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"That was close." Lynn stopped by a tree, panting as she caught her breath. She leaned against the bark, hands on her knees, breathing heavily. Eden, completely exhausted, collapsed to the ground. They had been chased by a group of assassins, all dressed in matching armor with the Botivan symbol.
"Any idea who those guys were? And why they're after us?" Lynn asked once she had composed herself.
"They looked like Botivan soldiers, but that doesn't make sense. The Botivan army rarely leaves their camps."
"Have you seen any Botivan camps near Avia?"
"No, highly doubtful. Lord Anna would never allow it. Come on, let's get moving." Eden got up, stretching his muscles as he prepared to leave the forest. He took a few steps forward but noticed Lynn wasn't following. She stood frozen, wide-eyed, and trembling with fear.
Concerned, Eden walked back toward her, but before he could speak, he saw it too: a carriage, just like the one her grandfather had been riding earlier, smashed into a pile of rocks. One of the horses lay dead, blood staining the ground. The other horse was gone, likely having bolted or been stolen.
Lynn dropped to her knees, tears spilling down her face, her crimson hair falling over her features.
"It… it can't be… Grandpa… Oh no… Grandpaaaa!!" she wailed.
Eden's heart sank for her. The poor girl had just lost the one person she had left in the world. But… where was the body? Was her grandfather really dead? He scoured the area, but there was no sign of him. Could he have been kidnapped instead? Or was it something worse?
"Lynn, listen—" Eden began, but she cut him off, her voice full of bitterness.
"What do you care? You never cared about me. Why are you even still here? You should be gone by now. You hate me, right? So just leave. My world is already shattered, why don't you go have a good laugh and walk away."
Her words stung, but Eden remained calm. He knew she was lashing out from grief.
"Would you just listen to me? I'm trying to help you!" He knelt beside her, taking her hand, his eyes locking onto hers as her tears continued to fall.
She hesitated, but seeing no other option, she gave in. "Fine… what were you saying?"
Eden explained about the strange letters her grandfather had been receiving from the Botivan people. There hadn't seemed to be any immediate threats in the letters, but now he was beginning to suspect there was more to it than met the eye. He didn't want to give her false hope, but maybe, just maybe, her grandfather was still alive.
"So… what, you think they took him? But why? What would they want with Grandpa? And why are they trying to kill us?" Lynn asked, her voice shaky but filled with curiosity.
"I don't know. But I have a feeling we'll find the answers if we go to Botiva."
Lynn wiped her tears and brushed her hair back. "What if he's really dead?"
Eden offered a small, reassuring smile. "We won't know until we find out."
"Don't make me like you, you idiot." She tried to ruin the moment with a teasing grin. "Besides, I'd never pass up an adventure. I'm in."
Eden smirked. His plan had worked, though Lynn's smug grin was starting to get on his nerves.
"You make me sick, you know that?"
"Whatever," she shot back playfully. "Let's go! I can't wait to get to Botiva!"
They began their journey, and for once, Lynn was excited. It was her first time leaving the forest. She'd lived there for seventeen years, never allowed to leave because her grandfather insisted it was too dangerous. After hours of walking, they finally reached one of the cities in the Avian province.
"So this is a city," Lynn said, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's a little different from the pictures in my books, but the descriptions are pretty accurate." She wandered through the streets with excitement, visiting shops and buying things—some necessary, others not so much.
"You're quite the spender," Eden observed. "Where did you get all that money?"
"My grandfather was a famous blacksmith," Lynn said matter-of-factly. "Didn't our mansion look huge to you? We weren't exactly poor."
"Well, I never said you were. But… I don't really care either way," Eden replied.
"Exactly! Now that Grandpa's missing, all the money in the house, my savings, and everything else is free for spending. Until we find him, at least."
"Wait, when did you ..? How did ...?"
Eden rolled his eyes. "Nevermind . I'll be over there getting supplies for the trip. You know, things we'll actually need for traveling. You find us a place to stay for the night, and try not to waste all your money on crap. Meet me back here before sundown, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, stop acting like you're my dad," Lynn retorted, grinning again.
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