The Hollows In Our Freedom | 'Hollows' Book Ⅲ

Chapter Forty-Five

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T h e   H o l l o w s   I n
O U R  F R E E D O M
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I re-tied my hair, making sure it was tighter than before, since the harsh wind had recklessly pulled it out.

I could tell that the group was beginning to tire, but as I began to feel a soggier ground, I knew. We had reached the lake.

"Okay," Elle said, stopping the group, "we need to go over the lake.

I stared at her, before scanning the place, squinting at the lake, using what was left of the daylight.

"It's impossible." Sapphire quipped, and I heard Jonah silently agree. 

Out of all the Guardians here, Elle and I were the ones with far more experience outside of the Academy, and it obviously showed to be important as we both fell silent, figuring out routes whilst the rest of the group discussed all of the impossibilities.

Soon enough, I think I figured it out.

I tapped Elle's arm, catching her and everyone else's attention, "watch closely." I told her. She frowned, but nodded.

I walked away from them by perhaps two metres, using my spectacular tree climbing skills to scale the tree beside the lake. Once halfway up, I tested the branch's stability, before climbing onto it, and then reaching out and testing another branch from another tree. Once I knew it was fine, I boarded the tree, and climbed my way down. And ta dah, I'm on the other side.

"Woah," I heard Sky say as I landed.

"That was different." Jonah commented after. I decided that a bow was necessary, and I heard Jace laugh in response.

In fact, he was the first to join me.

I was quite surprised at first, but he soon explained that he had full trust in my idea. And sure enough, he made it to my side in less than a minute.

"Well done." I said, smiling up at him. I think his silence was his response, and then his hand brushed mine. In the darkening evening, I couldn't tell if it was an accident or on purpose, but I preferred it to be the latter.

Sky and Jameson soon joined us—Sky first, of course, which I kind of felt complimented by, actually; Jameson would rather Sky be with Jace and I on her own than left with the bigger group.

At least he values my guardianship.

"Good one, Abbot." He commented as he reached my side. I was slightly surprised, one by the comment, and two by how close he had got to Jace to say that to me. 

I just nodded in response.

Soon enough, Elle had joined us, and it became slightly awkward when Jonah then joined us before Sapphire did.

Well, there actually was a good enough reason.

Sapphire soon admitted that she was terrified of heights, even just a few metres in the air. So Jonah went first to demonstrate, climbing slowly so that she could see exactly what she would need to do. The idea was to show that it was absolutely fine, but his plan came unstuck when Sapphire was left alone.