The Inheritance Book 1

Ch 46 Tricky Bit: Hannah Frost [Monday Night, Week Three]

Hannah felt a nudge from Mirabelle's elbow. She raised her head from her knees.

"Did you hear that?" Mirabelle said excitedly.

"Hear what? All I hear is my stomach growling."

"I thought I heard someone." Mirabelle leaned her ear forward. "Listen."

Hannah strained to hear. Sure enough, in the distance a faint, high-pitched voice called out their names. Hannah jumped up, and immediately stumbled. Her icy feet had fallen asleep. She ignored the pins and needles. "We're here! Over here!" A warm rush of relief and joy flooded through her.

Mirabelle, shouting and screaming, had already grabbed her pack and started toward the flashlight beam. She tripped and fell over a rock, but picked herself up and kept moving.

Hannah threw on her pack and limped along behind, in her slippers that used to be boots.

Just ahead, Aunt Allora appeared out of the shadows and seemed to be floating toward them. Miracle of miracles! She looked like an angel with her silvery-white hair and long white coat and skirt rippling in the chilly night air.

"Oh, my little lost sheep!" she cried. "You had us all worried sick!" Allora shook out a gray blanket and stretched up her arms to wrap it around Mirabelle's shoulders. "Now, let's get you girls warm."

Allora covered Hannah in a wonderfully soft, warm blanket that felt like a hug. Hannah bent down a little further so she could give their savior a real hug.

"I can't believe you found us!" Hannah managed to splutter through a throat choked with emotion. "You came out in the dark and cold for us! Thank you!" Tears of relief and gratitude filled her eyes.

"I couldn't leave you out here alone now, could I, loves?" Allora opened her bag and brought out bottles of water, and two small containers full of crackers and cheese. "You must be thirsty and starved. Here's a little something to hold you over until we get back home."

Hannah opened the bottle. The water was lukewarm and went down in big, easy gulps. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was. And a chunk of cheddar cheese on a crisp saltine cracker had to be the yummiest thing in the world.

As the girls shoved crackers and cheese into their mouths, Allora explained what probably happened and how the girls ended up on a different mountain.

Hannah finished her mouthful and swallowed. "But how did you find us?" She had a million other questions, but this one was at the top of the list.

Before Allora could respond, Mirabelle tossed out another one. "How did you climb up here alone?" Which was also on Hannah's list.

Allora tightened the sash on her long coat. "Let's not concern ourselves with unnecessary details. The important thing is that you are found!"

Hannah nodded. It was true. She didn't care too much about the details right now anyway. She was just so happy to be saved.

"Very good, poppets. Now, let's concentrate on getting ourselves off this mountain and back to the Jeep. Mr. Carter is waiting for us. What do you say to that?"

"How can we make it all the way down the mountain in the dark?" Mirabelle said as she screwed the cap back on her empty water bottle.

"I know a shortcut. We'll be down at the Jeep in no time at all."

A shortcut? They would be out of here in no time? Hannah was baffled, but how could she not trust Allora after all this? And she didn't want to annoy Allora with more questions.

Allora handed a flashlight to her and one to Mirabelle, and pointed her own toward the pines from which she had emerged. "Follow me, ladies. Watch your step!"