Slumber by Samantha Young

she took my hand.
    “I missed you too.”
    We grinned at one another and then turned to stare out at the calm sea from the cliff edge.
    “That water looks wonderful,” I whispered.
    Haydyn squeezed my hand excitedly. “You know today it looks calm enough to swim in.”
    I shook my head. “We’re too high up.”
    She chuckled. “Be adventurous, Rogan.”
    Frowning I took a step closer to the edge, the drop at least fifty feet, probably more. “It’l kil us.”
    “Not today.” Haydyn shook her head. “Trust me.”
    Heart pounding at the thought, I gripped her hand tighter. “Together? On three?”
    She laughed, exhilarated. “One. Two. Three!”
    “Miss Rogan!”
    And then I was faling.
    Blissfuly faling.

    ***

    I didn’t want to peel my eyelids open. Everything ached; that sore, yucky - even my muscles were tired - kind of achy exhaustion. I felt strange and disorientated.
    Where was I? I slowly opened my eyes and found myself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. It was dark, night time. Only a few candles around the room lit it enough for my heart to start pounding at its strangeness. Where the hel was I?
    “Ah, Miss Rogan, you’re awake.”
    Calming instantly at Lieutenant Chaeron’s voice, I turned my head on the soft pilow and found him sitting in a chair by my bedside. His brow creased with worry as he leaned over me, offering me a glass of water. He helped me sip it and then settled back in the chair.
    “What happened?” I asked hoarsely. “Where are we?”
    He made a clucking sound with his tongue, a little disapproval marring his usualy friendly expression. “You should have told us how exhausted you were. You could have been kiled.”
    Alright, now I was very confused. Al I could remember was talking to Wolfe earlier outside Grof Kril’s mansion. “What happened?”
    “You fel asleep on your horse.” He sighed like a wearied parent. “If I had jumped off my horse one second later you would have landed on the ground, possibly have been trampled.”
    I swore softly at the thought, chastising myself for my stupid pride and hel bent determination to get to Alvernia in record time. “You caught me?” He nodded and patted the hand I reached out to him. “We’ve stopped at a nearby farm. We’ve al been resting. We’re going to stay here through the night. Captain is not at al pleased with me or you.”
    I groaned. “I’ve slowed us down.”
    Chaeron patted my hand again. “That’s not why he’s angry. He wishes you had told him you’d had no sleep. He takes your safety very seriously. We al do.” I nodded vaguely, annoyed somewhere inside, but too tired to find it. Feeling my lids start to flutter again, I mumbled, “He needs to find himself a hobby.” Distantly I heard the Lieutenant chuckle, and then he whispered, “Sleep wel, Miss Rogan.” Chapter Ten
    Not a big fan of guilt, I smothered the feeling with anger… directed at Wolfe. The next morning he barely acknowledged me. He was cold, distant with me, and it irritated me more than it should have because generaly I liked his indifference. But his annoyance with me only compounded how stupidly I had behaved, making me feel like the simpering debutante I was so adamant I wasn’t. Lieutenant Chaeron threw me a few bolstering looks and as usual tried to keep up a pleasant conversation with me as we rode through Raphizya. Wolfe was taking things deliberately slower and it smacked of condescension. I huffed in the saddle, wanting to speed up, and poor Midnight faltered a little at my mixed signals. I leaned over to stroke her face, apologising quietly in her ear for taking my impatience out on her. I forced myself to relax in my seat and ignored Chaeron’s knowing grin.
    With my renewed energy it didn’t feel like such a long ride that day. Before I knew it we were crossing the stone bridge across the River Kral, caled so because it was the longest in Phaedra, passing through not only Raphizya but Vasterya as wel. We were