Ever So Lightly- Book 1

23

 Bennet crashed to the ground, the slushy snow spraying ahead of him on the barely visible trail. He gasped in a breath and turned to see a figure closing in behind him. Zephyr came to a halt next to where he still lay sprawled in the snow, her hands bracing on her knees as she too inhaled deeply.

"You never would have caught up if I hadn't tripped," Bennet said between breaths, a grin splitting wide across his face. Zephyr's only response was a small grunt before she plopped down next to him. They both sat still for a few moments, their breaths growing more even.

"How exactly did I let you talk me into this?" Zephyr finally responded, her voice layered with what Bennet assumed was her attempt at annoyance. She wasn't very convincing.

"And here I thought you just enjoyed spending time with me." Bennet slapped a hand over his heart and gave her a pout that he knew she couldn't resist. Like clockwork, a smile tugged at the corners of Zephyr's lips and she reached out a hand to push him over. The smile Bennet was prepared for; the push left him slumped over and covered in even more snow.

"What do you say we run just a bit further before turning back towards the camp?" Bennet pushed after a few more moments of rest. He would turn back now if she wanted to, he was just happy to see her moving again, exercising again.

"Okay," Zephyr finally responded. "Just a little further."

Bennet stood and offered Zephyr a hand, pulling her to her feet. After brushing off a bit of the snow that decided to cling to their clothes, they set off, this time at a more even pace. Bennet knew better than to push her too hard. Zephyr wasn't a trained soldier, she had the build of someone who sat in a chair often and read books even more often. But her training had been going so well with Nakomi. Bennet wanted to try and bring that glow back to her face. Anything to replace the pallor of sadness that haunted her day in and day out.

They ran on in silence. Bennet kept his pace slower than what he was used to, steadying himself next to Zephyr. They seemed to be running along an unused trail of sorts, about a mile or so off of the Faron river. Trees crowded in around them more and more the further they got from the rushing waters.

Just as he took in a breath to ask Zephyr if she was ready to turn back, Bennet heard a cry from the woods off to his right. Stopping abruptly and holding a hand out to signal Zephyr to stop, Bennet listened for the sound to repeat. Silence. They stood still for a few more long moments. Out of the corner of his eye Bennet saw Zephyr open her mouth to say something. She was cut off by the same cry he had heard before, only now that he was paying attention it was much more distinct.

"Help!"

Bennet glanced at Zephyr, who after a moment's hesitation gave a slight nod. The both began to more cautiously and quietly in the direction of the voice. Bennet thought he had heard real pain in the cry, but with everything they'd been through so far he thought it best not to take any chances. Ever since they'd had to hide in the caravan wagons from the patrol Bennet had felt a bit... jumpy. And he knew Jasper would have his hide if he let anything happen to Zephyr.

They continued through the woods until they came to a very small clearing that bordered the river. A figured lay prone at the water's edge. As they continued to approach, the figure sat up and turned to face them. Zephyr gasped, and Bennet quickly pushed her behind him, readying himself for a fight.

"Is this a trap?" Bennet spat at the figure.

Kade leveled a stare at Bennet, a hint of disgust flickering across his features.

"It wouldn't be a very well thought out trap now, would it?" Kade responded, his voice layered with annoyance and that same pain that Bennet had first detected. His eyes flitted to where Kade gestured and he saw a nasty gash in the man's right thigh. The cloth around the wound was soaked with blood. The wound itself stretched from the inside of Kade's knee up and across almost to his hip.

"Are you alone?" Bennet wished he had brought a weapon. This would be the last time he left the camp unarmed he supposed.

"Yes, I'm alone." The disdain had left Kade's voice as exhaustion washed over his features. Bennet was about to ask why they should believe him when Zephyr stepped forward.

"What happened?" she asked quietly. Kade closed his eyes and sighed before responding, his patience obviously wearing thin.

"I'd wager a guess that it was quite similar to what happened to you two and the other one who deserted with you." Bennet bristled at the veiled insult, but Kade opened his eyes and continued before he could formulate a response.

"I came across a... well, I supposed massacre would be the best word for it. A whole caravan of innocents murdered." Zephyr drew in a sharp breath. Bennet reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. Kade watched them a moment before going on. "So you passed it too. Then you saw how horrid it was. I've done many gruesome things in the name of the crown but this didn't seem like the kind of thing I wanted to stand by. I approached Captain Houndsley on the matter, and let's just say things got a bit heated. He's never much liked answering to someone younger than him. Next thing I knew, he'd drawn his sword and I had this." Kade gestured again to his wound.

"So you just left?" Bennet said skeptically. "Houndsley just let you walk away?"

"He was drunk and I was able to get to the river. I let it wash me upstream, he didn't try to pursue." Kade held Bennet's stare. Apparently his explanation was over

Bennet didn't like it. He didn't know Kade well, but he'd spent a good deal of time in Houndsley's company and knew the man to be ruthless. If he'd had an entire group of people murdered in cold blood, then he surely wouldn't have settled for wounding a younger officer who'd pricked his pride. Bennet glanced around the clearing, looking once again for any sign of a trap. He stiffened as Zephyr walked toward the wounded man and knelt before him.

"Do you want us to help you?" She asked, her silver hair falling forward like a glistening sheet of steel as she leaned toward Kade.

"Since you two are the first people I've seen in the hour since I washed up here, yes. I think help would be fantastic."

Zephyr turned back to Bennet.

"We can't just leave him here."

Bennet didn't like it at all. Yes, he agreed that they couldn't leave Kade. Though this day was warm enough for some of the snow to melt off, the water had to been excruciatingly cold, and Kade had been in it for a while. The wounded man needed to get warm soon or things could turn very bad for him. Despite this, Bennet's unease never weakened, not once as they helped Kade to his feet, as Zephyr promised clean water and bandages, as Bennet let the other man lean on him and limp back towards their camp. Bennet didn't even have words for how much he didn't like it, so he kept silent as they made their way through the woods and back to the overgrown trail they had been following.