Darkness crept across the horizon, the traveling party had long since stopped for the evening. Two watchguards sat outside the carriage by a small crackling fire. Morganse pressed against the crack of the door listening intently for the opportune moment that they could escape. She could hear the conversation between the guards.

  “I cannot wait for the shift change, my eyelids are feeling real heavy” said the guard with a husky voice.

  “You and me both. I tell ya Hawk, I’m getting too old for these long hunts” he responded.

  “Fowler, you think anyone would notice if we left a mite early?” Hawk asked.

  Fowler gestured towards the carriage, “They won’ be going nowheres, I got the key right here in me jacket.” He patted at his pocket and his face fell. Hawk concerned “Whats wrong?”

  “The key! It’s gone” Fowler exclaimed in a hushed voice.

  “Did ya drop it?” Hawk asked.

  Exasperated he replied, “I must’ve, I gotta go look for it, this was my last chance, if I don’ find it, it’s the garden for me.”

  Hawk whispered “go! Go! I’ll cover for ya, tell em’ we’ll take another shift.”

  Fowler scurried off into the dark calling out a thanks before disappearing behind a nearby wagon. A few moments later, Hawk set off for the encampment of other shadows leaving the carriage temporarily unmanned.

  Morganse waited until the footsteps of Fowler disappeared before turning to the others. “It’s now or never” she called out. She inserted the key into the lock and rotated it. After a small click she stopped and nudged the door open. The creak from the door seemed so loud that it echoed in her ears. Peering around the door into the small clearing, there was no sign of danger so she stepped out of the carriage. Marwynn was the last to exit. Morganse closed the door behind him and relocked the door. She dropped the key close to the fire and motioned for the others to follow her. Quietly they sulked behind the carriage in single file.

  They reached the menacing row of tents where some of the shadows were already fast asleep. Others were gathered by firelight and enjoying the evening with food and raucous laughter. At the last tent before the forest line Muriel felt a branch tug at the back of her dress, but it was too late. She began falling forward towards the ground. She stretched out her hands and braced for impact. Marwynn swiftly seized her hand and pulled her back up. Her face flushed from the warmth of his palm. Fin looked back and raised his eyebrow with a smirk at Muriel. She scowled at him and pushed Marwynn away.

  Morganse and Declan were the first to reach the trees. Ducking low, Morganse signaled for Fin to wait. A shadow appeared from behind a tree near where Morganse and Declan were hiding. “where is it, where is it!” they could hear him muttering to himself. As the man disappeared behind the tents, they were rejoined by Fin, Muriel and Marwynn. They vanished silently into the forest away from the light of the encampment.

  Declan lost track of how long they had been running and he was nearing exhaustion. The cool air of the night felt good on his sweat soaked skin. His lungs felt as though they were on fire but he kept on going without complaint. Fin on the other hand was content with making everyone else know how much he was suffering.

  Upon inhaling he cried out, “We have been running forever, my lungs feel ready to burst!”

  Gasping for more air Fin collapsed to his knees “Can we stop? It is not like they are chasing us yet.”

  Marwynn, breathing with no effort, said “we do have a fair bit of distance behind us now. A break is warranted.”

  Morganse taking a deep breath sat down on a nearby rock, “Yes it is not likely that they will begin a search until daybreak”

  Looking at Morganse, Declan spoke “Thank you for rescuing us.”

  Muriel rolled her eyes before saying “She did not rescue us, we were just as much a part of leaving as she was.”

  Fin who had laid down, sat up abruptly and corrected Muriel, “Without the key, we would not be here.”

  Morganse sighed “Fin, it is ok, leave her alone.”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  But Fin did not listen this time, rising to his feet his eyes fixed on Muriel, “For such a pretty face, you sure do have ugly manners.”

  Muriel scoffed, “You should listen to your sister and learn to hold your tongue.”

  Marwynn beseeched her “Muriel, without Morganse we would not be here, stop bickering with Fin.”

