Chapter 13
Jennifer and Arland finally caught up with Garandol and Mark. As they passed, Mark stepped in front of Jennifer, climbing into a boat with Arland.
“Mark! What are you doing?” she snapped angrily.
Looking back at her innocently he said, “Riding with Arland.”
Jennifer scowled at him but he looked back at her as if he'd done nothing wrong. She huffed, then climbed into Garandol's boat. Mark looked over at Garandol. The scowl on his face voiced his disapproval so Mark looked away. He was confident in his decision, no matter how impulsive it was.
Garandol pushed their boat out then directed Jennifer in paddling downstream. Mark went to push off, but Arland told him to wait, waiting until Garandol and Jennifer were out of earshot before pushing off. They paddled in silence for a while, which was fine with Mark. He just didn't want Jennifer and Arland pairing off anymore. He didn't care how uncomfortable it made Arland.
"I'm glad you rode with me," Arland said.
Mark gave a slight glance over his shoulder. "Why's that?" he asked, pretending not to be caught off guard by Arland's comment.
"Because I think we should talk about Jennifer."
"So you like her and she likes you. I don't like it, but this is about all I can do about it."
"I am very fond of your sister, but as you have already told her, I am much older.”
“How much older?” Mark asked, more to satisfy his own curiosity.
“Eighty-four years.”
“You're a hundred?”
“Yes, and she is only sixteen. There is nothing that can happen between us. She is also from another world, that she may be returning to. So I have no intentions of pursuing her."
Hesitating for a second, he let what Arland said register in his mind, then he stabbed his paddle into the water again. "Good.”
“I do have to say, I don't think you know your sister as well as you think,” Arland said after a minute's silence.
Turning in his seat, Mark looked back at him, appalled by his statement. Then he paddled the water a little rougher than he'd wanted to. A few drops of water splashed into his eye.
“How dare you say that?” he said, blinking the water out as he continued paddling.
“I say it because it's true,” Arland said calmly.
He may as well have been yelling at Mark. The calmness in which he made his claim infuriated Mark. He wanted to throw Arland over the side and hold him under the water, or hit him across the face with his paddle.
“Please forgive me if I've angered you, but do you realize what she struggles with in your world?”
Mark knew he shouldn't respond. He was too angry. Grinding his teeth was all he could manage to do.
“She doesn't belong with the ones she calls her friends.”
“I know that! It's just the group she followed. She and I have always been more alike than we act. She doesn't know it, but I've seen her watching the guys I hang out with as we train for our mock battles.”
“Why haven't you ever talked to her about it then? She thinks you have no idea what she really wants or cares about.”
Mark felt sick to his stomach. He'd never tried to invite her to join in with him and his friends. She never said she was interested. If she had, he would have brought her into their group and let her train with them. Mark thought about what the other guys would have done if Jennifer had joined them. He knew what they thought of her. They were a bunch of geeks, and she was an attractive girl. He could just see them trying too hard to impress her but the moment she spoke to them they would freeze. The thought made him laugh inside.
Mark's hand felt suddenly cold. Looking down he saw the river water flowing over his hand so he pulled his paddle back up out of the water. He tried using the task of paddling to distract the way his stomach felt– twisted in knots from guilt.
Then, Jennifer's screaming interrupted his thoughts. Without a word Mark and Arland began paddling as hard as they could to get to Jennifer and Garandol. The sound of breaking wood and Jennifer's blood curdling screams pushed them to paddle faster. Mark could only imagine what was happening. Another creature attacking them; more Imps forcing them into a large stone in the middle of the river; large rapids destroying their small rowboat.
They came around the bend just in time to see something wrapped around Garandol's boat. Then it snapped it completely in half. Jennifer's screams were cut off by a great splash. She was no longer above the surface!
Mark felt his heart stop. Jennifer can't die, not now. Why her? Why do these things keep happening to her?
Mark looked over at a soaking wet Garandol standing on the shore. He must have been trying to get them to the shore when they were first attacked. Water was still dripping steadily from his robes as he stood on the rocks, shouting in another language at the river, but nothing seemed to be happening.
Suddenly Jennifer's head broke the surface of the water again. She'd been dragged up stream, closer to Mark and Arland. Both of them dove in after her.
Mark had a head start on Arland, but Arland quickly overtook him when they saw a snake coiling itself around Jennifer. Mark saw her losing consciousness from holding her breath so long. And with her arms pinned to her side, she couldn't move.
Arland was just a couple feet away, to Mark's left. A bright red light burst from Arland's hands, striking the snake's coils. Whatever Arland did, it made the snake loosen its grip on Jennifer. Her body slipped from the snake's coils, unconscious. Mark caught the sight of Arland grabbing the snake and ripping its head from its body. Jennifer began to drift downstream.
