Only minutes earlier, they had fled from their home, leaving behind every possession they had. Grata did not even think to bring food or extra clothing for the voyage.
The time had come to leave Nightenvale, and she did not waste one moment second-guessing it.
“Mama, we can’t go without Jeks! Please!”
In their rush to leave, Grata had not considered what to do with their cat, Jeks. She had simply left it in their home. The realisation hit her that she had probably left their beloved cat to die.
Grata turned to her son and knelt to meet him at eye level. “We cannot turn back, my love. I am so sorry, but we must leave now, or we will miss the boats.”
She could see how petrified the poor boy was through his blank stare. But she did not wait for a response. Grata took Kasda’s hand once again and continued pushing through the desperate crowd, trying to flee the city.
Please, let there be a boat for us. Please.
Guards were positioned throughout the crowd in their black-and-green spiked armour, trying their best to direct the people. But it was futile, as the scared residents of Nightenvale were panicking.
Children separated from their parents wept. An elderly couple had fallen and were unable to stand back up as the rush of people trampled them.
Grata eyed the masts of several ships over the sea of people- she knew she was heading the right way. Kasda was still wailing from behind, tugging for his mother to stop.
If only Fera were there to help her with their son. Her bondmate Fera was on the mainland, fighting with the invasion force. She had not seen him in weeks. For all Grata knew, her bondmate was dead.
Grata repeated the words Fera had told her before he had left. “As soon as the message is given, take Kasda and run. Do not look back. Do not hesitate. You must survive.”
Grata had to trust her instincts, and her instincts told her that once the announcement was made to leave, to grab nothing but Kasda and flee at once. Just as Fera had said.
Along the huge pier ahead of Grata and Kasda, the crowd was being parted into multiple groups for the different vessels by overwhelmed guards in plate armour.
They were trying desperately to keep control of the mob, but already Grata could see panicking civilians barging their way forwards to the edge of the pier and jumping onto the sides of the boats, rather than waiting to board orderly along the ramps. Some made it, others were pulled back by angry guards, and others still fell.
One boat, with its deck full of terrified people huddled together, started leaving the pier to head for the mainland.
There were only a few ships left. And hundreds of people still to ferry.
Please, wait for us.
Grata feared what would happen to them if they were left in Nightenvale with no transport.
On the opposite side of the pier to Grata and Kasda, people shrieked as one of the wooden ramps began to groan under the weight of the fleeing people before snapping in half. A dozen women and children dropped into the frigid waters below.
“What was that, momma?” Kasda said with an expression of concern.
She shielded his eyes and some of the guards ran to pick the people from the dark water.
“Nothing, my sweet.”
“It was loud.”
“It’s alright, my sweet.”
Grata picked the boy up to carry him. He had grown so fast; it made Grata’s body ache to even lift him. But she did not want to risk losing him in the mess.
“Focus on me, alright? We must find a boat now.”
The boy nodded with an unsure smile, sinking his face into his mother’s neck to escape the noise.
Grata spotted a boat which had just began taking passengers. She shifted her position in the crowd, edging closer and closer.
At the side of the pier, the cold waters sloshed against the stones beneath their feet.
Grata gazed down for a moment, and something caught her attention.
The water… it appeared red.
Blood red.
Grata squinted her eyes to try and clear her vision in the dim light, sure of what she had seen but unable to believe it.
A guard pulled her firmly from her suspicious gaze through a group of people, bringing her and Kasda closer to the ramp.
“You have a child, get on, quickly,” the guard said.
“Thank you, thank you so much. Diosa bless you,” Grata said with relief.
From her rear came verbal protests and angry shouts.
“She cut the line!”
“We were here first! Let us pass!”
Grata could not work up the courage to look back at their desperate faces. All she could do was focus on Kasda’s wellbeing.
With Kasda in her arms she boarded the sturdy Akurai vessel, already near its capacity of refugees. Strewn across the deck were close to a hundred frantic people, eager for the ship to leave the harbour at once. Some had brought bags of belongings and valuables.
Several children were huddled together under blankets, sniffling, and crying. Where were their parents? Grata did not want to guess.
Grata squeezed her way through towards the railing on the side of the deck and put her son down onto his feet. He refused to let go of her, clinging with one hand onto her jacket.
Grata leant out over the railing to look at the raging sea below. She had been right before- the sea was red, sloshing around thicker than normal water.
Is that… blood? How can this be?
She was sure that her mind was playing tricks on her. Surely, it must have been the terror of their predicament causing her to see things.
People on deck began to shout and cry with worry.
“Mama, look,” Kasda said, tugging
