Page 7 of Spirit Trials (The Spirit Kingdoms #1)

When I don’t immediately feel searing pain, I open my eyes.

The creature jerks back and forth in the air, like it’s in pain.

I watch in shock as the leader takes a running leap and jumps on the back of it and lifts his long-curved sword high into the air before arcing it through the air.

I close my eyes and then hear a thud. When I open my eyes, I gag.

The head is in one location; the body in another.

The leader jumps off the back of the creature and stalks towards Hector and me.

I move out the way, so he can check on Hector.

When I turn around, I see them all gathered around Hector.

I walk over that way but keep my distance.

Guilt clogs my throat. He’s going to die and it’s all my fault.

I feel a presence in front of me and look up to see Smiley, not looking very smiley at the moment. “Let’s go for a walk,” he says gently.

I narrow my eyes. “Are you going to kill me?”

His eyes widen in surprise. “Are you serious? No, I’m not going to kill you. Why would you ask that?”

“Because I’m the reason your friend is on death’s door.”

“I don’t see it that way,” he says quietly. “You saved his life.”

“After I endangered it.” I point back at Hector. “He shouted a warning at me, and that made that awful...thing go after it.”

“That thing is called a Guivre.”

“That’s the thing that destroyed my village, isn’t it?

” Smiley just gives me a solemn nod. I turn my back like I’m going to look at it, but he steps in front of me.

“Hector does what he wants to. He’s old and cranky and nobody can tell him what to do.

If he wanted to risk his life to save yours, then let the old man die in peace feeling like a hero.

” My eyes shoot to his, but then I see the smile and relax.

“You’re not mad at me?” I’m not sure I believe him.

“ I’m not mad at you,” he responds. The way he says it has me biting my lip.

“Your leader’s mad at me, isn’t he?” He neither confirms nor denies, but I have my answer. If that wasn’t answer enough, the bellow I hear next most definitely is.

“Farrah!”

I wince, and Smiley gives me an apologetic smile. I take a breath before turning around to deal with the leader.

“Wait,” Smiley says. “Lox.” I look up in confusion at him. He smiles and shrugs. “My name’s Lox. I feel like you should know my name if we’re going to be friends.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “Friends? First, you threaten my family in front of me. Then you kidnap me and drag me halfway across the continent.” I stare at him like he’s lost his head.

“See? We have history together. Friends.”

“Farrah!” the leader bellows again, and I walk over to him, shaking my head. Lox has a few screws loose.

“You called?” I say dryly when I reach him.

He stands to his feet, towering over me.

He leans forward until we’re almost nose to nose.

“You ever endanger the lives of one of my men like that again, I will end you.” He whirls around and walks away.

I take a breath and fight down my anger.

I glance down, and my anger fades when I see Hector watching me.

I sit down on the ground next to him, noting that the bleeding has stopped.

“How are you doing?” I ask gently.

“I feel like my insides want to be on my outsides.” I grimace at his words. “Don’t let him get to you.” We both know who he’s talking about, but I don’t say anything in response.

“I’m sorry you got hurt because of me.”

“Eh. It’s not often I get to save a pretty girl. Let me relish in it.” I raise my brows and look down pointedly at my travel-worn clothes. “Well, I think you’d be pretty underneath all that dirt...and stink,” he adds with a grimace.

I shake my head, almost laughing before turning serious again. “Seriously, Hector. Thank you.”

He waves me off. “You don’t need to thank me. I should be thanking you.” He meets my eyes. “Thought I was a goner that time. You saved me.” I open my mouth to argue, but he shakes his head. “You did, and I won’t forget it. I owe you a life debt.”

“You really don’t,” I argue with him.

“I do. Now, can you help an old man up?”

I help him to his feet, grateful for the change in subject.

He stumbles for a minute, and I put out my hands to help him, not that I’d be able to keep him up.

He’s too big for me. Thankfully, he catches himself.

My gaze takes in the fallen creature in front of us, and I swallow hard and look away.

But as we walk past it, I can’t help but study it.

I’ve never seen a creature like this before.

If somebody would have told me two weeks ago that such a creature existed, I would have laughed.

Now, I’m not sure I’ll ever sleep again because it’s all too real.

Hector stops beside me and stares at it with me.

“Lox says it’s a Guivre,” I say somewhat absently.

“It is,” he agrees. “Nasty creatures. They have many ways to kill a man. Their claws can rip a man’s heart clean out of his chest.” I try not to let that mental picture stay with me.

“Their tails are full of poison and so is their saliva. Of course, they have brute strength and breathe fire as well.” He shakes his head.

“Those bad boys are pretty hard to kill.” He turns to me pointedly.

I don’t say anything because we both know it was a lucky shot.

“Let’s move,” the leader’s voice sounds from behind me, startling me.

A few minutes later, we’re ready to go again. To my shock, they let me ride my own horse this time. I nearly grin at the freedom but manage not to when the leader’s intense gaze burns into mine. “Don’t even try.”

I roll my eyes and turn away. At this point, I’m stuck like glue to these guys.

