Freedom From Blood Longing and Lust

Chapter 8

I run the rest of the way to the barn, Zavier startles me by throwing open the door and pulling me inside. "I knew you'd find your way up here. Hurry."

Less than ten minutes later I have Goddess in a saddle with saddle bags full of food, supplies like flint and steel, and a bedroll in addition to my spare dress. Zavier much to my protests helps me gather up and pack the supplies. Surprisingly, when we're finished he just tells me to "stay safe". Then walks away. I thought he'd do something but no, just a simple goodbye. I also forgot all about my want to kick his butt.

I peer out of the barn, snow still covers everything but I can see even better than when we had arrived. "Alright Goddess let's go." She nickers and prances excitedly, I swing up, before even getting my feet into the stirrups and situating my reins she jumps into a gallop. It takes all of my years of experience to stay on her back. "Goddess!" I shriek at her.

"Must go, must go. He says go."

When I've finally righted my feet in the stirrups, reins in both hands I respond. "He who?" I know she must mean Ryen.

Goddess' step falters, but then she moves faster honestly scaring me with the slick snow. She snorts as if reading my mind. "The ground is frozen."

"That's not any safer! It wasn't frozen ten minutes ago!" I risk looking behind me. Runners' are now on horseback, that is too fast how did they already mount up... Zavier must have saddled their horses. Traitor, though he did help me. I know Goddess is the fastest and we won't have any issues out running them. "Goddess where are we going?"

"To the caves of course," she huffs.

I frown, "If you say so."

"Have you ever had to have a conversation while running for your life?" She huffs again.

"Sorry! Fine, I'll shut my mouth." I do often wonder why sometimes Goddess speaks in complete sentences with full understanding and other times seems only capable of saying two word responses. The only conclusion I've come to is that the short incomplete is when she's guarding her thoughts. We have discovered that she has to project thoughts, not just think them.

My fingers despite wearing gloves are getting painfully cold, as are my toes. Instead of focusing on them I force my thoughts back to our escape. I'm free now, unless the Runners find me and don't let me go of course. Though I highly doubt they will actually try. I wish I could have seen my sisters, and said goodbye. If it wasn't so cold I'd let myself cry, as it is I can't feel my cheeks. What if I never see them again?

The sun has set as we pass the boarder of Sutle lands and turn east into the mountains. To our advantage the moon is full and lights our path. In the past I have occasionally wandered into the mountains but never this far southeast. This narrow valley is a new beautiful sight to behold. Large boulders make the path impossible for the trail to be straight, Goddess slows to a trot to zigzag around them. After some time the trail becomes solid rock requiring Goddess to slow to a careful walk. The high rock that surrounds us is both beautiful and menacing. So much could be hidden and ready to attack us, the unknown possibilities excite me.

Hoof-steps from behind us make me freeze, for the first time in our flee I lightly touch the reins with hands I cannot feel. Goddess bobs her head in protest at being stopped in her mission. I don't dare to speak, how did they catch us?

"It's okay." A voice floats out to me. I can hear hoofbeats clearly now and the echo across the rock. I can hear the smile in Ryen' voice, and begin to see the shape of him and his horse.

"Your horse must be very fast to have caught us." There is no reply as he nears Goddess and passes us. I notice his horse is even more surefooted than Goddess, even though she is a little shorter and wider. "Who are you?" I try for a different question, wanting to hear his voice. "I know that you aren't a god."

"Do you now?" His voice is nearly menacing, but it doesn't scare me.

"Yes," I say confidently. "You may be something other than common but that doesn't make you a god."

He chuckles.

"So...?"

"Ryen Ordil."

The name strikes some sort of recognition of before Sutle, I can't quite place it though. "Ryen what brought you to Sutle?"

"It's complicated. In a quick summary we are taking your family home."

"What?" I squawk!

"We are taking you home to Amolderon, either way you'd have left Sutle. This way just sets us a little ahead of the others." There is a touch of amusement in his tone. We ride in silence for a few minutes before he speaks again. "Let's stop for the night the cave is just ahead."