fell over. I saw he still breathed. Why did she not kill him? I knew from battles that his wound in the back wasn’t life threatening.
Celeste rushed passed me towards the door. Her thin frame strained against the door and it closed. Then she slid the bolt into place.
“Why did you do that?” Grasped my sword I stared after her. “The windows barred. The door is the only way out.”
Her smile brought slight dimples to each side of her cheeks. “But I’ve made another window.” She ran to her straw mattress. Then she pushed aside the straw.
Along the edge of the wall, two stones with straw stuffed underneath them.
“To hide the light.” She answered my unspoken question. Scooped out the excess and tugged on the edges of the huge stone.
Clever. I’d thought of humans as being less intelligent than my kind. But doubted many of my people would have thought or taken the time needed to complete what she had done. Must have taken years.
“Move aside.” I wedged my sword underneath the stone. Wiggling the blade, the stone inched forward. I didn’t worry about breaking the sword, for was forged in Elvin fires.
As though confident in my ability, Celeste rounded up her rusty chain.
Heard footsteps come up the stairs as sweat beaded my brow.
Finally, I grasped the block’s edge and scooted it forward. Then the second stone was removed. She tossed her chain out the opening, the other end locked on the stone wall beside us. The ankle lock and chain stretched down one flight, but no more.
Even I doubted if I could make a jump that far down. Certain she would break her legs or her neck no less.
“Climb down first. I know the chain will hold me. If it breaks with you, come back for me.”
I nodded, but my mind raced. No way would I take her with me. My mission was to find the witch and kill her.
“You’ll need to stretch your arm when you reach the bottom. See the oak there?” She pointed and I saw her arm was so thin I could’ve circled it with my thumb and finger. “Swing a bit until you can grasp the branch.”
Surely she joked. The distance between them was a good leap through the air.
Pounding sounded against the door. I placed my sword in the scabbard. Shoved my bow and quiver into my pack, the point of my bow poked out the top.
With both hands, I grabbed the chain and eased my body passed the opening. Stone ground into my shoulders. Blowing out air, I wedged forward.
My joints cried as my legs hung over the opening, but my shoulders refused to budge. Rounding my shoulders, I angled one side up. With effort I wiggled free.
My hands clung to the chain. Hand over hand I worked my way down until I reached the opened lock which had kept Celeste bound. The oak tree stood away from me.
I released the chain and jumped to the closest branch. Heard Celeste’s gasp as I flew through the air. After I landed effortlessly on a thick branch, I flashed her a smile.
She shoved my pack through the opening which landed on the ground below. A few children gazed up at us, and I bowed, making them cheer.
Now Celeste’s bare feet stuck out of the opening. Within moments she was out and climbing down the chain. Her brown robes flapped in the breeze. If not for her rope belt, the gusts would drive the robes over her head.
Honor kept my eyes on her feet as she worked her way down.
As she reached the end of the chain and lock, I knew she would not make the leap. Jumping down, I hung from the outer edge of the tree limb by one hand. I stretched my free arm as far as I could toward her. As if she had no fear, she leapt through the air towards me.
I stretched out my hand farther and grasped her wrist as she swung towards me. Her shoulder jerked out of socket. My hand slipped and so I clamped down on her hand and fingers so as to not lose hold.
Cringing, I felt her fingers crack in my hand.
Helped her get a footing on the branch below me before I released her. Then I scampered down to the branch to her. Her arm hung at
Celeste rushed passed me towards the door. Her thin frame strained against the door and it closed. Then she slid the bolt into place.
“Why did you do that?” Grasped my sword I stared after her. “The windows barred. The door is the only way out.”
Her smile brought slight dimples to each side of her cheeks. “But I’ve made another window.” She ran to her straw mattress. Then she pushed aside the straw.
Along the edge of the wall, two stones with straw stuffed underneath them.
“To hide the light.” She answered my unspoken question. Scooped out the excess and tugged on the edges of the huge stone.
Clever. I’d thought of humans as being less intelligent than my kind. But doubted many of my people would have thought or taken the time needed to complete what she had done. Must have taken years.
“Move aside.” I wedged my sword underneath the stone. Wiggling the blade, the stone inched forward. I didn’t worry about breaking the sword, for was forged in Elvin fires.
As though confident in my ability, Celeste rounded up her rusty chain.
Heard footsteps come up the stairs as sweat beaded my brow.
Finally, I grasped the block’s edge and scooted it forward. Then the second stone was removed. She tossed her chain out the opening, the other end locked on the stone wall beside us. The ankle lock and chain stretched down one flight, but no more.
Even I doubted if I could make a jump that far down. Certain she would break her legs or her neck no less.
“Climb down first. I know the chain will hold me. If it breaks with you, come back for me.”
I nodded, but my mind raced. No way would I take her with me. My mission was to find the witch and kill her.
“You’ll need to stretch your arm when you reach the bottom. See the oak there?” She pointed and I saw her arm was so thin I could’ve circled it with my thumb and finger. “Swing a bit until you can grasp the branch.”
Surely she joked. The distance between them was a good leap through the air.
Pounding sounded against the door. I placed my sword in the scabbard. Shoved my bow and quiver into my pack, the point of my bow poked out the top.
With both hands, I grabbed the chain and eased my body passed the opening. Stone ground into my shoulders. Blowing out air, I wedged forward.
My joints cried as my legs hung over the opening, but my shoulders refused to budge. Rounding my shoulders, I angled one side up. With effort I wiggled free.
My hands clung to the chain. Hand over hand I worked my way down until I reached the opened lock which had kept Celeste bound. The oak tree stood away from me.
I released the chain and jumped to the closest branch. Heard Celeste’s gasp as I flew through the air. After I landed effortlessly on a thick branch, I flashed her a smile.
She shoved my pack through the opening which landed on the ground below. A few children gazed up at us, and I bowed, making them cheer.
Now Celeste’s bare feet stuck out of the opening. Within moments she was out and climbing down the chain. Her brown robes flapped in the breeze. If not for her rope belt, the gusts would drive the robes over her head.
Honor kept my eyes on her feet as she worked her way down.
As she reached the end of the chain and lock, I knew she would not make the leap. Jumping down, I hung from the outer edge of the tree limb by one hand. I stretched my free arm as far as I could toward her. As if she had no fear, she leapt through the air towards me.
I stretched out my hand farther and grasped her wrist as she swung towards me. Her shoulder jerked out of socket. My hand slipped and so I clamped down on her hand and fingers so as to not lose hold.
Cringing, I felt her fingers crack in my hand.
Helped her get a footing on the branch below me before I released her. Then I scampered down to the branch to her. Her arm hung at
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