Breaking the Chains

Chapter Fourteen

_______________________________________
***WARNING: This chapter includes blood and violence. Please be careful with continuing***
_______________________________________

"Riley, I'm not leaving you," he broke awake from the kiss after a few seconds and looked at Riley straight in the eyes. "I'm going to stay with you." Riley shook her head and looked down to her lap after a second of looking at him. "Riley, please. Just listen to me." The only remains of his tears were dry on his cheeks. "Riley."

"What happens if she finds me again? I can't let you go back." Riley shook her head again but kept her head down. "Plus I've put you through too much already. You're too worried about me to even be around your family." Eli clenched his jaw and closed his eyes before he cupped her chin in his hand and brought her gaze toward him. He opened his eyes and stared directly into her's.

"You're my family too, Riley," he whispered intensely, not breaking eye contact. "And I," he paused and clenched his jaw while the outer edges of his eyebrows lowered, "I can't let you go."

"You have to," Riley said after a moment.

"I won't," Eli said determined as he stared at her. "If you're going, so am I. Nona and Darcy don't have to. But if you are, I am." Eli took in a breath and opened his mouth before closing it again.

Riley just sat there for the longest time as she looked at him. The only thing he could hear was her breathing, and even then it was hard to focus on. But after a moment, Riley began to nod. Her lips were edged with a grin but there was nothing more. Eli nodded back and kissed her gently on the cheek before helping her stand.

"Where to first?" Eli asked, looking toward Riley.

"Let's go left," Riley said before she hesitantly turned and walked down the empty side of the road. Eli followed as he grabbed her hand gently in his. He knew he was walking away from his family, but at the same time he was walking with it. He glanced toward Riley and offered a smile. They needed to find her family. 

"Where are we?" Riley asked, though Eli seemed to have an idea of where they were going. He even had a grin on his face. "Eli?" she asked as he started to jog with her hand in his. She was forced to jog along but every inch of her body ached. "W-wait!" Riley said quickly when she saw a small little tree with pink blossoms all over it. Eli stopped almost immediately and looked back to Riley.

"What's wrong?" Eli asked with worried eyes but Riley didn't pay attention. She walked toward the small tree and touched some of the blossoms.

"How is this real?" Riley asked as she touched it all over again before she smelt it. "Wow," she breathed out and slowly looked back to Eli. "It's been so long," she whispered before she looked back to the tree.

"It's called a cherry blossom tree," Eli said as he gently wrapped his arm around her waist. She jumped a bit but she relaxed. Eli had only a light touch to her because he knew that she was still healing.

"I think we had one in our yard?" Riley said curiously before she turned and continued to walk in the direction they had stopped going in. Eli smiled and wrapped his fingers around her's and began walking side by side with her. "Oh, and we live on this weird hill thing. There's a road I think that leads up there." Riley's voice got quieter the further she explained. But Eli listened nevertheless.

"Is it near Derion?" Eli asked, tilting his head toward Riley. But all she did was shake her head. "Huntsphere village?" Riley shook her head again. "Do you know any towns that were around your area?" Riley shook her head and frowned.

"I can't remember," she breathed out in a frustrated way.

"It's okay. We'll find it eventually. You'll find your family." Riley just shrugged. She breathed out a quick rush of air.