Fire's Grace (Being Edited)

Chapter 16

Cal gets on Hope behind me again. I think he fears I will pass out again. Since it is getting late, we go as quickly as Hope can carry us. The two of us don't talk at all during the ride. It gives me more time to think, even though I really don't want to.

What would happen if we failed and all of us got captured? Would we get killed? Or would we just be forced to work for the rest of our lives? What would we do if we successfully got Ben free with no one injured? Would we hide and live in the woods? Would we go back home? Will we ever be safe? These are the questions that run through my head. The questions I have no answers for.

Before I know it, we are stopping. I don't know how long it has been since we left camp or how far we traveled. I just hope it is far enough. It is almost dark anyways.

"Emma, how do you feel?"

"I feel better than when I woke up. I am still thinking about that dream though."

"I bet you will for a while. Want to help me set up camp?"

"What would I do?"

"You can take care of the horse. You can get wood for a fire. You could set up places for us to sleep. Just to name a few things you could do."

"I will take care of Hope."

"Okay. I will get wood and hopefully find water."

"Okay.

I start taking Hope's saddle off. The sunset reminds me more of my dream. It is orange and yellow with just a little bit of red. The air smells like pine. It is warm for the time of year. You can just feel a slight breeze trying to cool off the warm air and bring in the night. Hope's saddle is light. I still don't know where the boys got the saddle and bridle, but I am thankful for it.

I look over my shoulder and see something in the distance. A small, black column. I nearly scream. The smoke is a distance away. But I don't know how far or who started the fire. I drop Hope's saddle onto the soft dirt beneath me and start running towards Cal.

"Cal! Cal!"

"Emma? I'm over here," I see him out of the corner of my eye, waving. "What's wrong?"
"I saw smoke. Off in the distance," I point to where I saw the smoke. Cal instantly goes pale.

"That is about ten miles away. It will take about a day to get here on foot. We won't light a fire tonight. Just to be safe."

"Okay."

I start breathing hard. The smoke. Only a day to get to us. I think I start shaking. Cal takes my hand and leads me back to where I left Hope. Everything's a blur.

"It will be okay Emma. I promise," He finishes his statement with a hug. The fresh scent of pine in his clothes. His muscles. His heartbeat. It comforts me more than Ben could. Just being this close to someone who knows me. Even if I don't know them. My fire is back, and it is burning stronger and brighter than ever before.

Cal says he will take first watch. I don't think I can fall asleep, but I try. I lay down on the ground and after a while, start feeling drowsy. My eyes start feeling heavy and my breathing slows. My vision gets dark and I fall asleep.

I wake up. I feel like I'm being watched. The feeling stops after I start moving. I hear footsteps walking into the forest a little bit. I hear talking, but only one person is. The voice is muffled, but I know it is Cal.

"I don't know what to do. Emma is wanting to save her brother and I just want to keep her safe. I can't think of anything I can do to do both. Emma, she wants to turn herself in to free her brother. I can't let her do it. I want her to stay with me, safe."

I wake up to someone shaking my arm. "Come on Emma. Let's get an early start."

"Cal? Did you sleep at all?" I ask, still half asleep.

"I couldn't. I mean- I wanted to. But the smoke. I couldn't take my mind off it."

"I understand that."

"How did you sleep?"

"I woke up once, but fell back asleep. How was your night?" Can I tell him I heard him talking?

"Uneventful."

"Cal. I need to tell you something."

"What?"

"I heard you talking last night. Why and to who?"

"Why? Because I needed to. And to who? My- my brother."

"Brother?"

"Yeah. He passed away a few years ago. I feel like he has guided me through hard times."

"Oh. I'm sorry I asked something so personal."

"You asked so I answered. I don't want to keep anything from you."

"Thank you Cal."

"No problem. Now let's get going."