Kingdom Gone

DEPARTURE

No one had a car.

After I solved all of Arcadia's mysteries, the town was more than willing to help us out. They gave us food, clothes, money, and other supplies. But for some reason, no one could produce a single motor vehicle. When I stressed the importance of it, every town member searched again, until Maverick found a beat up jeep with no roof in one of his old garages. Within an hour he had it operational, and we began getting ready to leave.

I'm leaning against the jeep outside the Temple of Arcadus, now under repairs, watching as Circe shakes hands with the remaining Council members a few feet away. She's now dressed in a baggy blue t-shirt, ripped jeans, and a pair of blue converse, which is a huge contrast to what she was wearing when we met. She nods and smiles to them, then walks over to me. I stand.

"Ready?"

She nods, clearly tired. "How long will it take us to get to El Refugio de Piedra?"

I look at my watch. "It's almost 11. We can't use the HoloTram, those mercenary bastards probably have spies on each line, so it'll take us longer to get there. We should make it by nightfall if we use the main roads, then we'll get a hotel."

Circe nods, yawning as she walks around and pulls open the passenger side door. I look down the main road at Arcadia for the last time, the busy workers and playing children, free of fear from monsters and killers. I nod to myself, then get in the jeep.

Before I start the car I take out a tiny box from my jacket pocket and hand it to Circe. "Here"

"What's this?"

"There's going to be a time in the future when things look bad, and I'm not able to save us. If we ever get separated and you know the end is near, I want you to open that."

She looks down at the small gift. "I know you're supercomputer brain is good at predicting variables and outcomes, but even you can't see the future."

I smile, turning on the car. "Just put it somewhere safe, and open it when the time is right." We power down the main street, turning onto the dirt path that lead back into the woods. Within half an hour we are on the main roads, heading north to the Seventh Kingdom.