Chapter 41: The New Reality
Through the snow-covered lands they rode, their horses’ hooves crunching through the white drifts that had piled up during the long winter.
The wind bit at their faces like tiny knives, and their breath came out in white puffs that quickly disappeared in the cold air.
Jaenor had never been so far from Frostvale in his entire life. Rena and others, too. They had tense expressions on their faces; on one side, they were leaving their home and their family, and on the other side, they were going into something completely unknown.
Every tree, every rock, every hill was new to his eyes.
The mountains around them were bigger than anything he had imagined, reaching up toward the sky like the fingers of sleeping giants.
It took them several hours to make their way out of the mountain passes. The horses struggled sometimes in the deeper snow, and they had to stop often to rest and let the animals catch their breath.
Morgana led the way, seeming to know exactly which path to take even though everything looked the same to Jaenor.
Just as the sun was beginning to set, painting the snow pink and gold, they heard the sound of hooves behind them.
Everyone turned in their saddles, hands moving to their weapons, but it was only Darian catching up to them on his sturdy brown horse.
"How did it go?" Morgana called out as he rode up beside them.
Darian’s face was grim. "The Blu Phoenix got them away safely," he said, breathing hard from his fast ride. "But those shadow fiends soon found their way leading towards us. They’re following us now, maybe a couple of hours behind."
Morgana’s jaw tightened.