Free Revelations by Sophia Sharp Page A

archive. Most are aboriginals, now.”
    “And the archive…do you know when it was established?”
    “A few hundred years ago, at least,” Alexander replied. “Beyond that, I couldn’t tell you. But come, we’ll find more when we get there.”
    “Alright,” Nora said, stretching her arms out wide in an effort to more fully wake up. “I’m ready to go.”
    “Good,” Alexander smiled. “Make sure Gray feeds enough this morning, because the path ahead is going to be harder than yesterday’s.”
    Nora looked at Alexander. “I didn’t think you’d care enough about him to mention that.”
    Alexander frowned. “Just because I tend not to notice animals, Nora, does not mean I can’t see what’s important to you. Gray is, and he’s our third companion. We all need to be ready for today’s trek.”
    “Alright,” Nora said. She knelt down to shake Gray up. He looked at her drowsily and yawned widely. “Come on,” she told him, “we’ve got to get going. Go see if you can find some berries in the woods.” To her surprise, almost immediately after she spoke, Gray scrambled up and ran off. She had been training him, yes, but she didn’t think he would respond so well so quickly.
    “Impressive,” Alexander noted, “how well he listens to you.”
    “He’s more intelligent than other cubs,” Nora said, feeling a motherly pride. “He’s learned everything I’ve taught him on only the first or second go.”
    “And I don’t believe bears are naturally domesticated animals,” Alexander offered, “which makes what you can do all the more astounding.”
    “It’s not so much me, I don’t think, but more him .”
    “Either way, it’s something I haven’t seen before.” In spite of herself, Nora smiled. To have impressed Alexander, who had lived through more than six centuries already, must really take something. As if she had said it out loud, Alexander laughed.
    “What?” Nora defended, feeling her cheeks grow hot.
    “Nothing,” Alexander said, with an amused smile. Then he looked back. “Alright, come on. I can hear him coming.”
    Nora listened, and realized that she could hear rustling noises getting closer, too. Gray must have stumbled on a full berry bush to come back so quickly. When he emerged from the trees, mouth stained with berry juice, Alexander took off. Motioning to Gray with one hand, Nora followed.
    They ran through the trees at an easy pace. Nora knew she could go much faster, even after running all day yesterday. Despite still feeling slightly groggy from sleep, her legs felt fresh.
    She ducked around heavy tree trunks and under low-hanging branches. Alexander led the way in front of her, just as he had before, and she suspected he picked out the easiest paths for them to take. Still, every once in a while, Nora caught herself just short of tripping over the uneven ground.
    As she ran, her thoughts turned to Hunter. She had known him so briefly, but in the short period of time, that little bit of something she felt…it must have been real. But what was it that she even felt for him? A schoolyard crush? Nothing more than that, most likely, but even now, thinking of him…it made her slightly unsteady.
    She jumped to narrowly avoid an old fallen tree, already heavily rotted and thick with fungus, and landed softly on her feet. She kept running.
    Why did Hunter take her away, try so hard to protect her, only to throw it all away? Could it just have been due to a sense of obligation? Obligation to her, for getting her into this entire mess?
    Despite everything that had happened, something inside Nora still stirred when she thought of Hunter. Could she have even known him long enough for that something to build up and blossom…into love?
    Nora curved hard to the right, following Alexander’s path. The ground became more rocky, but less solid. It felt like balancing herself should be more difficult, but Nora managed it without a problem.
    She ran a little faster as Alexander