Whisper and Rise by Jamie Day

Author:Jamie Day [Day, Jamie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-01-20T06:00:00+00:00

Common Ground

I leaned over, biting back a cry as throbbing pain from our flight from Morgan reached my arms and legs. I knelt and scooped a handful of water; it refreshed me like the cool morning and calmed my stomach. As I swallowed, the familiar call of bluebirds welcomed me back.

“Hurry, Rhiannon,” Ethan pleaded. He dragged his long sword while scrambling toward a group of nearby horses. “We’re almost safe.”

“No.” I lifted my head and folded my arms. “I’m not going home.”

Darian lay on the gravel, motionless. It appeared he lacked the energy to move. As I leaned over him to listen for a sign of life, Ethan returned to us and grabbed my arm.

“Leave him,” he told me. “Let’s find Father. Then we’ll come back for him.”

I heard a quiet breath. Darian was alive, barely.

“You get Father,” I said, looking up at my brother and shaking my arm free from his grip. “I’m going to help this man.”

“He’s not going anywhere,” said Ethan. My brother was whining; I could tell he was tired, too.

“Then help me,” I said. “I need to get him someplace safe.” I reached low and tried lifting Darian from his good arm, but failed. I dropped his arm with a grunt. “Come on, Darian,” I said. Speaking loud again felt so refreshing. “Get up. We need to get away from the shore.”

Ethan leaned behind Darian’s head and thrust him forward to sit. Darian gave a low, guttural scream and opened his eyes.

“I can’t move,” he moaned. He coughed again. This time, blood dripped from the bottom of his lip.

“We’ll help you,” I told him. I knelt below his good shoulder and lifted with all the strength I could muster. We were able to stand. “Good,” I said. “Now, let’s go east.”

“That’s not the way home,” protested Ethan. He stabbed the ground with his sword.

“I won’t say it again. I’m not going home.” I wanted to smack the ignorance out of my brother, but I couldn’t reach him. Besides, I carried a man on my shoulders. “I can’t take this man to the village; he’s in danger there.” I took a couple steps.

“Where will you go?” Ethan was protesting, but following my steps. “You won’t be safe anyplace.”

“To my land,” I answered. “There, we will be safe. We’ll hide in the cave if trouble comes. Plus—” I paused. “—no one knows it’s my land. No one would think I would go there.”

My brother leaned on his sword and stared at me. Darian was heavy; I took a few more steps to keep from collapsing.

“Why would you help him?” asked Ethan. “If he’s responsible for Sean’s death, then let him die. Let him die in the same place.”

I looked around. We were near the same spot where I had found the body of my beloved. Fate had carried me full circle. It could be a fitting end to all the trouble I had known in a year, yet I couldn’t let it end this way; death was not an answer for the questions of another.

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