Chapter 90

At the sudden impact, the surprised horses leading the carriage became erratic and scared, but as Idith was an experienced driver, he managed to calm the horses as he swiftly moved himself from the driver seat onto the horse. He understood his master’s intention of him needing to come out of the carriage.

“We’re moving on to the horses, right?” Ilyin also quickly caught on.

She questioned in her head if it were possible, however. She carefully got up in the shaking carriage and estimated the distance between her and the horse. It was too far. Especially with the unstable carriage, she didn’t think she would be able to make it. Ilyin grabbed Aden’s hand.

“Will you be okay?” Aden asked worriedly after sensing her hesitation.

Ilyin quickly nodded to assure him. To be honest she was scared but in her foresight she remembered that she was riding a horse which meant she would have made the jump and she would be fine. She wouldn’t fall off the horse or carriage.

Ilyin looked back at Aden. If Ilyin believed in anything, it was Aden she believed in the most. Ilyin knew that he wouldn’t put her in an impossible position.

“Should I go now?” she asked, her heart hammering against her chest.

“Yes.”

Aden brushed her hair, “If you’re nervous-”

Aden was cut off by Ilyin’s lips against his. He momentarily blanked out unlike himself, the only thing on his mind being the taste of Ilyin. The moment Ilyin pulled apart, Aden came back to his senses and lifted her up.

“Excuse me,” he cleared his throat.

It was Idith that caught Ilyin outside of the carriage. Idith hoped that this would be the first and last time this had to happen. He ignored the glare that he received from Aden when he touched Ilyin’s waist.

Despite being shocked, Ilyin didn’t scream. When she was safely on the horse, Aden got on behind her. They rode on the same tan horse they were on in her dream. Etra had taken the other horse. Almost at the same time as they made the switch came a loud crashing sound.

Neigh. This commotion startled the horses but before the horses went berserk out of surprise from the quake, Etra quickly took out her sword and cut the tie between the horse and the carriage.

Ilyin’s eyes widened as she looked back, a big sword was sticking out where they were sitting in the carriage. That could have been us. Ilyin couldn’t help thinking as that haunting image was burned in her mind. The carriage had completely collapsed and broke.

The horse that Aden and Ilyin was riding went to the front and behind them Etra and Idith followed. It was the same as Ilyin had seen in the dream.

Ilyin tried to look behind Aden’s shoulders but was stopped.

“You’ll get hurt.” Aden covered the back of Ilyin’s head with his hand that wasn’t holding the rein. He hugged her tightly with her head into his shoulders close enough so she wouldn’t see anything if she opened her eyes.

To Ilyin, Aden’s breathing felt louder than the strong wind that was blowing through her hair. She held onto the mobile and the Blue North’s clothes tightly with one hand and Aden’s shoulder with the other.

“Your Majesty, they’re getting closer,” Idith called out against the wind.

It was definitely hard to gain distance on someone who was chasing at full speed. At Idith’s word, Etra looked back. Idith’s sound that was barely cutting through the air. Ilyin looked back at Etra despite herself.

Etra, who sat completely turned around while holding the reins, was holding a dagger in her right hand. Etra swiftly swung back her hand as she threw the dagger with great precision and force. Ilyin finally realized why there were so many weapons under the carriage chair.

The sound of the horses became fainter by the minute. Ilyin could only see Etra. Etra took out two more daggers and quickly moved her hands again. Ilyin turned her attention to the other side. Idith was also holding a dagger.

Shortly after the throwing of daggers followed a loud noise from over Aden’s shoulder. It sounded like a huge crash accompanied with sounds of people howling in pain. The sound of horses too was greatly reduced. Ilyin sighed in relief, it seemed like they managed to gain some distance.

“Ilyin, hold on tight.”

Ilyin flinched. It wasn’t Aden’s voice she flinched at but the fact that she had heard the same words in her dream, ‘Ilyin, hold on tight.’

Ilyin tightly grabbed onto Aden’s shoulders.

Clash!

Ilyin had buried her face in Aden’s shoulder, but she didn’t need to look to know what that sound was; it was the sound of Idith hitting off arrows with his sword.

Ilyin heard a sigh of relief as she realized something probably must have passed by them. Ilyin was holding onto Aden so tight to the point where her hands were turning white.

“Your Highness, at this rate we cannot get away from them.”

Ilyin’s heartbeat sped up as Idith repeated the same words as in her dream.

It was soon. Soon. She couldn’t help thinking.

“Den…” her voice came out trembling. It was more of a prayer than calling him. A prayer for him not to get hurt too badly.

Aden noticed Ilyin’s moving and knew his future was fast approaching. Through the hand that was tightly grasping onto him for dear life, he was able to feel Ilyin trembling. Through it he could feel her fear as well.

“Can you hold off until we reach the winter?” Aden asked without thinking.

Idith, who was blocking the arrows, looked in the distance to check how far they were from the winter. Aden knew the answer before Idith even answered.

“The distance is too…”

Aden didn’t bother to listen to the last part. Of course, Idith was saying it’s too far. It was the same as in Ilyin’s dream.

Aden tightened his grip on the rein again. The time to trick the foreseen future was coming, only a small movement was needed.

Idith hit off few more arrows and spoke, “Even if you reach Biflten, the divine power does not touch the warm region.”

That was true. Aden nodded shortly. That was why he deceived Idith.

“Even then, we go as far as we can.” Aden answered shortly.

Etra slightly shook her head while hitting off arrows. She was holding the dagger she was going to give to Ilyin.