Jacob leaned way back in his chair. With a solemn look on his face, he quietly replied, “Nothing happened.” Eric’s eyes grew narrow at the coy statement. He was not in the mood for this. Then Jacob, reading his friend’s expression, quickly continued on. “After you left, nothing else happened. Those things left the second you were gone. I went to your house to find you, but found your dad—er, Henry—instead.” Eric’s face turned white with the way his friend said that.
“Yes, he told me everything,” Jacob said in a whisper while nervously rubbing his hands together. “Well, almost everything.” His head shot up as he looked Eric right in the eye. “He told me to bring your horse and catch up with you as fast as I could. I know you’re headed to Taron. I can help you!” His voice picked up intensity as his fist came down hard on the table. Then he drew himself in again, trying to keep his emotions in check. “Eric, I have a message for you.” Eric wasn’t sure he wanted to hear this. “Henry said it was real for him too.” Jacob paused a moment to let that sink in. “He is sorry he didn’t tell you before, but as the years went by he learned to love you like a son. That’s why he didn’t know how to tell you.” Eric’s eyes began to tear up as his lip quivered with swelling emotion.
Jacob reached out and touched his friend’s hand. Leaning in close, he said, “There is one more thing.” The words hung in the air for a bit. “He said the daily physical training, the books he had you read every day—well, they were no accident. He was preparing you for a higher purpose.” Then Jacob’s head sank back down again as he whispered, “It was his job.” A long minute went by until Jacob finally said, “That’s it. That’s what he told me.” Then his voice came strong with renewed energy, “But I’m here now! I’m really not sure what is going on, but I’m not going to leave you. We’ll get through this, OK?”
Eric was all choked up and just couldn’t find the words. When the waitress came back with their food, they were both sitting in silence with solemn expressions. She almost started her usual flirting but thought better of it, as she could feel the serious mood in the air. The two of them ate in silence, listening to the fiddler and watching the couples dance. “I think I’m going to turn in. You coming?” Eric asked his friend in a voice heavy with fatigue.
“I think I’m going to just sit here a while,” Jacob replied, trying to force a smile. “I’ll be in there soon. You go on and check on Jade, make sure she’s alright.”
“Alright then,” Eric replied, trying to force a smile of his own. Away he went, down the hall. His heart was heavy, but he still wanted answers. A part of him hoped she was still up so he could get some answers tonight, but the other part of him felt guilty for even thinking that; she was hurt and needed to rest.
When he got to the room, he opened the door slowly. One oil lamp flickered away as Jade was lying on the floor with the extra blanket and pillow she’d had the bartender bring in. Eric winced at the sight. For starters, she was hurt and needed a bed, but for another thing, she had paid for this room!
Eric stepped over her and knelt down. He gently rocked her shoulder a few times as she groaned a bit before opening her eyes. He whispered in her ear, “Don’t you dare sleep on the floor. Here, let me help you.” He lifted her up gently and set her on the bed before covering her up. He couldn’t help the strange thoughts that struck him after that. She is really light for such a fierce fighter, he chuckled to himself, but the other thought surprised him even more. He wanted answers from her so badly, but now all he cared about was her getting enough rest and feeling better. As he lay down on the floor, he said to no one in particular, “We’ll talk in the morning. Good night.”
Chapter 10
The room was lit up with morning sunlight gleaming through the shades, which were not doing their job very well. Eric was the first to wake as he stretched hard, with hands and feet going opposite directions, threatening to rip him in half. A sudden jolt of soreness served as a reminder that he had been on the floor the whole night.
Sitting up gingerly, he continued a series of stretches and flexing to try and remove some of the stiffness. He glanced over at Jade as she slept peacefully. He considered waking her but thought better of it. She needed rest more than anything else.
Jacob lay face down in the other bed, snoring like a bear. Eric just laughed to himself looking at the two of them. It’s not that any of this struck him as funny, it was just that this was the most peaceful he had felt in a while, and it would seem they also felt the same. No one was chasing them right now. At least, no one he knew of, anyway. He had a feeling this peaceful break would not last, so he wanted to embrace it for as long as possible.