It wasn’t long before a wagon drew up, pulled by two sturdy horses, with Zan and the others in the back. Lamin was in the driver’s seat, his grip on the reins firm but tense. The mages were stirring, their strength gradually returning, but the magic in the air was still blocked. Lanni stood firm, her gaze commanding as she addressed the group. “Don’t even think about casting,” she warned, arms crossed. “Not until this block lifts and not a second before.” Lamin nodded as he climbed down, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. “I was running a few errands when I saw Marn and Zan helping the ladies back there,” he explained. “So we, uh, borrowed a delivery wagon from Areen’s shop.” “We’ll return it,” Lanni promised, meeting his eyes with a faint smile. “With a little compensation for the trouble.” “Let’s not linger.” Sifa had just arrived, her voice tight with urgency. “The kids are gone, and I overheard Crellis and Wenda talking. They’re bringing Yarb soldiers and will look for you.” Kritalla scowled, frustration flashing in her eyes. “I knew we should have disbanded that Yarb army years ago.” “We’ll keep the wagon,” Lanni said, her voice firm. “Everyone, grab what you can in five minutes: weapons, winter gear. We’ll head south and keep moving until we’re free of this magic block. Once we are, we’ll transport to the King’s Council.” Sifa jumped in. “I’ll raid the pantry for food.” Lamin glanced at her. “Do you think we can swing by our house on the way? I don’t think I can be back in five minutes.” Trema looked at him, surprise evident. “You’re coming with us?” Sifa answered for him. “We can’t stay. This will be some kind of revolt. My parents will get involved if there is. They’ll have Lamin killed.” “They will,” Marn agreed. “And Yarba is not kind to single mothers. Let them come.” “Then it’s settled,” Lanni said, nodding decisively. “Five minutes, everyone. And hurry.” *** Jahree found himself hustling toward the barracks with the others. He wondered how much he should take. He knew he needed at least one change of clothes in case one got wet. He didn’t have much. He threw a glance over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Tercala pulling off his armor and motioning for everyone else to do the same. “Leave your uniforms,” Tercala instructed. “Bring as many clothes as you can fit in one bag, plus all your money and weapons. Bundle up—we’ll be out in the cold for a while.” Nodding, Jahree turned and jogged to his quarters. He rummaged through his belongings, packing layers of clothes and strapping his meager stash of coins to his belt. He slipped his well-worn deck of cards into his pocket almost as an afterthought. A small piece of normalcy, he thought, just as Tercala’s voice boomed through the hallway, urging them to hurry. “Ready?” Jahree asked, catching up with Tellic in the doorway. Tellic gave a reluctant nod, tucking a small book into his pack. “I’m ready. I hate to leave my books.” Jahree glanced back at the room, feeling the weight of leaving so many small comforts. “I know. But it’s just stuff. We’ve got to keep moving.” The two hurried back outside, where they caught a glimpse of Zan stepping out of Trema’s room. Jahree raised an eyebrow, curious. He understood him sleeping in there to give Shan a chance to rest. But why the rest of the time? Unless they were doing more than sleeping. He shrugged it off. There were more significant concerns now. *** “We’ll activate the barracks lockdown spell,” Tercala said. “It’s almost as strong as the college’s shields, so it should hold.” “Who did the spell? Will it hold?” Trema asked. “Lanni and I did it. It’s as strong as the college shields.” “If someone can break through that, they can have the stuff,” Trema decided. “Where’s Areen?” Marn asked when they were back at the wagon. “She and the sisters went to grab their things,” Lanni replied. “We’ll meet them along the way. Then we’ll help Sifa and Lamin. “Should they go ahead, and we’ll meet them too?” Trema asked. They needed to get moving. “Do you know how to drive a wagon?” Lamin asked. “I do,” Marn said. “My dad taught me. I’ve been doing it since I was four.” “Your dad died when you were six,” Jahan pointed out. “And we came up here. My grandpa made sure Sivna let me practice,” Marn insisted. “Several of us can handle it,” Lanni assured them. “Okay, Trema, Jahree, and Zan, go help them. Remember, you’re civilians now,” she instructed. “We’ll be there as soon as possible.” They hurried to the house, where they helped the couple pack. They found some jewelry Sifa had saved from her family. Lamin convinced her to bring it. There were a lot of mouths to feed, and they didn’t know how long until they’d be able to transport. The supplies they had might not last. Lamin reminded her that the horse needed to eat, and they could only carry so much. Sifa said something about starting over again as they locked the house. Jahree could relate. His family had lost everything when they escaped Tameria. They moved through the quiet streets, Lamin guiding the wagon, with Shan resting beside him. The rest walked in pairs, eyes scanning the darkening sky and deserted alleys. Snow began to fall lightly, covering their tracks. The silence was broken only by the soft crunch of boots on snow and the occasional whisper of voices. A short way down the road, they came upon a couple of elves, one supporting the other. Tercala approached them cautiously, his hand hovering over his weapon. “Captain Samar? Captain Keltis?” he asked, recognizing them in the dim light. The female elf, Keltis, gave a weary nod. “Samar was in the middle of a spell when the magic block hit. He’s barely conscious now. We were trying to make it to safety.” “Loka, can you help?” Tercala asked, gesturing to the barely conscious elf. Loka stepped forward, his brow creased with concern. “I’ll see what I can do. This will take some time, though.” As Loka began working on Samar, Keltis explained what had happened. “Every mage we know was struck at once. We’ve got reports of armed groups gathering near the mill, twice the number of soldiers we have stationed here.” “They’ll make for the barracks,” Kritalla muttered grimly. “Yarb soldiers, no doubt.” “If you’ll join us, Samar can ride in the wagon,” Lanni offered. “We’re headed to New Trito and will report to the King’s Council on the way.” Keltis looked grateful. “Thank you. Samar can’t walk far in this condition.” Shan’s voice cut through the crisp air as they prepared to continue. “I hear the soldiers—they’re not far off. They’re going the other way for now, but it won’t be long before they realize we’re gone.” “Let’s use the town to our advantage,” Lanni said. “Our tracks will blend with everyone else’s.” They moved through town in small groups, breaking off and regrouping on the other side as the snow’s intensity increased. Visibility worsened quickly, and the cold bit through their layers. Trema pulled his cloak tighter, shivering slightly as she exchanged a look with Lanni. “Visibility’s dropping,” Chapado warned. “We’ll have to be careful not to lose anyone.” “No heat vision or spells,” Loka cautioned. “The dragons can use their night vision to lead us.” Shan spoke up, his voice almost lost in the wind. “I can see in the dark, too.” Areen raised an eyebrow. “Are you part dragon?” Shan chuckled. “Nope. Just lucky, I guess.” “Zan, stay by me in case your charms fail,” Trema insisted. “We should hook together,” Morina suggested. “Lanni, you’re the smallest and will have the most trouble. Ride in the wagon and guide Lamin. Tercala can follow at the end of the rope to see if someone stumbles. He can contact you if they do, so you stop.” Lanni nodded. “That will work. It’s dark enough that Ter and I can take dragon form, but that might spook the horses. “Maybe not.” Areen shook her head. “Those are merchant horses. The merchants sometimes take them down to Menthanla for training, so they get used to dragons. Darkness enveloped them, and they moved forward, their breath hanging in frosty puffs. Despite the challenges ahead, they had an unspoken sense of unity. They would make it through this together. #fantasy #magic #dragons #hiddenlands