Chapter 50

Marco pulled out of the logging road and out back onto the highway. The girls were silent although their curiosity was burning at them. Anna looks to Marco, “Okay. I give. Who is in the bed of the truck, and why did that wolf have a backpack in his mouth?” Marco smiled at the girls. “Can’t you guess who it is? I bet Amaris can guess. I am sure you can feel him now that he is close.” Amaris’ head popped up and she thought about it for a minute. She could feel something. “It’s Lyle right?” Amaris said. Marco smiled and nodded. Amaris was not sure how she knew, but the thought of Lyle being closer, even though she could not see him, made her feel calmer and safer at the same time. She laid her head down on the seat with a small grin and a sigh. Anna looked at her and got a knowing smile. Anna said nothing but reached over and grabed hold of Amaris’ hand . “Sleep both of you. It’s going to be a long ride and then a long flight.”  Marco said to both girls. Amaris closed her eyes and was soon asleep.

Amaris woke with a start when she realized that the truck was no longer moving. She picked her head up and stretched. She looked around and could see that they were at a truck stop. No one else was in sight. She mind linked Anna. “Where did you go?”

“Finally your awake! You were sleeping like the dead. Come inside the restaurant our food should be coming in a minute. We ordered for you so you could sleep.”

Amaris got out of the truck and found that her legs did not want to work after having knelt on the floorboard for so long. She shook out her legs and stomped her feet to get circulation back in them. After shutting and locking the truck door, Amaris walked toward the truck stop restaurant.  She paused to wait for a truck to go by on it’s way to the gas pumps. Amaris looked around while waiting for the truck to pass. She saw a number of families and a few, what she assumed, were truck drivers walking through the parking lot. Most people did not make eye contact, but a few did. Most with sleepy looks on their faces.  She made it into the building and found the restroom front and center before she entered the restaurant. She went in there first before coming back out to go find everyone in the restaurant. It was a moderately busy  morning rush for a truck stop. Most of the people that she saw were off to one side at the to go counter.

Amaris saw Anna waving her arms to get her attention and she headed toward them.  Anna and Marco were sitting in a booth at the back, Amaris walked toward them. “Where is Lyle?” She asked as she got to the table. “I am right behind you.” Amaris heard his warm deep voice say quietly behind her. She turned and saw his shy smile looking at her. He raised his hand and offered her a seat in the booth next to Anna. Marco slid over and Lyle sat next to him. The food had already been delivered to the table. Anna had made sure to include Amaris’ favorites, fruit cup, eggs sunny side up and raisin toast. Anna also ordered her a side of Canadian bacon and sausages. They all sat and ate in silence since they were all so hungry. Amaris looked over at Marco who looked like he was going to fall asleep at the table now that he had eaten something. He had driven all night. Amaris knew that they were going to an airport out of state so that no one would be looking for them this far away.

“We are almost at Horis and Angel’s place. We will stop there and get the passports that we need and the airport is not too long a drive from there.” Marco said.

“I will drive the rest of the way, you can have the air mattress in the back.” Lyle says to him. Anna’s eyes go wide. “You have an air mattress in the back and you made us ride in the front on our knees all night?!” Anna exclaimed with exasperation.

“Yup.” Marco says with a grin. These old bones don’t take kindly to being folded like a Gordita.” He chuckled at the incredulous look on Anna’s face.

“Now that you two have had some sleep you can ride in the cab with me so we can sort a few things out.” Lyle says.

They all hopped into the truck with Marco in the bed under the cover and Lyle driving. Lyle maneuvered the truck onto the highway and Anna opened the window and let the wind blow through her hair. Amaris was in the middle next to Lyle. She felt awkward next to him. The pull to be near him and touch him was making her crazy. She was still not sure what to think about all this. She had no doubt that she was attracted to him. He was a good man. He clearly cared for her. How many men watched from the side lines for 4 years keeping you safe, and never said a word. She still felt bad for hurting him. She never meant to hurt him with her being unsure about how this whole mate thing works. He had to know that all this was a shock to her. The three of them all sat quiet, lost in their own thoughts. They drove for another half hour before Anna fell asleep again.

“How are you holding up?” Amaris jumped as she heard it directly in her mind and it startled her out of her own thoughts. Lyle looked over at her for a second then back to the road. “Sorry. I did not mean to scare you I just thought it would be better this way so that we can let Anna sleep.” Amaris nodded woodenly. “I’m doing about as well as can be expected with all the things that I have learned and what has happened to me in the last few days. “

“I am sorry this has been such a shock for you. I know that Gran had meant to tell you gradually and hopefully explain everything so that you would not be overwhelmed. Instead you were attacked and caught unaware.  All of it has come out at once. I am not sure if that was better or worse.”

“It does not matter now anyway." Amaris shook her head.  Looking for a change of subject she said,    "Have you heard anything about Gran? Did Anna’s parents make it to the doctor?” She turned and looked at Lyle eager to hear news about Gran.

“Yes and he is working on her right now. He is not sure what is wrong with her. He said that the wound on her head is superficial, and that they are not sure why she has been out for the last few days. He brought her to his old facilities and was able to call in a favor from the doctor that took over his old practice.  They are about an hour further south now.  He was able to get access to equipment that he did not have at his home so he could run more tests on her.  All the scans say that there is nothing wrong. Marco thinks that she put herself in this state and that we need to wake her up. The problem is, no one is sure how. Since we will be in Greece, there will be plenty of people there that will know how to help her.  We just need to find someone that is willing to go against the king and his daughter and help us.”