Cursed - part 2

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part two of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!

I don't greet my mum as I trudge past her into the house. I can hear her concerned voice carrying up the stairs after me, but my head is buzzing and I can think if little but what I have just seen.
We don't know much about the curse. Now that Josh has it, I'll have to change that. With everyone else having already given up before even trying, it is up to me.
I lie back on my bed, thinking. The curse, if it is going to manifest, comes between the ages of sixteen and twenty. At nineteen, Josh and I thought we were in the clear; apparently not. I swallow a sob and force myself to keep thinking. This can't be hopeless. If I use my head, there must be a way to save Josh.
Nobody can work out why some people get the curse and others don't. It sometimes runs in families, sometimes not. The kind of work the person does, or the environment they live in seems to have no effect on it.
The only consistency is how the curse itself acts. The person cursed becomes immensely powerful - so powerful that they can kill anyone with just a touch. That wouldn't be a problem if their minds weren't corrupted. They quickly start to lose themselves, until they are filled with a desire to kill any living thing.
There is not cure that anyone knows of; to protect others, those with the curse have to be killed.
I get up and start pacing, not able to lie still any longer. Whatever I do, I'll have to do it fast, before Josh can't be controlled anymore. At that time, his father will have no choice but to hand him over to the king's men, who will take him to one of the facilities. No one ever comes out of those facilities alive.
"Lara? Are you ok?"
"Fine!" I call to my mum, hoping she won't come in. I must look a mess right now, and I realise I can't tell her about Josh; she will try to keep me away from him for my own safety. Of course, nothing can keep me away from him, but her efforts will slow me down, and I need to save him fast.
I hear her footsteps coming up the stairs. Cursing, I dive under the covers and pretend to be napping.
"Lara? You seemed upset."
"I'm just tired," I mumble, keeping my eyes semi-open.
"You were going to see Josh - you said you hadn't seen him in days and you were worried."
"He's sick," I say. "It's contagious, that's why he was staying away from everyone. Anyway, I think I've got it now. I just want to sleep."
"Of course, honey," my mum says. "I'll bring you supper later."
"Thank you."
As she closes the door, I realise I will need to act soon. Sooner or later, she will find out that I am lying. I need to get out before that happens. I'm not sure if I can do this alone, though... yet do I have the right to drag someone else into this?
Jane. My best friend would help me, if I asked. Can I ask, though? We could both be killed... yet if I don't get help, Josh will definitely be killed. It is that which makes up my mind. I wait until everyone is asleep, trying to act normally. Near midnight, I grab my pack and start putting in things for a journey. I'm not sure where we'll be going, but it has to be somewhere where there aren't many people who would kill Josh.
I slip out of the window and climb down the tree next to my room. Shouldering the pack, I jog down the street to Jane's house.
"Jane! Jane, wake up"."
I tap gently on the window. Jane has always been a light sleeper and she sits up at once.
"Lara! What's wrong? What's the bag for?" she asks, opening the window.
"I need your help,"  I say, climbing in. "It's Josh. He's in trouble and we need to rescue him."
"I'll pack my things."
"Wait. First, I must tell you everything. Josh has the curse."
I hear Jane's sharp intake of breath, but can't see her in the darkness. "You think you can save him?" she asks.
"I have to try."
"I'll pack my things," she says again.
As Jane goes around the room shoving things into a pack, I try to plan how we are going to do this. If we don't do it right, not only will Josh and I be killed, but I'll take my best friend down with me.
"Thank you," I whisper. I can always count on Jane, even for something such as this.
In her rush, she doesn't hear me. I stare out into the night, wondering about what we are going to do.

