The Juras Complex (Book 1 of the Darkfell Chronicles) #wattys2019

VI

Anwyn had never been more relieved to see a Valkari assassin and a knight in the sixteen years of her life. She had spent the last half hour wandering the darkening forest with a half-orc woman, tripping over roots and branches and jumping at the slightest bit of noise and quite frankly, she'd had enough. She had quickly come to the realisation that she was not built for the world outside the castle and how much she'd underestimated the harshness of the world she was quite literally thrown into. She was certain that she looked an absolute mess, she lost her boots in a mud puddle somewhere so Vola had to pull her out in a very undignified way and it was quite embarrassing.

"Are you okay?" Xander asked her. "You're trembling. You're not going to pass out like you did on that trip to Prosperium, are you?"

Anwyn hadn't noticed that she was shaking, or the fact that her eyes had begun to sting.

"I..." Her voice cracked, then she took a deep breath, gaining some composure. "I'm done."

"What?"

"I've changed my mind. I want to go home."

"Ye want to get back ta Thalos?" Lyra scratched the top of her head. "That's like a three-day walk from here."

"Look, I'm sorry but I can't go on like this! My feet hurt, I've lost my boots somewhere, I've been following this scary half-orc woman-" She gestured towards Vola who lifted a hand in greeting.

"It's a pleasure."

"I mean, you don't seriously expect me to walk all the way to Arkos without any shoes, do you?"

"I spent a good few decades without an arm so, I'll think you'll live," Lyra shrugged, though only one arm went up as her metal one dangled limply at her side.

"What happened to your arm?"

"It broke."

"But it's made of metal."

"You'd be surprised what can break when ye jump out a crashing airship."

A couple of wires snapped before Lyra's arm dropped to the floor with a metallic clang. Everyone turned to look at Lyra who had now closed her eyes and started muttering in elven before finally picking up her destroyed arm. She shot a glare in Xander's direction.

"Ye owe me a new arm."

Xander looked surprised. "What? How come? Since when?"

"Since it was your stupid idea to jump out a crashing airship in the first place!"

There was rustling coming from a nearby bush and Anwyn tugged on Lyra's cloak. "Umm, guys..."

"And whose fault do you think it is that sky pirates shot it down?"

"Not to be that person but, I don't think now is a good time for this." Vola drew her hammer as she glanced around, she must have heard the noise too and it was coming from two different directions.

"We didn't ask for your opinion, orc," Xander said.

"It's Vola," The half-orc corrected. "And I'm half orc, thank you very much."

The rustling got louder and this time both Xander and Lyra drew their weapons as the three of them stood in a circle around Anwyn. Then Anwyn spotted someone stepping out of the brush, he was tall and lanky, with a wisp of wild red hair and he was leaning against a small elven girl.

"Myers!"

Anwyn rushed towards the redhead, pushing past Xander and Lyra and tackling him into a hug. Myers grunted as he toppled over a bit but the elven girl helped him regain his balance.