The Prophesy Tower. Chapter 60. Write a Novel Challenge.

And then he was back.

Back to the cottage that Neina wasn’t sure of, back to the hard bed-frame wrapped in a singular blanket he had found in one of the back rooms.

Archie, silently sitting up in the cold darkness, noted how far this whole thing had come. And then he decided to move on.

Looking back and remembering every detail and dwelling on the past wasn’t helping their frayed, worn-out group from progressing any further.

And so Archie, taking note of the crisp air which could only mean sunrise, got up and set about gathering the group’s belongings that they would need. Granted, he wasn’t exactly sure what would lie ahead, or indeed if any of the others did – but he did know that Neina and Isla had gone through a hellish few days and didn’t need to be slowed down by trivial tasks such as packing the rucksack bags he had found, previously thrown into a dusty corner.

Once he’d obtained the remnants of some sort of bread and something resembling cheese he had found in the kitchen, Archie heard Frankie and Ryder conversing in lowered tones as they approached from one of the other rooms. He didn’t interrupt, or eavesdrop, but knew they were sharing the heavy-set, crisp trepidation he himself had begun to dread. Hearing their voices, Charlotte strolled through the front door – she’d been on-edge last night and insisted on waking up and standing guard outside. Nobody had argued.

They wordlessly gathered in the small kitchen, silent murmurs only understood through soft glances and harsh glares. Neina and Isla were still asleep. They needed to get going, if they had any chance of advancing and leaving the fear of dragons behind.

Charlotte’s voice crashed down through the hush, “If nobody else is planning on waking the princesses, I’ll take the duty on myself.”

Ryder and Frankie nodded their heads in a slow, calculated movement, turning to gauge Archie’s reaction to the slight dig.

He wanted to defend himself, of course he did, but the withering gaze that Charlotte was shooting him burned hot on his cool skin, and he gulped, nodding lightly.

“You can. But, Charlotte- don’t start anything. We want to keep everyone neutral and you evidently haven’t had a great exp-”

He was cut off by Charlotte’s sharp eyes, rolling languidly while she chuckled in a rough tone.

“I’m crazy, right? For shooting at someone? This isn’t an office, Archie. Get comfortable with the idea of some people acting unprofessionally, yeah?”

He wanted to answer as he struggled to hide the offence he’d taken at her hurtful insensitivity – and which he knew was now painfully written all over his face, but she’d already left. She had simply strolled firmly from the room, creaky floorboards squeaking indignantly against her heavy strides, without any care to register the hurt she left in her wake.

Isla and Neina both emerged from some room they had occupied, stretching aching muscles from the stripped-bare beds and floorboards the cottage had to offer. He noted that nobody had changes of clothes, or tooth brushes for that matter – but it wasn’t that important, he decided. The sense of impending dread was more than enough to keep him on his toes, and he handed around the rucksacks which, now he realised, were more like a sort of sackish material. Charlotte looked ready to protest as one was pushed to her chest, but a short glance from Frankie forced her to accept it, and grip it silently, looking around at the others. Neina and Isla has obviously discussed what was to happen next – they seemed slightly more confident than Archie had expected, which he was grateful for.

It was time for him to step down, and let them lead the way. He would support them, and whatever they were – and even if he wasn’t sure what exactly that was, he settled on accepting that that, perhaps, he never needed answers. Not fully anyway.

And so Neina and Isla led the way out of the cottage, Ryder and Frankie sharing hushed conversation walking behind them, Archie leaning in to listen and Charlotte bringing up the rear, on the lookout, it seemed, for anything that may attack.

And while they walked, Neina laid out exactly, leaving absolutely no room for doubt, what they were going to do next.

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The Prophesy Tower – A Novel.

To read Chapter 1, click here.

To read Chapter 2, click here.

To read Chapter 3, click here.

To read Chapter 4, click here.

To read Chapter 5, click here.

To read Chapter 6, click here.

To read Chapter 7, click here.

To read Chapter 8, click here.

To read Chapter 9, click here.

To read Chapter 10, click here.

To read Chapter 11, click here.

To read Chapter 12, click here.

To read Chapter 13, click here.

To read Chapter 14, click here.

To read Chapter 15, Click here.

To read Chapter 16, click here.

To read Chapter 17, click here.

To read Chapter 18, click here.

To read Chapter 19, click here.

To read Chapter 20, click here.

To read Chapter 21, click here.

To read Chapter 22, click here.

To read Chapter 23, click here.

To read Chapter 24, click here.

To read Chapter 26. click here.

To read Chapter 27, click here.

To read Chapter 28, click here.

To read Chapter 29, click here.

To read Chapter 30, click here.

To read Chapter 31, click here.

To read Chapter 32, click here.

To read Chapter 33, click here.

To read Chapter 34, click here.

To read Chapter 35, click here

To read Chapter 36, click here.

To read Chapter 37, click here.

To read Chapter 38, click here.

To read Chapter 39, click here.

To read Chapter 40, click here.

To read Chapter 41, click here.

To read Chapter 42, click here.

To read Chapter 43, click here.

To read Chapter 44, click here.

To read Chapter 45, click here.

To read Chapter 46, click here

To read Chapter 47, click here.

To read Chapter 48, click here.

To read Chapter 49, click here.

To read Chapter 50, click here.

To read Chapter 51, click here.

To read Chapter 52, click here.

To read Chapter 53, click here.

To read Chapter 54, click here.

To read Chapter 55, click here.

To read Chapter 56, click here.

To read Chapter 57, click here.

To read Chapter 58, click here.

To read Chapter 59, click here.

To read Chapter 60, click here.