Chương 49: Chapter 49 - A Path To Vesta
The days of waiting had stretched into a torturous stalemate, but with Telaphina's letter safely in hand and the gold coins securely locked away, the group knew their time in Stonefort was nearing its end.
Seraphina stared at the sealed box of coins. She decided to leave the gold in there for now, only taking out a few coins to use on their trip. Gold was one of the highest forms of currency in this land, and she had more than enough with how much Telaphina had given her, a total of 25 pieces.
To put it into perspective, 1 Gold Coin was worth 10 Silver Coins, and 1 Silver Coin was worth 100 Copper Coins. That in itself showed just how much she had been given.
If she had to compare it to a currency from Earth, a Copper Coin would be roughly equivalent to a US Dollar, but sometimes it varied depending on the location and such.
Seraphina sat at the edge of the window while the others made their preparations to leave, watching the narrow streets below. The hum of city life had returned in the morning light, merchants shouting, children running through the cobblestone alleys, and workers hauling goods.
To anyone else, it might seem peaceful, but to her, it was a city of watchful eyes and potential threats, even if she enjoyed the sense of freedom that came with it— she couldn't stay any longer.
"Edwin."
Seraphina said, breaking the silence in the room.
"We're leaving. Today."
The knight turned from where he'd been sharpening his blade, his silvered eyes meeting hers and he nodded without hesitation.
"Where to?"
"Vesta."
Seraphina replied, the name tasting foreign on her tongue as she had only read about it in books. It was one of the largest tourist cities in the Empire, and for good reason.
"It's much farther from the estate outside of my father's territory, and the river there offers us a way to keep moving. A boat will give us distance and time to think without constantly looking over our shoulders."
Samuel, who was seated on the floor and still nursing the last remnants of his injuries, frowned.
"The roads might be watched. Isn't that risky?"
"Everything's risky now, Samuel. But the longer we stay here, the more likely we are to be found. Vesta is our best option."
Edwin straightened, slipping his blade into its sheath.
"There's a path through the woods, less traveled but safer. It'll take longer, but it keeps us off the main roads."
"Then that's the way we'll go. We leave before sundown."
As the plan settled, Seraphina's thoughts began to drift, for days, she'd been running, reacting to the danger around her, she wasn't able to rest, nor could she even train properly.
But that wasn't enough anymore, she didn't want to have to keep running around like this like a rat being chased, but she also knew that she couldn't only rely on her strength right now; she was much too weak.
If she was going to survive— and more than that, if she was going to thrive— she needed more. She needed people she could trust to do the things she couldn't, people who could gather information, eliminate threats, and act where she couldn't afford to.
Spies. Informants. Shadows.
Her violet eyes flicked briefly to Edwin and Samuel, but she quickly dismissed the thought— it wasn't because she didn't trust them if even she didn't fully do so, she simply thought against the idea of others knowing it yet.
This wasn't a plan she could share yet, not even with them, instead, she kept the thoughts to herself, considering the first steps she would need to take.
Vesta would be a good starting point.
A river city meant merchants, travelers, and opportunities, but it also meant it would have a lot more people like her— people looking to run away or hide, even those with nowhere to turn to.
If she was careful, she might find the beginnings of the network she needed, those with no way to go were often the easiest to control— if she could gather them, train them, and offer them what they desired, loyalty would be easy.
The day passed in preparation with Edwin making discreet trips to gather supplies while Seraphina and Samuel stayed in the inn, their movements minimal to avoid drawing attention.
By the time the sun began to dip below the horizon, the group was ready to leave.
Cloaked and hooded, they slipped out of the Rusted Crown and into the evening streets, the city was much quieter than it had been during the day, with merchants packing up their stalls and only a few stragglers wandering around.
Edwin led the way, guiding them toward a side gate seldom used by anyone but locals, the same gate they had entered from. A small bribe to the guards ensured their passage, and soon they were outside the city walls, the dense forest stretching before them.
The air outside Stonefort was cooler, unimpeded by the large walls, carrying the faint scent of freshness.
The path Edwin had mentioned before was narrow and overgrown, with trees forming a ceiling that filtered the fading light, but it wasn't completely abandoned. The tracks on the ground suggested others used it too.
They moved in silence, with the sounds of animals in the distance, they wanted to avoid any chance of drawing attention to themselves; it wasn't likely but a fight wasn't to their advantage.
Hours passed as the group pressed on, the sound of rushing water growing louder with each step. Finally, the trees began to thin, and the wide, winding river came into view, its surface shimmering faintly in the moonlight.
The sight brought a small sense of relief to Seraphina. Thankfully, it had been an uneventful trip here. She had expected something to go wrong; usually, it did in such situations.
Edwin paused by the riverbank, scanning their surroundings before gesturing to a small clearing nearby.
"We'll camp here for the night. The river will guide us to Vesta, but traveling after dark is too dangerous."
The group set up a small, concealed camp, using the natural terrain to hide their presence. Edwin and Samuel worked in quiet efficiency, while Seraphina sat by the edge of the water, her reflection staring back at her from the rippling surface.
As the night deepened and the stars emerged one by one, Seraphina closed her eyes, letting the sound of the river lull her into a light but steady sleep, she actually felt an odd sense of peace out there.
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