To be continued

Cursed - part 1

"You shouldn't have come here."
I skitter backwards, just out of his reach, but do not retreat. "Where is he?" I hiss.
"He doesn't want to see you," Harrod says menacingly.
"Like hell he doesn't!" I yell. "You've been trying to keep us apart from the moment we met. Josh!"
I brush past Harrod, running up the stairs at top speed. I half expect him to grab me and beat me senseless, but he lets me go, muttering obscenities under his breath.
"Josh," I call, bursting into his room. Josh is lying on his bed. His hands are in chains tied to the bedpost.
"What did he do to you?" I gasp, rushing to untie him. "Are you alright? How long have you been like this?"
I search the drawers frantically for a key, aware that any second, Harrod could come up here and drag me out.
"Lara. Stop."
"It's ok, I'll get you out of here," I say, still searching. "He can't keep you prisoner, even if you are his son. We'll go to the king if we have to, you are a free man."
"Lara, I asked him to tie me up."
This brings me up short. Slowly, I straighten and look at Josh. "Why?"
He holds my gaze for only a second before addressing the carpet. "I have the curse."
I am vaguely aware of the floor coming up to meet my knees as they give out. "What did you say?" I whisper.
"I have it," Josh says in a broken voice. "It happened three days ago. I asked my dad to tie me up so that I can't hurt anyone."
"But - but you can get help," I sputter, trying to think over the buzzing in my head. "The king has healers, facilities..."
"How many people who go into those facilities ever come out?" Josh says bitterly. "Let's face it, we all know what goes on there. There is no way to break the curse. Those facilities do not try to help those afflicted with the curse; they execute them."
I shake my head dumbly, as though I can change the situation simply by denying it. "But you'll be different," I whisper. "You won't hurt me."
Josh laughs grimly. "You know how the curse works as well as I do. It's just started, but soon enough, I will be able to kill with nothing more than a touch. Soon after that, my mind will start to go. I won't be able to recognise anyone and I will be filled with a raging desire to kill every living thing I see. There's a reason those with the curse are quickly killed; we are too dangerous to keep alive."
"Stop, stop it," I say sharply, getting up and starting to pace. "We both know how bad this is; fixating on that isn't going to help us. We need to think how we are going to solve this. There must be some solution."
Josh looks at me with something I have never seen him direct at me before: scorn. "There is nothing you can do - nothing any of us can do. Just leave me. My father will keep me here until he can no longer control me. Then he will send word to the facility."
"No," I say. "No, Josh, don't you dare give up. You need to fight it! You promised, remember? We both did! We said we would always fight for us."
As he stares at me, I see the beginnings of a crack in his wall of anger; I start to see the true fear and sorrow underneath. Then he pulls up the tough exterior which is his only defence against the terror of reality right now.
"There is no us, Lara. Not any more."
He turns to the door and yells down to his father. "Dad - get her out of here! Make sure she doesn't come back."
I hear Harrod's heavy steps coming up the stairs.
"This isn't over," I say, speaking fast, aware that I only have seconds left. "I'll find a way to save you, Josh, I promise."
Before he can stop me, I lean over him and kiss him swiftly on the lips. "I love you," I whisper.
Then Harrod has me by the arms and is dragging me away from Josh. I am screaming at him and kicking, desperate to get just a few more minutes with the man I love, but Harrod is too strong for me.
"Don't come back here," he says roughly as he throws me out of the front door. I hear his voice break on the last syllable.
I slowly force myself to get up and start trudging back home, thinking of Josh. Everyone has already given up on him, even himself. I am his only hope.

To be continued

Hidden - part 7 - final part

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part seven (final part) of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!

