The Choosing

Chapter Thirteen

I woke up with Nova snuggly tightly into my side. I smiled as I quietly tried to get up. Surprisingly with my level of clumsiness, I didn't wake her.

It was still dark when I stumbled out of the cave. Still no sign of Cade at all. I didn't want to leave Nova alone, but it's not like I could let Cade wander around and possibly get caught.

I sighed and looked at the cave. I couldn't leave her. Cade's a grown man after all. He can take care of himself.

I shuffled back to the cave tiredly. A part of me still wanted to search for Cade, but leaving Nova alone would be like asking the guard to kill her.

I leaned on the entrance of the cave and watched the sunrise. It was beautiful. Or at least it would have been if I didn't see the blood of everybody I knew as the red hues. I squeezed my eyes shut in an attempt not to break down and cry again. 

How could they kill so many people and feel nothing about it?

A rustling in the trees around me forced me out of my thoughts.

"Cade?" I called out hopefully.

I knew it had to be him. Nova was still asleep and the noise sounded to precise to be an animal.

I walked slowly to the edge of the tree line. A man was walking this way, but he was shorter than Cade. He wore clothes of a guard.

I tried to hide before he could see me, but I just wasn't fast enough. I ran as fast as I could go back to the cave. I made it to the entrance before I was forcefully grabbed by the wrist.

"Oh, I am so gonna get a bonus when I tell the boss I found you all by myself," the man said to himself.

I tried hard to wriggle free but his grip was too strong. I kneed him in the stomach, but that only seemed to make him angrier.

"You bitch! You are coming with whether you like it or not!"

The man switched his hold to my hair and pulled out a knife. I screamed and tried everything to get out of his grasp.

"Evie-Weavie are you okay?"

"Get back inside the cave!" I screamed at Nova, but it was too late.

The man dropped me grabbed her instead. He held the knife right against her neck. Nova started to scream.

"I see we forgot one here," he said pushing the knife further into her neck.

Without thinking I charged the man. I jumped on his back and bit down hard on the hand with a knife in it.

He promptly let go of Nova and the knife. He held his hand as kicked him behind his knees making him fall.

"Nova go hide somewhere until I tell you it's safe to come out."

"But Evie-" she started.

"Now!" I shouted.

I grabbed the knife and concealed it as the man stood up. Before I could fully turn around, the man sent a hard blow to my temple sending me falling into a large rock.

I felt blood coming from somewhere, but I ignored it as a struggled to sand. I went to kick him in the liver, but he twisted my leg, making it crack loudly.

I screamed in agony as he forced himself on top of me with a large rock in his hand.

"They'd be even happier if I brought you back dead," he said with a grin on his face.

"He was about to bring the rock down on my head when I stuck the knife into his heart. He gasped and choked as blood flowed from his mouth. I struggle to move his body off of me as I saw the life leave his eyes.