“So…where are we going again?” Luke asked Skylar for the fourth time.
Skylar looked at the sky in exasperation and muttered, “Luna, help me.” Then she turned back to Luke and said, “My people. We have to go through the secret passage first.”
“And where is this?” Richard asked suspiciously.
“There are many paths,” Skylar explained, “to get to my home. We just have to find the right tree.”
Richard looked at Luke with a raised eyebrow. Luke could only shrug.
“And what does this tree look like?” Luke said, trying to keep his voice neutral. Skylar had been leading them for hours now, and he was starting to doubt she knew where they were going.
Instead of answering, Skylar said, “Why don’t we take a break? We’ve been walking for hours.”
Again, Luke and Richard exchanged a look, but they found a place to sit down. Alice began to unpack and ration some of the food they’d taken from Old Joe’s hut before fleeing from the Dueglesteiners once again.
Luke admired how Alice was breaking out of her shell and helping out more and more after their encounter with Old Joe.
Peter, however, was still in a state of shock. He barely spoke to anyone, and Alice had to persuade Peter to eat.
Luke knew grief. He’d seen it in his mother’s eyes for years after his father’s death. Luke himself even went through a stage of grief, although his he had gotten over quickly.
But for Peter, it was different. The group kept hearing him muttering that Old Joe was all he had left. Peter had lost everything it seemed. But maybe Alice could help him with that. After all, she’d gone through the same thing Peter had.
Luke cleared his throat and looked at Skylar. He drummed up the courage to ask, “Skylar, do you know where we’re going? Or are you lost?”
It appeared Skylar tried her best to conceal fear and trepidation, but Luke could see it in her bright eyes. Her skin looked a little paler, even, and a blush appeared on her cheeks, embarrassed.
“Do you?” He tried once more. He had tried to keep his tone soft, and caring. A tone he’d adapted to explain to his younger brothers years ago why their father would not return.
Skylar took a deep breath. “I do not know if my people will trust you. Including…family members. Like I said before, an incident left me orphaned. One with a man with dark hair and eyes, lighter skin, and a voice that was gruff and left fear in the minds of people. They may be…cautious around our friend, Richard here.” Luke took note of how she addressed Richard as “our friend” as if she was starting to get used to him and his arrogant ways.
But he also felt that she was leaving something out, hiding something even.
“I do know the way,” Skylar insisted, “we are not far from an entrance now. But… I’ve been gone for days and returning with 5 more people wouldn’t be ideal.”
She had a point. Luke knew his mother would question if he showed back up to his house after days of being missing, along with 5 other kids.
“Skylar,” he said, tentatively resting his hand on hers in a gesture of comfort, “You need not be afraid. I’ll make sure our friends will not inspire violence.” At this, he glanced at Richard, who turned away, embarrassed.
Skylar looked down at his hand on hers and slowly moved it away, clutching it to her chest. She looked at Luke with wide eyes.
Luke had never seen the brave fighter so scared, so vulnerable.
“I admit I am not as scared of my people not liking you, but I am afraid that the Dueglesteiners will find us again, and…and I don’t want that to happen. That is why I have been delaying our arrival.”
Luke let his eyes fall from Skylar’s. He understood that he had been a bit trepidatious returning to Quinton where his family was and was glad the Dueglesteiners only focused on him.
And Skylar.
He had to admit she was better than him. She was more agile and skilled with many weapons. Luke felt clumsy and stupid around her, being self-taught. He even had trouble catching food to eat most of the time.
But it was at this moment he realized Skylar wasn’t better at him in all things.
But then were those doubts in himself that he wasn’t fit to be a leader. Sometimes he thought Nathaniel Doogan would not be proud of his behavior.
After all, he’d allowed Dueglesteiners to capture him in seconds during their first encounter. He felt so weak then as the Dueglesteiners dragged him into the cave, struggling as he went.
Skylar finally looked at him. “Okay,” she said, “I’ll lead you to the Secret Woods."
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