The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

13.2. Crag of Goats

Liran reluctantly got out of the water, and sat down on a rock to dry off, wondering where Akim had gone off to. That guy is afraid of everything, he murmured to himself, and shrugged his shoulders. Then he lay back on a stone that had been warmed by the morning sun. 

Still, after a moment, he couldn't help himself. He looked up at the cliffs above. He guessed that there were at least twenty hiding places if the Praetoria were following them. He wouldn't be surprised if they were.

After a thorough survey, he closed his eyes to rest.

That's when he heard a noise. It jolted him awake. Something had fallen into the water. He turned and looked where Akim had gone. "Akim?" he called out.

Nothing.

He looked at the water — yes there was a ripple on the calm pool — something had fallen in just moments ago. He looked up. Is there someone up there?

"Akim?" he called out again. Who knows where that guy went. Liran felt his heart beat quicken.

He got up and quickly put on the clothes he'd been wearing. They became wet, but he knew that in only a few minutes they would dry out again. Despite the uneasy feelings, he felt refreshed. Picking up his pack, he stuffed the climbing gear back inside with a scowl. At least we won't need this anymore.

He left the pool to find the officer. "Akim?" he called out.

He turned a corner and there he was, sitting at a lookout, staring out across the Great Bear desert, golden, red and brown. He had a bottle of water in one hand and a meal bar in the other. The sun had already passed overhead, and the spot was shady.

Liran sat down beside him. "Where did you go?"

Akim handed him a meal bar. "Go?"

"Yeah, what did you find?" Liran took the meal bar, but didn't open it. Couldn't eat it. It wasn't appetizing, but also he felt nervous.

"I didn't go anywhere. I've just been sitting here," Akim answered.

Liran frowned — but the rock dropping in the water? "So you didn't find anyone following us?"

"Nope," Akim answered. "Now eat up, let's go."

Liran pocketed the meal bar. He looked out at the desert. He could see the valley down below — a valley he knew well. Down there just an hour walk was Phiona, and the closer they got to Phiona, the closer they got to some point of no return.

"If you're not going to eat, let's go," Akim said. "Put your climbing gear back on."

"No gear anymore," Liran insisted. "It's not steep, it's a gradual slope all the way down. Follow me." He walked off, closing down the discussion, and Akim had no choice but to pack quickly and run to catch up.

Liran was already around a corner with a strong headstart. Something inexplicable overcame him, and he started running.

He ran a few hundred paces down the hill at top speed, his heart pounding. He didn't know what he was doing, and why he was running, but he was.

Maybe I can find Phiona beforehand. There'd been that laboratory underground, with weapons. His Grandpa Fiz' workshop. The underground highway. He could run.

Or he could face them. He could get the weapons in the locker. With Phiona's help, maybe he could kill Brother Silas?

His imagination went wild as he ran.