My Darkening Ember

Chapter Six

"What's your plan, once we get to the snowy mountains? I'm sure there are more hunters out there or normal folk, who would question why a dark-framed killer is dragging around a hopeless girl." The sand was moving beneath my feet and my clammy hands had been tied together for hours.

I knew that even if normal people came around, none would help me. The reputation of Mile men had been a tale told to frighten children for a century.

He didn't even give me as much as a snort or a look. Trying to ignore me was his new method.

"You know I wasn't running from marriage." I paused, studying his back trying to sense if he was listening.

"I was running for my freedom. My father was a drunk, drinking from dusk till dawn, crying for my mother who died when I was young. Father said she threw herself from the rocks and into the ocean. He always described her as sad, told me her love for me wasn't enough to make her happy." I didn't know why I was talking to him this way. My loneliness was great, maybe too great.

Get in his head.

He might have mercy.

"He promised me that I could leave when he died. That something was waiting for me in the capital. That's why I am out here. I'm not a bad person and I don't deserve to be someone's bounty." My last words said a little louder.

"Everyone has sob stories." His reply wasn't too shocking. Cold yes, but expected.

"It's not just a story, it's my whole life. I haven't lived yet or explored the world. I haven't had one day where I could claim to be free."

He tensed at the last word, even only for a moment.

"Can you promise that I will be free at the royal court? Can you say they won't harm me without a doubt? If not, just kill me right here. Kill me or I will fight for every second I still have breath."

His heel spun when I finished talking, swiftly walking to me as I closed my eyes and held my breath. This was it.

I felt a cloth go over my mouth before my eyes opened again.

"I told you to shut up, didn't I?" He raised an eyebrow, before marching back to the front.

I felt my nostrils flaring. My knees had almost buckled from the fear he would actually kill me. Instead, he made me look like a fool.

I was furious. Sure I had been the one to tell about my life, expecting a senseless murderer to feel an ounce of pity, but it was truly hopeless. If I couldn't talk or bargain my way out I would have to fight him. Get the upper hand and take down a Mile man. It was suicide. If I failed, it would probably be the last thing I did.

But I had to try. I had left everything on the one chance that I could make it to the justice court and be free. I had left Lau, the only guy I had ever loved. I had been selfish for once.

We had met when his mother married the barkeeper, who had become a widower after his wife died from the desert pest.

Lau was only a boy then. Trouble followed him everywhere and he couldn't quite seem to fit in with the rest. Playing in the desert, he found me in a cave, hiding from my father.

"Are you a ghost?" He had asked, frightened but brave as a mountain lion.

"Not as long as I breathe," I responded, crawling from my den into the light.

His hair was curly and as brown as a bear's fur. His skin was a deep brown and his eyes lit up like a dark diamond in the sun.

"You're the barkeeper's new son?" I asked as I approached.

"I'm only my mother's son. The barkeeper is not my father." His foot lifted and kicked a small pebble past me. A wild temper hid inside those beautiful eyes.

"By marriage, he is your father. Consider it luck you had a second chance." My heart ached then. Even as a child I had known my father wasn't who he should be. He wasn't a caring man and I shamefully wanted to admit I would happily replace him.

"She only married him for his money." He hissed.

"Well even then, you have what many don't. If you don't consider that luck you are an ungrateful brat."

His temper flared, making him lash out preparing for a push. I took a step to the side, extending my leg, letting him trip over me before he could do the same. He landed hard. Turning, he looked at his bleeding hands and then up at me.

I smiled and extended my hand.

"I'm Elora." I grinned.

He had taken my hand then and it seemed like he had never let go. As we grew older we grew into love. He had kissed me for the first time in the same cave he found me. It still made my heart flutter thinking about it. But that turned fast.

Every memory of him was overshadowed by my guilt. He had a good future. He was set to inherit the bar, and it had great success. He would be a rich young man with the possibility of marrying an even richer lady. I couldn't ruin that by making him a fugitive.

I might die on my journey and thinking he could too, almost broke my heart. But still, leaving him, with only a letter was the root of my guilt. Years of young love, measured into the worth of a single letter was shameful.

I had to make sure all I did wasn't in vain. Starting with escaping my captor.

I took two large unnoticeable steps and gathered rope in my hands. Concealing it within my palm, I took a deep breath and collapsed.

He spun around fast, immediately halting the horse, rushing to my side, and kneeling. I felt his hand brush over my forehead before he rose and walked with haste, back to his horse.

I jumped to my feet, extending the rope between my hands. By the time he realized what I was doing, I had already thrown the rope over his head, and around his neck. He stumbled back a few steps before I wrapped it around his neck a second time, tightening it even more. His hands were grabbing for me, and I pushed back until we fell.

I landed on my back with him on top. The air was knocked from my lungs for a second but I quickly regained focus. My hands were red from gripping the rope. He was gasping trying to tear it away while reaching for his knife, but I wrapped my legs around him, managing all my strength into keeping him down while strangling the life out of him. I thought of nothing else. The adrenaline was pumping through me.

Harder. Strangle the bastard.

"I'm sorry," I rasped into his ear, as I felt him become weaker and weaker. His hand fell to the ground and his body went limp. I held it for a few more seconds to make sure he was out, before releasing him, unwrapping the rope around his neck, and pushing him off.

I was out of breath and terrified. Looking at him a surge of horror exploded through me.

Murderer.

"No, no, no, breathe, please. Gods have mercy, please." I panicked, grabbing the collar off his coat, and shaking him. He let out a tiny gasp and I sighed in relief. I was willing to do many things but murder wasn't one of them.

Rattled, I scrambled to his belt, pulling his knife from its holster before going for the gun. His body flinched and I jumped up.

Taking no chances I cut my rope and ran. There was no time to do anything else. I had to run for my life.

For my Freedom.