Lavender & Ice

47. Running out of Time

"We don't have much time. Hurry, and be quiet." He reached for her and began to pull her for the door.

"What are you doing?" She wasn't sure why her voice listen to him and whispered instead of yelled. "How can you do this to your own family? They trust you. They love you. Please don't do this to them. I will do anything."

The general stopped. Pulling her closer to look her up and down. "Anything? Do you truly mean that? You would do anything to save my family?"

Ashima nodded, confusion washing over her at the sincereness in his voice.

"Good. I didn't have time to go for reinforcements. It's just us. Now hurry, we don't have much time before the guards realize they've been duped. I'm getting you out of here. Then we're going to warn The Premier, save my family and arrest Zein. He will not be allowed to live this time."

As soon as they were outside they heard footsteps running from the other side of the house. "Hurry!" Garen practically pushed Ashima into an alleyway. She had no time to get a good bearing of her location, but it seemed they were somewhere in the outskirts of the town around the grand hall.

"After them!" They heard a man shout.

Garen increased their pace and Ashima did her best to keep up but she wasn't sure how long she could keep at this. If she survived this, she would make it a point to begin training. Her physical abilities needed improvement if she was going to be forced to run with these tall aliens who were gifted with extreme endurance.

She kept pushing Kietnans face to the front of her mind, and the faces of his brothers. Keeping the determination to save them in the front of her mind to fuel her on. They turned down another alleyway and she could see it. Only a few blocks away was The Grand Hall.

A group of men, Barlo included, suddenly showed up in front of them, blocking the way to the grand hall. Garen turned quickly, pulling her along down a different alleyway.

"You're going to have to go without me, Ashima."

"What? No! How am I supposed to do that? What can I do?"

"Not so many questions at once, girl! Listen, I'm going to have to hold them off. You obviously can't do it." She nodded, she couldn't argue with that. "You were taken out of the grand hall through a secret entrance. Can you find where the tunnel to the cave lets out of the stairway?"

Ashima nodded. "I think so."

"OK, good." Garen pulled a chain from his inside breast pocket. Here is the key to enter through that same stairway. Only members of The Premier have these keys. Show this to the Premier or to a high-ranking guard. They will know I sent you."

"But I can't leave you. They'll kill you!"

"Ashima." Garen ducked behind a produce booth and held her by her shoulders, looking her in the eye. "You promised me you would do anything to save my family. Now you must live up to that promise. I'm putting their lives in your hands. Do not fail me. And no matter what happens, do not come back for me. You have to get in there and warn them."

Ashima nodded and swallowed, a knot forming in her throat as she drew in a deep breath. Just before she could turn and run away, Garen grabbed her arm one last time. "I'm sorry. For everything."

With another nod, she turned and ran as fast as she could away from Garen. She heard metal clang with metal and assumed Garen was fighting him off with some type of weapon she hadn't noticed him carrying. A loud cry rang out and she jolted behind a wagon, hiding in case they were after her too. She could just make out Garen's form in the dark as the men surrounded him.