Embers of Frost

Chapter 21 - Dawn (Part 1)

Dawn breathed in the musky air, fingers tapping against the boulder she sat on. The air here smelt different to her. It felt cleaner, unpolluted by the sins that lay in the kingdom behind. They had fled into a small wood after leaving Gemageia. Abigail had said that she wanted to consult the map before they started, and had her nose dug deep into it now.

"Since we're safe now, how are we going to get to Langel from here?" Dawn asked.

Abigail peeked out at her from the top of the map. "Who said anything about us being safe?"

"The guards surely aren't going to follow us now that we've left the kingdom. We don't have to run from anyone now." She suppressed the excited jolt that had sparked at her words.

"And here I thought that maybe you had some sense in you after all," Janet said from her right. She held up a hand, smiling apologetically. "My fault."

"She did until she thought of giving it away to the less unfortunate," Adam said. "Make sure you use it well, Janet."

Dawn turned to look at him. He was leaning against a tree, smirking. She felt a mixture of appreciation and anger at his words. She wanted to answer Janet, but he had instead. And somehow, she hated that.

What does he think of himself? Does he think I'm that incapable of answering to her, huh?

Janet narrowed her eyes. "Why do you always answer take her side over mine?"

"I do it for all the Shadows." He shrugged. "You're just the exception."

"I'm honored," she said sarcastically.

"I'm going to say this once," Abigail said in a calm tone. "Stop bickering or leave."

Janet and Adam muttered an apology under their breath, the words 'he started it' mingled in Janet's. If Abigail heard her, she chose to ignore it.

"This place is at the outskirts of the city and hence unsafe," she continued. "Once word of our escape reaches the king, he'll send scouting teams out at once." She glanced at Dawn. "Please tell me you've realized why."

"It's that law, isn't it?" she said, suddenly remembering. "No citizen can leave Gemageia without the king's permission and anyone who does is to be captured and executed."

Abigail smiled. "Yes, you're right. I would hate to explain it to you."

"I'm not that stupid," she muttered.

"So you admit you are at least a little?" Janet asked.

Before Dawn could reply, Abigail glared at Janet. The younger girl shut up at once.

"We do have a head start but it isn't going to last for long. We can't escape on foot, nor reach Langel. It will take us months!"

"What about horses?" Adam suggested. "They should help."

"That's what I was thinking too. We're not going to find any horses here and returning to Gemageia isn't an option. Which means that we'll need to get them from someplace else."

"You're not thinking about that village, are you, Abby?" he asked slowly.

Abigail tensed, her fingers tightening around the rolled up map. "It's the only place left for us to go," she said.

"Even after you know what happened the last time?"

Her gaze grew distant, hands trembling on the map she still held. A pained expression flickered across her face for a mere second, but Dawn had seen it. She couldn't understand what Adam had meant by his words, but was impatient to find out.