The Last Witch (Incenaga Trilogy) (23 page)

Er
ick pulled himself through the window and slammed it shut. Grabbing the metal rod from Emmeline, he jammed it into the frame and clutched her hand. “Let’s go!”

They ran
through the empty building, searching for a way out. The sound of broken glass shattered behind them. It seemed the rebels had chosen to take their chances with a jagged window rather than returning through the alley. Their desperation was apparent, the panic in their voices increasing.

Erick and Emmeline
found their way back into the empty streets but rather than risk taking another alley, they raced toward the forest’s edge. They neared the last building and a man sauntered around the corner with a club in one hand. He swung it into his other hand with a resounding thump. With a massive chest and wide shoulders, he appeared more giant than man. His chest puffed with pride.

Erick
barreled forward. He didn’t seem taken aback at all by the thickness of the giant’s arms, or the length of his club. His stride grew stronger and faster until Emmeline could barely keep up. As they neared, the giant’s eyes grew wide with recognition and then flickered with doubt.

Erick’s already fast
stride lengthened even further. He let go of her hand a moment before he reached the giant. The giant raised his club high above the ground and swung down. Erick struck like a viper, fast and deadly, slicing his arm into the air and onto the giant’s neck.

The
giant slumped to the ground before his club had a chance to finish its circle. Emmeline understood now why the King was confident in Erick’s abilities. If he could defeat a man the size and strength of a giant, he could defeat anyone.

She
caught up to Erick and they dashed into the safety of the trees just before the rebels stumbled onto the empty street. Shouts of aggravation filled the air.

Afraid
they had been seen, Erick and Emmeline pushed themselves through the trees toward the palace. Emmeline followed a few steps behind Erick, pushing herself beyond exhaustion. He glanced back every so often but otherwise kept a steady course ahead. She wished he’d reach back to grab hold of her hand, but knew he couldn’t. Both of them stumbled and slipped through the dark, wet forest, their hands breaking the falls of their constant slips.

A
twig snapped behind them and Emmeline whipped around to face their pursuer. She flicked her head to the right and saw a shadow dart behind a tree. Her eyes searched in the direction Erick had gone. He was gone. He must not have heard her stop.

She was alone.

Emmeline braced herself as a lean man stepped out from behind the tree. He stumbled back as his gaze eyes met hers, his mouth falling open. “Your eyes,” he said. His expression heightened with wicked delight. He smirked and stepped forward. “You’re mine now, witch.”

Emmeline held up her hands. “Stay back.”

He laughed. “There are no fires here! But you’ll see one soon enough.” He turned his head to call behind him. “Over here!” he shouted.

Emmeline took a step back, questioning her ability to outrun the man. She was already so tired. “I’m not who you think I am,” she said. “It’s my friend you want.” She knew Erick could handle
him without a problem.

“You’re alone
,” he said.

“No I’m not.”

“Your friend left you.” He took another step toward her.

Emmeline glanced through the trees. Whe
re was Erick?

“Don’t worry, my sweet, w
e’ll find your friend soon enough; the others aren’t far behind.” He turned his head toward the town again. “Over here boys! You won’t believe what I found!”

Taking advantage of his turned back,
Emmeline snatched a loose stone from the forest floor and darted into the trees. She only managed a few strides before the man grabbed hold of her hair and yanked her back. Emmeline let out a cry.

“
Where are you going witch?”

His hands moved to her waist and
Emmeline twisted around, bashing the stone against his face. He grunted and pushed her to the ground. Scrambling to her feet, Emmeline kept swinging until one of her frenzied blows hit near his eye. The man crumpled, his breathing shallow.

Emmeline
took a step back. At least she hadn’t killed him. She couldn’t handle being responsible for another lost life. Crossing her shaking arms against her chest, she glanced around, no longer sure which direction Erick had gone. She hoped he was okay. Where was he? At what point would he notice she wasn’t behind him any longer? Should she wait for him to come back? She wasn’t familiar with the forest and didn’t know how to get to the palace, but if she lingered, the rebels would find her. Their shouting was already growing stronger. She couldn’t wait any longer.

Emmeline picked up her skirts and
ran in the direction she hoped would lead her to the palace. Her flight through the trees was a bitter reminder of the chase she endured the day Mahlon had come for her. Once again, she was thrashing through underbrush, alone, desperate to reach safety before being caught. She dug her feet into the ground. She couldn't let herself get caught, not when her father was in danger and when so many of his people were relying on her.

Two powerful arms reached
out from behind a tree, one covering her mouth, the other gripping around her waist. The arms dragged her backward, their supporter whispering meaningless words into her ears. She kicked and thrashed in her captor’s arms but she couldn’t break free. The arms stopped pulling but held her tight. The whispering changed to a gentle plea, and his voice finally broke through.

“Emmeline! It’s me, Erick. Calm down. It’s just me.”

She quit thrashing and leaned into his arms. Forgetting propriety, she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her. His hands moved up and down her back before reaching up to remove her arms.

“We need to keep moving
,” he whispered in her ear. “Don’t worry, I won’t let go of you this time.”

She nodded miserably
and let him lead her through the never ending trees. They stumbled and slipped more times than she wanted to count, but Erick didn’t let go of her hand until they found themselves at the foot of the mountains.

His chest heaving,
Erick’s black eyes lightened to warm chestnut. “I think we’ve lost them,” he said. “We can climb the mountain at a more reasonable pace now.”

Once
they caught their breath, they trudged up the mountainside toward the palace. The climb was steeper than the road, but it didn't matter, so long as they survived the night. But the farther they hiked, the more Emmeline felt like she was escaping one danger only to jump feet first into another. Halfway up the mountain, she stopped.

