Before the Sands Trickled: Chapter 4

The wetlands. Yes, that had to be it. The wetlands. Where else could she go? The creatures back at the castle would think she'd flee to the wetlands, water being her element, but Whisp, at the very least, would be smart enough to convince them that she wouldn't possible choose the wetlands, because she would expect them to expect that, so of course she'd choose elsewhere. So they would look somewhere else. The firelands, maybe. The forests? Probably not the plains. Unless Whisp knew her too well by now.

Oua sat down and cried herself dry. It was impossible, the whole affair. Whisp wouldn't kill Terri! It should have been a dream. But Oua was much too practical for that.

No, it had all been real. But it surely hadn't been Whisp's will. The humans must have manipulated him in some way. Tricked him. Decieved him. Whisp wouldn't have accepted a bribe or threat for anything, certainly not to murder Terri. They must have used force of numbers to subdue him and then...and then what?

With terror Oua shuddered and found that her magic was wearing thin. Best to make haste to the wetlands then. Slithering from the crisp white snow into the murky green marshes past the border, Oua marveled at how quickly frosty bare branches transformed into dark swamp vegetation full of obscure life. She'd have to do as best she could here. Then maybe she'd come up with a plan.

And she would, she would come up with a plan. Whisp wasn't a traitor; he'd been betrayed. And even though she had been framed, Oua planned to save him.