She couldn’t believe he was actually emptying his bladder. Of all the crevasses she chose to hide in, he had to pick hers to desecrate. Despite her disgust, she was relieved to know that he did not see her.
The humor of the situation made it hard for her not to laugh. As before, she bit her lip and forced her face in her arm to muffle any sound of laughter or gagging that could escape. But the strong smell of urine in a confined space began to burn at her throat. She tried to swallow saliva to stop her pressing need to soothe it. But it was no use. Her body worked against her. Sollara began coughing and could not stop. The guard instantly became aware and noticed her feet.
“Come out of there at once,” he growled
She pressed her body back into the crevasse as far as she could, fear gluing her tight against the stone surface. But it wasn’t far enough, for with ease the guard reached in and grabbed her, yanking her out.
“Well, well, well, Miss Sollara. Hmm — should I return you to your parents? Or — have my fun with you first?”
“You wouldn't dare! They would have your head!” she snapped, faking a sense of confidence.
Instantly, she realized she had spoken too loudly. The echoes of her threat made their way down the corridor, catching the attention of the other guards. She could hear boots pounding against the stone floor as they headed toward her. Sollara started desperately kicking and screaming, trying to get out of his grasp. She knew her only hope of escape was growing ever smaller with the other guards’ approach.
-14-
A loud cracking sound resonated off the rock walls. Not knowing what had happened, Sollara looked to the guard for some sort of understanding. His eyes rolled back in his head, and a trail of blood streamed down his face. He loosened his grip and Sollara was able to wiggle free. While doing so she noticed that the top of his head was bleeding and a rock jutted out of his skull. Glancing up, she saw Lark flying above, bobbing his head and flapping his wings
“Thanks!” she whispered. It took but a moment for her to grab the guard's sword, and then she turned and ran after the Lark.
When the other guards came upon their colleague's broken body, Sollara heard shouting and the sound of many boots coming fast from behind.
All she could do was concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Luckily, Sollara and Lark had lost some of the guards at various turns they had passed, but from the consistent sound of boots on stone, they knew at least two were still trailing behind.
“Lark, I can't keep going, go without me — go tell Asima I couldn't do it,” she panted as she jerked to a stop. He came around and started flying into her back, pushing her forward one step at a time.
“Ouch, please stop. I am done. I have no strength left in me!” she wailed, no longer caring at how loudly she spoke.
Lark did not listen but continued ramming her forward , step after step . One of the jolts pushed Sollara into a stream of natural light that peeked through a crack in the rock. Just touching the light caused electricity to course th rough her body and feed her much-needed energy. She felt the urge to run, which was matched by her body’s growing strength. She took off in a sprint with the relieved Lark leading the way.
They were getting closer to the surface. She could feel a cool breeze coming toward them. It felt wonderful dancing over her sweaty skin.
The feeling of victory and freedom caused her senses to dull and her heightened need to run to lessen. She stopped running and took in the sights around her. Reaching up, she brushed her fingers through a trickle of water that ran down the rock.
Lark flew frantically and started ramming into the front of her body, pushing her back into the cave.
“Stop that, you are hurting me. Lark stop. You are pushing us back!” Defiantly she dug her feet in, refusing to budge. That was when she heard the new sound of
The humor of the situation made it hard for her not to laugh. As before, she bit her lip and forced her face in her arm to muffle any sound of laughter or gagging that could escape. But the strong smell of urine in a confined space began to burn at her throat. She tried to swallow saliva to stop her pressing need to soothe it. But it was no use. Her body worked against her. Sollara began coughing and could not stop. The guard instantly became aware and noticed her feet.
“Come out of there at once,” he growled
She pressed her body back into the crevasse as far as she could, fear gluing her tight against the stone surface. But it wasn’t far enough, for with ease the guard reached in and grabbed her, yanking her out.
“Well, well, well, Miss Sollara. Hmm — should I return you to your parents? Or — have my fun with you first?”
“You wouldn't dare! They would have your head!” she snapped, faking a sense of confidence.
Instantly, she realized she had spoken too loudly. The echoes of her threat made their way down the corridor, catching the attention of the other guards. She could hear boots pounding against the stone floor as they headed toward her. Sollara started desperately kicking and screaming, trying to get out of his grasp. She knew her only hope of escape was growing ever smaller with the other guards’ approach.
-14-
A loud cracking sound resonated off the rock walls. Not knowing what had happened, Sollara looked to the guard for some sort of understanding. His eyes rolled back in his head, and a trail of blood streamed down his face. He loosened his grip and Sollara was able to wiggle free. While doing so she noticed that the top of his head was bleeding and a rock jutted out of his skull. Glancing up, she saw Lark flying above, bobbing his head and flapping his wings
“Thanks!” she whispered. It took but a moment for her to grab the guard's sword, and then she turned and ran after the Lark.
When the other guards came upon their colleague's broken body, Sollara heard shouting and the sound of many boots coming fast from behind.
All she could do was concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Luckily, Sollara and Lark had lost some of the guards at various turns they had passed, but from the consistent sound of boots on stone, they knew at least two were still trailing behind.
“Lark, I can't keep going, go without me — go tell Asima I couldn't do it,” she panted as she jerked to a stop. He came around and started flying into her back, pushing her forward one step at a time.
“Ouch, please stop. I am done. I have no strength left in me!” she wailed, no longer caring at how loudly she spoke.
Lark did not listen but continued ramming her forward , step after step . One of the jolts pushed Sollara into a stream of natural light that peeked through a crack in the rock. Just touching the light caused electricity to course th rough her body and feed her much-needed energy. She felt the urge to run, which was matched by her body’s growing strength. She took off in a sprint with the relieved Lark leading the way.
They were getting closer to the surface. She could feel a cool breeze coming toward them. It felt wonderful dancing over her sweaty skin.
The feeling of victory and freedom caused her senses to dull and her heightened need to run to lessen. She stopped running and took in the sights around her. Reaching up, she brushed her fingers through a trickle of water that ran down the rock.
Lark flew frantically and started ramming into the front of her body, pushing her back into the cave.
“Stop that, you are hurting me. Lark stop. You are pushing us back!” Defiantly she dug her feet in, refusing to budge. That was when she heard the new sound of
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