No.
A small group of over a dozen heavily armoured soldiers stand between us and the gate. The entrance is not clear either, the iron mesh has been lowered and blocks our path. Through the gaps in the metal I can see the outside world, the forest calling for us.
The soldiers draw their sword and take a step forward. They can’t be the same ones from the inner walls, I refuse to believe that they were possible of overtaking us, they must have had some way of signalling to this second group.
Orrian raises his own blades and around him we all follow his lead. I don’t know if they’ve been instructed to keep Orrian alive but there’s no way we’re letting them take any of us back there without a fight. The soldiers advance another step as we spread out to meet them. The others will be on us before long and we’ll be overwhelmed if we’re not careful.
A commotion among the ranks. Thuds and clashes fill the air but none of us have made a move. At the back, someone crumples the ground and another is sent flying forwards, blood oozing from a wound in his neck.
Our weapons lower in confusion, some of the soldiers at the back seem to be fighting amongst themselves. We stand and watch as a pair of them cut down another couple facing us from behind.
“Well come on then!”
I know that voice.
We attack, barrelling into the remainder of the force. Next to me one of the tribespeople is instantly brought down by an enemy sword, I avenge him as the inflicting blade is withdrawn from his gut.
With us at their front and the colony traitors already amongst the bloodshed from behind, it doesn’t take long for the two groups to meet in the middle. We step over the bodies of the fallen. The last couple of the soldiers block our blows, fumbling to remove their helmets before we can strike again.
Jaq and Ryfon stand before us. They are dressed identically to the dying men at our feet.
“I’ll explain later. You two come with us,” Jaq pants, gesturing to two of our group. He heads inside a door leading inside the wall with Ryfon and the others.
Orrian manoeuvres the rest of the group so that we have our back to the gate. I quickly check on the tribesman who fell next to me, but he has already left us. Even if he had been alive, I know we wouldn’t have been able to get him the help he would need in time. We face outwards, waiting for more colony men to appear at any second. We are so close, backup must be approaching nearby, but we can almost reach out and feel the leaves between our fingertips.
Lights begin flickering in the distance of the main street, they’re on their way. Somewhere above, shouts accompany torches that trail a path high above the walls. I don’t need to guess who they’re running towards. We stand on the balls of our feet, soon we’ll be surrounded and cornered.
The clanking of heavy chains above startles me as hidden winches are brought into motion. The dirt by my heels uproots slightly as spikes are slowly pulled out of the ground. Inch by inch, the gate begins to rise.
The screeching stops once the spikes are level with our thighs, moments later the wooden side door smashes against the wall as the remainder of our group break out.
“OUT! OUT!” Jaq shouts, we don’t need to be told twice.
We all fall to our stomachs and crawl beneath the risen barrier. I try not to picture the unimaginably heavy spikes positioned directly above my back as I push myself forward. Once through, I grab the injured man’s arms and drag him the rest of the way. Meanwhile, the last of us leave the colony’s territory.
I sling the man’s arm over one shoulder as we follow the others into the nearby treeline. The comfort of the forest surrounds us and still we don’t stop running. I slip into old routines as we jump over roots, duck under low hanging branches, and dart through the random scattering of trees. The grass brushes between my toes and welcomes my stone-worn feet.
We continue running through the night, the forest gifting us with renewed energy. The shadows are darker here, where even the moonlight doesn’t reach. The leaves rustle and branches snap behind us, giving the constant illusion of being pursued but we know there’s nobody there.
I ache for my mother, and for Astera, Tharrin, Medea and all the others who should be running alongside us. They will experience this exhilaration like the rest of us one day, we’ll make sure of it.
Finally, there is no more colony around us, no more soldiers chasing us. The stone tunnels with their stale air have been replaced with the protective forest canopy and its fresh wind.
We are free.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
We don’t stop until the first rays of dawn make their way through the leaves. Our clothes have long since air dried, we elected not to risk a fire. The colony shouldn’t be able to find us now so long as we keep moving but risking them spotting the smoke would be unbelievably foolish. Instead, Ryfon and Jaq had both offered up an undershirt from beneath their armour to cover myself and Orrian. The fine cord for Orrian’s pendant peeks out from above the neck of his shirt.
We come to a stop by a shallow brook, the water rushing noisily over many layers of rock. It’s as good a place to stop as any. Even if anyone happens to be near, the noise of the rushing water should hide our location. Orrian takes a couple of the tribespeople foraging, they remerge a
