Chapter Twenty-Two
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It's funny how fast smiles can fall away. How swiftly a feeling of elation can turn to despair. Moments ago, we had been laughing and grinning, within a dance. Now, a dark feeling shivered into my spine. I could tell others had felt it in addition to myself. I watched Sam's face, which was in mid-laugh, turn to stony sadness. A chill was in the air, and a darkness covered the land. I remembered what Girec had said about the shadow.

It showed some men their worst fear, and drove them to madness.

"Run!" I said. The bandits looked at each other, confused. I began running for the river. Perhaps if I got onto a raft of some sort quickly enough, the fast current would take me away from the shadowy creature of fear.

I heard a scream of horror as I was running away. The creature had gotten to him already.

I heard someone chasing me, and turned around. It was Liam. Somehow, even in the most dire of circumstances, his face was expressionless. He was dragging Sam, who was frozen in fear, along with him. It did nothing to help my own feelings.

We arrived upon the river. Seemingly, Liam had the same idea as me. He set down Sam and began pulling logs out of the forest. Without saying a word to each other, I began ripping up my elfin cloak and tying it around the logs, to keep them together. When I ran out, I began using my dress.

I could feel the shadow coming closer. I pushed the raft towards the water, and Liam placed Sam upon the logs.

"Get on," Liam said. I jumped onto the makeshift raft, and Liam pushed it into the river. Immediately, the current began to pull it away. He jumped, and I held out my hand.

He just barely grasped it as the raft pulled away. "Don't--let--go," he grunted.

"I won't," I promised, blinking back tears. The fear in my heart was pounding on my chest. The worst possible situations flew through my head. Girec was dying. I was letting go of Liam hand, and living with the guilt forever. I failed the five races, and they starved to death. The lifeless eyes of Jax. The hopelessness in Assana's eyes as she faced her people before she died.

No, I told myself. I will not give in to these fears. I kept my grip on Liam's hand as tight as I could, and squeezed my eyes shut. I will not succumb to these terrors. I will not. I. Will. Not.

I held on like that for what seemed like an hour. The raft got farther and farther away from the bandits' camp. When I opened my eyes, Liam was dangling in the water, lifelessly. I screamed.

No. Not after what I had experience. I pulled him aboard the raft, and discovered that he was breathing.

I cried out in relief.

Sam murmured in his slumber of frozen terror. "No, Rinella, don't die. You can't leave me alone again. Please no." There were genuine tears pouring from his closed eyes. His voice was full of anguish. I wondered who this Rinella was, this person so dear to Sam.

"Sam," I said soothingly, clutching his hand, "it's not real. Rinella is safe. All is well. You are well. It is not real."

I heard his breaths slow. He could hear me! I continued, "Once you awaken, this will all be a nightmare of the past." I squeezed his hand.

He opened his teary eyes and looked up at me. "It's not real?" he said in a whisper.

It felt odd to be consoling a man bigger and older than I. But it was necessary. "No, it was all in your mind," I said.

He nodded and closed his eyes, this time falling into serene and untroubled sleep.

I turned my attentions to Liam. His breaths were slow and shallow. I presumed he had swallowed a lot of water.

I pushed on his chest, and he coughed up some water. "My thanks," he said in a hoarse voice.

I nodded in response."Now what?"

He looked around. "How long have we been drifting?"

"An hour, perhaps," I replied, glancing at the sun's position.

He nodded. "It's good that you thought of this, Lady Fendway, or else we'd be subjected to the darkness, as well."

I thought of all the bandits who were left behind. Lady Idena, as well. A tear fell onto my cheek.

"Lady Fendway . . . " Liam's voice had become tender.

I brushed the irksome tear away and glared at him. "What? I'm fine. Let's figure out what to do with Sam here." I couldn't show weakness. This was my fault. I was the one who was supposed to stop the dark force, and I hadn't. It was my responsibility. And I needed to find the three Enchanters in Krialle as quickly as possible.

"Yes, indeed," Liam said. "We need to get Sam to shore and some medical assistance," he said, wincing and holding his arm."

"And get you help as well," I pointed out, looking meaningfully at his arm.

"It's fine," he said, shrugging.

I rolled my eyes. "Why do men insist on doing that? It is obviously not fine, and you should accept the fact that you need help."