Mark rose to the top again out of sheer shock from what Arland had done. But after taking a few deep breaths, he dove again. Jennifer sank to the bottom of the river as the current dragged her downstream. Diving deeper, though his lungs burned, Mark was determined to save her. He'd rather drown than let her die in this evil river.
Jennifer's foot wedged between two large, jagged rocks at the bottom, keeping her from drifting further downstream. Pumping his arms and legs even harder, he reached her, pulled her foot free, then swam to the surface with Jennifer over his shoulder. As soon as they broke the surface, she began coughing out water. Mark couldn't help but smile inside as he held her above the water, thankful she hadn't drowned again.
Mark had Jennifer in his right arm as he kept himself afloat with his left. Looking around as best as he could to get his bearings, Mark saw a large rock breaking the surface of the river. They were heading right for it. He hoped to grab hold of it when they got closer. Looking back upstream for a second, he saw Garandol still watching the surface, waiting for them to come out as Arland tossed the body of the snake to the rocky shore. Neither of them could see where he was.
Grabbing the large rock before passing by, he almost lost grip of Jennifer. She grabbed onto his hand before she was too far away and he pulled her back into him. Once she was close enough she grabbed on to the rock, trying to climb on top of it. Mark pushed her up then twisted around until he was facing Arland and Garandol.
"DOWN HERE!" he shouted since they didn't see where they were.
Jennifer held Mark by his arms, knowing how tired he was. He couldn't have been more grateful for her help. There was barely enough strength left in him to hold on as the river pulled at his body.
Hearing Mark's voice, finally, Garandol looked in their direction. He slapped Arland with the back of his hand, then pointed at them. At last, help was on the way.
When they reached the point in the river Mark and Jennifer were stuck in, Garandol pointed his staff at them, lifting them into the air to the shore. Jennifer had a death grip on Mark, arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He held onto Jennifer tightly to assure her he wouldn't let her go. The snake wouldn't be coming after her again.
Once they landed gently on the rocky shore, Mark helped Jennifer to a rock to sit down. As he looked her over for any injuries, Garandol dried them off.
"The snake is dead," Arland tried to tell her, but she wouldn't even look at him.
"It's okay sis, you're safe now. Arland killed the snake. You didn't drown. Garandol's going to heal whatever minor injuries-"
"I want to go home," she cried. She buried her head in his shoulder and he stroked her hair, letting her cry. Mark fought to hold back the tears burning his own eyes. He only wanted Jennifer to be safe. If that meant leaving Eranithia, then so be it.
"Let's rest here for a little while," Garandol said, then turned to start a fire.
Once it was going, Mark walked Jennifer to the fire, helped her sit down, then cleared a place away for her to lie down. Making it large enough for him as well, Mark knew she wouldn't want to be far from him.
As soon as Jennifer's bedding was spread out, Mark helped her to them. She wouldn't let go of him, so he sat with her. She laid on her side, resting her head in his lap as she stared at the flames. He stroked her hair until she fell asleep a few minutes later.
Mark looked away from the fire and saw Garandol and Arland talking a good distance away. Mark set Jennifer's head gently down on the pillow Arland had made for her, then joined them.
"Was that Tharoth?" he asked.
"No," Garandol said. "It was much too small."
"I want Tharoth dead. It's got the girl in its coils and one of its kids just tried to kill my sister."
"Seth will get you there so you can destroy the beast. But we have to get to him first." Garandol said, drilling it into his head more.
Mark crossed his arms over his chest, turning away from them to look at his sister. He would do anything to keep her safe. He'd already said if it meant going home, then he would do that. He watched her sleep a few yards away. He sighed and asked, "How much farther?"
"We're only a couple hours away from being outside again. Then we will be very close to Seth's home," Garandol said.
"Then we continue when Jennifer wakes up."
Garandol nodded, saying, "She could use the rest. Escaping death as much as she has can be draining."
Mark started to walk away but Arland grabbed him by the shoulder and stopped him. He looked up at the Elf with a glare.
“Where is your sword?” Arland asked.
Mark looked at where his scabbard used to be. It was gone! Belt and all. He hadn't even noticed in all of the confusion. His sister's safety had been the only thing on his mind.
“I'll search the river for it. If it's still here, I'll find it,” Arland said, grasping Mark's shoulder firmly.
“Thank you,” Mark said before returning to his sister. He didn't say anything as he sat next to her. Continuing to stroke her hair lovingly, he vowed, “I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again. I promise you.”
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