Of Shadow and Death

Chapter Twelve: Of Swords And Arrows

In a way, Eve did not feel that her decisions were her own anymore. She was sharing her brain with the dark clouds. Her strength and independence came at a cost; her sanity was the price she had to pay.

Beyond her internal battles, there was still the ongoing issue of Noel's true feelings. Eve had tried to let him down easy numerous times. He continued to push and push, never once letting up. She had contemplated giving in, but it was impossible to force a heart to love. Loving Noel was something Evette knew she could never do.

The company entered into the vast forest through a narrow path. It led straight through the dark woods to the clearing on the other side. The next ten miles Evette would travel enclosed by trees and greenery. Autumn leaves fell to the ground, as the weather was now starting to turn cold. It was no longer summertime. Eve knew that she and the group would have to stop for the night soon, but there was enough sunlight to illuminate their path for the time being.

Montgomery sang a low tune. He had a decent singing voice, but the words he sang were absolutely preposterous. Evette began to focus on other things besides the inappropriate tune. She decided to glance behind her. She could no longer see the clearing she had traveled from. The light vanished; it was seemingly gone forever. The sky above was darkening at a snail's pace.

Jameson rode beside Narcisse, the two of them silent. Montgomery sat at the front of the wagon, while Noel was behind the covered cart on horseback. The other elven guards were ahead of the group. Their dark horses whinnied softly. Evette leaned down and patted the back of Farrah's neck. She bobbed her head in appreciation.

The burn mark on Evette's hand was still visible to her. She held her palm face up and examined it carefully. Tracing the lines of the imprint with her eyes, she felt herself start to sink. She wished desperately that she was drowning in cool water, but that wasn't the case. It was fire that had gripped her tightly and began to close in around her.

The arrow came out of nowhere. It whooshed through the air and successfully hit its desired target. Jameson let out a low, breathy groan before he fell off of his horse. It was a cry for help, a desperate plea at the last possible second. The fresh arrow was lodged in the side of his head. Evette realized that he was gone, and he was not coming back.

Five men on horseback emerged from the woods. Just as they circled around Evette and the company, another five men stepped onto the dirt road. There were ten men in total, all dressed in worn clothes. Some had swords, while others had daggers and bows.

Evette drew her sword, and watched as a few of the men on foot ran toward the wagon. All of the horses were riled by the sudden ambush, their front hooves lifting off of the ground gently. In an instant, everyone was suddenly aware of their predicament.

"Montgomery, go!" Narcisse ordered loudly. He was busy fending off one of the men on the ground that moved too close to their precious cargo. 

The horses pulling the covered wagon shot forward suddenly. Montgomery pushed forward and barreled down the long dirt road, successfully leaving the rest of the company behind. Three of the dangerous men on horseback chased after the wagon. They were gaining quickly.

Jameson's dead body still laid on the leaf covered ground. Blood from his wound dribbled down and covered a portion of his shiny armor. If only the archer had aimed slightly to the right, he would have still been alive. His brains wouldn't have splattered all over his long blonde hair.

Eve saw Rosalie unfasten the wagons cover and glance back at the road. She locked eyes with Evette and saw the blood that had been spilled on the ground. Her eyes filled with tears, and she called to Evette, but she and the girls were already too far gone.