Fallen Allegiance

Chapter Seven

The boy gripped my hand tightly, so tightly I could feel the blood rushing back up my veins and my bones squeezing together. I winced in pain but didn't cry out as I was too pre-occupied with the blood rushing down my arm where the bullet had grazed me. I could hear the sound of bangs and shouts and bullets spun through the air around me. I was too scared to scream, too scared to do anything but freeze to the spot. Luckily for me, the boy had the sense to get us out of there. 

Pulling me forward, the boy grabbed my shoulder and shoved me ahead of him. He grabbed his stone and conjured some sort of black mist which swirled around his right hand. Flinging his right hand high into the air, the mist shot forward, stopping the bullets in their tracks, sheilding us.

"Come on, we need to hide," the boy said, his voice surprisingly steady. The boy ran ahead into the forest, me following at a slower pace. Turning back, he saw me struggling to keep up and gave an exasperate groan. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me with him, making me trip over my own feet.

I couldn't focus, all I knew was if we didn't get out of there we were going to die. I could hear twigs cracking under my feet, leaves rustling as we stormed past, my own fast pants as I tried to control my breathing. Every shadow that past me made me flinch, but they were just trees and branches, no evil dude jumping out of bushes to kill me - yet. 

I tried to match my steps with the boy's, tried to keep up without him having to pull me, tried to be an allie, not a hindrance. Unfortunately, I probably fitted into the latter. The boy didn't seem to mind though, otherwise he would of left me, luckily, he didn't. 

Too focused on getting away, I didn't noticed the third set of cracks and rustles behind us, until I realised, someone was following us, and gaining on us. We weren't going to make it, they were going to find us, kill us. Talk about an unlucky day. Wake up to strangers, get told your whole life has been a lie, told you'll never see your friends or parents again, told you have to become a warrior, told you have to murder two people, told you have some magical power you can't control, let your secret out by accident twice, nearly kill yourself, the list could go on and on. And yet here I was, running for my life and I didn't even know what I was running from. Maybe some sort of demon monster, like a devil. But Ariadne hadn't mentioned anything about devils or angels existing in Valcriea. 

Suddenly, the bush in front of us moved and the boy jerked me back as I ran past him. He slotted me behind him, his arm reaching out in front of me protectively. I swallowed hard as a shadow loomed up above the bush and a figure creeped through the leaves. The figure was wearing black, all black and I had to admit, it was pretty smart as it helped them blend in to the scenery. They lowered their hood and a boy locked glares with the boy protecting me. 

"Samuel, what a," the boy protecting me paused, "Plesant surprise." 

Samuel laughed, actually, it sounded more like a cackle, "Master, what are you doing with the Hunter girl?" 

Master? What was Samuel saying? I glanced up in confusion to the boy and he glared at me, obviously telling me to keep out of it. 

"I am taking Khadi to my parents, now move, Rive, before I make you," the boy glared at Samuel but Samuel didn't move.

"Why not kill her here? Khadi is your sister's and your responsibility, after all," Samuel raised a brow but the boy shrugged it off. They were talking as though I wasn't there and it was really pissing me off. I was here, I could hear them, they could at least achknowledge me. What was Samuel even talking about? How was I this boy's responsibility? I didn't even know who he was! He wouldn't tell me his name!

"Samuel Rive, I demand you move, now," the boy threatened, bringing his black stone out in front of him.

Samuel cackled again, "Master, master, just kill her already! We would all like to see a show, wouldn't we, my friends?" Friends? I gasped in horror as more figures creaped out of the bushes, surrounding me and the boy. I grabbed his arm in fear but he quickly shook me off, not removing his gaze from Samuel's.