Lonny ensured she had loaded them up with a sufficient amount of supplies for the twins before she let them leave the bakery, slipping out the back where the flour was delivered three times a week. She put them in a waterproof leather pouch before seeing them out the door. "Just bring the bag back when you're done with it," she said, standing in the doorway as they stepped back out into the rain. Maeve's arm around Amriel's shoulders, the taller woman leaned awkwardly into her petite friend.
"Thank you, Lonny. The girls will love this," said Maeve over her shoulder as they hobbled down the alleyway.
"Give them my love. And take care of yourself. I hope you all feel well soon!"
The journey out of the city was surprisingly smooth. Almost too easy. Amriel stayed ever vigilant, her senses sharpened as she continually cast wary glances over her shoulder, half-expecting to see guards marching up behind them. But they never did.
Beside her, Maeve soldiered onward, determination etched into her features as she hobbled through the cobblestone streets. At times she leaned heavily upon Amriel, who offered as much support as her smaller frame could offer, yet despite her obvious pain, Maeve never once uttered a complaint.
The storm refused to relent, dark clouds swirling above them. The afternoon sun was all but swallowed by the oppressive sky, casting the world in shades of gray and blue. Rain fell in relentless sheets, lashing down with fierce intensity, drenching the ground and creating a symphony of splashes around them. Each drop felt like a reminder of their urgency, a relentless drumbeat urging them to escape the confines of the city.
As they crossed into the open fields beyond the city walls, Amriel sensed the air shift, thick and charged with the scent of rain-soaked earth, a rich aroma that filled her lungs and steadied her racing heart. The distant rumble of thunder grew louder, a low growl echoing through the belly of the sky, reverberating through the very ground beneath their feet like a warning.
The weight of the storm pressed down on them, a tangible force that enveloped them in its chaotic embrace. Yet, within that turmoil, Amriel found a sense of concealment, a shroud of rain and darkness that shielded them from prying eyes. It was enough for her to agree to Maeve’s urgent request to take a path that would offer a glimpse of the cluster of houses that included Maeve and Simon’s home, at least from a distance. Each step was a cautious negotiation between hope and fear.
In the distance, as the house Maeve shared with her family materialized against the swirling chaos of the open field, the redheaded northerner came to an abrupt halt, her breath catching in her throat.
“There is no light in the windows,” she murmured, her voice a fragile whisper that hung in the heavy air, both a question and a declaration reverberating between them like an ominous echo.
Indeed, in the small outcropping of homes beyond the city borders, Maeve's house loomed dark and foreboding. The absence of warmth and light in those once-familiar windows sent a chill racing down Amriel's spine and dread settled in her gut, twisting like the very storm clouds above. Something felt very wrong here. But how? In a city of thousands, they were amongst the lowest ranking. Before today, they would have been completely unknown to the Infinity Tower and the servants of the Goddess.
There's no way the Master Keeper could have found their homes so damned quickly, right? Amriel kept the thought to herself. She could already feel the waves of angst rolling off her companion in waves so thick they were practically palpable.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Perhaps Simon took the girls to his mother’s?” Amriel suggested, her voice steady despite the tension hanging in the air.
The thought hung between them like a fragile lifeline, but Maeve’s tight expression told Amriel that hope was a fragile thing in this moment. "No," Maeve replied, her eyes remaining fixed on her house as she slowly shook her head, "Something isn't right."
Before Amriel could voice a word of caution, Maeve summoned some untapped reserve of strength. Despite her sprained ankle, she surged forward, crossing the field with a determination that bordered on reckless. The storm seemed to echo her urgency, a chorus of wind and rain urging her on. Amriel hesitated for only a heartbeat, then followed, the weight of dread settling heavily in her chest.
By the time Amriel caught up to Maeve, the northern woman’s face was a contorted tapestry of pain and fierce determination, each emotion battling for dominance. Yet she pressed on, refusing to slow down despite the sharp protests of her injured ankle.
“Maeve, please!” Amriel called out over the din of the storm, desperation creeping into her voice as she reached for her friend’s arm. “You need to take it easy. We can’t risk you making things worse!”
But Maeve brushed her off, shaking her head with fierce defiance. “I can’t stop now, Amriel. Not when something feels so wrong.” Her voice was tight, each word a struggle, yet there was an unyielding fire in her gaze that left no room for argument.
Only as they entered the cluster of homes and shops in the small village beyond the city walls did Maeve finally relent, slowing her pace to a hobble. Yet her determination never wavered, even as the strain etched itself into her features, twisting her expression into a mask of pain.
The warm glow of lamps, candles, and crackling hearths spilled from the surrounding homes, casting a golden aura that offered a glimpse of shelter and safety amidst the storm. Laughter and chatter filtered through the noise of savage winds and lashing rain. But in stark contrast, Maeve's home loomed cold and dark, a shadowy silhouette against the flickering light, its windows like empty eyes staring into the tempest.
A wave of unease washed over Amriel anew, tightening her chest and sending a shiver coursing down her spine. She swallowed hard, struggling to push the icy fingers of fear back down to the pit of her belly, where they thrashed like trapped animals. “Maeve…” she began, her voice barely above a whisper, but the words died in her throat as she caught sight of the door hanging ajar on its hinges.
Immediately, Amriel's fingers wrapped around the hilt of the small blade at her hip. The rough, rain-soaked grip felt reassuringly familiar, a small measure of comfort amidst the rising tide of dread as they advanced toward the house.
She cast a sidelong glance at Maeve, whose jaw was set with fierce determination, eyes blazing with a fierce resolve that seemed to defy her injury. Amriel knew her friend well enough to understand that nothing would keep Maeve from entering their home, not even the specter of danger that awaited them. As they approached the threshold, the door swayed slightly in the gusts of wind that whipped around them. Amriel felt a chill skitter down her spine, the storm's roar muffled as if the world held its breath, waiting for them to step inside.
The door gave way easily beneath Maeve's determined push, creaking ominously as she stepped inside. Amriel followed closely, her heart pounding in her chest and her fingers clenching the blade in her hand. As they crossed the threshold, a heavy silence enveloped them, the air thick with an unsettling stillness.
Inside, the house was shrouded in darkness, devoid of the warmth and life Amriel had come to associate with Maeve’s home. Shadows clung to the corners, stretching across the walls like dark specters, further amplifying the sense of unease that coiled in the pit of Amriel’s stomach.
Power. Magic. Amriel thought, her eyes darting around the small home. There was an undeniable energy in the air, a potent magic that lingered like a heavy mist, almost palpable as it wrapped around her. It thrummed in her veins, a vibration that spoke of ancient forces at play.
Before she could warn Maeve, a low, ominous creak echoed from the top of the wooden stairs leading to the sleeping loft above. The sound sliced through the silence like a knife, reverberating in the stillness and sending a jolt of ice down Amriel's spine. It was a sound warning of unwelcome presence stirring in the dark. The air thickened with anticipation, every nerve in Amriel’s body on high alert as she strained to hear any further movement, the silence now feeling heavy and charged, as if the house itself were holding its breath.