Andrew and I run out of the tent, tensed and ready for an attack. In our rush, we don't see Breg standing feet from us and I plough into him. The two of us fall to the ground in a heap.
"Sorry," I say quickly, getting up and offering him a hand. "What's going on? We just got here - surely they can't have found us again?"
Breg doesn't take my hand and I glance down at him. He is staring between Andrew and me as though he has seen a ghost.
"Go, see what's wrong," I mutter to Andrew as I crouch down beside Breg. Andrew hurries into the main area of the camp, which is in an uproar.
"Breg, what's wrong?" I say.
He just gapes at me.
"Use words, Breg," I say, a tad impatient. "If we're in danger, you had better start talking."
"You... you just appeared," he says faintly. "You just appeared out of thin air."
I glance behind me and see the flap of our tent standing wide open. Appear out of thin air? Evidently, I must have knocked Breg's head when I bashed into him. He's confused.
"That's right, Breg, just stay here, now," I say soothingly, putting a hand on his shoulder. I get up and make to follow Andrew, not comfortable having him out of my sight in a possibly dangerous situation. Of course, I well know that if we face another attack, Andrew, as a wizard, will be a lot less helpless than I am. Still, he would be dead if I hadn't gotten him to the hidden camp in the first place. We rely on each other.
Before  I have to look far, Andrew comes jogging back, followed by a crowd of people, all of whom look a little like Breg - like they have just seen something impossible and shocking. I raise my eyebrows at Andrew. Well?
He rolls his eyes, leaning forward to whisper in my ear. "I think they're playing a practical joke on us, Megs. They're pretending that our tent disappeared with us inside it."
I laugh aloud. Of all the unbelievable stories, they could have chosen better.
Breg pushes himself to his feet and speaks in a shaky voice. "You can't do that, Andrew," he says. "No one has the power to hide places like that. Objects, maybe, but not anything as big as a tent and everything inside it, even for a second, never mind minutes!"
Something in his voice makes me think that maybe, maybe he isn't joking. "Breg, our tent is right there," I say, gesturing impatiently. He looks right through the tent and to the person standing behind it. Frowning, Andrew takes his arm and leads him forward.
Breg follows, but then suddenly stops, as though pushed back by an invisible wall. Andrew tries to pull him, but Breg seems to be pressed up against some kind of barrier we can't see. I don't think he is that good an actor.
I walk forward, trying to feel the same thing, but I am standing right next to Andrew in seconds.
"Megan?" Berg's voice is anxious. "Where did you go?"
I exchange a glance with Andrew. Everyone else is wearing expressions similar to Breg. They really can't see us behind whatever invisible line has been drawn around out tent. Together, Andrew and I step out, and the crowd exhales as one in relief.
"Ok, what's going on?" Breg demands.
"That's exactly what we'd like to know," Andrew says. "How is it that there is suddenly some kind of barrier around our tent?"
"Call Sophie," someone says, and there is some shuffling in the back. Sophie isn't a sorceress, exactly, in that she doesn't have the same powers as most sorceresses do, but she does have a strange ability to judge the abilities of others. Sophie is ushered forward to examine the barrier. She barely even looks at it, though. She is staring at me.
"You," she whispers.
"Me what?" I ask, nonplussed.
"You..." she appears lost for words for a moment. "You have magic," she says slowly. "Maybe you didn't intend it, but you put up this barrier. Your magic isn't like ours - that's why we didn't recognise it - but you have it. If you could learn to control your gift..."
She doesn't need to finish. If I could learn to control my gift, I could hide us from the king forever.
I meet her gaze with a steely one of my own. For a second, we are the only two people in the world.
"Teach me," I say.

Four months later
"So you like it'?" Andrew asks.
"It's amazing!" I squeal, turning in circles. It took Andrew weeks to build the house, with both physical labour and magic, but now that it is done, we both agree that it was well worth it. Everyone is building houses now - now that we can have more than just portable tents. Now that we have a permanent home.
It took me two months to learn to master my gift of hiding locations, but when I did, we were ready. We had already located the perfect campsite - the one that would be more than just a campsite. The one where we could live in peace for the rest of our lives, perfectly hidden from the king and his soldiers.
As I look through the window, there is no dome in the sky, as there was in my dream, but I know we are hidden - we've tested it thoroughly. No one will find us here, where we are truly hidden.
"You did it," Andrew whispers in my ear.
I nod, smiling incandescently at him as his words really sink in. No more fear, no more running. "Yes. And now we're safe. Forever."
"Forever," he agrees.

The End

Hidden - part 6

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part six of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!

