SAGE (under edit)

Chapter Twenty Two

Sage hadn't had the chance to say goodbye to the other Shadow Soldiers before she and Raidan left, though Raidan had told her that they were aware of his decision to return her to Lion Crest. She thought it for the best: there was enough confusion and conflict already inside her about the Shadow Soldiers, how she felt about them, that saying goodbye might have only made it worse.

Sage discovered they hadn't been far from Lion Crest. The town she left was small, located on the outskirts of Sky Expanse's north-east border, so it would only take them a few days to reach Lion Crest territory. Sage wasn't sure how close Raidan would take her to the city, but she trusted he knew what he was doing, how close would be too close to risk capture for him.

Raidan had forgone any recognisable Shadow Soldier attire, choosing to wear casual grey pants with a dark long-sleeved shirt and woollen cloak over his shoulders. The cloak helped to conceal his sword which he had strapped low around his back, ensuring the pommel didn't protrude above his shoulder like it usually did.

There was little conversation between them as they travelled, though there wasn't much time to talk either. They travelled with minimal rest during the day, or at least as minimal as Sage's body could take since she was still recovering, and when night fell they found somewhere to make camp with a small fire between them to keep the chill away while they slept. Sage always woke up with Raidan's cloak thrown over her, Raidan already awake and watching their surroundings. She knew he kept watch at night as well, stealing only brief moments of sleep to conserve his energy like Soldiers were trained to do. Sage would have done the same, but her body was still too sore and tired from her time with RedEarth to fight the sleep that claimed her each night.

When they crossed into Lion Crest territory, Sage finally asked the question. 'How close will you take me to Lion Crest?'

They weren't far from the Yuan Outlook, a popular rock formation at the highest point of Lion Crest that overlooked the city and the lower expanse of forest. It was still a significant distance away from the city, but Crest Soldiers on patrol often came past during their routine scouting.

As if reading Sage's mind, Raidan said, 'The next squad is due to arrive soon. They will sense your Kyra and can escort you the rest of the way to the city.'

Sage looked over to him, understanding washing over her. Raidan didn't want her to travel alone, so he brought her somewhere – and at the right time – that Crest Soldiers would find her. She was mildly surprised he still remembered the patrol schedules of Crest Soldiers, but perhaps it was just out of convenience for when he or the other Shadow Soldiers needed to sneak through Lion Crest.

'We will rest here for a moment,' Raidan decided, sweeping his eyes across the surrounding trees.

Sage's pride wanted to protest, if only because she knew he was suggesting a rest for her benefit. A selfish part of her wanted to drag out their time together a little longer though, even if the threat of Raidan being spotted by Crest Soldiers lingered at the back of her mind.

Easing herself onto the ground, soft grass and dirt pressing into her palms, Sage tilted her head back and drew in a long breath. If she closed her eyes she could pretend she was by herself, taking a break from training or patrolling, and that the last few weeks were nothing but a dream. So Sage kept her eyes open, gaze lingering on Raidan as he watched the trees.

Idly, Sage's hand drifted to her necklaces. It was a small miracle they were still hooked around her neck, especially after her time at RedEarth, but she supposed to anyone else they held little value.

'Raidan,' Sage started, pausing only to give herself the chance to rethink her question. Raidan turned to her though, offering his full attention, so she asked, 'What did you do with your identification necklace after you left Lion Crest?'