Journey of a Girl

A Proper Education: Chapter Seventeen

Escape could not be ventured lightly.

Credence would have to carefully plot the path ahead before even dreaming of moving forward. A decent sense of direction came naturally to her, and she learned to be observant of her surroundings from growing up in the woods. She knew how to recognize patterns and landmarks and smaller details. She noted the colors of buildings and tried her best to memorize the names on the signs she passed.

Once, Credence turned into a street and found herself on a direct path to the large entry gates she had entered the towns through. They were patrolled, as always, by guards with breastplates and bows, who walked back and forth in endless watch, their eyes looking for the slightest disturbance. Getting to the gate would be easy, but getting past the guards would prove a challenge.

If only she had Ma's book. There was bound to be something inside that might help. There might even be a spell to aid her escape.

But she didn't have the book, and her magical knowledge was limited.

It made Credence feel like a failure. She was the daughter of a powerful witch, but she could barely conjure fire or cast a spell beyond the Circle of Protection.

Wanting to distract herself from these hateful thoughts, Credence decided to present herself for work detail. She had seen a decent portion of the towns and felt content she knew the way to the entry gate well enough. She opened her map and went towards the designated "X".

She stopped before a wood and stone structure nestled within a cluster of buildings near the clearing where the Auction had taken place. It was a plain establishment, with nothing to distinguish itself except a worn sign dangling above two equally faded and chipped green doors. The sign had once hung straight by two iron chains, but was now at a slant given that one chain had rusted until it broke.

Scratched into the wood of the sign were the barely legible words, Hutch Tavern.

Credence checked her map one final time to make sure the "X" correlated with the view in front of her before grabbing one of the door handles.

She hesitated.

She'd been so focused on the Headmaster and her escape that she hadn't given any thought to being under the care of new strangers.

What if the family didn't want her? What if they were cruel?

What if they chained her to the floor and never gave her the chance to leave?

With great trepidation, Credence pushed the green door open.

Inside was a spacious room filled with tables and chairs, all of them in shabby condition. A long counter sat at the back of the room, running almost the entire length of the wall, and behind that counter stood two closed doors.

On either side of the room sat a fireplace, with a strong flame alive and popping to warm the room. The place, which looked like it could comfortably hold fifty people, was empty save for three tired bodies slumped over a bowl of morning porridge, and it was thick with silence, something Credence thought impossible given how naturally loud the towns was. Every time someone moved the furniture groaned like it shared the same ache as the backside that sat upon it.

Behind the counter was a woman who looked around the same age as Ma, focused on the task of wiping the same stain over and over with a rag. She hadn't noticed the arrival of someone new until Credence approached the counter and spoke.

"Excuse me, my name is Credence—" The woman jumped with a startled gasp. "The school sent me here for work detail."

The woman's eyes grew wide before settling into a happy expression, and she slung the dirty rag over her shoulder and wiped her hands on her skirts.