"All settled in?" Breg asks, sticking his head into our tent.
"Yes, we're fine, thanks," Andrew says. I look up a minute too late, and Breg has already left.
"Are you ok?" Andrew asks me, turning my head so that he is looking into my eyes.
"I'm fine," I say, not meeting his gaze. I keep wracking my brains, trying to think of a solution, but I don't see any. The nomadic life that all wizards have to live is already wearing on Andrew - I can see it in his eyes. He can't keep going like this for years, always looking over his shoulder, watching for the king's men, come to kill all traces of magic.
I can't watch anything destroy the man I love. I brought him here to save him. Now, I need to find a way to keep him.
"Megs, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," I mumble. He doesn't look away. I try not to meet his gaze, but eventually my eyes are drawn up to his. There's not point trying to keep secrets from Andrew. "This doesn't suit you," I say finally. "You can't keep running your whole life. I know you. You need a home, not a series of camps."
"I'll be fine," Andrew says. "Really, Megan, don't worry about me. I know we need to stay ahead of the king's men if we want to survive. I will do what is necessary."
Far from reassuring me, his words only heighten my sense of alarm. His voice sounds so weary. How long before weariness starts to wear him down? Constant fear can do a lot to a person if they don't know how to deal with it. Most people here to alright, but I've seen the back vans - people with vacant expressions, herded along by the others, those who can't cope with the ever changing situation and the fear that comes with it.
How long do I have before I lose Andrew to that? If I know anything, it is that I won't survive losing him. I need to find us a safe place before it's too late. I lie back on the bed, thinking. If we went off on our own, we'd be harder to find, but when they did find us - which they would, eventually - we'd have no chance of escape.
No, sticking with the group is really the only option. Then we need to find a place for all of us that is hidden enough to hide us forever, so that we can finally be safe. Of course, the others will have thought of that; if they haven't found such a place in all these years, I doubt I will.
"Tell me what you're thinking," Andrew coaxes softly, but I turn my face away. He will only try to reassure me more. I don't need reassurances; I need a solution, and right now, I don't have one.
"Come on, you should train," I say, making an effort to shake off the gloom that surrounds me.
"We've had a long ride to get here; I'm sure they'll give us the day off," Andrew says.
"Don't be lazy," I chide, swatting him playfully on the arm. "I didn't drag you through miles of forest to get here and have you slack off!"
Catching on to my light hearted tone, Andrew laughs and ducks out from under the tent flap. I follow and find Breg waiting. Apparently, I am not the only one who still expects a full day's training.
I sit against a tree and watch as Breg takes Andrew through various exercises in magic, working on everything from power to control. After about half an hour, Andrew takes Breg's arm and turns him so that they are facing away while Andrew whispers something in his ear.
I frown, wondering what they are up to. Breg nods and proceeds to instruct Andrew in a hushed voice, so that I can't hear. Before I can get up to ask what's going on, Andrew nods and comes over to sit beside me. "What was that about?" I ask.
Andrew doesn't answer, his eyes closed, focusing hard on something.
"Andrew, what - "
I break off as the strangest feeling sweeps through me. It's as though all of the dark cobwebs in my mind are being swept away by a bright ray of sunlight. The gloom that has had me ever since I realised that this camp is not a long term solution for Andrew vanishes. In an instant, I feel... happy. Amazingly happy.
Andrew's eyes are open and he's grinning at me. "I can see that worked."
"What did you do?" I giggle, not even alarmed, my heart is so  light.
"Happiness spell," Andrew says. "It's not permanent, but I could tell that you needed it."
I lean forward and kiss him. "You're right. Thank you."
As we walk back to the tent a few hours later, though I know I should feel worried and upset, all I can feel is confident. This will work out, somehow. We will find a place that is truly hidden, that the king's men can never find. I fall asleep in Andrew's arms thinking about it.
The dream creeps up on me.
For a while, I am just gazing blankly at the horizon, not really aware of what I am seeing. By the time I realise, the king's men are close; much too close. There is not time to break camp and move on - they will be on us in minutes. We'll have to hide or fight.
I glance over at Andrew. He is sleeping peacefully. I don't want him to have to awake to a bloody battle. I raise my arms, imagining a shining bubble, a dome covering our whole campsite, hiding us from the soldiers. As sometimes happens in dreams, what I imagine comes to life and a clear dome shimmers above us.
I giggle as the king's men come to a bewildered stop, looking all around for us. My task completed, I lie down next to Andrew, finally safe.
"Megs, wake up," Andrew says urgently, shaking my shoulder. "There's something wrong."
I sit up abruptly and know at once that the calming effects of the happiness spell have worn off. Fear sings through me as I hear people shouting outside.
"Where could they have gone?"
"I don't know, but they were right here!"
"Well obviously they aren't anymore!"
"Ouch! What is that?"
The angry voices get further and further away, but the tense, worried atmosphere that suddenly pervades the whole camp does not. I exchange a glance with Andrew.
Something is terribly wrong.

