Lachlan and I left early in the morning, just before sunrise. I was still sleepy. From the time Lachlan had gone to post a letter to Wini, to the time I finally succumbed to exhaustion, every little noise frightened me. Even the one dream I could remember was about people in robes chanting and chasing after me with spells.

The pack horse was ready and we walked next to it, heading south toward the road. Lachlan said the road would take us straight to Rocky Cliffs, a seaside city, and further away from the palace and the war. I asked what would happen to his animals, and Lachlan said that Henry would come and take them to his own home, then just check on the house once a week or so.

I apologized and Lachlan shrugged. "I've been needing some adventure in my life."

Scoffing, I rolled my eyes. "No one needs this kind of adventure."

We walked most of the day before reaching the road, and even then, Lachlan said we should walk a way beyond it and set up camp for the night. We decided that we would take watch in shifts, and he let me sleep first as I had not slept much the previous night. The sounds of the outdoors lulled me to sleep quickly and if felt like only minutes had passed when Lachlan was shaking my shoulder to wake me.

After much yawning, stretching and walking around, I was awake enough to let Lachlan sleep peacefully. Sunrise seemed to take forever to come, and all I could do was ruminate about what led me to this point, to this place. It seemed as if all my life I had been reacting to what was happening to me or around me. Until lately, I had never had any plans for my future. I still don't have set plans.

Finally, the sun rose and Lachlan, his horse, and I were headed back to the road. We rode most of this day, as the path was clear for the horse. We stopped to have lunch after the sun reached its zenith, and watched as others passed by on the road. "It will be busier the nearer we get to Rocky Cliffs," Lachlan told me. Most of the time though, we were alone on the road, and I was fine with that.

Toward evening we passed through a small town. I longed to stay at the inn and sleep in a real bed, but did not even ask. We merely stayed on the road for a little way farther.

"Let's make camp near here," said Lachlan. "I'm not used to riding so long."

I nodded and we dismounted. Lachlan led the horse away from the road, into a hay field. "You'll eat good tonight," Lachlan stroked the horse's nose. I smiled and followed. We unpacked and unsaddled the horse, and I settled on the ground while Lachlan finished with his animal. Later, we ate bread and cheese, but did not make a fire.

I was feeling more relaxed in a way. Only Lachlan and I knew where we were; he had not given even Wini a clue as to where we were going. "Do you want to sleep first?" he asked me.

"I can if you are ok staying awake."

"I'll take first watch."

Spreading out my bedroll, I lay down and looked up at the sky. A sliver of what I could see was still violet but was fading into a dark purple then nearly black with stars. We were lucky there had been no rain as of yet. The autumn season would soon be upon us and the temperatures would turn cooler, even this far south. My eyes closed and I fell into a slumber.

Something made me wake, but I did not remember a loud noise or anything touching me. My head went to where I had last seen Lachlan, but in the dark, he was not visible. Immediately sitting, my senses seemed to sharpen in the dark, and my heart began to race. As silently as possible, I stood and peered over the top of the hay surrounding us.

The hay rustled with a small breeze, but other than that, I heard nothing. Not even Lachlan's horse. He left me. I don't know why I thought that, but it was the first thing that came to me. Cautiously, I moved toward the road, wanting, but afraid to call out his name.

I was so busy looking over the hay, where there was more light from the moon and stars, that I did not watch where my feet were, and I suddenly stumbled over something large. I hit the ground hard, my palms and elbows being the only thing to save knocking my head. My legs were still across what had tripped me. Squirming to get off, I realized it was Lachlan on the ground.

His eyes were closed, but as I touched his face I felt a warm, sticky substance. "Lachlan," I breathed, holding his head tighter. "Lachlan, wake up."

Then I heard something behind me just before my upper arms were grabbed. I made to scream but one of the hands covered my mouth and nose as I was pulled backwards and into another person. Light pierced the dark as my amulet came to life. I threw my free elbow into the person holding me, and I heard bones break as it made contact. They let go with a sharp exhale of breath and turned to see a man, well dressed, and wearing a sorcerer's insignia.

"You've broken my ribs!" he breathed raggedly before lunging for me again. My amulet flashed as his one hand caught my throat and like the man in the village, I saw this sorcerer's eyes widen and he let go. "What…magic is…that?" He was bent over in pain.

"Who are you?" He did not answer so I turned and released Lachlan's knife from his belt and rounded on the sorcerer. "Who sent you?"

"Duke Ian," he spat.

"What does he want with me?" My arm was shaking terribly.

"He wants you home. Come, put down the knife. I can utter a spell before you could hurt me with that."

"No. Who are you?"

"Who I am…matters not." He stepped toward me and I unconsciously stepped back toward Lachlan. "Come on, girl. I will not hurt you."

"Then why did you hurt him?"