If there are more of these creatures, there’s no way I’m going off on my own.

But he doesn’t need to know that. We start riding, and I’m thankful to leave the Guivre behind.

Of course, I’ll still be seeing it every night in my nightmares; but at least it’s gone for now.

We ride for the rest of the day. And though it’s long, I can’t help but be thankful to be riding a horse by myself.

It’s so much better than holding myself stiffly for hours on end.

The only problem with riding by myself is the thoughts that torture me because I no longer focus on trying to keep my distance from the leader behind me.

Now, thoughts of my village and mother and brother hold me captive, not to mention thoughts of what’s to come.

So far, the men have kept their distance and haven’t tried anything.

But what happens when we get where we’re going?

And where are we going? I try to push those thoughts away; no good will come from worrying about the unknown.

I will face what comes my way when it’s time.

Right now, I need to focus on surviving this trip.

I’m surprised when the woods start thinning out. We haven’t left the woods the entire time we’ve been traveling. But now, we finally leave them behind and make our way to a town. It’s not huge, but it’s definitely bigger than my village.

Hector turns to the leader. “We’re staying in town?”

I study the two of them. Based on the question, it’s obvious they don’t normally stay anywhere but under the stars like we’ve been doing. I’m assuming it has everything to do with Hector’s wounds, but I don’t say as much. I have a feeling his pride would take a beating.

“If that means a hot meal and a real bed; then I’m in,” Smiley, or rather, Lox, says with a grin.

He slides from his horse, and the leader tosses him a bag of coins.

“I’ll be back; wish me luck.” I watch him go, kind of surprised he’s taking the lead on this.

It doesn’t take long for him to come back.

“We're good to go.” We turn our horses over to a groomer to board them and care for them for the night. Then I follow the men into the inn. The smell of cooking meat hits me as does the warmth of the room, and I realize just how cold I’ve been for days.

Being in the warmth of this room, surrounded by people going about their normal lives, I’m suddenly filled with anger.

A fierce ache builds in my chest. I miss my mom and brother and Clover and the life I had.

The guys all slide into a table, and I suddenly want nothing to do with any of them.

They took me from my life, from my family.

A lady in a gray dress walks past me and approaches the table with huge plates of meat, string beans, biscuits, and fresh jam.

Lox looks up at me. “Come on, Farrah. Come sit with us, so you can eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” I say stiffly. At that exact moment, my stomach growls loudly.

I’m actually starving, but I don’t want to sit and eat with these men and pretend that everything's okay when it’s not.

Somehow, it’s different in this Inn. This is too familiar; in here, it’s not like on the road when I’m just their prisoner.

The leader lifts his head, and those dark, intense eyes meet mine.

“Sit down and eat.” I open my mouth to argue with him.

“It wasn’t a suggestion. Come eat.” Or I’ll force you.

Those words aren’t said, but they’re implied.

I know he would totally do it too. He would probably love to humiliate me in front of this entire room.

I glare at him defiantly before I finally pull up a chair to the end of the table.

Hector slides a plate my way, and I can barely keep from drooling.

I take a bite followed swiftly by another and another.

In no time flat, my plate is clean. “It’s a good thing you’re not hungry,” the leader says pointedly.

I feel my face heat even as I glare at him.

I push back my chair, and his eyes narrow.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” Without any further explanation, I walk to the back of the room where I saw the bathrooms. When I finish my business, I step out of the small room and walk down the hallway back towards the main room.

But before I can get there, a man steps into the hallway.

I move to the side to allow him to pass, but he doesn’t move.

I look up at him and see he’s staring at me in a way that gives me the creeps.

“Excuse me,” I say pointedly, trying to step around him. He just steps with me.

“You look young and innocent,” he says, running his eyes over me. He licks his lips, and I’m officially disgusted.

“Excuse me,” I say a little more forcefully this time. I think of the knife I’ve kept hidden in my boot, but I don’t want to risk the men knowing I have it and confiscating it.

He opens his mouth to say something probably disgusting again, but a hand on his shoulder stops him.

The leader of our group suddenly steps into the small hallway with us, and I’m glad I didn’t pull my knife.

He runs his gaze over my face for just a moment, his eyes missing nothing.

“Are our rooms ready yet?” he asks the man.

There’s nothing overtly threatening about his question, and yet, the man quickly steps away. “Yes.” He grabs several keys from behind the counter. “Follow me.” The other guys join us as the man leads us upstairs and stops in the hallway.

“We’ve got it from here,” the leader says, snatching the keys from the man’s hand.

I watch as the man walks away. It’s only when he’s out of sight that I relax.

I’m not really paying attention as everybody gets their keys until the leader holds one out to me.

I glance around quickly and see the other three men have disappeared.

“I get my own room?” I ask in surprise.

“Here’s some clothes you can wear.” I take them without looking at them.

“We’ll know if you try to run.” This time I don’t even try to hold back my eye roll as I snatch the key from his hand and unlock the door.

I stop suddenly and stare at the large tub with steam wafting off the hot water.

When I turn back to ask if this is the right room, he’s gone.