The First Well, Chapter 18

I’m on a roll! I want to get this story finished, so we can move on to the next story! (Poll is still open btw!)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: TOO LATE

“RUN!” It was Podo’s voice that bellowed out the cry. Artham had been racing through Throg, and then he had seen a young girl, no more than ten, and two other figures, and then Wanderers had come out of every place imaginable.

Now he was running for his life. He kept his eye on Esben, and let his hand reach for his small dagger. Not that it would be much help.

Then he heard a cry of pain, and then a hiss of anger. He almost stopped in his tracks. That voice..it was so familiar yet so distant.

“Halt! We have other matters,” a voice cried out.

       Emerald’s. Artham knew that painful fact.

But they didn’t stop running. Out of Throg, and Kal took the lead. “Follow me,” he called over his shoulder.

He led them right to where he and Arthra had met. “Here, we will be safe.”

Everyone stopped to catch their breath, all but one. “Mama!”

Nia’s head whipped up. “Janner!” Her voice cracked. She raced to her boy and nearly buried him in hugs and kisses. Then Kal ran up, and cried so hard and thanked his brother and apologized for being such a blockhead. Then Leeli, and Podo, and Esben hugged him, and more rejoicing was had.

when his family finally released him, Oskar came forth and hugged the lad. Then Sara, no longer able to contain herself raced forth and hugged Janner, causing the boy to blush and hesitantly hug her back.

He heard Kal chortle in the background, and he was pleased his brother was feeling better. Then he lifted his eyes and saw his uncle. “Artham!”

He would have run straight for him, but Arthra passed in front of Janner, slightly lurching. All of them were distracted now. Especially Artham.

She went for her bag, threw back her hood, still hiding her face, and she dug around, almost frantically.

Kal started to say her name, but then she hissed out his, and he thought better of it. Why was she hiding?

“Are you-on our side?”

“She is,” same a quiet voice. Everyone turned and saw the little girl. “Gayla,” Kal whispered.

Arthra turned her head, but her eyes had gone blank, so there was no need to even attempt to see. “Go away Gayla. I’m sure Amarah can find some use for you.”

“I don’t want that life.”

Arthra suddenly coughed. “Good for you then.”

Everyone’s eyes were on Arthra, and her face would have been flushed had she been able to see. Once again, her sight was robbed from her.

“Are you okay?” Janner asked.

Arthra said nothing. Her head began to feel swelled and increasingly hot, and her ears felt like there was water in them. The family kept trying to talk to her, but she did not-could not-hear them.

“Young lady, can you hear me?”

She heard that. Her heart fairly stopped. She knew that voice so well, how she wanted to melt into his arms, and pour out all of the sorrows of these past nine years. But she couldn’t.

Why couldn’t she? Why?

Because she was afraid. Afraid…he wouldn’t love her anymore. She felt herself growing weaker and weaker, felt Kalmar’s hand brushed against hers. She turned her head, and tried to see him, hoped the Maker would let her.

But she couldn’t.

Suddenly Kalmar was in a panic. Her eyes looked even more empty, and there was something clearly wrong. Her grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

“Arthra!”

Then her eyes seemed to loll back, one of her feet twisted, and she started to fall. In Kal’s mind, it all seemed to be going so slowly.

But then he heard a cry of utter anguish and pain, saw his uncle’s arms stretch out and seize the nearly lifeless form before it crashed to the ground, saw how slowly, oh how gently, he lowered himself, holding his daughter, to the ground.

“Am I too late?” Artham cried, the tears spilling from his eyes onto the pale cheek of his daughter.

Brought together at last, but Artham’s worst fear had come true. She was dying.

Hehe….yeah…..😅