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“We’re going to make it out of here, Ruth,” I promise her through controlled panting.
She leans the side of her head against my shoulder, looking so sick, so weak. “I believe you.”
The eerie forest opens up to us, and we pivot through the fog until we see a rocky terrain of small, scattered mountains that look more the size of sharp hills. As I peer farther to the left, I see an area I wish I could have avoided looking at. A setup of red-striped tents, stages, firepits, and cages.
The Meat Carnival.
I shudder, but as I look closer, I notice that every cage is empty…
“I hear them coming!” Marilynn shouts from the back.
I look to Warrose as we both listen, finding the distant sound of a stampede, both human and animal. The trajectory of that noise tells me they’ve cut around Foul Falcon Forest. They’re going to catch up to us.
“We need to get on the other side of these rocky hills. The shore is where our army is at. If we can at least get close, they may hear us in distress!”
Our group is dripping in sweat, taking erratic breaths, and looking so goddamn tired.
But we can’t stop to rest. Not even for a moment.
Weaving through the flat valleys between the short, rocky mountains, our strides become shorter and slower. The uphill effort is leaving everyone waning, in need of water, and sleep. I instruct everyone to be careful where they step, watching the shiny shale rock as it’s slippery while the rain hammers down against it.
The sun comes close to the horizon, just barely peeking out its orange glow. And I can somewhat see its distant reflection over the glassy surface of the ocean.
“We’re getting closer!” I yell back to them.
Marilynn and Niles look like they’re close to passing out or vomiting. Pale faces with sunken eyes and gaping mouths, but God love them because they keep going. I’ve never been more proud.
Warrose scans the smoky skies with pinched brows.
“What is it?”
“Duck!” he shouts.
Following the sheer squawk, we bend downward just as a spine-toothed eagle swoops through our group, attempting to grab someone with its yellow claws.
And everything, through our exhaustion and constant running, seems to explode into violent chaos. Flaming arrows soar through the rain, piercing the atmosphere, then dropping down toward us.
“Seek cover!” I yell. We all dart away from the line of fire, stumbling and falling. I stay on my feet, being as careful with Ruth as I can manage. She screams against my shoulder, and I pat her on the head to let her know we’re okay.
I look to our group, fiercely inspecting everyone for injuries. Niles covers Marilynn’s body with his own, Warrose bats at the birds with his mace, managing to injure three of them.
“We need to get to higher ground!” I point with my chin to the hill that’s covered in nooks, caves, and covered passages.
Everyone scrambles to their feet, huffing and puffing to climb to the wet bedrock. I grimace as I pass Ruth off to Warrose, seeing silent tears blend with the rain down her cheeks. She feels like a burden. Helpless and powerless.
As we hike upward, I glance at our bloody feet. We’re all barefoot, running through the forest, and now digging our toes into razor-sharp shale, butchering that tough skin. But no one complains, begs to stop, or makes a fuss. We’re all running on no sleep, adrenaline, and the overpowering desire to make it to that army. To never have to return to the Vexamen Prison again.
The higher we get, the better view I have of the landscape around us. My stomach tightens at the entire fucking army of Vexamen barreling toward this desert land of gravelly hills, pits, and narrow valleys. They’re storming every inch of the area with wild animals on leashes, cannons, carriages, and Blood Mammoths. And off into the foggy distance, my blood runs cold at the daunting, large cage being hauled. I can’t see what’s inside it. But it’s clear that whatever it is, it is grander in size than DaiSzek.
I turn, scoping the wet granite, divots, and an opening that forms into a tunnel. It’s the perfect shelter to cut across. I point, gesturing to the others. “Through there!”
Wiping the rain from my eyes, I wait until everyone is safely inside the lengthened cave, ducking my head to follow behind them.
“How’re we going to get out of this one, Dess?” Niles asks from the middle of the line.
My throat shifts as I gulp. My bones ache with the same question. But as the person leading this escape, I can’t show weakness. Can’t show doubt.
I confidently say, “We’re almost there.”
