The Golden Rider Book 1: The Golden Traitor

Chapter 2.4

Chapter 2.4

Georgina led me back up to the first floor where everything was boarded up and dark, but I had gotten used to it.  She led me to a table in the back where Rosie sat down and patted the seat next to her.  I sat down, and Georgina brought over a small plate of bread.  She set it down, and Rosie quickly scooped up a piece and began eating it.  I graciously took a slice.  It was pretty stale, but I had not had bread in ages.  I slowly ate it, remembering how Jacey and Aiden used to make fun of me because bread was all I ate.  I wished that I could see them again.  It would shock them that I ate meat now.  Headmaster would be pleased.

"So, I'm supposed to call you Silver?" Georgina asked.  She didn't eat the bread at all.  She sat directly across from me with her arms crossed.  The knife she had now sat directly in front of her and pointed at me.  I didn't point out that while it seemed to be a threatening move, I could easily swoop in and grab the knife if I really wanted to.  It would have been a better idea for her to keep it in her hands.  Then again, Rosie sat so close to me, so she must have trusted me enough to not hurt the child.

"Yeah."

"It's really cool Mommy!"  Rosie chimed in with a mouthful of bread.  "She has a full set of silver armor that matches her Dragon's armor!"

"Silver huh.  That must have been expensive."

"It was a gift from someone who took care of me."

"And where is this person now?"  I froze and set the bread back down on the plate.

"He's gone now."  I said silently.  Georgina's face soften a bit, and she uncrossed her arms.

"I'm sorry.  I didn't know."

"It's okay.  I didn't really know him that long, but he saved my life when I was in a tight spot.  Without him, I wouldn't be alive right now."  She gave me a soft smile and reached across the table to put her hand on my shoulder.  She gave a reassuring squeeze before getting up to put the bread away.

"My husband once saved my life back when we were children.  We were out in the woods with a group of friends fooling around by the stream.  We were just playing in the shallow end because it had just rained and the stream was moving quickly.  The boys began throwing mud at the girls, and I fell into a deeper part of the creek.  I only knew how to swim a little, and the water was moving too fast.  I thought I was going to drown."  Georgina went silent for a moment.  "The next thing I knew, I was on the side of the bank further downstream with Bard looking down at me.  He had a really worried expression."  She smiled then.  "He had jumped in right after me and pulled me to safety.  Ever since then, we've been inseparable.  This is the longest we have been apart from each other.  I couldn't imagine life without him." She went silent again.  I clenched my hands into fists.

"Don't worry Miss. Georgina.  I promised that I will help your husband, so I will."  She smiled at me, but I could tell she was hurting on the inside.  "Where is he being held?"

"Pernsville is a very small village as you probably know.  The closest town is Heathen, but it is only half a day's ride by horse, and a few hours by Dragon.  There is a Rider stationed here now, so it is easy for them to contact Heathen where I'm sure another Rider is stationed.  The Rider took over our leader's house in the center of the village.  He had a few cells built in the basement."

Great, I thought.  This made it so much more complicated.  I had to sneak into the man's house just to get into the cells.  I had hoped that the cells would be in a more open and public place.

"I'll need to see this house," I said.  "Can you see the cells from outside?"  Georgina nodded.

"There is a small window with bars across it that people can look in.  I pass by it every day, and Bard waves to me from inside."  Georgina looked like she was about to cry.  "But it's no use.  The window is small enough from someone like Rosie to crawl out, but my Bard is much too large.  The walls surrounding it are made of a strong metal."