Fever

After a few hours of angered silence and seemingly blind walking, Shyana finally worked up the ability to ask. "Revarian, do you know where we are going?"

The forest walker dipped under a hanging vine. "No."

Shyana and Akiem looked to one another. "Then why are we going this direction?"

He continued on without answering. His steps were careful, as he reached one hand up a slimy tree trunk. "Because this is where the screams are coming from."

~

Captain Pri awoke in his own cot.

His head pounded as if an arrow were sticking out his forehead. He couldn't remember what he did the night before. He thought he'd gone to see Hinike, but then, why would he be in his own tent? She certainly couldn't carry him all that way by herself, especially not without anyone seeing them.

He stood and felt a wave of dizziness, that forced his hand against the wall of the tent.

Taking slow, unsure steps forward, he pushed back the entrance door and felt the sunlight stab his eyes.

Releasing a pained groan, Pri continued his hungover journey to try and find some way to explain last night. But when his eyes focused, he saw a different camp than he had left it. The tents were collapsed, bags packed and weapons at the ready.

It looked like they were ready to move out somewhere, but he hadn't given the order to do so.

"Captain Pri, how are you feeling?" A concerned voice inquired.

Pri turned his pained gaze to a guard, he dimly recognized. "Confused…what's going on here? Report."

The young man snapped to attention and spouted off what was a clearly rehearsed answer. "Everyone is packed up and ready to move, as you ordered sir."

"Ordered? I didn't order anything. What are you talking about?"

Pri felt a cold sweat forming on his neck, when the boy looked at him equally confused. "But sir, it was your express order that we start our hunt. You have a signed scroll and everything."

"Hunt? Hunt for what?" Pri tried to focus, but a swimming dizziness was taking him quickly.

The soldier replied slowly. "For General Makea. You told us she joined up with the Thurucalns. I couldn't believe it when I heard, but you had the queen's letter saying she was a deserter. It's unbelievable to think that such a great warrior is actually a traitor. By Xhia, I can hardly bring myself to say it. I still don't think it's true. There must be another explanation!"

Pri felt as if the ground was melting out from under him. He reached out a hand to clasp the boy's shoulder. "I didn't say this. I don't know what you're talking about. What's going on?"

With that, the world spun and he felt his knees give out. The guard grabbed him before he fell and set him down gently on the grass. "Captain Pri! Captain Pri, can you hear me?"

At the panicked cries, Hinike emerged from the hillside, her facial expression understanding and concerned. "Juk, didn't I say that Captain Pri was in poor health and was not to be allowed out of his tent?"

The young soldier lowered his head. "I'm sorry ma'am, he just came out and was asking strange questions about his orders."

The nurse nodded, her bright smile assuaging his suspicion. "Yes, he is very ill. Probably delusional with fever, but it's all right. Just before he took ill, he gave me his orders and we will carry them out as instructed. We will find General Makea and bring her to the justice she deserves."

She bent down to kiss Pri's brow. "For Xhaia."

~~~

Shyana walked along with her head held high, making a distinct effort to ignore the prince, who had taken to skulking behind her.

She'd never been so humiliated or infuriated in her entire life.

Shyana made a silent vow that she would never again let her guard down, regardless of how shiny the river may be or how tempting the offer.

They went through the ever-thickening brush, swatting aside branches, which longed to pierce their skin with hungry thorns.

The barrage of constant evil and eerie noises so overwhelmed her senses, that she was almost numb to each new terror. She began to think that there was nothing more that could surprise her from the forest.

She was wrong.