Winter Embers [ Book 2 ]

Chapter Eleven

          Deciding it was too dangerous to linger at the ruined camp, they gathered what supplies they could carry and traveled through the night cradled in the sturdy arms of the forest guardians. The tree spirits rolled like thunder across the wide, open tundra, never slowing, never stopping, and by dawn they could see the skyline of the city silhouetted against the horizon.

          "There it is," Rollan called out.

          As they drew closer, Claire could make out dozens of turrets towering over the landscape. They varied in size and each one was topped with a round, spherical dome. Upon each dome was a long, iron spike that she assumed once bore colorful flags or other decor when the city was in its prime.

          As the sun rose higher, she could see that the towers had once been painted in bright, vivid colors and a variety of patterns, but years of neglect had left them a faded shadow of their former selves.

          Strung between the towers, connecting them in a web like fashion, were dozens of rope bridges that Claire was certain she could see swaying and rocking back and forth as though by some unseen hand.

          They were roughly a mile out when the caravan of roving trees slowed and then stopped, the sound of their approach fading into the distance.

          "Place bad," Rin said solemnly.

          "I know, Rin," Claire said, pressing her fingers against the place where she guessed his cheek to be. He regarded her with two large, round, golden eyes. "Thank you for all your help."

          There was a soft creaking and she felt the protective branches unwinding from around her before she dropped from his shoulder to the ground. Once the three on the ground again, the trees began their thunderous retreat back towards the Winter Forest.

          "We walk from here," Draz said. He swung his pack from his back and dropped it to the ground at his feet. "We best leave anything we can't carry in our pockets here. We'll just attract unwanted attention. Keep anything valuable in your front pockets and try to avoid the beggars. They're just a distraction while some runt no higher than your knee robs you blind."

          "Anything else we should know?" Rollan asked.

          "Yeah, stay close to me and try not to make eye contact with anyone," Draz replied, he looked towards Rollan. "And you try not to speak."

          "What does talking have to do with anything?"

          "Nothing, I'm just tired of hearing the sound of your voice," Draz offered with a cheerful smile.

          Before Rollan could reply, Claire interrupted. "What is the plan once we get into the city?" 

          "We're going to see a guy I know. He has people everywhere. If Alek was here, he'll know."

          "Will he be able to tell us where Alek went?"

          "Here's to hoping," Draz said with a shrug.

          Despite the early hour, the streets of Drift were alive with activity. Everywhere she looked, Claire caught glimpses of the past buried beneath years of neglect and disregard. Many of the storefronts had their windows smashed and then shoddily repaired with boards and gaudy panelings that had been pulled from the interiors of the surrounding buildings. It gave the buildings a feeling of macabre whimsy that was both intriguing and disquieting.