Free Stay by C.C. Jackson

finger.
    “Ugh, Brokk.” He groaned. “I know the
consequences. I know exactly what you are up against. All of the
people from Drake came here at some point to escape Lilith’s wrath.
I also know that it will be different with you. She will want to
make sure that you never come back to claim the throne. That is why
I can’t let you go alone.”
    Kailen went about the village making
arrangements with his brothers and some of the other men and women.
In Drake, there were no kings and queens. There was only a village
council that was made up of several members of the community.
Kailen’s departure meant that someone would have to be elected to
take his place, but the council felt sure that a suitable person
could be found to take his spot.
    We spent the rest of the morning gathering
supplies. Kailen found two large backpacks that he stuffed with as
much food and water as we could carry. Plus blankets and a few
changes of clothes. He also brought along a large knife that he
strapped to his waist. Once he was certain that we had everything
that we may need, we said goodbye to the villagers. We would be
leaving during the night, once everyone was settled.
    I sat on the bed in Kailen’s home while he
paced the floors in the living room. We both should have been
resting for the long trek ahead of us, but there was a strange
tension in the air. I could not put my finger on it, but obviously,
Kailen felt it too.
    I stepped into the living room and watched
Kailen as he walked in a circle from one end of the small room to
the other. He stopped and looked at me when he heard me
approach.
    “Something is not right.” He said. His eyes
glowed with nervous anticipation.
    “What do you think it is?” I asked
softly.
    “I am not sure but I think that we should go.
Now, before it is too late.” He whispered.
    I nodded my head and collected my things. We
stepped out of the house into the shroud of night. Most of the
lanterns had long been extinguished in an attempt to conserve their
precious oils. Kailen stayed close behind me as we made our way
through the maze of wooden shacks toward the exit.
    Kailen froze and pulled me back by my arm as
we heard a loud commotion at the entrance to the cavern. We peered
into the darkness, searching for some explanation of the sound.
Three shadowed figures moved into cavern through the doorway and
stood as they glanced around at the village.
    “Search every corner! Bring the villagers out
and question every one of them! I want to find her fast so that we
can get back to the city!” One of the men called.
    Before our eyes, an army of the queen’s
guards poured into the cavern. Each heading off into a different
direction. They kicked in doors and forced people out of their
homes as they searched each one for a sign of me.
    “We have to do something!” I said to
Kailen.
    “No, we can’t Callie.” He said. “It would be
worse if they actually found you here. The villagers can take care
of themselves. This is not the first time that they have
encountered the queen’s guards. Come on, this way.”
    He led me behind a row of houses and to the
far wall of the cavern. He pointed to a small hole at the base of
the wall and said, “Through here.”
    “We can not go through there!” I argued. “We
will never fit.”
    “We have to, Callie. Crawl through it, I will
be right behind you.” He urged.
    The sound of the guards drawing near was all
of the encouragement that I needed. I got down on my knees, took a
deep breath, and crawled in through the hole. The rocky walls
ripped at my skin as the passage narrowed. The gravel beneath me
imbedded painfully into my palms and knees, and I whimpered in
pain.
    “Just keep going Callie, it’s not far now.”
Kailen called from somewhere behind me.
    I pushed on into the total darkness. I felt
like the world was closing in and about to swallow me up. I tried
hard to control my breathing, taking in long slow breaths as I
moved forward.
    I had to hold in a