Chapter 58

Sighing heavily, Arriana moved her hand to the lock on the cell, swallowing hard she sent a slight jolt of electricity through it. The door swung open with a loud creak and Henry stepped over the threshold. He stood over her, grasping her arms. Had she just made an erroneous mistake? Her breath caught in her throat as he slipped his hands down and around her waist, pulling her in closer.

He hugged her. She closed her eyes as her arms slid up and around his neck. After a few moments, he pushed her back far enough so he could see her face. His normally pale, white cheeks were pink. His head began to slowly lower towards hers until their lips met. His soft, warm mouth felt like velvet against hers. Arriana felt Henry's lips quivered slightly against hers. They lingered there for a bit before slowly parting, breathing heavily.

"I need your help, Henry."

"I know."

They walked out of the jail, toward the library. They had to save Caleb.

Arriana spent the night pouring over the spell and potion books but to no avail. Barwick and Beau were right; nothing existed to bring life into a person.

There has to be some way. There has to be something I am missing. I need to find something that can give Caleb back his life. A potion that will extend his life. Okay Arriana, what has a long life. What gives life? Well, I have a long life. Too bad he can't just take a bite out of me. Hmm, what if he could...would that work?

At the epiphany she just had, Arriana jumped up and ran back to the house. Panting she burst through the door. Everyone was still awake.

"Me!" she panted breathless.

"You?" Deacon looked confused.

"Yes. I have the gift of longevity," Arriana stated.

"Yes, you do. How does that help Caleb?" Mary asked.

"What if we could make a potion using some of my blood. Would that work?" she asked.

"I don't know. Nothing like that has ever been done before," Barwick mused.

"There is a first for everything." Arriana smiled and put a book she had read at least three times that night on the table.

"See, this is a potion to extend the quality of life in plants. What if we would switch around some ingredients and somehow make it to extend life in people?" she asked.

"It could work in theory. Okay so what would we use and what would be eliminated?" Henry stepped up next to Arriana looking down at the book.

"That's what I don't know." Arriana looked at the ingredients even more frustrated.

"What gives life or longevity?" Marc asked.

"Arriana's blood, unicorn horn, bamboo, mums, juniper, apples. I don't know what else," Henry said, trying to think of more.

"How do you know that?" Deacon eyed him curiously.

"I may be from the Dales but we do have books there and I am educated," he shot back.

"That is plenty. We need someone to collect all of them," Barwick said, trying to turn the tension back to Caleb.

"I'll go." Arriana stood up getting a piece of paper to copy down the new ingredients.

"I'll go with you." Deacon stepped forward.

"I don't think so," Henry laughed.

"Why not?" Deacon questioned.

"Do you even know what any of those look like? Or where to find them?"

Knowing Henry was right Deacon bit his lip. "No, I don't but I can find them."

"Neither do I," Arriana chimed in.

Sighing heavily. "Alright, I'll go with Arriana. I'll draw pictures for you and Ronan should know where to find everything."

"Why do you get to go with Arriana?" Deacon pouted.

"Quit being such a child. Take the drawings and find what we need. Caleb is what's important right now. Not you hitting on Arriana," Henry scoffed.

Arriana could see Deacon's tanned face tighten and his jaw clench. He was embarrassed. She held back a smile.

It's about time someone made him feel bad. The way he's been treating me is horrible. Even though, nah, I don't feel bad. Serves him right.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and saw that he was struggling with himself. That was when she did begin to feel bad. Arriana decided that when they got back she would sit down and talk with him to find out what was wrong.

"Okay, the three of you get a move on it. I'm not sure how much longer Caleb has," Beau said looking up the stairs.

"We'll be back as soon as we can." They turned and headed toward Arion and Ronan.

"We're going to have to split up Deacon. You and Ronan head to the west and south. Arion, Arriana and I will go east and north. Get whatever you can find," Grumbling to himself. "And be safe."

"Yeah, whatever," Deacon mumbled back.

Henry just shook his head and mounted Arion. He reached his hand out to Arriana. She tentatively grabbed a hold of it as he effortlessly pulled her up. It was as though he had picked up a rag doll. She glanced at Deacon who was glowering at them and wrapped her arms around his waist scotching up closer to him. They turned and headed their separate ways.

"Arriana, do you want to go east or north first?" Arion asked.

"East. I have a good feeling about the East."

"Alright, east it is my queen." Arion went from his trot to a gallop and before Arriana knew it the forest was quickly behind them.

"Deacon, where do we go first?" Ronan asked.

"Head wherever we can find bamboo and juniper."

"That would be south," Ronan replied.

"Sounds good to me. Do you think we'll make it in time Ronan?" Deacon asked, nervously.

"Well, we're going to have to see. I'm fast, but let's hope I'm fast enough." Ronan broke into a gallop and left the small village behind them in no time.

Deacon wasn't sure how fast they were going, but the world was flying by in a blur. As the sunlight sunk to the west Ronan slowed to a walk. Deacon finally had a chance to look around him. They were in the middle of a large field of what looked and smelled like hay. Ronan continued at the slow pace, breathing deeply.

"Where are we?" Deacon asked.

"We're about a day's travel from the southern woods. This is what used to be Middleton hay fields. It was a prosperous little town before Lucas came into the picture."

"What happened to everyone?"

"Dead or at the village," Ronan replied flatly.

"Oh. Where is the town at?" Deacon continued with the questions.

"It's beyond the tree line." Ronan motioned with his head to the right.

"We're going to camp here for the night." Ronan stopped walking.

Deacon slid off and stretched his back and legs. He patted Ronan on the neck as the horse wandered around the hay field grazing. Deacon made his way toward the deserted village. He was curious to know what had happened there. Would there be anything left though? Or would he find the empty shells of homes and the ruined lives that once lived there? As he neared the edge of the field he saw a streak of chestnut red slide in front of him. It was Ronan. The massive horse stood in front of him, not moving.

"What are you doing?" Deacon looked confused.

"Do not disturb them."

"Don't disturb who?"

"Those whose final resting place lay beyond those trees, Ronan replied sadly.

"The bodies are still there?" He asked, baffled.

"No, but the cemetery where they are buried is next to the village. Those were their homes. Let them be." Ronan stared into the distance.

"Um, sure. No problem." Deacon turned and went back into the hay field.

He lay down and stared up at the sky. The stars twinkled in the cloudless sky as he slowly slipped into a restless sleep.