Ellasyna [Ceaelie #1] | completed

xiv | They Will Arise

© Stephanie Anne and Dee Atkins

                  Chapter Fourteen

        I arrived back at the inn without my answers, along the questions that continued to run through my mind. Another day. But then, maybe Howland will refuse to meet with me again, won’t want anything to do with me. Maybe he’ll just watch over as he did with my sister.

        Of course, I was unable to sleep with the information that he did provide me with. Spirit. Even the mere thought of the name gave me goosebumps, leaving me with a shiver running down my spine. It was unheard of and mysterious - something I’m sure I’ll have to grow into. But it was also something I would need to think about later.

        Tomorrow, I would need to go see the Commander to update him with my progress. What progress? I groaned, rolling to my left, glaring at the open window. I had been here, what, a couple of weeks now and still, nothing. I really had no leads unless I could trick Cam into telling me, but with what happened the other day with the hellhound, I doubt he would come anywhere near me. I was bad luck, and he most likely picked up on it too.

        I rolled over again and closed my eyes, allowing sleep to wash over me.

        I awoke at the break of dawn, the sun rising and a cool breeze filtering through the open window. I stretched out my stiff muscles, cracking my neck, loosening the tension that was building up. Stress was eating at me, gnawing at my insides. It was something I had gradually, over time, began to get used to.

        With a moan and another stretch of my back, I hopped out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, showering and changing within ten minutes, picking up some money and a small dagger - for self-defence, of course - and left the inn quietly.

        The streets in town were alive, though now it wasn’t all that surprising. For the time I had been here, I had started to actually get used to it, smiling at some familiar faces and replying with kind ‘mornings’ to those I passed. It felt normal. Like home.

        I turned the corner and headed into the cafe I was in yesterday, smiling at the new barista and ordering a large takeaway cup of tea along with a lovely looking blueberry muffin in the display case, paying her with ease and taking my order with me to the barn. Should I have gotten something for Sam? Oh well, too late now.

        I passed another familiar figure with dark blond hair and tried hard not to stare. He’s Cam’s friend, right? I thought back to when I first met the duo and shuddered, staring down at my cup. Do not stare. He hadn’t noticed me as we crossed paths, and I let out a sigh of relief. A bead of sweat had ran the length of my face in anticipation.

        I snuck a peek behind me to make certain he hadn’t noticed me, and my eyes widened when I couldn’t see him. Where did he go? How is it possible to just disappear like that? Had I just imagined him being there? What was going on?

        I looked back the way I was walking and didn’t look back as I edged up the winding track that led to the barn. Uneasiness formed in my mind. My palms began to sweat as I picked up the pace, wanting to get as far from that close encounter as possible. My heart hammered in my chest, eyes darted around me as if someone was following me. I was beginning to grow paranoid.

        The barn was getting closer and closer and I started to relax, knowing Sam wouldn’t let anything happen to me, that he’d remind me of why I was here, what my job was. I scolded myself for acting so afraid, and useless. I was a warrior. I needed to be strong, determined, and fierce. I was strong, determined and fierce. And I had a job to do; a mission to complete. And I wasn’t going to fail; I wasn’t going to end up like Kali.