Enhanced (first draft)

Chapter 19

With each step I take, My heart pounds faster and fater in my chest. I am worried that if we travel too far, if we get too close to the Inside, my heart will just stop from exhaustion. If so, Trace will learn too late that he can't push me into doing something against my will. I almost wish that something would happen to me, preferably not dying, but maybe fainting. That would prevent us from having to enter the Inside.

I'm not sure why, but I just have a bad feeling about heading back to the Inside. I think it probably has to do with the fact that we got so lucky the last time we went there, me having just evaded being recognized by Soren. Luck was on our side then, but you can never depend on luck when you most need it. Luck is like any normal person. It can never really be trusted, but sometimes you have to depend on it and hope for the best.

Trace is trudging ahead of me. I'm almost positive that he's upset with me, but he promised that he would always protect me. Going to get Cyrus is putting me in danger rather than protecting me. Cyrus got himself out of the mess with the kidnappers, so he can without a doubt fend for himself and not need us to go looking for him.

"What if Cyrus isn't in the farmhouse?" I ask, trying to figure out what Trace's plan is so I can undermine it. I want to make him change his mind.

"Well, then we'll just wait for him for a few hours. If he doesn't eventually come we will search throughout the town to find him." Trace seems to be adamant on meeting up with Cyrus. It is very unlikely that he will be convinced to just let Cyrus go and deal with his problems himself, but it's worth a try anyways.

"What if Cyrus has been kidnapped once again?" I don't think that it is very likely. There is no bounty over Cyrus's head, or at least none that I know of. Anyways, the farmhouse that Cyrus is supposed to be waiting for us at seemed to be totally abandoned at the time when we visited it before. It is highly unlikely that somebody will just randomly come across Cyrus there.

"Then we will just have to go after him!" I hadn't truly realized how much Trace cared about Cyrus until this instance. I mean, they had said they cared about each other, but I never quite knew to what extent. They have a brotherly relationship, but since I do not have a sibling, I guess it's hard for me to exactly understand what that means. I guess it means that you will go to Hell and back to try to save them if they are ever in danger. You will stop thinking about yourself and totally focus on them. You will have no regard for your own well-being until you are positive that they are safe. It would be nice to have that kind of a relationship with somebody.

"What if all of this is a trap? What if Cyrus didn't actually write that note for us?" I know that what I'm saying is unlikely, but I'm a pessimist and I want to make sure that Trace truly knows that nothing may be as he thinks.

"I highly doubt it is. From what I recall, it looks like Cyrus's handwriting." Of course, Trace is trying to be the voice of reason. He is trying to convince me of my point, and, admittedly, there is much more logic on his side. But I have more desperation.

"But still, what if it is?"

"Then I will do all that I can to keep you away from your husband. I will fight him myself if I have to!"

Trace stops in his tracks and turns around. His face is flushed red from frustration but he is smiling. "You are stubborn, aren't you? You just want to get your way no matter what. I'm sorry to tell you, but this time you have to go against your will. Just think of it as you doing a favor for me."

"So what will happen when we are done with this?" I ask Trace. I have had no plan whatsoever about what to do after escaping. I have been taken places that I hadn't expected and now I'm lost. The only thing that I know is that no matter what, I'm going to stay with Trace. He is what I need. He can protect me from the dangers that I may face.