Escaping with my sister is both terrifying and exhilarating. Knowing that she is within an arm’s reach, racing to safety, brings me more peace than it should in this dire moment.
I suppose all the dangers we faced before this make this mad dash feel lukewarm in comparison. Even with the tree branches scraping my face, the brambles scratching my arms, leaves catching in my hair, spiderwebs sticking to my skin—it is nothing to me now.
“This way!” I yell, making a sharp right through a clearing. I’m not sure how long we’ve been running—maybe ten or fifteen minutes—before I finally spot the trail of lanterns marking the way to Meriva in the distance. Almost there.
“Wait!” Analla wheezes, stopping to press a palm to one of the tree trunks.
“Analla, we can’t stop. We have to get off of this cursed land now.”
“I—I know. I’m just— My body is still weak, Zaira.”
She looks up at me with misty brown eyes, dragging in breath after breath. I swallow hard, taking a sweep of our surroundings as I rush to her.
“Can you walk at least?” I ask, tossing one of her arms over my shoulder.
She bobs her head. “Yeah.”
“Good. Cause we can’t stay here. Seferin probably has people looking for us right now.”
“Fucking shadows,” she curses.
Fucking shadows is right. If we don’t make it away from The Shadow Nest and closer to Meriva, we both are going to die, if not by Seferin’s hand, then by one of his henchmen’s.
Fortunately, Analla is able to keep going. We don’t take the lit trail. It’s too obvious, and it’s best for us to stay hidden in the depths of the forest. I keep a close eye out, taking a route through the woods parallel to the lit path, holding on to her tightly as we weave between thick tree trunks. Owls hoot, and the slightest noises cause her to gasp, but I keep going. No looking back. It will only slow us down.
We press on as the minutes tick by. I know we’re closer to Meriva when a loud gong reverberates through my bones—the clock striking the next hour. The trail of lanterns ends, and as we break through the trees, houses and other dwellings come into view.
“We’re almost there,” I say. “We just need to reach the port.”
Analla finally pulls her arm from my shoulder, and I take her hand. She clings to it, and we walk along slick cobblestones with alert eyes. As we get deeper in the city, we pass the Tilted Crystal. I spot Bolivar through the glass standing behind the counter, cleaning a mug with a rag. He’s speaking to a patron on a stool across from him who is making animated gestures with their hands. He doesn’t notice us go by, but Crumb does. I feel so much guilt shooing the dog away, but we must go undetected.
Next, we pass The Flour Tower, and that’s when I feel a tightness in my chest as we drift past the dark stone building. I imagine the scent of hot bread, steeped tea, sweet cakes, and the sunlight on my skin as it pours through the stained-glass window.
My eyes water, but not nearly as much as when I pass the refugee center. For a split second, I stop and stare at the massive wooden double doors, wanting so badly to go inside and hug every single child. To hug the director and bid her farewell, because that’s what this is. Farewell. I riskedeverythingto save Analla, and now a powerful Grim sorcerer and The Shadow Guild will make it their mission to hunt us down.
I peer up at the tall roof. The one Thane jumped off of the second day we met.
I blink rapidly and take in a deep breath. He’s made standing here with my sister possible. My plan wouldn’t have worked without him. No doubt, more guards heard the fighting and swarmed the place.
What if they’ve killed him? What if he can’t beat his way out of the battle this time?
Orvena, please let him survive.
“Z?” Analla calls, tugging on my hand. “You okay?”
I turn my gaze to hers but can hardly see her through my tears. Sniffling, I wipe them away with the back of my arm. “Yeah. I’m okay. I just…” I close my eyes, and the ache in my chest intensifies, carrying over to my heart now.
“Aw, sis,” she whispers, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so sorry I got you into this mess.”
“It’s fine. I’m okay.” I tip my chin, spotting Solyen’s ship ahead, the sails billowing in the wind. “Come on. We should go.”
Solyen’s speedship is docked in the same location. The gangway is still lowered, so I take Analla’s hand and hurry on board. Conred is sitting on one of the benches, whittling away at a piece of wood.
“Zaira, there you are!” he says, placing his carving knife and hunk of wood down.
“Hi, Conred. Solyen on board? We need to leave now. Likeright now.”
“Solyen went to one of the taverns.” Conred swings his eyes to Analla, eyebrows stitching as he gives her a rapid scan. “Who’s this?”
