“I know what you’re thinking.” Jack cut across my thoughts and stared at me seriously, “But it’s not today. I won’t let it be.”
I gaped silently, rather surprised I hadn’t started crying again. I couldn’t decide whether I was more worried about myself right now, or for Hawthorne whose whereabouts were still unknown.
“Jack, the Master will kill me.” I whispered.
Jack frowned, “Yes, he will. But only if he finds you.”
Just as the commotion sounded closer to the back entrance Jack ushered me around the back of the stables, and not through the doors like I had planned. We ran the length of the wall until we came to the edge of the grounds, looking into the deep dark mass of forest. There was no moon out tonight to light our way.
“Jack, it’s dangerous in there at night.” I whispered.
The sound of several people arguing and yelling spilled onto the grounds and carried through the air as though they were right on top of us.
“She came out here with the Healer kid!” One shrill woman’s voice sounded from far away, “I saw them run through the kitchen, Master.”
“Are you sure it was her, Master?” Charles’ worried voice piped up.
“Yes, yes! The new maid with the long, black hair. The Fire-Mage!” The Masters’ voice shook with rage.
“Where did they go?” A man’s voice questioned.
I looked at Jack fearfully as we hid behind the stables, on the edge of the forest.
“Why did she do it, Master?” a familiar voice asked.
“Camryn.” Jack whispered, “She’s not in the stables.”
I bit my lip and listened harder to the approaching footsteps crunching through the snow.
“Never you mind, woman.” The Master hissed to Camryn.
“You really should get that seen to, sir. You’re bleeding everywhere!” Charles’ fretted.
“Shut up Charles’ for god’s sake!” the Master snapped, “Now I want everyone to split up and find the little witch, and bring her to me!”
I was shaking from head to foot, my legs like jelly. Jack tugged on my coat and nodded silently in the direction of the woods. It seemed danger lay both ways, but right now I was more eager to go into the forest, than be found by Sebastian Forsythe.
Jack took my cold, sweaty hand in his big, warm one and pulled me into the dense black trees. I felt as though we had vanished instantly. We crept quietly, trying our hardest not to make a noise or break a twig for fear that the echo would lead our hunters to us. The snow crunched lightly under our footsteps as we tiptoed deeper into the woods. I could barely see a foot in front of myself and stumbled a few times, but Jack’s grip kept me from falling to the floor. After about a minute the voices from the grounds faded away, and could barely be heard. Somewhere above a crow cawed from a skeleton tree making me jump a little. Looking up I saw the bird staring down at us. I shivered and clutched my coat tighter to my skin, my pale blue uniform dress flapping around my ankles revealing my snow covered boots.
“Listen.” Jack said stopping and closing his eyes.
I held my breath and stood very still, straining to hear.
Somewhere in the distance I heard Camryn shouting. She sounded very far away.
“I think I see her! Master! She ran east into the woods!”
“Quick men! Into those tree’s!” Sebastian barked.
I saw Jack smile, “She’s leading them away.” He whispered.
I heaved a sigh, “For a moment I thought she might really be looking for us. How does she know which direction we really went in?”
“I think she assumed we’d go west into the woods, because once you make it through to the opposite side you come out in the slums of Frost Arch.”
“The slums?” I whispered as we began creeping through the woods again, zigzagging through the density of trees, my hand still clutched in Jack’s.
“It’s not pleasant there.” Jack admitted in a hushed voice, “It’s full of half humans and beggars, but we can pass through there and should come out at the opposite side of Frost Arch.”
“I’ve never been past the Marketplace.” I admitted.
“It’s okay. I know my way around.”
“Where am I going to go Jack? I can’t leave the city until I find Hawthorne.”
“I’m going to make you safe first, then we will worry about him, ok?”
I mumbled under my breath and continued to follow Jack. Every now and then I would hear a crow caw, as though it were stalking us. It was incredibly eerie and creepy in the forest, but I ignored that as we trundled on.
It felt like we had walked for a good hour, and I was shivering violently, and my entire face was numb. Jack seemed okay. Only when the sound of my chattering teeth met his ears did he realise I was freezing.
“Sorry.” He apologised, wrapping one arm around me, “Not far now.”
“I-I-I-I-I-I’m fine.” I managed to stutter.
“I forgot you weren’t used to the cold.”
“You’re going to get fired. They know you are helping me.”