“Erick, you said you knew several of the men
at the meeting and that many were in the palace. I’m not sure it’s safe for me to return.”

“
I don’t think anyone saw us well enough to recognize us.”

“One of them did. He caught up to me in the forest and…uh…recognized me.”

Erick’s jaw clenched. He looked toward the forest and swallowed.

“I
hit him over the head with a rock so he probably won’t wake up for awhile.”

Erick nodded slowly. It was
several minutes before he spoke again. “You aren’t going to like this, but I think you should listen to Mahlon and stay inside for a while. The palace is still the safest place for you right now.”

“What! You saw Mahlon there tonight, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“And you still think I should do as he says?”

“I think he has proven an interest in keeping you safe.”

“
That man will tell Mahlon he saw me.”

Erick nodded and swallowed again. “I know. I know.”

“I need to leave. I have to get away from all of this.”

“What are you
saying?”

“I’m saying I can get Filia and be miles from here before Mahlon
ever finds out. No one saw you, you’re safe.”

Erick sucked in a breath and took hold of Emmeline’s arms.
His gaze bore into hers. “Don’t leave,” he said.

“I have to.”

Erick pulled her to his chest. “No, you don’t. We’ll figure this out.
I’ll
figure it out. You can’t leave.”

Emmeline wrapped her arms around his back
and buried her head into his chest. “I don’t want to, but I’ll go crazy if I have to stay in the palace all day, every day.”

“Okay, how about I meet you every clear day by the hidden door and we can go for a short ride. And if I’m not there, you will go back inside
and wait for another day. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”
Her nerves calmed and as a result, her better judgment returned. She couldn’t leave Dolmerti, not before figuring out a way to save her father and, at the very least, warn the Crown Prince.

“If Mahlon accuses you of being out of the palace I want you to lie. Can you do that?”

Emmeline nodded.

“He doesn’t know how you are getting out, right
?”

“Right.”

Erick relaxed and he released her. “Okay. We have some time, then. The rebels don’t plan on fulfilling any of their plans until after the Crown Prince marries.”

“If he ever
shows up.” Emmeline mumbled.

“I don’t think he’ll be gone much longer
. Everything will be fine.”

Emmeline nodded, knowing Erick had no idea
that along with the Crown Prince, her life had been threatened at the pub. He thought she was a visitor from Pamizak. Nothing more. She was
the
political alliance, the one who would eliminate the prince and be hung for treason.

“Okay, let’s just go back to the palace,” she said,
wanting a quiet place to think. She needed to figure out a plan to stay alive and save both the Crown Prince and her father. If there was a way.

Several weeks passed
and still the Crown Prince had not returned. Unable to contact him, Emmeline was forced to sit on the knowledge she had gained from Albin’s Pub. Her only comfort was in knowing the rebel’s plans would have to wait for the Crown Prince just as long as she had to wait.

E
very few nights Mahlon forced her to endure another night of torture as he struggled to break her. It never occurred to him that the fire gave her the strength to fight him. Still, it was only enough
to survive the night and barely enough to keep her eyes closed. He never mentioned the man in the forest and Emmeline grew unsure if she had left him alive or not.

W
ith every visit Mahlon made to the fire site, he loaded more horses with fresh wood. Emmeline took advantage of the added wood and carried it off to another clearing when she could. It was there that she practiced without fear of being discovered and it was there that she uncovered terrifying elements of her power. She felt guilty for breaking her agreement with Erick and sneaking off to practice, but she felt it was her best chance to protect herself.

There were plenty of days s
he considered leaving the palace again, especially after she felt she had a better handle on her powers. But she had no way of finding her father and no one she could trust enough to warn the Crown Prince of Mahlon’s treachery. She still wasn’t sure Adelia was involved, but she knew Mahlon could have employed her for the sole purpose of relaying any useful information Emmeline might divulge. He was, after all, the first person Adelia ran to when she escaped the guards.

T
here was also the issue of the peace treaty that kept her from leaving Dolmerti. Without her marriage, the King would heed the noblemen’s demands and Pamizak would be thrown into a war they weren’t prepared to fight. She had to stay. Her father would want her to stay.

When
the weather prevented her from going outdoors, Prince Weldon kept her company with more tours of the palace and tales of his ancestors. He never mentioned his behavior in the gazebo nor did he try to kiss her again. To her surprise, his moods remained steady and he behaved like a perfect gentlemen.

Emmeline also made time to visit
the King every day. She peppered him with questions when he seemed more alert, and enjoyed the frequent laughter he pulled out of her. He asked about her time outdoors and she shared what she could with him, never mentioning the night of the festival or her practice sessions. She didn’t know if his health could handle either confession.

But when the weather was clear,
Emmeline preferred to spend her time with Erick and Filia. They followed paths they had traveled before and explored many more. She was happy to have found a friend in Erick, one who she could trust. He had come to know her better than anyone else ever had, more so than her own father. He never failed to notice her troubled expressions when she was fretting over what lay ahead, but she dismissed his inquiries with a wave of her hand and a change of subject. She doubted he was ever fooled. He frequently asked if anyone had approached her, or if Mahlon had accused her of leaving the palace, to which Emmeline responded as truthfully as she could. But Mahlon’s nocturnal efforts increased and Emmeline found it more difficult to hide the after effects of her suffering. On several occasions Erick noticed her wince with pain and would ask what was wrong. Soon her lies were adding one by one. The riding made her sore, she told him, or she twisted her ankle. It disgusted her. But the less he knew, the safer he was. The Crown Prince could deal with Mahlon when he returned. Until then, she had to keep from being broken.