The trip to the High Pass was much swifter than Ashlynn had imagined. At the end of the first day of travel, they reached a small roadside waystation. There wasn't much to it, a small stable, a large cottage that could be shared by travelers and a well comprising a majority of the amenities.
What surprised Ashlynn, however, was the presence of another set of fresh horses held by members of the Horned Clan, ready and waiting to take over as soon as the sun set and Zedya emerged from her daybed to take the reins of the lead carriage again.
"You must have mobilized half the horses in the vale for this," Ashlynn said when Nyrielle entered the carriage that night. She'd taken a small rest in the cottage with enough time to have a cold wash and change into a fresh set of clothes, but otherwise, she'd barely left the carriage since leaving the ancient castle in the vale.
