Elle's Journey (Book I, Foretold Trilogy)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Elle awoke to the sounds of birds and rustling of leaves. The morning was gray beneath the canopy, and clouds peeked through the leaves above. Her limbs were stiff and her head throbbing. She tried to push the tightly wrapped band from her forehead. It seemed entrenched into her skin. There was no fire, and relief trickled through her. The Darkness had pursued them to the mainland from the Eastern Isle but hadn’t seemed to have found them yet in the forest.

Tugging the edge of her cloak from beneath Lena’s sleeping form, Elle rose. She pried the band around her head free and gingerly tapped the skin on the back of her skull, satisfied to find a shallow scar but nothing else. Healing was not new to her. She discovered the talent after Lena’s brother made advances on her. She’d refused him, and he’d beaten her into darkness.

Dizziness threatened to plunge her back into darkness, and she leaned against the nearest tree, breathing deeply until it subsided. The camp was quiet. A small pile of ashes was all that was left of the fire, and their saddles were stacked on one side with Kelsa’s sleeping form beside them. Elle looked down at the tunic that was stiffened and red-brown with blood.

Her eyes went to her saddlebag, even knowing she had no more clothing left. Her saddlebag lay near Lena’s, empty of its contents. Lena’s bags bulged, and Elle couldn’t help the suspicion that the woman planned to abandon her this morning, if she was too weak to move.

“Kelsa,” she called.

The demon awoke.

“Kelsa, I need to wash this from me,” she told the demon. “Is there water near?”

“Elle heal,” Kelsa responded and rose.

“Yes, I am healed. Water?”

“Pond.” Kelsa pointed past Lena’s still form.

“Good. I’ll be back. Stay with Lena. Don’t let her leave me.”

She moved through the forest in the direction Kelsa indicated until she reached a small water hole then stripped out of the blood-soaked clothing and carried it with her into the pond. She entered the cold water while gritting her teeth and forcing herself to imagine it was a hot, jasmine-scented bath. The hole was not deep, only waist high, and she lowered herself onto her knees. A few minutes of solid scrubbing left her tunic a dirty shade of heather but free of blood, and she dipped her head back and rubbed her hair between both hands to remove dirt and blood.

After a candlemark in the cold water, she exited, shivering, and dressed in undertunic and breeches. A movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. A man very similar to the one she had seen the day before—blond hair streaked with black, jerkin, breeches—blink… he was gone again. Unnerved, she finished her boots and stood, snatching her cloak off a stump. She straightened and froze.

Another man, darker than the others and with shorn hair, stood a mere few feet from her. They stared at each other, his dark gaze surprised. She blinked again, and he was gone. Elle’s heart pounded. Healing was a gift she knew, but seeing invisible people was madness. She stepped towards where the young man was and reached out a hand, grasping at air. Nothing was there.

Kelsa stepped into view. “Eyes,” she murmured, glancing around.

“I know, Kelsa. I saw him, too,” Elle said with another shiver.

“Elle!” Lena’s voice was frantic. She crashed through the forest and gaped at Elle in shock. “You’re alive!”

“I’m fine, Lena, just tired,” Elle said.