Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 174

Chapter 174: The plan
Anaisa comforted Emily and waited for her husband’s return. It made her nervous, seeing him walk away with the guards who had just been keeping their families prisoner not long before. Even with his father alongside him, they would shortly be outnumbered.

She didn’t like it.

Katia made her way over and sat with her, placing her hand over Emily’s.

“It’s all right,” She said comfortingly. “You’ll be all right now.”

“This still feels strange. Wrong, somehow.” Emily inhaled shakily. “What do I do? Where do I go? If my brother is under the control of such an evil man, can I go to him? Should I just run away?”

“We can make decisions in a while,” Anaisa cut in. “For now, just enjoy the light.”

Emily closed her eyes and lifted her face. It was winter, but the sunshine still held its warmth.

“It’s beautiful. I took it for granted my whole life, but to be without it is… indescribable.” She smiled shakily. “Well, you two know, now, having been down there.”

Katia nodded solemnly and squeezed her hand. “I think healing from these things takes time, and you should be patient with yourself. You have survived, and that is a great accomplishment under such circumstances. You should be very proud of yourself.”

“It’s hard to feel proud after I cowered in the dark for so long,” Emily admitted, “but thank you just the same.”

Anaisa hugged Emily and then released her to stand and check on the others. The boys were playing in the open area of the gorge while their mother held Mia in her lap. Seth stared towards where Martin had disappeared, as if watching to make sure the man wouldn’t return.

“Anaisa, thank you again,” Trace’s mom came over and hugged her tightly. “You are an amazing woman and a fantastic daughter-in-law.”

“I agree,” Sarah smiled as she glanced away from her children, “Definitely the best addition we’ve had to the family in a while.”

Anaisa smiled at the joke, but saw the affection underlying it. She supposed helping save their lives from kidnappers did qualify her as a pretty exceptional daughter-in-law, even though Trace did almost all of the work.

Before she could become overly anxious about Trace’s disappearance, he came back into view, along with his father, and the little trio they had left behind up on the cliff, leading the queen’s horses they had ridden these past weeks. Anaisa inhaled deeply, not sure how much she wanted to explain the little prince to the others. What kinds of questions would they ask?

Trace hugged her gently and kissed her forehead in greeting, and she squeezed him, immensely relieved he hadn’t been betrayed and impaled, or worse.

“So, what’s the plan?” She whispered to him. Besides their respective families, Emily and the old man were still present, not to mention Jin, who she didn’t know well. It was easy to assume they could be trusted, but knowledge could make a person dangerous.

Barnabas could kill someone just for knowing the wrong thing, or compel a person to tell him whatever he wanted.

“I want to discuss that with anyone who wants to help,” Trace raised his voice. “Although, perhaps little ears attached to little mouths shouldn’t be around for all of it, just in case. And anyone who simply wants to go home and not be involved one bit further may of course leave now. It would be best that way.”

“I can take the children to play a little further,” Sarah offered with a smile. “Seth can fill me in on anything I need to know, later.”

“Are you sure you all don’t want to leave now?” Trace inhaled deeply and asked the question. “It would be safer for none of you to be involved. With the kids… I do think you should take them far from here, somewhere safer.”

Seth and Sarah exchanged a long look that spoke a torrent of words between them.

“Do you think we would be helpful, in any way?” Seth asked his brother.

“Yes,” Trace frowned. “But you’ll have to take your family home to do it. You’ll just need to send me the fire wagons once you get there.”

“I’ll take them home and bring it back myself,” Seth decided, but then frowned and looked at Sarah again.

“I’ll take the children to a visit at my sister’s home,” Sarah responded. “We’re less likely to be looked for, there. Since she married further away, we should be safer.”

Seth’s shoulders sagged with relief, and he nodded.

“If time is of the essence, I’ll go, now. It will take a couple of days to get there and back,” He looked to Trace, who nodded.

Anaisa looked between them, knowing that she and Trace had discussed a number of options during their walk through the deepest parts of the cave. It was becoming clear which elements he was incorporating into the plan, but how would he fit it all together?

Seth and Sarah departed, their children in tow.

“We will take our leave as well,” Jin’s brow scrunched together. “I still don’t understand all of this, but I know that I don’t want my wife and our unborn child involved. Anyone who would endanger a baby is unworthy of respect, in my book.”

He cut a look towards Deborah, who narrowed her eyes at him.

Katia tugged at his sleeve. “Be kind, Jin. We won’t understand everything, so we shouldn’t pass judgment on others.”

“There was no judgment, just my opinion,” Jin replied. “She can take offense at what I think if she wants to.”

Anaisa hoped her sister’s husband would soften with time. It seemed as if he still had some rough edges.

The rest of the party looked to Trace, ready to hear the rest of the plan.

“Nobody else wants to leave?” He looked around to confirm. “Are you sure?”

Silent assent marked the group, and he sighed after a moment. “All right, then everyone listen closely.”