"The enemy will always cheat, Isla, you need to be prepared for anything."
Isla and her siblings have lived in a cave for as long as they can remember with no memory of how they got there or who they were before. They only remembered two things...
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The inside of a beautiful church in Spain. It was amazing! When I walked in, it kind of reminded me of how I imagine some of the interiors of the buildings in this story. Of course, it isn't exactly the same, but it has the same feel to it. It was so spectacular!
Toryn and I do talk to Eric the next day. Let's just say he leaves after our chat a little paler than before. Apart from the little chat, the rest of the day is uneventful. I train with Blue, but nothing strenuous. We work on throwing weapons like little daggers and my spear. He makes me do it standing still, or running or with a moving target. I am pretty good at it. We also do a little bit of magic work. After, I just hang out with my friends and siblings. I don't really say much or listen to the conversations. I am just in deep thought, thinking how lucky I am to have them. Eric sits next to Tanya but casts us weary glances every few seconds. Tanya glares at us.
"What did you to say?" She scowls. Toryn and I just look at each other and shrug innocently.
"Oh, you had the protective sibling chat?" Daniel asks Eric who just nods. Daniel chuckles and goes back to talking to Serenity. Then, the evening goes on like normal.
When night descends and it is time to go to bed, I realise that tonight is going to be a bad night. I feel too uneasy and sleep won't come at all. So I decide to head out. Quietly, I change into a pair of leather trousers and a simple top. I grab my weapons and attach them to my body. I just want to run, to get outside. So I sneak out of my room, careful not to disturb my siblings and make my way outside. The cold air hits me and I instantly feel better. I stand on top of one of the mountain cliffs looking down.
"What are you doing?" I jump at the voice behind me. It is Blue.
"I just wanted to run," I tell him.
"Do you think that is sensible?" he asks.
"Well, there aren't any more NightShades in our lands," I say.
"Yes, but we still have a traitor who could be lurking around. A traitor who still may have access to BlackRoot," he tells me. I shudder at hearing those words. I realise that he is right and leaving the academy would be very reckless.
"I'm sorry," I sigh. "I just needed to run. I needed to have time to think by myself and feel at peace," I explain.
"I understand Isla," Blue tells me then sighs. "Go." I raise my eyebrows in shock. "I've been training you for a month now, I know you can defend yourself. Plus, I think you'd be able to sense any BlackRoot from a mile off," he chuckles. I nod my head.
"Thank you," I say to him.
"Just be sensible. Take this," he gives me a little leather band with a silver pattern on top. "Break it and I'll come to you straight away." I smile, not bothering to ask how it works because I know he won't answer. "Now go, have your run. Let your dragon lose a little." I don't hesitate as I leap off the cliff. It is exhilarating, the falling feeling. Something I haven't felt for so long. I land gracefully in the woods below and take off running. I smile as the trees are a blur around me and the wind whips at my hair. I run for a few minutes before coming to a stop. I jump up into a tree and just listen. Something I haven't done since being back on the island. Closing my eyes, I take in all the sounds. The wind brushing the leaves, the night animals as they walk and hunt. Even their heartbeats I can hear. Then, I hear something else. The sounds of movement. It isn't close, perhaps a mile away. The sound of shuffling that doesn't belong to an animal. Of bread tearing and the small crackling of a fire. I smile as I run through the trees toward it. When I get closer, I stop, this time smelling all the scents instead. I can smell the soil and plants as expected. I can also smell the fire, the bread and the stew cooking over it. Silently I move through the trees continuing toward what I believe is a camp.
