Isle of Sanctum | The Aya Thrasher Chronicles | Book 1 |[Editing]

Chapter Thirty-Four

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

AYA

I was surprised that Serina approved our trek to the hinterlands. But of course, she had specific conditions that we had to follow:  take armed guards, be back before sunset, and don't do anything stupid. Serina trusted Emmy. I did too. After all, I had been inside her head and hadn't gotten a sense of any treachery. 

We left the Sanctum early, just before sunrise. Emmy thought it was best to head out early to have enough time to get back. The darker it got, the angrier Serina would be if we weren't back.

We took the train to the edge of the Sanctum. I hadn't been outside the Sanctum's outer-ring since we first arrived, and I was already growing nervous. Rayne had been outside the Sanctum, but she was a lot tougher than I was.

"How do we get out?" I asked once we reached the border.

Trevor wasn't paying attention, which was good. He might have thought it was a stupid question. 

Emmy was patient with me. She treated me like a little sister. "There's always one border patrol agent at this back gate," Emmy said. "It's better protected than the entrance to the mainland." Fifty yards down, Emmy stopped us. "This is it." She said pointed at what looked like the air. "I know it doesn't look like much." She took a few steps forward, her palm was moving slowly, like she was trying to feel for something. The two guards stood still behind Trevor and I, waiting for Emmy's command. "I don't understand – it should be right here." Emmy's brow crinkled in confusion.

"ELLO!" A man's face appeared. "Welcome to the border."

Startled, I stumbled backwards, falling onto my butt. Emmy was startled too, I saw her jump slightly.

"We need passage to the hinterlands," Emmy said. "We need to go to Roo."

"And why would youngins like yourselves want to travel into the hinterlands?" He asked. His voice old-timey, like my grandfather's. "Are you going to visit Roo Lake?"

"We have an order." Emmy pulled out a piece of paper with a beautiful maroon-colored wax stamp. "From the mayor."

He glanced at the order, careful not to skip a word. "Well, you all be careful," he said. A glass door just magically ascended above our heads allowing us passage. "Watch out for the skulkers, they'll rob to you to the bone."

Even though we had guards with us, his words made me shiver under my coat. I've never seen a skulker, but they didn't sound pleasant at all. As we exited the Sanctum, I made sure to stay close to our group. One step in the wrong direction could be my demise.

Although it was nearly nine o'clock, the hills and valleys were cloaked in a veil of darkness. It was cold too. A chilly wind swept under my jacket, causing goose bumps to form on my upper forearms.

"Are we going to have to walk the whole way?" Trevor complained as we climbed over a steep hill.

"Yes," Emmy said. "We're not authorized to bring transportation out here."

"Fantastic," Trevor muttered under his breath.

Emmy turned around and gave him the evil eye. "Stop complaining and keep moving. Remember, you volunteered to be here."

There were many times when I felt like I needed to stop to catch my breath, but the others were continuing on. I was already embarrassed that I was lagging behind. I had never done this much physical exercise in my life. It felt like we were hiking up Mount Everest. Myy legs felt like they were going to collapse into the grass, and luckily, the others stopped.