomplishment worth mentioning.

"Faster, boy." Sebastian gave Billy another kick, after which the horse broke into a gallop. The sooner he would get to Sundale, the sooner this would all be over.

A numbing headache crept over him. There were two options: following the meandering River Faith or crossing the Scorching Plains. Father had instructed him that the Plains were the fastest way to reach the capital, even though they were notorious for high temperatures and fierce winds. Traders and merchants avoided it for most of the year and preferred the longer route along the River Faith.