To be continued.

Hidden - part 5

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part five of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!

I lean back against the tree, watching. Andrew's face is screwed up in concentration, though he is not doing anything visible to the naked eye - or at least, to mine. The surrounding wizards watch intently, able to see the flow of magic that I cannot.
Without warning, Andrew yells and crumples.
"Better," Breg says, offering him a hand up. "You still need practice, but you're learning fast."
I hop up and go over to Andrew. "You're doing well," I say, though in truth I have no idea how he is doing apart from what others tell me. "I'm proud of you."
He leans into me, still breathing hard from the exercise. "Love you," he murmurs.
"You too," I say, breathing in the smell of him.
"Ok, let's get back to -"
Breg is cut off by the sound of a horn in the distance. I sigh. Really? Again?
It is a resigned air more than a panicked one that fills the camp. Everyone drops what they are doing and hurries to their sleeping quarters to start packing. I follow Andrew to our room, grumbling under my breath.
We have been hidden in the training grounds for three months and in that time we have had to move twice. The king's men are always trying to kill off the wizards, so we have to be constantly alert. Living as fugitives for the crime of having magic means speed is life.
In less than fifteen minutes, we packed and moving. Horses are hastily saddled and we assemble into a long column. Together, there are about fifty of us. Though most wizards are men, there are a few women, some of whom prefer to call themselves sorceresses. No one much minds what they call themselves, as long as they do their duties.
"Andrew, can you take the back?" Breg calls.
"Will do," Andrew says, looking excited. I bite my lip. People at the back are the closest to the king's men. Still, it is an important job, erasing our tracks with magic. We'd never survive without it.
I follow Andrew to the very end of the column. "Megs, what are you doing?"
"Breg said we're at the back."
"No, Breg said I'm at the back. You don't have magic; you should stay in the middle like everyone else like you."
I ignore him. Andrew must know there is no way I am leaving him alone. I am not the only one here without magic - many friends and families risked everything to bring their loved ones here when their magic started to consume them from within. Others were not so lucky; others' families abandoned them.
Andrew must see the shadow in my eyes, because he doesn't argue, but takes my hand as we walk towards our horses. I think back. When his family found out Andrew had magic, they abandoned him for death, shutting him out of the house. I was all he had. For a while, we thought that wasn't enough; we thought we wouldn't make it.
I am interrupted in my thoughts by the start of the move. We set off at a brisk trot. We always have more hidden camps lined up. The first thing scouts do is look for a new place to move to when we are inevitably discovered. We sometimes last a while, but we have to move eventually.
Andrew looks wistfully back at the camp. "You liked this one," I state.
"It's not this one in particular. I like having some place to call home. Is this the rest of our lives?" He gestures around to the changing scenery. "Will we ever be able to live without looking over our shoulders?"
"It's life," I say softly. "When all's said and done, we're lucky to have that much."
Andrew brings his horse slightly closer to mine so that he can rest his hand on my shoulder. "You're right. Of course you are. We're both lucky to be alive."
Still, as we head on, I see that Andrew is not saying everything. I was always the better one for adapting to change. This has hit him much harder than me. He's fine now, but what about ten, fifteen, twenty years from now? Will he still be fine? Or will this fitful life of fear and running finally break him?
As I watch him, an icy chill runs up my spine. I realise I don't know the answer.

To be continued

Hidden - part 4

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part four of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!

