Read Online Promise: The Scarred Girl by Maya Shepherd - Free Book Online

overseer is tied up, she looks back to the field. The guards have now rounded up all of the workers in the middle of the field, as some of them have apparently tried to flee. Nea’s companion is still running around barking in a circle, she has to smile. But she also sees how exhausted the dog is as his pace is slowing down steadily and his tongue is hanging out and is panting heavily. He is, after all, not the youngest dog. Nea runs fast from the spot where she has tied up the boy and stops at the edge of the forest. She lets out a loud whistle, which draws the attention of everyone. Her dog friend runs directly to her. The Carris are unsure of if they should follow her or stay with the workers.
    The amount of time it takes them to decide gives Nea a large head start. She runs as fast as she can along the forest edge. When she takes time to look, she sees that none of the Carris followers have come after her, but the dog is having trouble keeping up, so she stops.
    Completely spent, the dog gasps for air and falls to the ground. Quickly, Nea brings the water bottle out of her bag and pours some water into her palm, which the dog laps up quickly. Only after half the bottle is emptied, does the dog slowly calm down.
    Nea laughs and pats him behind the ears, “You’re a hero, you know that?” She praises him, and he seems to nod, panting.
    Meeting the dog was probably the best thing to happen to Nea in a long time. For the second time, the dog has saved her life, more or less. She would like to catch and cook a weasel for him, but they do not have the time. Now that she has the habit, she must flee the area as soon as possible and mix in with the Carris before it is known that one of their habits has been stolen. Nea brings the fiery red frock from her backpack and throws it over herself, for she is planning to leave the edge of the forest and go through the open field. She draws the backpack to herself because its contents are too valuable to leave behind. If any of the Carris should see her, she will claim that she is returning from a mission and is the only survivor.
    However, she still does not know what to tell them about her small friend. The dog is clever enough that it will probably occur to him that it is odd for them to leave the protection of the forest and head into the open field. She does not know where she is, and therefore hopes a city is nearby so they will not have to sleep in the open unprotected.
    In the field, the grass is so high that the little dog cannot look around and has to follow in Nea’s tracks. A breeze blows across the field, it smells deliciously of spring. Although Nea loves this smell, though not nearly as much as the salty smell of the beach and sea water, the smell still takes away part of her troubles for a brief moment. The world is not lost, on the contrary, nature is stronger than ever, and as long as there is nature, there will be life.
    A faint ringing pulls Nea out of her thoughts and she looks carefully around. To her left she recognizes a dirt track that leads through the fields. Again, the faint ringing of bells fills the air. Slowly and carefully, she embarks on the path. As they walk on the path, Nea notices that the grass on the other side is much shorter, as if had been mowed recently. There must be a town or other populated area nearby.
    Again, more ringing. Together they follow the trail a bit further. The ringing gets louder and louder. It becomes clearer and easier to hear, and then Nea sees for people wearing bright red robes ahead of her.
    However, they stand with their backs to Nea, so they cannot see her; this gives her a moment to think. Slowly she moves toward the squad. Around the four Carris members thirty goats graze on the grass, each goat carries a bell on their collar. Running between and around the goats are dogs that are much more attentive than their masters, for they have now noticed Nea and the dog and stand on guard, striking a threatening pose and