"He'll wake in due time. Come with me."

"No!" The sorcerer began to chant some words and suddenly it was as if I was in a translucent box, with a violet light source coming from the amulet.

"What is that?" The sorcerer spat. Then he rushed me.

I cringed, not knowing if he would be able to come through this nearly invisible shield, and I readied the knife, though I had no idea what I was doing with it. The sorcerer met the shield and for a moment his body shook with its contact, then he flew back several feet.

The shield dissipated and tears came to my eyes. "Lachlan, wake up," I jabbed my foot into his side. It took the sorcerer a moment before he understood his surrounding again. "Lachlan!" The sorcerer painfully came to his feet. I was sure more words had come from his mouth but I could not hear them clearly.

"I was going to take you back gently, but the duke did say I could use force if needed. Take off your jewelry, girl." I shook my head, and the sorcerer came closer. "Who made that for you?" My only answer was raising the knife again. "Why don't you take off the jewelry and hand it to me before your hurt yourself. I'm only here to bring you home, to your family."

"My family is dead. All of them."

"Was it them who gave you the magic jewelry?" His steps were slow, but steady. "Is it a family heirloom?"

"Stay back," I growled, strengthening my resolve. "You don't have to be hurt."

He laughed slow and easy, like his steps. "I won't hurt you, Sofia." This man using my name made me tense even more. "I've been given the task of bringing you home. Your brother-in-law wants to make sure you are safe."

"He's not my broth-" the sorcerer recited a string of words and I suddenly felt very faint and dizzy. The knife fell from my hand and I my knees buckled but I heard screaming. As with Roland, at first I thought it was my screams but then realized it was someone else. The world stopped spinning and I pushed myself up onto an elbow as I lay on my side. The sorcerer was on the ground, but no longer screaming. His eyes were open, and his head lay at an odd angle. Then I saw something move above him and my eyes scanned upwards.

I gasped, trying to crawl away, Lachlan's body impeding my path. The person above the sorcerer seemed so tall from where I was, and my amulet was not glowing anymore, leaving us engulfed in darkness again, and a bit of temporary blindness.

"Sofia," a voice called out.

"Lachlan," I could not help but sound a little relieved. "Lachlan, we have to run."

"Sofia!" I looked down. Lachlan's eyes were still closed. I looked up and the dark figure now standing over us. "It's me, Sofia." Suddenly a dull blue light appeared and I saw a hand that the light was held in, and then a face behind the hand.

"Cedric?"

"Yes."

"Cedric? Is it really you?"

"Yes." He dropped to his knees beside me so I could see him better.

"I'm dreaming! This isn't really happening!" I threw my arms around Cedric's shoulders and began to cry.

"Shhh, Sofia. Don't cry. I'm really here." His hands rubbed my back. "Shhh."

"How do I know the sorcerer didn't put some spell on me and I'm just dreaming you are here."

"Because the amulet protected you. And the amulet led me to you."

I pulled back to look in Cedric's eyes, though the little light he had created was gone. "Cedric."

"Sof-" my lips crushed his before he could finish saying my name. I had missed the taste of him, and the smell, and the way he held me. He put his hands on my face and broke our kiss. "Sofia, what happened to Lachlan?"

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I totally forgot!"

Cedric laughed and his little orb of light appeared again as we both moved closer to Lachlan's side. "He's just unconscious, but he's going to have a horrible headache when he wakes."

"He was keeping watch," I started and told Cedric about all that had happened since I woke. Cedric removed his cloak and covered his brother.

"Let's get your belongings and move here. I don't want to move him." Cedric rose and began to limp with me.

"You're hurt."

"I'm all right. It's been a long journey."

"What happened?"

"It's a long story, that I will tell you, but not right now." His hand found mine and our fingers entwined.

"There it is," I pointed at the bedrolls and saddle. Cedric helped me carry everything back to Lachlan. "I'm not sure where the horse is."

"Perhaps we'll find it in the morning."

"Cedric, you look exhausted. You sleep and I'll watch for a while."

"Are you sure?"

"I can't sleep right now anyway." My eyes trailed over to the sorcerer's body. "Is he dead?"

"Very dead." He lay out my bedroll. "If anything else happens, the amulet will still work. Just make sure to wake me."

On my tiptoes, I kissed him again. "Cedric." I whispered, my hands moving around to the back of his neck.

He laughed at me. "I've missed you too." Our mouths moved together for several minutes.

"All right," I pulled away. "You need to sleep before this goes too far."

Cedric laughed again and lay down. "Sit beside me and hold my hand?"

"Yes!" I held one of his hands in both of mine once he was comfortable. Then I listened as his breathing slowed and he was completely calm. I wanted to curl up with him so badly, but I knew I had to guard him and Lachlan for just a little while. Then they could watch over me again.