Elle's Journey (Book I, Foretold Trilogy)

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

They rode long and hard until the town of Merton came into view. She didn’t feel the sense of dread until they entered the edge of town and dismounted, wading through crowded streets towards the market at the center of town. Instead of excitement at the prospect of hot food and a bed, she felt fear. How many of the people they passed were bounties searching for her? How many were slave traders, thieves, or even assassins?

Shadow glanced at her and then back. He stretched forward to pull her hood up and hide her face.

“I assume this is where we part,” she said.

“No. I’ll be continuing with you.”

She frowned, warned by the same instinct that told her to stay with him. The two men spoke, with Shadow pointing toward the market. Catan nodded, and they moved in that direction.

“Stay close to us, woman. Your skin will fetch quite a price among the slave traders here,” Shadow warned over his shoulder.

She crowded Catan in response, who shot her a look before taking her hand. The bear mewled as it was cut off from her by a horse, and she bent to heft it. Soon, it would be too large to carry. She draped her cloak over it to prevent anyone else from seeing it, then took Catan’s hand again.

They entered the crowded market. It was much smaller than the imperial market she was accustomed to, but after so long alone, she found the masses of people unnerving. She kept close to Catan. The smell of a city overwhelmed her: wet earth and rotting wood mixed with sweat, horses, and the underlying stench of waste. A whiff of fresh bread drove all other thoughts from her mind.

Food! Ravenous, she stopped where she was. A large woman jostled between her and Catan. Shadow grabbed her arm and pulled her through the crowd.

“Don’t stop. We’re being watched,” he warned.

“We are?” she asked, fear in her breast. “How do you know?”

“I can sense it. Stay with Catan.” He pushed her towards the Hunter, who took her hand again. He stood outside a sagging inn. She looked up at it with a raised eyebrow. Shadow melted into the crowd and disappeared among the sea of strangers.

A familiar flash of blond hair and blue from the corner of her eye made her turn. Lena’s prized cloak was deep royal blue, and the woman’s hair had been in long, loose curls like her lost sister’s. Elle searched the crowd for Lena, holding her breath in hopes of seeing her friend here. The figure was gone.

Catan tugged her up the inn’s stairs into an open area that smelled as much like venison stew as it did stale waste. A seedy, balding man appeared from an open door and motioned for Catan to approach. The Hunter released her and followed the man, who disappeared into the doorway. Catan faced her and stayed in the doorway as they spoke.

Laughter came from the street, and Elle turned curiously. Another flash of blond and blue made her gasp. This time, she was sure it was Lena! She moved to the doorway and peered out, only to see the figure was gone again.

“Elle,” Catan called.

She turned, and he waved her towards a narrow stairwell. She trailed him up the stairs to the second floor, which was quiet despite the bustle of the street. They reached the top of the stairwell and entered a hall barely wide enough for the Nuchan warrior. He paused in front of a door towards the middle of the hall and opened it. Elle peered in. It contained two beds, one against each wall, with little standing room between. She looked from the tiny room with its sagging beds and dirty linen back to Catan in silent objection. She’d take dirt over the smelly room!