The Dreaming: Dark Star (Book 5)

15.1. Third time (Imorah)

Imorah ran up the hill away from Tashin and Akim and Liran, and away from Brother Silas in his ship.

She was out of view, in a small dip filled with large, leafy bushes, when she heard it. She looked up, and couldn't see anything, but she could hear a ship, high overhead.

Without another thought, she threw herself under the nearest bush, and squirmed behind it, into a gap between the bush and a rock wall. Her heart was pounding. She stayed still.

When the sound of the ship disappeared, she still did not move. This was as good a spot as any she had seen in her previous journey up and down this mountain.

She lay on her side, her bag under her head, examining the flowers of the tree to occupy her time.

Suddenly she heard footsteps. She saw the feet — brown leather sandals.

She held her breath, hoping against hope that those feet would pass by her.

Tashin. It was Tashin's feet. He was coming back up the way she'd come. Had he followed her?

She watched with excruciating anticipation as his feet walked past. She tried to block her feelings of fear by staring at one particular red flower, and regulating her heart rate.

The feet were almost gone, out of view. And then the worst possible thing happened: the feet stopped.

Then even worse — they turned around.

Imorah's eyes few wide with fear and she bit her knuckles.

"You best come up with me, if you want to live, Imorah. Can't hide from Praetoria behind bushes." There was a pause, then he added, "Especially not after I've robbed them blind!" He laughed at his joke, "Hahaha!" a deep belly laugh.

Imorah exhaled, and rested her head on her arm, relieved he wasn't angry.

"You coming?" he asked.

She was embarrassed to speak to him from behind the bush.

"Suit yourself," he said, and walked away.

She watched his feet walk out of view, wondering briefly what she should do.

The thought of being alone struck her — What would I do?! — and she quickly squirmed her way out, scratching her forearms and cheeks on the stiff, wiry branches. They might catch me. I can't hide in a bush! She pulled out her bag, and crawled onto the pathway. Tashin was already long gone.

Running after him, gripping her bag and the fur under one arm, she yelled "Wait!"

She turned a corner and there he was. He grabbed her, and she was trapped. She could not escape his steal grip.

He put his hand over her mouth, and his eyes sparkled with some strong emotion — not fear, not anger, but what?

Imorah, wide-eyed and silenced, went limp in his arms.

He leaned in close, his lips touching her ear. "Follow me and don't say another word!" he whispered fiercely. Then he let her go, pushing her to the ground.

Imorah fell back and watched him walk quickly up the path.

She got up, dusted herself off and ran after him.

They ascended like this on a relatively smooth and worn trail, until they verged off the trail.

It didn't look much like a trail, in fact. It looked like Tashin was headed towards a cliff. He was now scaling a wall.