Chapter 5
*Katrina*
"Not like she
knows where she's going. I mean, where would she go anyways? I'm better
off not being with her and figuring this out on my own. Besides, if I'd stayed
with her, she probably would have made us sit down and figure out what we had
and what to do with each…and every…little…piece…and with all that noise we
made, someone probably heard and…" I faded away. I was mad, but I didn't want
something to happen to her.
"She'll be OK. She's
tough. We'll probably go in circles for a little while and catch up with each
other anyways." I tried convincing myself, but it wasn't really working. If
this really was Riven, then there were rebels and Gehn's guards and who
knows what else out here…not that I would be safe from any of those things…which meant there could be
anyone lurking about right-
"G'liagh machet clag!"
I screamed and tripped
over a protruding rock.
I turned over and saw
exactly what I didn't want to see. Gehn's guards. I tried to scramble to
my feet, but when I turned around, another guard pushed me back down and
pointed his gun-like weapon at me.
"Chadoo…chadoo!" he
yelled impatiently. I tried gesturing that I didn't understand, but that just
made him angrier.
"Jadil esplin mahok,"
another guard said to the angry, yelling one. He glared at him but backed up.
The other guard looked at me.
"Up," he said simply and
coldly.
Startled, I stared, but
jumped to my feet. He motioned with his gun. I guessed he meant for me to put
my hands up so I did, but suddenly the whole world seemed to go insane at that
moment. Screams and war-like cries ripped through the air and chaos erupted.
The guards seemed terrified and ran away in a panic. A few loyal ones stayed
and fought. In the midst of it all, I still stood with my hands halfway in the air
with my mouth hanging open.
After what seemed like
hours, though it was probably only minutes, the attackers were victorious. They
were obviously the rebels. The one that seemed to be the leader stepped forward
and motioned for me to step forward. I remembered that they would still be
cautious seeing as I was an outsider, but timidly stepped forward.
He looked at me a long
time before pointing to himself and saying, "Sense," he pointed to me, "good."
I guessed (hoped) that
meant he sensed I was good. I looked him up and down too. He was of a sturdy
build and looked about fifty. His skin was tan and leathery. While his face
bore thin, scowling lines, the smiling lines seemed more defined and he had
what could only be described as an honest face.
He made a sweeping motion
with one hand and said, "Come, us."
I nodded.
Chapter 6
*Alexis*
"Uuuuuuuugh…" I cracked
my neck and sat up. It was dark, damp, smelled horrible and I felt like shit. I
tried to remember what had happened.
"OK Alexis, think.
OUCH…OK, screw thinking," I said rubbing my temples. I looked around. I was in
what could only be described as a sparsely furnished cave and was laying on a
stone cot…go figure.
"Alright…I chased after
Katrina after she decided to be an idiot and- no, think calm or you'll just
feel worse, why the Hell am I talking to myself? Who does that?"
"Obviously you do." I
whirled around, nearly falling off my 'cot' as I did so. In front of me,
leaning easily on the 'door frame' was a very tall, very muscular and very hot-
I mean very menacing looking man.
His very light hair was
loosely pulled back, a few strands falling across his ocean colored eyes. He
wore a loose and very worn white shirt pulled over a well-muscled frame, faded
to an almost crème color that tucked into dark and rather tight pants…not that
I cared.
The scared Alexis started
to kick in, and when she comes in, she brings the mean Alexis with her.
"Who the Hell are you?" I
asked.
He gave me a kind of
one-sided smile. "General Na'soor. You were taken here because my men were
worried you were a spy or something of the sort. Of course, they also thought
you were a witch after going through your bag and finding…how did they describe
it? Oh yes, a 'prisoner box.'" He said, holding up my CD player, which was
currently screaming some thing about 'it wasn't me' and 'banging on the sofa.'
He placed it in front of me.
"If you would be so
kind…"
I flipped the small
switch on the side, making a show of its simplicity. He wasn't phased and kept
smiling that lopsided, gorgeous- I mean annoying…no, infuriating smile.
"Plus, you're…clothes…are,
well, interesting. However, I think you should be thankful…they didn't kill you
on the spot."
"Thanks," I snapped.
"However, your necklace
probably saved you."
I looked down, realizing
I still had the dagger on.
Looking back at him I
cocked my head to the side.
"So you're telling me all
this because…?" If I was gonna die, couldn't it be done with?
"I was wondering if you
could tell me where you got that pendant. It was obviously made by one of our
own and I would hate it if you were not only one of Gehn's spies, but a thief
as well."
"Oh yeah, I can see its
just tearing you apart," I couldn't help…I mean, after a day like this, I was a
little tired and annoyed. "But I got it from my great-grandfather." I
couldn't…wouldn't tell him about Katrina. The last thing I needed was her
getting in trouble for all this.
"Really? Well, that's
strange, this is from us, you are undeniably un-Rivenese, and thus, descended
from un-Rivenese people, and here it is."
I decided I hated this
ass.
"Listen, I'm not really
clear on the details either right now. I know how vague it sounds, what I'm
telling you is true." (Sort of)
He seemed to contemplate
all this but didn't look convinced.
I took a deep breath.
"I'm not a liar, General. I don't know you and you don't know me, and I
couldn't possibly ask you to trust me…but right now it seems like I'm gonna die
anyways…what do I have to lose…or for that matter, gain?" With that said he
stared at me a moment and then turned sharply on his heel and left.
