hear him say it again.
“I’m sorry you were offended,” he grumbles through gritted teeth.
I notice he doesn’t apologise for his behaviour, just that I was offended, but it will do for now.
“Thank you,” I reply with a sickly sweet smile, before turning away and starting to pull my stolen boots back on. I hear him snort, and out of the corner of my eye, I see him stand and walk to the edge of the cave, peering out into the early morning light. Taking much longer than I need to, I continue to fiddle with the laces on the boots, trying to avoid asking the question I fear the answer to, but I know I can’t avoid it forever. Sighing, I look up and see he’s still staring out of the cave entrance, so I examine him without him knowing. I hadn’t realised how tall he was when we were trapped in the underground room, and his silvery hair almost glistens under the sun’s rays which are streaming into the cave. From here, I can just make out the pointed tips of his ears that identify him for what he is, although even if I couldn’t see his ears, it would be impossible to think he was just human. He emits some sort of supernatural aura that marks him as…more.
“Are you just going to keep staring at me?” His amused voice shocks me out of my ogling, and I quickly look away before he turns around.
“What happens next?” I hadn’t meant to just blurt it out, but I’m flustered from being caught out.
His smile drops, and for a moment, he just stands at the entrance, his hot gaze almost burning as he watches me. After a few seconds, he walks to where I’m sitting and takes his seat opposite me, leaning back against the cave wall.
“There are a couple of options.”
All of a sudden, I don’t want to hear it as my gut clenches.
What are you so worried about? That he will do as he threatened earlier and leave you? What do you really expect to happen here?
My thoughts berate me, and I push them away, focusing on another important question instead. “Where are we?”
He pauses, as if confused by my sudden change of subject, but I can see him nod out the corner of my eye.
“We’re in a cave in the cliffs.”
Wait, did he say cliffs? I heard the seagulls and the sound of the sea, but they can be heard for miles from the castle—at least that’s what I’ve been told. Turning to face him, I know my shock and confusion are evident on my face.
“The cliffs, as in the Black Cliffs?” I don’t like how high my voice goes as I speak, but I’m trying to calm my panic at the thought of being within shouting distance of our captors. Vaeril doesn’t look happy about it either, but he just crosses his arms as if daring me to challenge him on the decision.
“You needed to rest, and I couldn’t run as fast with you in my arms.” His explanation makes sense, but surely he could have found somewhere a little farther? “Besides, they wouldn’t expect us to be so close to the castle,” he continues, and I have to admit that this is the last place I would look if I was searching for traitors.
Traitor. That’s what you are to your people now. I’m not so worried about the kingdom, but the people I left behind and those children I couldn’t help. The thought makes me sick, and I have to take several deep breaths with my eyes closed until the feeling goes away.
Misinterpreting my panic, Vaeril goes on to explain how we escaped.
“We left the castle complex on the north side, right at the back, so we were right next to the cliffs. It’s a dangerous route to take, but I didn’t want to go through the town.”
I nod in understanding. The castle is built right at the edge of the Black Cliffs of Morrowmer. Escaping that way would be a death sentence for any normal human. The wind is wickedly strong and with little handholds or purchase, it would be a swift fall onto the jagged rocks below. The front of the castle complex is built into the city of Arhaven, which sprawls down the cliffside. The river weaves its way through the bottom of the city, where the industrial buildings are built along its edge. Beyond that are the slums, so Vaeril is right,