Fugitives: Chapter 14

I spent my time talking to the other people of the Rebellion, getting to know their stories. I also trained with them, learned their ways. I never conversed with Asher, but I could feel him watching me, calculating, learning everything about me.

    There was one person with whom I was uncomfortable with. Drake. He was seventeen, tall and buff, with greasy black hair and cold blue eyes. His eyes followed me everywhere I went, jeering, criticizing, and flirting. Mostly I tried to ignore him, as Echo and Lark advised, but he seemed to be everywhere I went.

    Time passed. I had been with the Rebellion for three weeks when Asher deemed it safe for me to go outside. I was eager to actually tread on the grass and touch the trees again. When I would be thirsting for sunlight and fresh air, I would go to the front of the cave, and stand there, staring off into the land. Most of the time, someone would join me. Lark would tell me stories. Ember would chatter on about her life before she joined the Rebellion. Thicket would crack jokes and tell funny stories. Echo would listen to my problems and offer me advice, and we would just talk.

    I was standing there alone, once, three weeks after I had came there, when Asher joined me. I glanced over, surprised to see him. He sighed.

    “It's been three weeks since you joined the Rebellion,” he said. “In that three weeks Esryn has been searching for you. But finally, a couple days ago, he gave up and headed home.”

    “Somehow I can't believe that,” I murmured, eyes narrowed.

    Asher agreed. “Neither can I. That's why I think he is going back for reinforcements. However, it will take a while to travel to the Capital and back, so you can go out for now.” He hesitated. “Didn't you say you knew some people staying at Mister Lemuel's farm?”

    I nodded. “Naya and Torin. They're Razel's wife and child. They're staying with Mister Lemuel and Granny Jasie, because Naya was too weak to travel and Torin was too young.”

    Asher stared off deep into thought. “Ah. Thank you.”

    I turned and walked back into the darkness of the cave, as Asher swung out of the cave by the vines. As I turned, I nearly bumped into Drake, who had been watching through narrowed eyes. “Drake?” I asked in surprise and wariness. Drake glanced at me, a sneer on his face, and turned and slipped silently through a hole in the wall, down a tunnel.