The Hidden Orphan (The Chronicles of Mistar - Book 2)

Nineteen · · · Dest

Faz, Rol

DEST THOUGHT SHE LOST HIM. She was wrong. Thist was always one step behind her.

"You can't outrun me," he taunted.

Dest wanted to gurgle, "I know," but it came out as a moan. Her leg hurt, probably broken and swollen. She had tried to jump over a fence at the start of the chase, leading into Pent's East, only to fall and break her leg. It made her slow, weak, but when her adrenaline kicked, it felt like nothing.

She seethed through her sharpened teeth, somehow gaining balance the faster she ran with her limp leg. Dest looked behind her and saw Thist. He was running too, and faster. Definitely faster than her, but she was used to running on sand and Pent's East was just that. There was no pavement in the housing area. Thist was running fast, but running in pace when he tried to build up speed.

Dest was searching for Ophryn. Kast. Even Mell, if the princess could help her.

Dest toppled over when she ran headfirst into a muscled body. It was the same person she met in Harmun Square. Ryn. Behind him, as he held her shaking form, she could see the Pezdan's tent, it's front flap open revealing Kast and Mell.

Just as she though Thist was about to tackle, she heard one last echoing growl, sharp in her ears making them ring.

Ryn held her under her armpits, trying to look at her. "Dest! What is it? What's wrong?"

Dest's eyes were squeezed shut, still expecting the tackle from a ferocious Thist, but it never came. She breathed heavily when she said, "You didn't hear that? You didn't hear him?"

Ryn seemed completely oblivious. "Hear what?" he asked confused.

"It was him. He was here. He was here...," she mumbled, sinking to the sandy ground when Ryn could no longer hold her.

Turning serious, Ryn grunted, "Come one. I'll get you to the tent. Tell us then. Can you walk?"

Dest shook her head. "No... I think it's broken." She motioned to her legs. Dest didn't know what one was broken, she just wanted it fixed. "You have tanala herb?"

Now it was Ryn's turn to shake his head. "No, but Kast can run to the front desk."

"Yes, yes...," Dest said breathlessly. "Tell him to ask for Keeta. I'm not on the C.S. so she won't know to send me in for," — Dest gulped — "my mother. She knows me, or she should. She'll have some tanala herb. Tell her it's a favor for me. Here, take my jacket. She knows my jacket."

Dest slowly slid her jacket off her shoulders and down her arms, letting her skin and black tank top touch the sand.

Ryn looked at her concerned. "Are you sure?"

Dest tried for a smile, not getting one in return. "I'm sure."

Ryn gulped before he called, "Kast!" He waited for Kast to come over, the boy's face in complete shock, before he ordered, Dest's jacket held out to take, "Take this. It's Dest's. Show the girl at the front desk, Keeta should be her name, that you need tanala herb. Tell her it's a favor from Dest. She should give it to you. If she doesn't tell her that it's urgent. Got it?"

Kast gripped Dest's jacket. "Yes. I-I'll be right back."

Then he was gone. Racing through Pent's East. Dest hoped Thist wouldn't find him. She hoped the monster would leave him alone. Kast didn't deserve his wrath. Anyway, maybe that's why Thist let her go, knowing that her Pezdan friends could heal her when he couldn't. If he truly loved her, he wouldn't let her die of a broken leg.