The Queen's Red Lake

XXVI

I can't move without a plant-touching my skin. We have been hiking for five days straight and I hate to admit it—but my body is aching. I climb over another tree branch and curse this trail—it seems that the sinister key is located on top of the mountain that looked close but was miles away. I swallow thickly and grab the water pitcher and take a few sips. The terrain is hilly and there is a mass of trees in our way and it isn't an easy path.

Atlas and Sasha hike with no problem—I can see the sweat and grime on their skin but it's obvious that their body is trained for this endurance. I'm not surprised—they were The Crowned Eliza loyal guards. I look behind me and I can see Iris falling behind. "We should stop for a moment." I request.

"No." Sasha replies and I roll my eyes. "We can't risk it—we're already three days behind."

"You keep reminding me." I retort. "We are nothing if we are exhausted." I tell her. "We can stop for a few moments."

Sasha continues to hike upward and I grit my teeth. I stop for a few and wait for Iris to catch up. "We can stop." I tell Iris when she finally reaches me. "They can't get there without me—"

Iris is out of breath and she's leaning onto the tree—inhaling slowly before exhaling. She's exhausted and her hair is sticking to the sweat that is building on her forehead. If my body is aching, I know for a fact her body is going to shut down soon. "I'm fine." Iris tells me after a beat. She gulps down some of my water and then repeats, "I'm fine."

I don't believe her.

We continue upward but slowly. Sasha and Atlas are couples of feet ahead of us—they continue at the same pace. Suddenly, a droplet of water hits my face and slides down my cheek. I look up toward the sky, "A storm is coming." Atlas says before I can get the words out of my mouth. "We need to find shelter."

It is always odd hearing Atlas's voice but I am grateful that it is his idea to seek shelter than mine. I'm too exhausted to argue with Sasha and my patience is too thin to stop myself from retorting to her feisty comments. Sasha chooses to not say anything and I roll my eyes, annoyed. I can't help myself.

"You don't have anything to say." I shout at Sasha.

She looks at me with a bored expression, "I'm in a hurry but not stupid." She settles with that before turning around and hiking again. I grit my teeth. We notice smoke a few miles out when the random droplets of water become a drizzle. I pull at my shirt, aggravated. I hate being out in rain and I hate how dirty I feel.

When we reach the small town, it is pouring down on us that we can barely see. Atlas points at the nearest tavern and we follow his lead. We walk inside and all heads turn our way. Atlas walks up towards the bar and slams several coins onto the bar. "We seek food and shelter."

The man looks down at all the coins, excited. I'm sure Atlas has overpaid but I'm too disgusted to even say anything. The man slides all the coins in his hands and tosses us two keys, "I only have two rooms available." He says.

Atlas grunts and takes the two keys. The man shouts at someone and a woman appears and leads us out back and towards another small building. She shows us the two rooms. Atlas and Sasha disappear into the first room—Sasha slamming the door behind her and Iris and I disappear into the second one. I crinkle my nose at the room—Atlas definitely overpaid.

The room holds one bed in the center of the room and a lamp. There's a small bathroom in the cut but the hot water only runs for so long. I shower quickly and collapse onto the bed and is asleep before my face hits the pillow.

I awaken hours later and it is still pouring outside. The only difference is that the night sky has replaced the daylight. Iris is sitting on the edge of the bed and she's freshly cleaned and her hair is pulled up in a bun. "Sasha and Atlas are at the tavern. We won't be able to leave until early tomorrow morning when the storm passes."