Page 21 of Hallowed Games

Closer to the bridge, I almost wanted to stall. Until I got there, I could live in a suspended reality where Leo was waiting for me. But once I learned the truth, there would be no going back.

I sighed and forced myself on.

As the bridge came into view, anxiety crackled through my veins, and I couldn’t wait a moment longer. I broke into a run and skidded down the steep, rocky slope to the stream beneath the bridge.

He stood there, crouched on the rocks, half-covered in mud.

“Elowen!” He leapt up to run for me.

Tears sprung to my eyes, and I held up a hand. “Wait, wait. I don’t have my gloves on. Don’t come closer.”

He beamed at me. “You escaped. You’re amazing.”

“I will always try to find you, Leo.” I cleared my throat. “I’ve got a horse. We can take the back roads up to Eboria, but we have to stay discreet. And you have to be very careful about my hands. Are you thirsty?”

“I drank from the stream. But I’m starving.”

“We can collect some acorns. We’ll have to make a fire and boil them before we eat them, though. And we might be able to find berries.”

His forehead creased. “I know. But I’m hungry now.”

“We have to wait. I’ll feed you when I can, love.”

“I don’t understand why we can’t go home, back to the barracks.”

I shook my head. “Because Lydia accused me, and we’re on the run now. The Order will be looking for us at the manor. No one can know where we are.”

He rubbed his stomach. “But what’s in Eboria?”

“It’s a free city…sort of. They still have Ravens and temples, but they have their own king and their own laws. They have walls and gates if they’re under attack. Eboria is almost as large as Penore, and your Uncle Hamelin lives there. He couldn’t take you in when you were little, but maybe now we could help him.” My words were coming out in a frantic rush, still bubbling from the euphoria of finding him.

“We’ll stay together?” he asked hopefully.

“Of course.” I beckoned him. “Come with me. We need to hurry, Leo.”

But the moment I started climbing the bank, an uneasy feeling started creeping over my skin like icy shadows snaking over my body. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and goosebumps rose on my arms. A cold, uneasy breeze moaned through the trees. I surveyed the forest, looking for signs of movement, feeling a sharpening in the air.

I nearly reached for Leo’s hand before quickly pulling it back. No gloves.

“Leo,” I whispered, “if anything happens, if we get separated again, this time, I want you to go directly to Eboria. Can you do that? There’s an old Tyrenian road that leads all the way from Penore to the northern kingdom. You won’t get lost. It’s a straight shot.”

“You just said we would stay together,” he said.

Unease swirled in my thoughts. “Right. I’m just saying if anything happens. And you must be very, very careful not to touch my hands, okay? You’ll ride behind me and hang on to my cloak.”

He nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

“But if we’re separated, Leo…your Uncle Hamelin lives on Boar Street. If anyone stops you at any point, you have to act like you know exactly what you’re doing. You can’t let anyone see the tattoo on your wrist, and you can’t let anyone think that you’re on the run. You just need to tell people that your Uncle Hamelin hired you as an apprentice and you’re on your way there, and act like everything is fine. And you need a password to get into Eboria. The Archon watches over us.”

“It won’t matter,” he said quietly, “because we’ll be together. So you can say all of that.”

“Say it, Leo,” I ordered sharply.

“The Archon watches over us.”

As we drew closer to the horse, I felt as if a cold shadow were snaking up my spine, an unnatural power that spilled through the forest like a billowing fog. Rising dread stole my breath.

Where was that chill coming from?

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