Page 111 of Heart of the Summer Queen

I press my lips together. Perhaps the woman is right. All ships may have long departed Eruweth or be too full to accommodate us. But we have few other options. Now Elaric has no magic, the only way for us to return to Avella is to sail home.

The old woman doesn’t spare us another second before gripping the girl’s hand and turning on her heel. She hurries down the street until they both disappear into the frenzied crowd.

When I look over at Elaric, his expression is as grim as I feel. Though we planned in great lengths how we would defeat Isidore, we hardly considered what would come after and how we’d return home. If we can’t find a ship, I don’t know what else we can do.

“Come on,” he says, tearing me from my thoughts. “Standing around will do us no good.”

I give him a quick nod, and we hasten toward the gates. But the closer we draw, the denser the crowd grows, and advancing further becomes a great struggle.

Since there are no guards by the city gates, the masses are free to spill into the thawed fields like water gushing out a broken dam.

We push past people and weave around them, cutting ahead, but it only gets us elbowed in the side several times. We have no choice but to proceed with everyone else, waiting until our turn to reach the gates.

“There they are!” a shout bursts from behind us.

I glance back, squinting at the crest of the hill which overlooks the gates.

Horror lances through my gut. It’s a guard who shouted, pointing in our direction. Several more are gathered around him.

A muscle feathers in Elaric’s jaw as he too whirls around and surveys the scene.

More guards cry out in alarm, their ranks quickly bolstering as others rally toward them.

My heart seizes. There are so many of them, and we’re still so far from the gates. There’s no chance of us reaching them before the guards descend upon us. And the citizens of Eruweth are more likely to part way for guards than they would for two disheveled strangers.

I hold my breath, praying I’m somehow mistaken. That the guards aren’t really after us.

But then my foolish wish shatters as the guards charge forth, pushing through the crowd. They’re solely focused on the two of us.

There’s no time to talk, to devise a plan.

We just run.

We squeeze past everyone in our way, not caring who we are pushing and shoving, and this earns us countless annoyed shouts and ferocious glares. Blood rushes in my ears. The guards’ shouts seem ever closer.

We break free from the crowd, and I stagger. Elaric steadies me before I fall.

“This way,” he says, grabbing my wrist and pulling me down a side street. It’s a slight relief there are fewer people than on the main roads.

Just before we turn the corner and disappear into the shadows, I dare to look over my shoulder.

By now, more guards have gathered. There’s at least two dozen in total.

Throat tightening, I sprint after Elaric as hard as I can, narrowly avoiding the barrels and crates strewn across the street. Our footsteps bounce off the tall walls either side of us.

Why are the guards chasing us? Do they somehow think we’re in league with Isidore?

Right now, there’s no time to stop to consider what’s going on. As I run, I’m only conscious of my burning lungs and aching legs, trying to match Elaric’s furious pace. None of his physical prowess seems to have been lost with his magic.

We reach the end of the side street, skidding to a stop as it opens to a main road. Shouts echo to the left as the steel mass of guards race after us.

We turn the opposite way but are cut off as another patrol rushes over to investigate the commotion.

I glance around, searching for an escape route. But these houses are terraced, and the only other path I spot is an alley a few paces from the guards. There’s no chance we’ll reach it in time.

My shoulders tighten, as if to brace for a fight. Not that fighting will be any use. We’re unarmed and severely outnumbered. We stand no chance of defeating them.

“Seize them!” shouts the captain.

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