Elysian House: Edge of the World (3)

Chapter 23: The Cave

Del

The footsteps were heavier now, and in the trees, I saw the shadows coming closer, and squeezing our path until we could no longer keep running. I watched as Winter halted ahead of me. When I was right behind her, I saw the blockade of Amazon's standing before her, holding their weapons in their hands and snarling at her viciously.

I was gasping for air as I looked all around us, quickly finding that all of our exits had been blocked completely. We were completely lost.

One of them spoke in the Amazon's tongue that I could still remember well.

"They witnessed the offering," one Amazon said in her native tongue, looking between all of her mates, with gleaming eyes. "You know what the lady says, girls, spare no one who sees our Father Zeus." 

They all snickered and moistened their lips, staring us all down hungrily. I forget how merciless Amazon's tend to be, especially when it came to Father Zeus.

"What are they saying?" Winter asked, without looking back at me. She kept the knife out, holding it, to show she would not be taken so willingly. Alis, on the other hand, was just squeaking in fear and trembling like a leaf. 

"Shh," I hushed quietly. I stepped forward, trying to remain as calm and as slow as possible, so they wouldn't start throwing their spears at me, thinking I was attempting to attack. I held up my hands, in a form of surrender and flinched when they jerked at the motion, but didn't attack just yet. And then, I spoke the language I thought I forgot a long time ago.

"Sisters," I said in that signature tongue I used to speak so well. Instantly, their faces twisted in shock, and turned less aggressive. "We do not come to bring war. We are looking for the cave." 

The girl who spoke before was the one to answer. She didn't lower her weapon, but she didn't seem to be snarling anymore. "What cave?" 

I glanced between each of them. I couldn't imagine they were going to like what I had to say. "The Never Ending Cave." 

Just as I expected, they hissed and snarled. 

I tried not to back down, even as their spears came dangerously close to me. Their jerky movements did little to settle my frazzled nerves. "Why do you seek it, foreigner?"

"Please," I said, this time in English, "We are short on time and we really need to find the Vampire artifacts before Snow comes to Elysian House and destroys--"

"Oh, my gods," one of the Amazon girls instantly dropped her spear. Her face was very plainly shocked and she just stood there for a long time, staring at me. Then, she spoke. "Ainia?" 

That name I haven't heard for a long time. But when I looked into the face of this Amazon, suddenly it seemed so stupid of me not to see who she was sooner. And relief filled me when I saw the smile on her face. 

"Celaneo!" I said, happily as she marched forward to embrace me in a tight hug. Most of the Amazon's by now have dropped their spears, though some appeared a little annoyed with my friend for just hugging me like that. "I can't believe you're still alive!" 

"I can't believe you are, sister! You're damn lucky I am awful with a bow, otherwise, you'd have dropped dead a few paces back," she said, chuckling slightly at her own joke. I didn't find it as funny, considering I seriously almost died, but I didn't remark on it. Her face seemed to sober up instantly. "But you shouldn't have come back. You know what Lykopis said the day she shipped you off to go live with the Outsiders."

"Yes, of course," I said, darkly, recalling the memory of that vile woman the instant I walked into these forests. "But it's important, Celaneo, I really need to be here right now."