‘Come on,’ Annie whispered, beckoning me through the hole.
I got onto my knees and knew at once that I would not be able to crawl through. My best shot was to slither through on my side, like an absurd snake. First, I shoved my bag through, before putting my arms through the hole and wiggling my way across the dirty floor. Annie and Hamish grabbed me by the hands and tugged, trying to pull me through. I got stuck when my buttocks tried to pass through the gap.
‘Your butt is stuck!’ Hamish said, pulling on my arms harder.
Scowling, I managed to push myself through the tiny gap and get to my feet with the help of the children.
‘See ya, Lady,’ Hamish whispered as he and Annie flitted around the side of the barn to head their father off.
Panting, I leaned against the wall of the barn and attempted to brush myself off. That had been a close call, but thanks to those kids, I’d managed to escape being seen. Now I had to find Hawthorne and get off this farm before I was discovered.
In the distance, I could heard the children and their father bickering.
‘Why didn’t you come when I called you, huh?’
‘We were playing with the horses, Daddy!’ Annie said.
‘I didn’t see you in the paddock. You were in the barn again, weren’t you? I told you not to play in there! You know what happened last time!’
‘It was Annie’s idea-’ Hamish said defensively.
‘Nuh! You said!’
The arguing died away, and I hoped that the children would not reveal what they had found inside Daddy’s barn. I didn’t fancy being shot in the head today.
Resting my head against the barn, I breathed deeply and looked up into the bright morning sky. It took me a few seconds to realize that something was staring back at me.
Hawthorne was on the barn roof, peering over the edge; his up-side down face cocked to the side curiously.
‘What are you doing up there?’ I groaned, pushing myself away from the wall and taking a few steps back to observe him.
Hawthorne leapt from the roof and landed with a muffled thump next to me; the dry dirt creating a cloud around him.
‘You’re lucky no one saw you,’ I scolded.
Hawthorne looked at me as if to say the exact same thing in return. His eyes quite clearly said: You’re the one who is a wanted criminal, not me.
I pursed my lips. ‘Don’t look at me like that.’
He stared and I tried not to break eye contact with him, but it made my eyes water. ‘Ugh … You’re right,’ I caved, stooping down and snatching up my rucksack. ‘Let’s get out of here.’
~
I knew where R?ven lived for I had spent a few nights there during my time in Frost Arch, a city that had been covered in snow. However, according to R?ven, almost all of the snow had melted after the disappearance of Elvira Frost, ruler of the city. Only Jack, R?ven, Hawthorne, and I knew what had taken place that day in Elvira Frost’s Ice Manor.
I wondered if it would look very different, having never seen Frost Arch in anything but arctic conditions. I’d have to be very careful not to run into anyone from the Forsythe family, or their household staff, as I was not very well liked amongst them.
I pushed those thoughts from my mind. I would get Hawthorne to drop me off at R?ven’s doorstep, so there was no chance of being spotted by someone undesirable, like a guard, or a Forsythe.
Frost Arch was only a few hours away when riding Hawthorne. I had to admit, travelling without Jack was much faster; I could make it from one side of the country to the other within a day.
However, I was not prepared for what I was about to see.
Hawthorne landed in a pretty town with cobbled stone streets, and luscious green gardens. Cherry blossom trees lined the walkways, their pretty pink petals cascading down and cloaking them. The air was rife with the sound of crickets chirping and children laughing.
‘Where are we?’ I asked Hawthorne, pulling my hood over my head to hide my face. Hawthorne had changed his coat to a leafy green colour, to blend into the scenery.
He nudged me towards the house before us, and I was struck with a strange sense of familiarity.
‘No!’ I gasped in disbelief, looking the pretty townhouse up and down.
I spun around and studied the street around us.
‘No!’ I repeated, my mouth wide open.
It was Frost Arch, and it was completely unrecognisable. Everything screamed life and vitality. Was this what the city had looked like before the rule of Elvira Frost, who desired everything cold and hard, like ice? Even the wall that had surrounded the perimeter of the city was gone.
I turned to R?ven’s townhouse, which was covered in flowering vines, and stepped up to the front door. I lifted my fist and knocked three times. I waited for several minutes, knocking randomly, just in case she hadn’t heard me.