Royals of Illéa

Chapter 21-Blockades

-Josie-

There are blockades all around the city of Paris so we're forced to take refuge just outside the city in a little rundown bar.

Despite the shabbiness, the bar is full of people and from the amount of cars parked outside it is evident they too are travelers trying to get to Paris.

We find an empty table in a corner and sit down. Kaden looks around for a second before turning his eyes to me.

"Order something so that they don't throw us out for loitering. I'll be back in a minute."

I reach out and grab his arm as he rises from his chair, "Where are you going?"

"I'll explain when I come back. Just a few minutes." He promises and then exits through the bar's door.

Obeying Kaden's orders, I get a bottle of water and some fries to pass the time. My heartbeat has refused to settle down ever since Kaden left and I almost cry in relief when he walks back in.

"Where did you go?" I demand to know.

"I was looking for a pay phone to contact John with." He replies.

"Did you find one?" I ask.

He nods, "I asked John about the blockades around the city and he said they were put in place last night to keep any more insurgents from entering the city. No one has been allowed to enter or exit."

My heart sinks at this, "But how are we going to get to Lady Daphne now?"

"I have no idea." Kaden looks disheartened too as he picks up my water and takes a sip.

We sit at the bar for almost an hour trying to come up with a way to get into the city but the best we can think of is announcing our identities which would most certainly get us immediate access with protocol to Lady Daphne herself but it would also put us at risk of getting attacked by insurgents before we leave French ground.

It's nearing evening when we step out of the bar's building and head towards where the car is parked.

"How far are we from the city?" I ask Kaden.

"About twenty minutes. The nearest blockade is about three minutes away. I asked around when I stepped out." He replies as we get into the car.

"We should look for a place to stay for the night." I say, wanting Kaden to rest since he's been driving all day and now he's tense again about this glitch in his plan.

"Good idea. I'll go back to the bar and ask the bartender, they'll know about local places to stay." Kaden says before getting out of the car and heading back in the direction of the bar.

He's been gone for nearly five minutes when I hear a muffled 'boom.' Right after I see people hurrying by, shops pulling down shutters and just generally people receding from the street. Kaden comes back to the car at the same time.

"What's going on?" I ask him.

"The insurgents bombed one of the blockades not far from here." He replies as he begins to drive.

My body feels numb and my head begins to hammer with a headache as we zoom through the streets and finally get back on a highway.

"Where are we going?" I ask, my voice weak.

Kaden looks at me, worry in his eyes before turning to look back at the road. "One of the attendants said that there's an inn about five minutes back up the highway. It should be a safe enough distance from the blockades."

"Okay." I whisper, gulping down the worry in my throat.

As promised five minutes later, Kaden stops the car in the parking of an inn which is way superior to the motel we stayed in near Lyon.