Adelaide

Chapter XXII

Emerald Byron

We are to travel four hundred and ninety miles away from Sic Cytisoventi over a hopeful stretch of eight and a half hours. After a short mapped hike from the citadel, we'll catch a bus; then, a second walk and perhaps some dinner later, the train will carry us the remaining distance to Paris. We'll disappear into the world, where none of the petty guidelines nor the mysteries crowding the school even matter. Sapphire repeats this plan three times over while we await Adelaide's return. I try not to pay too much attention to the slight quiver of doubt haunting her words, lest I begin to hesitate myself.

Adelaide strides back into the commons with hands empty at her sides and a complacent smile plastered across her face. I'm not sure what I expected, but something about the apparent serenity of her gait confounds me. Regardless, we all shoulder our rucksacks and exchange ambivalent glances. I notice gray doe eyes trailing across the four of us to rest on Topaz, communicating some silent message I fail to interpret. He merely stares back, his cinnamon watch blank and inattentive.

"Well, this is it, then. Everyone's ready?" I start after a moment, my voice piercing the awkward silence.

I translate their wordless nods as agreement. The five of us hardly speak at all as we quietly egress the entrance hall and proceed past the grounds property with little regard for the rules we spent years undermining in secrecy. I half-expect someone to interrupt us at any second, yet nobody glances our way.

Pale oranges and pinks lour in the sky while we make our way over the hillocked lands. I look behind me to see the castle evanescing in the distance. When pink soon darkens to red and magenta, I truly realize how much faster time passes out here than it ever had inside Soventi. However, once the sun dips below the horizon, the walk becomes miserable at best. Sounds of wildlife and wind through the trees ease the tense silence of our quintet, but little distracts from the rough terrain. Even where we merge with the curved road, dirt and stones skid from beneath my feet, making a sturdy foothold impossible to find. Nevertheless, no one complains. We chose this.

Ruby wordlessly assumes the lead. Through the darkness, I glimpse a minacious expression gleaming in her narrowed eyes, but the next second shadows obscure her once again. I shake off my concern; her ambition drives us forward. Although, Topaz strides behind her as if distrustful of her leadership. We've been close friends for a while, but something feels different now — with her, or perhaps us all.

Sapphire trails close after Topaz, quietly disappearing within her thoughts for a time, until she stumbles and forces herself to focus instead on each step. Once, she trips forward and Topaz immediately catches her arm, proving all the more how consistently he keeps watch over her. Though he hardly meets her expectant azure eyes, they walk hand in hand from then onward.

I watch my friends from the rear, attempting to appear as good-natured as ever, despite the intense protectiveness choking me from beneath. Every so often, my hand instinctively finds the heirloom pocket watch at my side, and my chest weighs again with sorrow over all the nostalgia I know I cannot expect to redeem out here. Adelaide's presence nearby only amplifies my conflict, reminding me unrelentingly of every single flaw in the loyalty I spent so long defending.

I begin to fear that all four of us seem more and more intent on distancing ourselves from one another as time in the forest spans; our little family will not endure if this mindset prolongs. Thankfully, we soon break through the trees and emerge into a quaint little pitstop town. A worn bus stop rests exactly where 'An Archive' told Sapphire it would. My group beelines for a narrow bench situated near the sign, praying we hiked fast enough to catch the final transport of the evening. After about five minutes, a dingy bus pulls up to the curb and we all hurry aboard.