When I wake up, for a second, I don't remember where I am or why am I here. The straw mattress underneath me is not familiar and the sunlight is coming from the wrong angle. I try to sit up in alarm, but my body feels too heavy.
I close my eyes to stop the blurry world from spinning, trying to remember. There was a man carrying me through the forest... I guess I must have passed out at some point, as I have no memory of coming to this small room with rough wooden walls and one tiny window.
I groan in frustration, trying to remember.
"Megan? Are you awake?"
My eyes fly open, trying to make the images come back into focus. "Andrew?"
"I'm here," he says. I can feel his hand squeezing mine, and slowly, his face slides into focus. He looks worried and exhausted, but unhurt. It all comes back to me in a flash. The wild dash through the forest. Thinking we wouldn't make it in time. The fear of Andrew dying...
"You'll be ok," he says, brushing my hair off my face. "You were in a bad way when Breg found you, but he healed you. He says you'll just be groggy for a while, but you'll be fine.
"What about you?" I ask urgently. "Have they managed to help you?"
Andrew smiles for the first time, nodding before I have even finished my sentence. "The first thing they did was give me this." He shows me a plain black, shiny stone that fits neatly into his palm. "They taught me how to channel excess magic into this so that it doesn't hurt anyone. Later, I will learn to control when the magic comes out in the first place, but for now, this will keep me safe - and keep everyone else safe from me."
I sigh in relief, closing my eyes.
"Andrew." I wait until he is looking at me. "You ran away."
"I couldn't hurt you any - "
"I don't want to hear it," I snap. "You could have died. Died, Andrew. What I want is your promise never to do anything like that again."
"Megs, you know I only did it so that I couldn't hurt you. I can't promise I wouldn't do the same thing again, because I would."
I take a deep breath, praying for patience. "Let's look at it the other way around. If I had the power of a wizard and my magic was destroying me, you'd risk everything to take me to the training grounds and save me. Then say I kept hurting you, not being able to help it. Afraid of hurting you more, I ran off into the wilderness, knowing full well that I would probably die there.
"What would hurt you more, Andrew? What would a few injuries be compared to my death? What would anything be compared to that? Do you have any idea what it felt like to be left behind? To think I'd seen you for the last time? You don't - "
I hate myself for allowing tears to creep into my voice, but I can't help it. After all these years, how can he still not understand? I can't live without him; he should know that by now.
After wanting nothing more than to see Andrew alive and safe, I find that I suddenly can't stand the sight of him. I turn to face the wall, giving him nothing but cold silence. The silence seems to go on forever and I wonder if he has left the room.
His hand tentatively touches my back. I ignore it.
"I'm so sorry, Megs," he says softly. "You're right. I didn't think. I'll do better next time, I promise."
I am not eager to forgive him so quickly, but I can't stay angry with Andrew. I turn around to face him and reach out. We come together, wrapping our arms around each other. "I love you," he whispers in my ear.
"I love you," I whisper back.
We stay suspended there for what could have been hours, or perhaps only minutes. Andrew only breaks away when there is a light knock on the door. Breg comes in, carrying two steaming bowls.
"Good, Megan, you're awake. Come, eat. You too, Andrew." Breg sets the bowls down, smiling at me. "He wouldn't eat a bite while you were unconscious. Said he couldn't. Stubborn man you've got here."
I laugh, reaching for the food, finding that I am famished. Andrew and I eat in silence while Breg waits patiently. Finally, when we are done, he stands, gesturing for us to follow him.
"Come on, it's time to meet the others. These people will become like your family soon enough. You should get to know them."
Andrew helps me up, half-supporting me; I guess I'm still quite weak. Breg opens the door and I see bright sunlight streaming through.
"Welcome," Breg says, "to the hidden training grounds."

To be continued

Hidden - part 3

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part three of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!

