None of us spoke for a long while after that. It seemed that everyone had something to say, but none of us wished to voice it.
Leaving Calix to play with his teddy bear, we packed up the camp and loaded everything onto Artemis and Inca. After a quick breakfast, Madeline took my brother up onto Artemis and Echo and I got on the other, my friend taking the reins into her hands as we prepared to ride out.
We set off, then, leaving the forest at last and taking off across the wide-open plains. It was comforting, in a way, and terrifying in another. We could see the sky for miles, which allowed for plenty of warning if a cloud was spotted, but there was also nowhere to hide, should it choose to make an appearance.
My brother quickly fell asleep, lulled by the horse's swift movements as we rode. He moved forward and back, moving to the flow of Artemis' motions, held securely against Madeline by her arm across his chest. And then I saw Madeline's face: smiling down at him with such a sweet, loving smile that I forgot to breathe,
The dull glow that shone in her face and eyes was identical to the one that flashed across Echo's person every time recalled memories of her mother and her brother.
"Madeline lost her own brother to Taipei Mortem. She'll protect yours at all costs."
I looked away quickly as Echo's words flashed through my mind. We'd all had losses. We'd all felt that pain. Them, more than me, I realized.
I still had the reason for my existence...
The wind picked up, raindrops starting to come down, sprinkling our heads; our faces. They ran over our hands: Echo's holding the reins and mine holding Echo's shoulders.
Madeline pulled Artemis to a halt, reaching down into her saddle bag - looking for something. She pulled out three pairs of waterproof gloves and then rode over closer to us to hand two of them over.
"We're nearing the beach," she told us while Echo and I pulled on the gloves. "Let's try to make it that far today, and then we can pitch camp and decide our next move. I'm not sure crossing into Canada right now would be a smart idea."
"Why not?" I questioned, slightly irritated. It had been my idea to leave the country by way of Canada, and never once had she mentioned concerns about it.
Until now.
"Crossing the border will most likely put us on their radar," Echo admitted quietly, unintentionally reminding me that I was, once again, out of the loop. "The border is rigged with a security system that scans every person who crosses unless a certain code is entered into the system."
"And with everything, Five couldn't give you that?"
Madeline looked well on the verge of knocking her head against a brick wall.
"Five has enough to worry about at the moment," Echo said levelly. "Madeline didn't say we'd never cross into Canada. Just not right now. Maybe we camp a few days there and then we cross the border. We're not currently on a time limit, you know."
I didn't reply.
Madeline exhaled in something I took as relief. Relief I'd shut up, no doubt.
She looked over both shoulders, glancing around at our surroundings before running a hand through her hair.
"We better get moving..." she jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the cloud which had apparently decided that we could live through another heart attack.
We started riding again, our two horses side-by-side as we charged across into the woods separating us from the final stretch to the beach. We ducked and dodged the branches, the trees not thick enough to protect us from the poisonous gas, so we kept riding.
My heartbeat pounded in my ears and I thought of nothing but the lives of myself and Echo. The lives of Madeline and Calix. I imagined myself channelling all my energy, adrenaline, and fear into Inca. There was something else, too, though: thrill.
Faster, my mind shouted. Faster!
Calix was awake and clinging to Madeline's arm, desperately trying not to fall off as he looked around wildly, a bemused expression on his round little face
"I am too old for this." I heard Madeline call to no one in particular. In the midst of all the chaos, Echo had the nerve to giggle.
Thirty yards.
Twenty.
Ten...
We entered a particularly thick collection of trees and Madeline swung to the ground, breathing heavily. She reached up and pulled my brother off and into her arms as Echo and I dismounted, catching our breath before I reached for Calix.
I held him close, kissing his forehead and running my fingers carefully through his wispy blond hair as he gently touched my cheek with his warm little.
"You're okay, Cal," I promised him, as much for my own reassurance as for his. "You're safe."
Calix smiled at me, instantly brightening up my entire world.
"Don't worry, Nova," he said sweetly. "I'll never be not safe with you here."