Page 41 of Whispers of the Elderoak

He was massive. With broad shoulders and a heavily muscled body beneath his thick armor. His hair was long and golden, and his face was peppered with brutal scars, one of them slicing right over his left eye, changing it into a milky white while the right was a deep, haunting black.

Clearing his throat, he answered, “Should we find somewhere more private? A large camp is just a few days’ away and I’m sure you’ll be more comfortable there. Scouts had been monitoring this portal with the hopes you would return.”

Deidamia glanced at Ava and waved her hand. “Yes. Lead the way to camp and bring her along. Keep her alive as we may need her later.”

She should run now. Hurry and try to get away while her feet were still unbound.

She glanced toward the direction Luna had run off to, but she didn’t see any sign of her friend. Even Luna knew she couldn’t fight against them.

Ava,Luna said.

Ava almost jumped at the sound of Luna’s voice in her head. She’d only spoken to her once before, and that was in a dream. Then she remembered Luna had said they could also speak in this world. It was so strange to be able to consciously communicate with an animal.

“Luna! What do I do?”

They’re too strong. I’m going to try to look for help.

“Where?”

I don’t know. I was very young when I followed your grandpa and mother into the human world.

“Will I be able to talk to you wherever you are?”

Not if I get too far away. I’ll be back, I promise.

“Okay.”

At least she had one friend in this world.

Ava stood and started to back away but a hard body behind her blocked her path. Andras. “Hold still,” he said as his arms wrapped around her and his fingers dug into her forearms. She gasped at the pain, adding more bruises to her already battered body.

The general gestured to two of his men, both equally as frightening, and they produced a small wooden wagon from the trees being pulled by a massive black horse with red eyes.

Andras held her arms tightly as they removed the rope and replaced it with shackles. Ava trembled, her breaths coming in short bursts, as fear gripped her like a vice.

The wagon stopped in front of her and a soldier opened the door on the back. No. They couldn’t put her in there, she wouldn’t let them. Flailing, she tried to wrench away from Andras but he squeezed her arms so hard she thought her bones would break and she cried out as he shoved her into the wagon.

The side of her body hit the hard wooden floor as her head throbbed at the impact of her fall. Everything hurt as she lay there, bound and trapped, her fate sealed now that she couldn’t run away.

“Please!” she begged as the door was slammed followed by the sound of keys turning in a lock.

Using her chained hands, she pushed herself up and leaned against the wagon’s wall. It was mostly dark, the only light filtering in through a narrow-barred window at the top of the door. She looked around for anything she could use to assist her, but the enclosure was empty. Rough wood scratched her as she adjusted, attempting to find a comfortable position. Dark stains smelling of iron colored the floor with the promise of pain.

“What do I do?” she whispered to herself in the dark, allowing the tears to fall.

She was an idiot, digging into her grandfather’s past andseeking out the map. If she had left it alone, maybe Andras never would have figured it out and found some other way to reach their goal.

She thought she had found peace at the farm, the spirit of her mother and grandfather a quiet comfort. Her growing friendship with Eleanor and relationship with Henry had started to satisfy her need for companionship. It was the first time she had been happy in years, and it was all a ruse.

Ava had been selfish in her fervor to find out the truth; disregarding the warnings from her dreams and from Eleanor. Everything was her fault.

Now she had nothing.

She couldn’t stop the vision of Eleanor’s death from replaying again and again. The sound of her gurgle as she crawled for help, Deidamia’s scream, the sight of Eleanor’s body twitching.

Hopeless, she buried her face in her hands and wept, surrendering to a deep despair as the wagon started to move.

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