Bound

Chapter 15: A Year Later

Jaque's P.O.V

It's been a year since I ran away. I am seventeen now, I wear my dark brown hair in a loose side braid, it has grown longer. My eyes are still their sunset orange, my right eye partly covered with my long side bangs. I now wear a black long sleeved shirt, my chest armour hugging me, stopping just above my torso, showing my shirt. My shoulder pads close to my shoulders drooping down, not sticking out. My black hood attached to my chest armour I the upper middle. I have my forearms covered with armour, stopping on the top of my hand, but showing my palms. I wear jeans and sneakers. My armour is orange.

I fight better than I did when I was sixteen, I never did go back to school. I have faced off Stephen's minions when I would be hunting. I do wonder how the others are doing. I have wondered about that a lot through the year, but never have gone to see them, I'll put them in danger. Stephen wants me first, as long as I'm alive and away from them, they will be safe.

I miss them very much and I still love Fane, I just don't want anything to happen to them. I decided to go for a ride on Flames. We have made this cave our home, I made a bed and a table, kitchen, and a place where I cook my food. I grab his halter and slip it on, I hop on bareback and go galloping through the forest. When I reach the part of the forest that is called Ravens Point, something jumped at me.

I realize that it is one of Stephen's minions that are dressed like ninjas, I call them shadows. It grabbed me, making me fall off Flames, I make my bow appear in my hand and start to fight. I flip my hood over my head, hiding the first half of my face, braid still over my shoulder. I can still see, but my eyes covered. I keep fighting, more come. It's five against me, seems fair.

Lily's P.O.V

It has been a year since Jaque dissappearred. We all accepted the fact that she is dead. Fane, Sage, and I stopped searching after three months. We went to school, hiding our secret in the process. We are currently in my room, we moved into our own rooms a month after Jaque went. We were talking on what we should do this summer until Grandfather White burst in.

"Shadows have been spotted at Ravens point." He said, we all nodded and grabbed our armour( their armour is the same as Jaque's except different colours, you should know what colours from previous chapters☺️). We put our hoods over our faces covering our eyes. We mounted our horses and galloped towards Ravens point. Once we arrived, we hopped off our horses and made our weapons appear in our hands.

When we looked, all we saw was shadows on the ground, their bodies limp. There standing over them, a person in armour, a girl I didn't recognize. Cuts ripped through her clothing, blood staining them. She looked dangerous, without thinking, we attacked her. She fought back in defence.

Jaque's P.O.V

I stood over the limp bodies of the shadows. I look up and see four figures looking at me, their hoods covering their eyes. I looked at them and noticed that they had similar armour as me. They attacked and in my defence, I fought back. I didn't want to hurt them. The one with the whips slashed at my shoulder, going through my armour and slicing a gash in it. I shot a fire arrow, missing slightly but not without giving her a slight scratch.

I gave out a whistle to call Flames, I didn't have much energy left, my should started bleeding too much. I gave out a fire blast and knocked them down. Flames came galloping and I hopped on to his back, when I had enough distance. I dismounted and checked for any other injuries. I have a gash on my right shoulder and left forearm. Another long gash on my the side of my right leg. All of them are bleeding fast, I'm losing too much blood.

I mount Flames and go back to my cave. I go in and quickly bandage my wounds, I don't have time to do it properly. I fixed my armour with my fire and put it back on. I heard rustling outside, I heard hoof beats. I hid, climbing the cave, there is a little cliff that is dark enough for me to blend in. I look slightly over the cliff and see the four figures from before walk in.

They took off their hoods and I had to hold back a gasp. It's Lily, Sage, and Fane, I could see Lily had a slight cut on her forearm from my arrow, Sage had a cut on his cheek when I created a golden dagger, and Fane has a cut lip when I punched him. I kept myself hidden, I needed to get out of here.

"Guys, it looks like someone has been living here!" Lily said, examining the bed and walls.

"Ya, there is some scorch marks on the walls." Sage said, looking at one particular mark. Fane kept walking around, until he spotted something. Oh no! Flames, I totally forgot about him.

"Hey guys, there is a horse here!" He called to the others. I took this as my chance to escape as they were distracted. I slipped down from the cliff and made my way to the mouth of the cave. As I tip toed out, Windstorm, Drip, and Flower came running to me and nudging me. They seemed happy to see me, I heard someone say that the horse is Flames and that they heard noise outside. I took this as my cue to run. I ran and took a glimpse behind me, Fane is the closest. My hood falls off against the wind. Pain shoots up my leg, I cringe. I stopped at a cliff, I turn around and see that it's only Fane there.

His eyes widen at the sight of me.

"Jaque!" I hear him breath.

"Fane, don't come closer!" I say with sadness in my voice.

"Jaque, your a-alive!" He stuttered.

"Yes, now, you, Sage, and Lily have to get away from me! P-please, I-I don't want anything to h-happen to you guys."

"What do you mean go, we just found you. Nothing will happen to us, we just want you back. We have spent a year convinced that you were dead. That Stephen took you and killed you. Please come back with us! We need you! I-I need you!"

I stood there shocked at what he said. He came closer, I did nothing to stop him. He came and hugged me, wrapping his arms around me, I felt safe. He then kissed me, it lasted for at least thirty seconds before breaking apart.

"I've missed that." He said, heaving for breath. I smiled, the first smile I had for a long time. He let go, Sage and Lily came running and gave me a hug, I hugged back. I smiled even bigger, I was glad to see my best friends and boyfriend again. When we got back to the cave, I felt my eyes getting heavy. I forgot about my wounds, I look and see my bandages soaked with crimson, I've lost too much blood.

"Jaque, what's wrong?" Fane asked.

"I'm going to-" I was cut of as I felt my body go limp and someone catching me. I look and see Fane and he saw the bandages. Worry crosses his face, he looks at me, then back at the bandages. He yell something at the others that I didn't hear. I felt Fane mounting his horse and us galloping somewhere before my eyes shut and I'm in total darkness.