Curious, Lilly tilted her head. "Have you ever left the forest before?"
"Yes, but that was years ago, and I didn't like it."
"You can go back if you want..." Ava began, but he shook his head.
"I'm ready to play the role the old gods have intended for me. They didn't put me by your side without reason, Ava."
She smiled at him. "Thank you."
He just nodded and returned the smile, while Lilly was already pointing to the distant city.
"Let's get going already. Walking in the midday heat is no joke!"
Ava's stomach was gradually alerting her to the fact that it was empty, so she didn't mind as they finally left the forest. Now that the greatest danger to their lives had passed, her body was once again attuning itself to her everyday needs. Unfortunately, there wasn't even a fruit tree in sight where they could have refreshed themselves. And all the supplies that Kilian and his warriors had brought were in the backpacks they'd had to leave behind during their first escape.
Lilly became uncharacteristically quiet during the walk. She was probably hungry and exhausted too. As soon as they found a safe shelter, they would get some sleep. The escape and the exciting night had taken its toll on all of them.
Ava kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. "Do the sorceress and her followers all live in the old forest?"
Marcus shook his head. "It forms a kind of buffer zone between her and the kingdom. Her territory extends south of the forest. They've conquered huge areas and are responsible for the deaths of numerous innocent people. The dead weren't counted, but there were hundreds."
Ava was all ears. "The sorceress commands so much land?"
"You have no idea how good the mages are at taking things that don't belong to them." The contempt was clearly audible in his voice.
Ava hesitated for a moment, then dared to ask a question that had been on her mind for a while. But she couldn't arouse his suspicion, so she chose her words carefully. "As you know, I'm not from this world and have only heard fragments of your history. So I wonder, are all those who can wield magic really evil?"
He snorted indignantly. "They are, believe me. They nearly wiped out the dragons."
"I thought that was this dragon mage. Just because one mage is evil doesn't mean all the others are, right?"
"Theoretically, you're right, but then the last living mages shouldn't all be running after Elora. She's despicable and unscrupulous. Anyone who gets involved with her and supports her goals deserves to die!"
Ava glanced inconspicuously at Lilly, who wasn't participating in the conversation. To be safe, Ava ended the discussion and looked at the city walls, which were already clearly visible. Armed guards marched back and forth on the battlements. The towers were also all occupied, and at least ten sentries guarded the city gate.
Ava grew uneasy. "Will the guards demand to search my bag?"
Marcus hesitated. "I hope not."
She pointed ahead. "It's too late to turn back. The sentries have long since spotted us and are getting into position."
Lilly nodded knowingly. "And the stable next to the gates clearly tells us that their horses are within reach. They would easily catch up with us if we simply turned around. Besides, how suspicious would that be?"
Moreover, the city was their best option. Ava didn'tneed to look over her shoulder to remember how narrowly they had escaped Elora's followers. Twice.
"Just be relaxed and talk," Lilly urged them. "If we act casual, we won't be conspicuous." On cue, she laughed exuberantly and slapped Ava on the upper arm. She said, her voice louder now, "Man, that was really funny. Next time I'll go first so you don't trip over your own feet again." With an unmistakable look, she admonished Ava to play along.
"Then you should stop telling me so many jokes so I can concentrate better on the path."
Lilly laughed loudly as they reached the city gates, and it even sounded convincing somehow. She slapped Ava on the shoulder again, ignoring the guards. "That was really funny. But now I'm looking forward to a few relaxing days."
Ava became more tense. If the guards looked in her bag, it would be over. Therefore, they must not arouse their suspicion under any circumstances. As nonchalantly as possible, she looked at Marcus, as if she didn't notice the sentries' attentive glances. "Are we going straight to your parents to talk about the weekend?"
He grinned. "To tell them about our engagement? Absolutely." He quickly leaned forward and tried to kiss her, but Ava turned her head to the side just in time, so it was just a kiss on the cheek. To be safe, she hugged him briefly so their cover wouldn't be blown.
Before they reached the city gate, the guards blocked their way. "Who are you?"
Somehow the scene seemed familiar to her.
