I stared at Ishmael as my heart pounding in my chest. I was free! I had successfully escaped from Lord Alecai and I had found Kane again. The warm tears of relief slipped from my eyes to make cool tracks on my cheeks. When I'd awoken to the steady plodding of the horse's hooves, I'd really thought Lord Alecai had won.
I marveled at how handsome Kane and Ishmael were as I tiredly thought of our next move. We both needed rest, but it would be dangerous to rest in a village or town because Kane was a wanted criminal. Judging by the landscape, the rolling fields, we were also heading west. To the west of the Summer Palace, I remembered, was nothing but farmland for miles. We would be hard pressed to find a village for some time. And it was dangerous to be traveling on the road. We should head North, through the fields and then cut East to reach the Rykal Mountains and the Occhiosmead Forest. They were our best bet for safety.
