Chapter Nineteen
Unraveling
Part One
"Well we have to keep looking," Roxton demanded desperately. "She couldn't have gotten far."
Challenger and Veronica flashed each other a look before the professor shook his head. "Roxton, my boy, she disappeared four hours ago. She could be miles away. And we don't know what direction she went. Now I want to find her, too, but I think the best thing for us to do is move on – head for Malia and retrieve Lillian."
At the sound of his daughter's name, Roxton appeared aguishly torn. As much as he yearned to find Marguerite, she would never forgive him if he passed up the chance to rescue their defenseless daughter. He could never forgive himself either. Defeated, he led his friends back over the creek and towards the desolate desert. I'm sorry, Marguerite.
Part Two
He watched her approach, his fury igniting from the fear that boiled in his stomach. Klor knew that they would attempt to rescue the child and there wasn't a force in nature that would stop the witch from joining on the hunt. Nevertheless, he had hoped in vain that she would have taken the slim chance of staying behind to care for the son. Who better to raise a baby in the wilderness than one who grew up on the very land?
Part Three
Veronica halted in mid-stride, her ears twitching from a noise she could not decipher. She glanced at the two men, but they continued on as though they heard nothing…or felt nothing. Her skin began to tingle as if warning her of some unseen danger, but it was obvious there was none. She scanned the desert landscape and sighed. What is going on?
Part Four
Klor cursed, banging his fists on the black-iron table. He had focused to hard and now the blonde witch had felt his presence. It was bad enough that the dark-haired sorceress was able to feel him, but it was the witch he worried most about. It was her mother who had cast his people away in the unmerciful desert years ago.
A high-pitched wail erupted in his head and Klor whipped around to glare at the swaddled infant. If he had known the baby would be such a nuisance, he would have waited to taken her once Halaria had returned. Halaria was one of the few remaining sorceresses and she was the only one experienced with babies. Yet, she had taken a consecrated voyage.
Sighing angrily, he reached into the bassinet and patted the baby. Irritating as she could be, she was still the key to his survival.
End Chapter Nineteen
Fab, in Chapter Seventeen Roxton wasn't relieved that Challenger interrupted. His thought: excellent timing, old man was sarcasm. Anyway, thank you so much for your reviews. I'm glad I could correct your misconception. Trust me, Roxton wants to be a family, too.