chapter 10: A fugitive fate

I couldn't move.

The air during the night remained silent except for the gentle leaf rustling which accompanied the breeze.

My breathing became shallow as my heart raced from my chest as I stared directly at the black horse.

The equine creature remained motionless under the bushes with moonlight shining through its black pupils.

Its eyes seemed to comprehend everything it saw because they viewed me with unnerving intelligence.

A part of me desired to look away yet my body refused. I feared that any moment of eye closure would cause the shadow to vanish between this world and what lay beyond.

An endless period of eye contact passed between us.

The horse vanished from sight just as it had materialized into the night.

The apparition refused to step backward or turn its body to run.

The horse's form dissipated around its borders just like windless mist drifting away.

The blink of my eyes proved too long because when I opened them the horse disappeared completely.

A chilly wave descended from my head to the base of my spine.

I clenched my throat before making myself walk toward the tent. Each passing step became progressively heavier.

My thoughts sped uncontrollably as I tried finding a reason for this event yet nothing made sense.

After I returned to my bed I felt totally exhausted. I covered my eyes with the blanket while tightly shutting my eyes.

No more sneaking out. Not tonight. Not again.

Golden sun rays expanded from the sky to gradually eliminate remaining night shadows.

The nearby birds sang casually while the leaves produced gentle noises in the background.

A short space of time the world experienced a state of tranquility.

But peace was an illusion.

I suddenly awoke with my whole body stiff while my mind remained unaware of my surroundings.

Events from the previous night hit me all at once when I awoke because of the black horse and the mysterious stone along with the ambiance that remained after I returned to the tent.

As I watched Orin rest he continued his sleep while his arm draped across his chest at a slope with his breathing remaining steady.

Zorro rested with his back pressed against the tent wall as he kept one boot off and the other boot still dangling from his foot.

I struggled to my sitting position while massaging the stiffness that affected my neck.

The thin fabric of the tent let sunlight pass through creating gentle light patterns on the ground.

The group members started to wake up while I sat outside.

Zorro let out a loud groan as he stretched his body in a dramatic manner. He spoke in a tired voice as he told us to rest before his eyes closed. "Wait... no, I mean wake up. Yeah, that one."

I glanced at Orin with annoyance when he started laughing.

Zorro removed his hand from his face to show his characteristic smile. "We've got a long day ahead. Best not waste it."

We ate breakfast fast by consuming a small amount of dried fruit together with bread scraps from yesterday's dinner.

We had enough food to maintain our forward progress although it was minimal.

I remained silent because the previous night had left me too disturbed to speak.

Each person was absorbed in their private thoughts which kept them from noticing me.

Zorro stretched his body once more to dismiss the remaining tension before breaking into a smirk.

"Let's move out, people. We need to integrate ourselves among the Tsaki community.

The streets of Tsaki were filled with constant movement while the air carried the strong aromas of spices mixed with roasted meat.

The street performers attracted small crowds while children moved through the crowds laughing and playing.

With my scarf covering more of my face I walked while keeping my eyes on the ground between Orin and Zorro.

We had not entered the city for weeks but our disguises failed to eliminate the constant anxiety of being spotted by someone who knew us.

Zorro maintained his unconcerned mannerism by raising his arms toward the sky.

We need to separate our group for the moment. I'll go handle supplies. Keep together Orin and Kael because drawing unwanted attention should be avoided.

Orin gave him a dry look. The warning applies better to your situation than ours.

Zorro approached him with a smile before giving Orin a warm shoulder pat. The east gate serves as our meeting point in exactly one hour.

He vanished from sight after a casual gesture toward the people around him.

The two of us stayed on the empty walkways as we walked ahead.

The vibrant atmosphere of Tsaki seemed strangely reassuring to me although others might have found it overwhelming.

The situation felt normal for the first time during this period.

Orin suddenly stopped moving when he was in the middle of his step.

"Kael…" His voice came out quiet with a hint of hesitation.

He squatted to collect something from the street which had accumulated dirt.

The creases on the paper received gentle attention from his touch while his eyes shifted into a darker hue.

A poster.

The sight of the poster took a strong hold on my stomach.

The drawing on the poster presented my face clearly despite its faded ink and worn-out paper.

The poster displayed a sketch of my face with bold writing below it that included a bounty price amount which made me feel my heart pounding in my chest.

I took the paper forcefully from Orin's hands. "How did they—?"

He tightly clenched his jaw while he looked at the streets. "We need to move. Now."

A sudden strong wind blew just after I gave him my acknowledgement.

A strong wind tore my coat and scarf from my body as they flew toward the open air.

Panic seized me.

When I turned around to get them I discovered they had flown too rapidly to grasp and ended up resting in the market square's center.

And then—someone saw me.

A nearby male person registered shock when his eyes met mine as he furrowed his eyebrows.

His lips opened slightly as he recognized me.

It was only a split second.

I understood everything in that instant that I had become vulnerable.

The worst sound anyone could ever hear entered the air at that moment.

"It's her! The girl from the bounty!"

The marketplace became a storm when the warning alarm sounded.