Echoes in Darkness

Chapter 39 - Brant

She had passed out, and I was able to catch her before her body hit the snow. She was shaking. Her arms were crossed around her chest, and her chest was heaving as if she couldn't breathe. I had to tighten my grip on her I was so afraid she would shake enough and fall out of my arms. I looked up at Kismet. She looked worried. I scooped up Alex, and began to walk in the direction of the stables Alex was talking about.

"We have to keep going," I told Kismet. She nodded, and we continued to walk in silence.

Alex had stopped shaking somewhere during the walk, and she was peacefully sleeping. I noticed during the walk that the crystal around her neck was glowing brightly. She shifted as if she was uncomfortable with the sudden burst of light. "We're almost there Alex," I whispered to her.

The glowing had died down, and she was peaceful once again. I looked up to see how much farther we had, and I saw the stables. Standing outside was a person. I squinted and saw that it was Prince Ian. I called out his name and he looked in our direction. When we got closer, he saw that I was carrying his sister in my arms. He rushed through the snow barefoot and met us.

"What happened?" he asked looking at her.

"She passed out again. She had another spell," I explained.

He nodded. "Bring her inside. I'll get a bedroll for her to lay on."

I carried Alex into the stables, and Ian closed the door. He climbed the ladder, and came back down with a bedroll, and Peter trailing behind him. He laid the bedroll out on the floor, and I carefully placed Alex on it. Peter started a fire to warm us, and Ian began to question us.

"What really happened?" he asked watching Alex.

"I'm not sure. She had told us that her Mother had did something to her, and she was weak because of it. She is still weak. She had told me that she had escaped, but my brother had found her, and brought her to the palace. She had said she was gagged, chained, and blindfolded. I found her in a cell, and got her out. She passed out when we had made it to the inn," I explained.

"Were you followed?"

"I don't know. An alarm was set off when we were escaping. We didn't see any guards when we left. That doesn't mean we can't be tracked here."

Ian sighed, and put his head in his hands. "We need to leave here when she wakes. We need to return to Hutan. You're welcome to come. Anybody who helps us find our sister is welcome. Besides your Father will most likely want your head for what you've done." I nodded. That much was true. "Get some rest. I don't have any more bedrolls. We're going to have to wait until we're out of the city to get some more."

Once again, I nodded. "Knowing Alex will be safe is all that matters now," I said.

"You can sleep on the second-floor. I'll stay here with Alex."

I got up from my place, as did Kismet. We both climbed the ladder. I found a place to lay next to one of the walls, and Kismet a place on the other wall. I rested my head on the wood, and was quickly asleep.