It was well into the afternoon when signs that they were nearing Hell's Gate began to appear. Discarded gear, broken cart pieces, and garbage dotted the road.
Neve clenched her jaw and repeated the same mantra in her head: we're almost there.
Her lightheadedness had only gotten worse throughout the journey. Neve had even found herself fading in and out of consciousness as she rode. The increasing altitude of the route had made it even more difficult for Neve to stay focused.
As they ventured into mountainous land, the trees gradually disappeared, leaving them vulnerable to the harsh northern winds. They even saw small patches of snow, despite it being late summer.
Hell's Gate was situated on a small mountain range, which naturally divided Asteria and Bluhera. It was the northernmost mountain range in the continent–an extremely harsh place for a military outpost to be located.
It was built centuries ago, early in the history of Asteria. Constructing the outpost cost many lives to accomplish. Many of which were slaves, when that was still a common practice in the continent.
'What a horrid way to die,' Neve thought. Somehow, she could empathize with the many people who walked the same path as her those centuries ago. After all, Neve felt rather close to death herself.
"How are you doing, Lady Neve?" Reed asked, looking back over his shoulder. "Do you need to rest?"
"I'm fine," Neve replied. She was slightly short of breath. "Keep going. We're getting closer."
Reed nodded, turning back to face the road.
They continued travelling in silence. Each hour blended into the next, and before long, the sun was beginning to set.
Neve felt herself grow more and more sluggish as the sky darkened. She knew she wouldn't last much longer–she needed medical assistance and Hell's Gate, and she needed it soon.
Her fever was sending chills down her spine. Once the sun set and the temperature dropped, Neve likely wouldn't be able to hold onto consciousness.
Luckily, it looked like Hell's Gate was close.
"Look, Lady Neve!" Reed called from up the road, where he had pulled ahead. He was pointing up, towards a steep incline.
Neve followed Reed's finger, gazing up at what appeared to be the top of a gigantic stone structure.
Finally, it was Hell's Gate.
"It's huge!" Reed exclaimed, in awe of the looming outpost. "It's farther than it looks. We'd better hurry, before the sun sets."
Neve silently agreed. She applied pressure to Yule's sides, bringing him to a canter.
Soon, Neve and Reed were scaling the final incline leading to Hell's Gate. Despite the initial relief Neve felt, the growing sense of apprehension deep in her stomach overpowered any sense of comfort she had experienced earlier.
Neve could only speculate about what was waiting for at Hell's Gate. Surely, it was nothing good.
–––
"Who goes there?" a deep voice shouted.
Two men stood a good distance away, guarding the entryway into Hell's Gate. Neve squinted in their direction, trying to make out the details of their uniforms. She could not identify their crests–she had no way of knowing if they were her enemies or not.
"I am Neve Rosentine, of the ducal House Rosentine," Neve replied. It was safest to assume they were, in fact, not to be trusted. "I was sent to Hell's Gate on an imperial order issued by the Queen."
Reed trailed behind Neve, careful not to draw attention to himself.
They drew nearer to the two guards, finally able to see them clearly. They were both donning thick woolen clothing, covered by black leather armour. Their chest pieces were stamped with a simple image: a single rose.
These men belonged to the Order of the Black Rose–Prince Hale's Order.
'What is Prince Hale's Order doing at Hell's Gate?' Neve wondered incredulously. 'Is Prince Hale here?'
"The imperial order?" the taller of the knights prompted, holding out an outstretched hand.
Neve reached into her cloak, producing the crumpled paper from an inner pocket. She passed it to the knight, who unfolded it with an unimpressed expression.
The small movement sent a sharp pang of pain down Neve's arm. She sucked in a tight breath, drawing the attention of the other knight.
"Are you alright, Lady Neve?" the shorter knight asked. He looked quite young–around Neve's age.
"No," Neve replied shortly. "I sustained an injury on my journey here, and it is now infected."
"You can get that treated inside," the knight assured her.
"Shut up, Beavin," the taller knight barked. "Who are you to be giving orders?"
"Sorry, Sir Erwood," Beavin all but whimpered.
"We need to inspect you before you can enter," Erwood said, addressing Neve. His tone was marginally more polite, as Neve was higher-ranked than he.
"Go ahead," Neve replied.
Beavin hurried to Neve's packhorses, examining the bags, coffers, and chests attached to them. Meanwhile, Erwood examined Neve under a scrutinizing gaze.
"What are they thinking, sending a woman to Hell's Gate?" Erwood muttered, mostly to himself. "You've got a fine sword, eh? Can you handle it?"
"I have trained with the sword, yes," Neve replied absentmindedly. Her vision had begun to blur again. "Though I am sure I am not as talented as a knight like yourself."
Erwood snorted. "That's for damn sure."
"Everything looks good!" Beavin called from beside the packhorses.
Erwood nodded. He glanced quickly at Reed, who was tightlipped and fidgeting.
"And who's the boy?" Erwood asked. "A squire?"
"No, he's a traveller I encountered on my journey here," Neve answered honestly–and thoughtlessly.
"Lady Neve!" Reed hissed through gritted teeth.
"Oh? From where?" Erwood demanded, his eyes narrowing. "Don't look away from me, boy. I'm talking to you."
"...Kirh," Reed responded hesitantly.
Erwood raised an eyebrow. "And what's a Kirh boy doing in Asteria, huh?"
"He is my companion," Neve interrupted sharply. "And he brings valuable information."
"Is that so?" Erwood mused. He nodded at Reed. "Humour me."
"Lady Neve?" Reed asked nervously, glancing between Neve and the knight.
"Go ahead," Neve said, barely able to focus on the boy.
Reed reached into his cloak, pulling out the crest of Bluhera's Imperial Army. "I snuck into a Bluhera military camp, and I overheard–"
Erwood's hand shot out, grabbing Reed by the collar. He yanked the boy off his horse, sending him sprawling to the ground. Reed cried out in pain, but was quickly silenced as Erwood pinned him down with his knee.
Reed's black stallion reared, neighing frightenedly. Beavin rushed to grab his reins, calming him down before he could inflict any damage.
"Release the boy!" Neve shouted, moving to dismount from Yule.
"Are you daft?" the knight spat. "This child is obviously a spy. What were you thinking, leading him into the heart of an outpost?"
"He is not a spy!" Neve retorted. "If you would simply listen–"
"I have half a mind to kill him where he lies," Erwood snarled. He grabbed Reed by the back of his cloak and hauled him to his feet. "You must be a fool, if you believe this rat!"
Reed looked at Neve pleadingly, too terrified to utter a word. Had he survived such torment at Bluhera's hands, only to die in Asteria?
Neve lifted herself off her saddle, landing unsteadily on the ground. She marched up to Erwood, ignoring the way the world was spinning disorientingly.
"No, the fool is you, if you believe you can so arrogantly ignore the words of House Rosentine," Neve said. "This boy has information pertinent to the country's safety. If you don't release him, I'll...I'll…"
Her vision went black, and the world around her disappeared.