  Muriel couldn’t hide the pained look that crossed her face after Marwynn chastised her. Fin noticed and shook his head and rolled his eyes. Looking up Fin studied Declan who was sitting rather awkwardly on a tree stump, “What is your name anyway?”

  “Declan” he replied.

  “Where are you from Declan?” Fin inquired.

  Muriel who had been curious as well chimed in, “I would like to hear how you know Marwynn?”

  “I am a new friend of Marwynn, we only met a few days ago. I sort of ran into him.” Declan explained.

  Muriel couldn’t help herself, “Wait, Marwynn made a friend?”

  Declan ignored Muriel and continued “he is helping me find my friend who is meeting me at the Gorge with information.”

  Fin leaned in, “Are you a spy?”

  “Fin.” Morganse scolded.

  “No, I am nobody” Declan said.

  “It is better to tell them the whole truth Declan, they are all in danger now as well.” Marwynn reasoned.

  Muriel’s ears perked up, “In danger? What do you mean?”

  Declan took a deep breath and breathed out slowly “Truth is, I’m Prince Declan.”

  Fin’s mouth dropped, “The heir to the throne?”

  “Second in line” Declan answered.

  Fin swept his arm across his stomach and flung his other arm out bowing almost to the ground and bellowed out, “Your majesty!” He looked so ridiculous that even Muriel half smiled.

  Morganse asked, “Why are you all the way out here?”

  “I am running from assassins, someone is trying to have me killed.” Declan confided.

  Morganse gazed at the ground “that explains why the shadows have been more active.”

  Fin chimed in “Yea we thought they might have heard of the creatures of Hollowcoast and had come to round them up.” Declan added “It must be Lady Revna, my father is not going to like this.” He rested his head on his knee and gazed towards the wood in deep thought.

  Marwynn interrupting his thoughts asked “should we go to your father first?”

  “I have a friend that I need to meet first, he is the one who warned me to run. I owe him my life” Declan answered.

  “I thought that Prince Kelvan was the heir? Why would anyone harm you?” Morganse wondered out loud.

  Fin responded “yea did you break some lady’s heart?”

  “No” Declan blushed.

  “Fin.” Morganse gasped. “What concerns me is why they are after you.”

  “My friend said he would tell me everything, he knows what has happened.” Declan said.

  After a few moments of quiet thought Morganse walks over to Declan. She kneels before him with her hand over her heart. “I will offer my services to you and help in any way that I can.”

  Upon seeing his sister, Fin falls on his face and dramatically offers “me too your majesty.”

  Declan’s heart is warmed and he smiles, “thank you.”

  Marwynn hides a smile and speaks out “I believe we have had a long enough break, we should keep moving.”

  A beautiful woman with sharp features stares out the window into the ocean beyond as she awaits news from her commander. A sharp rap at the door suggests that her wait is over. “Enter” she barks.

  A rather larger brawny commander enters with haste. His disheveled appearance tells that he has urgent news. “Lady Revna, the fly has flown. We are still unsure how he escaped.”

  The Lady responds curtly “Are you certain it was him?”

  “Yes it looked just like him and he said his name was Marwynn of Nettlewood” the commander stated.

  The Lady turned her head towards the commander with a smile playing at her lips. “Perhaps it is time we pay a visit to Nettlewood.” She continued more to herself than to her commander “Marwynn, it won’t be long now, I will have you begging to come back.”

  The commander awkwardly awaiting direction asked “what of the others?”

  “Commoners, they are of no consequence” she said as she waved her hand to the side. “Marwynn though. It was a real loss to me when he left the shadows. He was ruthless, I would like him to return to me.”

  Again the Commander was at a loss inquired “What of the shadows that aided their escape?”

  The Lady walked across the room, her piercing eyes set on the window. Beyond the window was a vast beautiful garden filled with statues. Upon closer inspection the statues were far more sinister. “I think a few more shadows in my garden would send a nice message to the others don’t you think?”

  She smiled serenely at the commander “Oh and Commander?”

  “Yes my Lady?” the Commander answered.

  “Another fumble like this and you may be joining them.”

  The Commander gulped “Yes my Lady.”