A Misplaced Hope by Heather Michelle

Author:Heather Michelle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Heather Michelle

Chapter Sixteen

She was in the hole again. The space was barely wide enough for her to sit, and her legs had been folded under her for so long they ached. She couldn’t stretch her arms out to either side. Every limb had to stay folded, curled in on itself. Her muscles cramped and spasmed in the dark hole, and at times, the limitations became so agonizing that she couldn’t help but call out, release the tension and pain with her voice. But the sound only reverberated back from the small narrow hole and made her ears throb after so long in the silence. Heat burned behind her eyes, and hot tears fell down her face into her lap.

It was gone, all her hope. Never again would she see the stars or the moon, never again would she feel the light of the sun or brush her fingers against the petal of a flower. Never again would she feel the touch of another human or hear a beautiful song. She’d never know love or feel the rush of heat as someone brushed their lips against hers. Her life would end in this hole, and never again would she know joy.

When Elodie awoke at last, sweaty and twisted in her blankets, she felt trapped as if she was still in that dark hole. She needed to get out. It was still early, the sun not yet beginning to rise. The inn would still be asleep. She dressed quietly in a tunic and breeches and let herself outside through the kitchen door.

Storm stomped his pleasure at the sight of her. Ben dropped from the loft when she lifted Storm’s heavy saddle from its stand. She waved him back to bed and did up Storm’s tack herself. If the boy didn’t have chores yet, there was no reason he shouldn’t get more sleep. She was out of the city just as the sun crested the hills. Her heart was calling her south into Aluna, but it would be suicide. And it would mean breaking a promise she did not want to break. Instead she rode east, along a small road she’d traveled a few times with Storm on mornings like this, when all she needed was air and the smell of growing things to clear her head.

As the cool, crisp morning clashed with the sweat and heat of her body, her muscles relaxed and the grip of the dream loosened. And when the road stretched out empty before her, she let Storm gallop to his heart’s content. Then they turned back toward Arnav and the Snarled Cello.

She let Ben feed Storm while she gave him a good brushing. The rhythmic strokes of the brush did just as much for clearing her mind as the ride. When Storm was fed and clean, Elodie left the stables, intent on getting fed and clean herself.

Just before she stepped out of the stables, a shadow fell past her from the sky. She glimpsed a flash of black-tipped white wings and flinched as her dreams rushed back, threatening to overwhelm her.

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