Lara hastened her steps and started treading when she could no longer feel the riverbed beneath her.
In stark contrast, Reya's heart raced with terror as the solid ground beneath her vanished. She had not anticipated the depths of the water, which churned ominously around her. Panic surged through her as her arms flailed helplessly, slicing through the water in a desperate attempt to stay afloat. The driftwood, her only support, slipped from her grasp. If it had not been for the sturdy rope fastened firmly around her waist, she would undoubtedly have been carried downstream by the relentless pull of the current.
"Reya, relax. Stop struggling. Grab the log and use your feet to tread under the water." Lara spoke urgently, her voice loud and clear, as if she were trying to hammer her message into her panicking maid.
Reya regained her senses. How could she, older than Lara, have panicked in such a situation? As she calmed down, she felt her body begin to float, and she started to move her feet under the water. She grabbed the piece of wood and noticed that her body felt much lighter.
To protect the little girl, Lara swam on her back. She hoped that this part of the river was not infested with crocodiles, and she bet that since there were rapids nearby, the crocodiles wouldn't venture into the area.
Lara moved swiftly and cleanly. She used her feet and right hand to swim while her other hand held onto the driftwood, pulling Reya with her.
Reya was not surprised that her young Miss knew how to swim. Her brothers taught her how at a very young age.
In just a few moments, they found themselves on the other side of the river. The rugged terrain loomed before them, a steep incline covered in loose stones and thorny bushes, unlike the other side, where the vegetation consisted mostly of reeds and unknown wild grasses.
Gripping the rough rope tightly, Lara pulled themselves upward, straining against the uneven ground as she navigated their way up the treacherous slope, each step testing her determination and strength.
Reya struggled to keep up and fell a few times, but the rope around her waist prevented her from slipping too far back. After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the top of the bank, covered in bruises and missing their slippers.
When the three men arrived at the other side of the river, Lara had already removed the little girl's wet clothes and replaced them with her previous clothes. She and Reya had also changed into their dry clothes.
Scarface, riding his horse, glared at them and cursed. He willed his horse to jump into the water and crossed over, but the horse sensed danger and only neighed and reared. Its front hooves sliced through the air for a few seconds before landing back on the ground with a loud thump.
Exasperated, Scarface asked Brutus to follow the three people to the other side. Brutus, eager to recapture the general's daughter, jumped into the river without hesitation. He assumed that the river was shallow. If not, how could those people barely reaching his chest cross over? He was 1.85 meters tall.
The trajectory of his jump sent him crashing into the three-meter-deep water of the river. When his feet failed to find the solid ground he had hoped for, a wave of panic washed over him. Desperation surged as he flailed his arms wildly, his heart racing with fear.
"Help! Help me!" He cried. The realization that he couldn't swim only intensified his dread, leaving him vulnerable as the current swept him away.
Scarface and the other human trafficker were shocked. It was no wonder that no matter how much Scarface tightened the reins, the horse did not want to jump.
It was too late when Scarface recovered from his shock and threw a rope into the water. The current already carried Brutus. After a few more struggles, he disappeared underwater.
Scarface glanced at where Lara and Reya had stood earlier. They had disappeared and must have entered the forest.
"Let us go back and report this to Hook first. The other side of the river is already the foot of the Alta-Sierra, and that mountain is Ourea, which is the most dangerous of all the mountains in the Alta-Sierra range. We might not even find the bodies of those three as they will become food for the wild animals there. What a waste!"
Scarface glanced one more time in the direction where the three people disappeared and indifferently at the place where the river swallowed Brutus. With a heavy heart, he turned his horse and led Brutus' horse back to where they camped.
Lara peeped from the tree they were hiding from. She watched as the two men left in a hurry.
"Miss, what should we do now?" Reya asked, squeezing water from their wet clothes. She felt the cold air against her skin and looked at the fast-moving river nearby. "Should we cross the river and ask for help from the nearby town?" She felt a mix of hope and worry as she considered their choices.
"No! Let's follow the river and head back to Savadra." Lara replied in a resolute tone.
"But Miss, isn't it dangerous?"
"What could be more dangerous than to fall into the hands of the evil humans? It is better to face the wild animals than people who are actually wolves in sheep's clothing." Lara uttered bitterly.
Reya was silent.
"Let's keep going."
Reya picked up the little girl, who was still shivering, and followed Lara, who was navigating through the thick vegetation.
"Miss, hand me that big knife. I'll clear the vines for us."
Lara was tired. The body of an eleven-year-old was still that of a child. While her mind thought her strong, her body said another thing. Her arms were aching from slashing the vines and branches that blocked their way. She handed the big knife to Reya.
Reya swung her arm, and the blade struck a thorny vine, blocking their path, leaving only a small scratch. She scratched her head, and her face turned red in embarrassment. She didn't think it was that difficult. How come her Miss could cut a vine with just one swing?
"Let's rest for a while. Here, eat this first." Lara handed Reya and the little girl the meat jerky she took from her bundle.
Reya looked curiously at her Miss. Where did she get the food?
Lara noticed the glances that Reya threw at her secretly. "I stole this from the carriage of those human traffickers," she said casually.
Reya was surprised. The young lady has suddenly become capable. She was indeed the daughter of General Odin.