I stumble, angrily wiping away the tears that are blurring my vision. Andrew has been all alone for the whole day; who knows what could have happened to him? If his out of control magic injured him and I wasn't there to help... in his weakened state, he could die so easily.
"ANDREW!" I yell, glaring at the surrounding forest. It is no use. Even if he could hear me, he wouldn't answer. He is so afraid of hurting me without meaning to, he's going to end up killing himself - as though that wouldn't hurt me a million times worse!
"Andrew, get out here right now!" I rage impotently.
I lean against a tree, trying to get my breathing under control. I can't help Andrew if I'm panicking. I need to use my head. I need to think.
It takes all of my will power to force myself to remain still and try to reason this out. Andrew must have left as soon as I fell asleep. That means he's been alone for just over twelve hours, now. He would need water. We didn't have time to bring water skins with us when we fled, which means one thing.
River.
The thought has barely entered my head when I am running. Andrew would need to stay near a river if he wanted to drink. I am totally lost in the vast forest now, but I still have the map. I crouch down and search it before standing up and sprinting off again.
The nearest river runs roughly parallel to our home, but that's not the one Andrew would have followed. He would have taken the other, the one that leads to our destination. He would try to make it to the hidden training grounds and save himself. "You should have taken the map," I mutter, clutching it in my hand. How is he going to find them now?
Cursing myself for wasting half the day on useless panic, I jog to the river. I don't see any sign of Andrew, but this does not surprise me. It's been hours, and any sign could have long ago washed away - or been removed by Andrew himself. I close my eyes for a moment, shuddering when I imagine what he is going through now, attacked by his own power and me not there to help him.
I start to run.
The ground is flat and I am going against the flow of water. While the river is wide, I could wade across it if I really wanted to. I don't want to; I want to find Andrew. My breath comes in sharp gasps, but I don't allow myself to slow down. Andrew could be dying even now, waiting for me to come and save him.
I strain my ears and eyes, searching for any sign of anything out of the ordinary that could indicate Andrew is close by. There is nothing. I fight the rising panic. The only thing I can do is keep going.
As the sun sets, I don't stop. I know I should make camp, but I can't bear the thought of stopping when there is breath in my body, knowing that I may be leaving the man I love to his death.
It is full dark soon, but the moon and stars provide enough light for me to keep running. I can feel my muscles shaking in exhaustion, but I ignore them. There are more important things right now.
I don't see the hole in the ground until it catches my foot. I scream as I plunge forward, over the bank, my foot still caught in the hole at the top. I hear a sickening crunch as my leg breaks.
I clamp my hands over my mouth, not because I think anyone is near, but because the sound of my own screams is not really helping me stay calm. Gritting my teeth, I lean awkwardly back and free my foot. The pain is unlike anything I have ever imagined. I lean over to throw up, heaving violently. When it stops, I have only one thought.
Andrew. I still need to find him.
I make to get up, but I can't balance on one leg without a staff, and all the branches lying around are thin and brittle. I sigh, trying very hard not to start crying. I can't walk. There is nothing else for it; I'll have to crawl.
That night is the longest I have ever lived through. Every movement makes the pain worse, but the pain of stopping is the worst of all: the fear that Andrew is dying because I am not with him. I drag myself along on my elbows, my eyes screwed up and my mouth clamped shut.
By the time the sun rises, I feel barely human. I am covered in dirt and leaves, and in so much pain that I can hardly even remember why I am here, only that I need to keep going.
Just one elbow in front of the other, Megan, I tell myself. One, two, one two. That's it.
As I lift my head just an inch to see where I can put my elbow next, my eyes light on a pair of boots. I strain my neck to look right up at the man they belong to. He is tall and middle aged - normal looking - but he has some air about him that hints at the extraordinary.
"You must be Megan," he says, smiling down at me.
I take a minute to work some moisture into my mouth, trying to reply. "Who are you?"
"My name is Breg. Andrew told me to look out for you."
I am suddenly suffused with energy. "Andrew? You have him? He's ok?"
Breg smiles and reaches under my arm, pulling me to my feet, where I sway unsteadily on my one working leg. "Yes, we found him in time. He's at the training grounds. He said you wouldn't give up looking for him, no matter what. I guess he was right."
"Will you take me to him?"
"That's what I'm here for."
I sag in relief, and Breg hastily puts his arm around me, helping to hold me up.
"You're one of them, aren't you?" I say. "One of the ones hidden from the king?"
"Yes," Breg says. "Yes, I'm a wizard."

To be continued