The Shadow

Chapter 5

Kai and Harper rode at full speed for as long as they could before Kai was forced into a trot by his mare's exhaustion. Although he urged Harper to go on without him, she stayed, claiming that they had a better chance of survival together. Since she had burst out of the woods a day ago, an unspoken agreement to stay together had passed between them. She was right, though. They would have a harder chance of surviving these horrors on their own. They would also need to take watches starting tomorrow night—if they survived that long. He tried not to dwell on the thought, and instead readied his knives for an encounter that would surely come. Although they had gotten a ways away from the monster by the fire, howls sounded nearby, each growing closer. From the sounds of them, more of the beasts were on their way. Harper had not spoken about what they had seen at the fire, but her face was still pale as snow, eyes widening at every howl that pierced the heavens.

Kai didn't dare dismount his horse as she lapped water from a stream cutting across the path, still panting from exhaustion.

"Kai." Harper tugged at her braid, gesturing toward the path ahead. "We're going the wrong way. Toward the forest and the wraith."

Wraith. That seemed like a good name for the invisible creature from the day before. Kai only nodded. He had known where they were going soon after they left their camp; little could be done with the bear-like creatures cutting off access to the other side of the path, and he didn't dare go through the woods. If such horrors lurked along the path, he would rather not find out what prowled among the trees.

"I know," was all he said. He hadn't wanted to worry her by revealing what they rode toward—the very thing they had run from just the day before. She nodded, cocking her head as she saw the knives and sword nestled at his side. He noticed the look, preparing for the worst.

"Are you... a warrior?"

Kai winced. "No. I am—was—an...an assassin." She widened her eyes, sitting up on her horse, and he scolded himself for his stupidity.

Why did you tell her that? You left Northshore to escape the past, not relive it!

"Not anymore," he added. "I...I stopped." He knew the words sounded as dumb as he felt, and watched for the look of disgust or terror she would surely give him. He received neither, amazingly. Instead she simply nodded, cocking her head and eying him. Was she...sizing him up? He shook his head in wonder. This girl must have seen dark days, to face down an assassin as if he were nothing. He felt a strike of sympathy for her, though he wasn't sure why.

It took an effort to stop from gaping at Harper. Did she really not fear him? There. A shadow filled her eyes as she studied him. Kai recognized that shadow, that darkness. Knew it as well as he knew himself. A shadow of guilt, of regret, of pain and despair. Yes, he thought. She has seen dark days. She has felt suffering—or perhaps inflicted it. But then, is there any difference between the two?

Kai opened his mouth to speak but twisted his head to the side as another howl pierced the night. This one was close. Caught in his own mind, thinking of the past, the hound-like creature had caught him unaware. Only this time, when there once had been one, three stood. They were still a few hundred feet off, but their monstrous forms were unmistakable. Bulky and pug-like. Their short legs were a small blessing—the hounds were too slow to catch a horse running at full speed. Unfortunately, Kai's mare was exhausted, and Harper's stallion would likely be in the same state before long. They couldn't run forever—Kai had to kill the beasts now, before their pack grew and converged on their prey. If the hounds were anything like wolves, they would not give up chase easily.

"Go." Kai gestured for Harper to hurry, pausing at the worry that shone in her eyes. ". Don't worry about me, these beasts are as slow as snails. I have a horse. I'll catch up to you if things turn south," Kai lied.