The Winter Sun

Chapter 22

The light explosion ruffled Lach's hair and clothes like a voracious tornado. It thrust him to the wall, and he braced himself, eyes shut tight for his irises burned. Two soldiers screeched as if they were scorched by fire from the depth of hell.

The light evaporated, and Lach was slapped with the cold, harsh wind. He peered behind. The door was opened to the soul-draining winter.

"Princess?" he called.

"Here!" The voice yelled from outside. Lach looked back inside the tunnel. Two pair of limped boots slipped from the darkness. He stared with wide eyes. "Lach, come out!" The Princess's voice pulled him back, and he passed through the door. His gaze stopped at the lock, and he raised his eyebrows high.

The device was deformed and melted.

He met Amaya outside. A piece of polished wood lay there on the side, and they both bent down and groaned as they stood up to encase it in the middle of the door. They rested against it, their breath shallow. Lach stared at the girl. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" She frowned.

"That light-"

The door started to rattle as something pounded on the door. They jumped away from it. "Let's move out." The Princess pulled the cap of her cloak on.

Lach skimmed over the area. The stable stood in their sight, but two men were surrounding it. But behind it was a small forest. Lach turned towards the Princess. "Going through the forest is the only way to get there."

They waited for the area to clear before hiding behind a few statues until they reached the line of trees.

They advance slowly towards the stable. Lach discarded the possibility of combat, seeing the stature of the two men surrounding the stable. Their only way was to sneak in without being noticed.

A crack rose to the side, and they both froze before a silhouette surged from behind a bush. Lach felt something edgy, sharp, and cold pressed against his throat. He stilled. The Princess gasped. Lach's eyes landed on the blade, and his breath itched. He would've tried to slip away if it wasn't for the tight grip that person had over his torso.

"Don't kill him!" The Princess hissed, raising her hands. The man's face tilted away from behind Lach's head. Her arms fell down. "Prince Ezri..." Half his face was covered in blood, and he looked confused and relieved at her. Lach's eyes widened.

"Princess?" She removed her cap, and he sighed. "Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?"

She shook her head. "I am fine. Lach helped me escape," she said.

"Lach?" The Prince raised an eyebrow before he looked down at the man gripping his forearm. "The stableman..." The blade was removed from his throat, and Lach stumbled forward, breathing hard.

"Are you alright?" The Princess approached him.

Lach dismissed her worry with a sharp nod.

The Prince's eyebrows furrowed before he pointed his sword at him. "How did you escape?"

Amaya's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?"

"How do you know he is not one of them?" The Prince asked, sending daggers at Lach with his eyes.

Lach's hands were up. "I am not one of them," he stated.

"He is the one who saved me," The Princess stood before Ezri's pointy blade.

"I see." The Prince lowered his sword, and Lach's shoulders sagged down.

"How come you are still here. Weren't you supposed to be on the boat to Mias?" the Princess asked.