The Caravan Road (54 page)

Without speaking, Alec lowered himself to the floor, and escorted Aja to the main door, then allowed his Air energies to lower the antagonists to the ground.  Still silent, Alec looked aroun
d the room at the witnesses who
cowered in the corners, behind tables, and along the other exit hallways.   He smiled, and then escorted Aja out into the darkness of the village street.

“Let’s hurry away fr
om here,” he urged her, and the
couple broke into a gentle jog for the next half hour, until Alec grew tired and slowed down to a brisk walk, his hands on his hips.

“I can’t imagine there was any real reason to worry about being followed,” Aja said a minute later, breathing heavily.  “There aren’t any fools likely to try to follow a man who does the things you did back there,” she looked at him sidelong.

“No, but they’d follow a girl as pretty as you,” he said with a smile, also struggling to catch his breath.

“Well, aren’t you gallant?” she laughed.

“That was going so well, up to the end,” she added.  “You’re probably reconsidering the likelihood of letting me sing again, aren’t you?”

Alec looked at the mournful regret Aja expressed.  “We can probably manage to work something out,” he reached over and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug that he found surprisingly pleasant to maintain as they walked silently along the road in the countryside.

“I’m sorry to leave you alone at night when I fall asleep,” he told her just a little later as he rolled himself up against a fallen log in a small wood lot.

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