The Final Hour

Chapter 10

A shadow looms above me, blocking out the warm afternoon sun and sending shivers down my spine.

"Going somewhere?" Gray says in a voice that makes my blood run cold.
Its too late.

................................................................

I groan and roll over to face her.

"What do you want?" I hiss at her. Gray smirks-a purely evil smile.

"I'm going to take you back to my father. My father-the King of Echidninare." She says triumphantly.

When I don't react, Gray's smile slides off of her face.

"You already knew that didn't you." She questions me.

"Finally you're right about something." I reply angrily. Gray glares at me-fury in her eyes. She pulls out her sword. I swallow down the panic in my throat. I left my own weapons at the castle, because they are very recognizable. Now that I think back on that-that was NOT my best decision. She raises the sword high over my chest. My heart is beating a thousand miles a minute. Gray tries to stab me, but I roll away. Angrily she pounces onto me, holding me down with her knees. She draws a silver knife from her waistband. She holds it to my throat.

"Goodbye Eadu." She whispers.

"That's what the last one said." I glare at her. She draws a thin line of blood across my neck, making me wince at the sharp bite of steel.
I avert my gaze. If I'm going to die, I refuse to let the last thing I see be Gray's ugly face.
I look up at the beautiful winter sky.
That's better.
I close my eyes waiting for my imminent death, and trying to calm down my racing heart.
I feel the point of the knife break my skin.
Oh gosh. This is it.
I flail and struggle-trying to unseat her. But Gray is a foot taller, and several pounds heavier then me.
It's like trying to move a rock.
Suddenly there is a intense pressure on my abdomen, and then I can move again. Gray is off of me, lying motionless in the field to my left. I think Jaosh tackled her.
He brushes off his hands and helps me up.

"Thanks." I mutter.

"Don't mention it." He responds quietly. I run over to Branwen.

"Are you ok?" I ask. She is staring at Gray's unconscious body with tears in her eyes.

"I trusted her!" Branwen spits. I wrap a arm around her and steer her away from Gray.

"I know." I mutter quietly. Branwen quickly wipes away her fallen tears and looks up at me.

"So now what?" Branwen asks. Jaosh comes up beside me.

"Yea. Where should we go." He asks. I walk straight ahead.

"First, we'll need horses. Second, we need to get this to Derrin. He's in charge of the armies-he'll want to see this." I say.

"What do we need to give to Derrin?" Branwen asks. I pull the folded envelope from under my shirt and hand it to her. Jaosh peers over her shoulder. He looks up in shock.

"Tell me you didn't." He groans.
I smile and grab it back, folding it carefully and placing it securely in my pocket.

"Let's go. I don't know about you, but I want some food." I walk away without looking back.

We managed to find some bread, and trade a pair of expensive earrings for a mangy old horse. As the sun sinks below the horizon, we plod on. Jaosh and I take turns walking beside the horse. Branwen is fast asleep, leaning heavily on the horses neck.
I let her sleep. Let her dream of happy things. Goodness knows we should soak up happiness when we have the chance. It's better in the dream world then it is in reality.
Reality sucks.