"No, I don't need help," he said. "I need to get back to my other men and help them."

"Why are we going to a town, then, if you are just going back."

"I need to get you and Sam to safety," he replied, clutching his arm and sitting up.

I was incredulous. "I survived an entire month in the Forbidden Lands! I do not need to be in safety. Do you know how many times I almost died?"

"No, and I do not want you in a situation where you almost die."

"Why?" I said in annoyance.

Liam's ears turned a little pink, and he coughed uncomfortably. "You are Girec's sister. I--I told him I would protect you, since I wouldn't be going back to war. And I already failed miserably when you went to the Forbidden Lands."

I let out a cry of astonishment. "Girec made you promise to protect me?! Does he think I am a little girl?"

Liam started to say something. "Um . . . you--"

I interrupted him, glowering. "Do not reply to that. I am not a little girl. I do not need your protection. Let's drop off Sam and go back to the bandit camp."

"They are my men," Liam argued. "Besides, don't you have your own quest that is more important?"

I faltered. "Yes."

"Tell me," he said.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"Girec trusts me."

"Yes, and you never told him about the entire bandit thing," I pointed out.

He looked a little hurt. "I saved your life! You would've drowned in River Velia!"

"Fine," I said. Soon, he had me spilling the entire story, Enchanters and all. After I was done, I felt a burden lift off of my shoulders. I had needed that.

Liam had not interrupted me once, but when I was finished, he looked me in the eyes. "I see why Girec is always proud of you," he said. "You're brave. I'll help you find those Enchanters. We'll meet at Merth in four days."

I nodded reluctantly. "Very well."

We sailed on the river to a little town and pulled Sam off the raft. Liam carried him over his shoulder and walked to the square.

I stopped a passer-by. "Where is the closest physician?"

"Two towns over," the man replied. My face fell. "But the local apothecary can work wonders. He's right over there."

We took Sam to the directed building. The apothecary was startled by our entrance. We must've looked horrid.

"We need some medical attention," Liam said.

The man nodded. "Of course. Bring him on back." He nodded to Sam.

I stayed there and inspected different jars on the counter. The herbs inside smelled spicy, reminding me of Coten and the Aquweed.

What was I to do? Would breaking the Enchantment destroy the shadow creature? For some reason, I doubted that. But I did know one thing. I needed to find the three Enchanters in Krialle ad take them to Havane. Perhaps, with all the races' help and the Enchanters', I could defeat the shadow thing.

Where would I start? Where could the Enchanters be? I recalled Ava's husband speaking about dark magic. Perhaps he knew more. Yes, I'd go to him first.

Liam exited the door, with the top of his arm wrapped in a bandage. "You should go get your wrist wrapped," he said.

I looked down at it. It was a mottled purple, and bleeding. "I don't your help, nor your protection," I snapped. "Do you have money for me to hire a ride?"

Liam nodded and reached into a hidden pocket in his boot, withdrawing three gold coins. He handed them to me.

I raised an eyebrow. "I want shoes like that," I said.

"Remind me to get you some once this is over," he said dryly.

"I will," I told him. I started out the door.

"Wait," he said.

I turned around, hands on hips. "Now what?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

I looked down at my satchel. "No."

He looked at me skeptically, and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. It was a Wanted Poster with my name on it. "You are a criminal. You can't go out there without a disguise of some sort."

"There's no picture on the poster, and I don't stand out," I said.

"Yes, you certainly do," he said.

My cheeks turned a little pink, much to my irritation. "I do not. I have brown hair, brown eyes. It's a typical thing." He was probably going to bring up my slight size.

He shook his head. "You walk to confidently for a normal lady. Your hair and eyes are much more wild than most, because you don't worry to much about them. And your clothes don't exactly make you look like an everyday woman."

"Fine, I'll walk more timidly."

He handed me another few coins. "Go buy new clothes, cosmetics, and shoes with a taller heel."

"How do you know all this stuff?" I asked.

"I've had to spy before," he said. "Sometimes, the only reason I was in the army was to spy."

"Very well. I'll go get the fancy attire." I exited the door and made my way to a local seamstress.

"Will you please provide me with a new look?" I said upon entering. I held up the coins, and her eyes lit up.

"I'd be happy to help," she said cheerfully.

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