Chapter Three
I was glad to be out of the forest. The sensation of being watched vanished as soon as Admon and I left the trees. The enormity of my decision hit me fully and my mind began racing, trying to think of all the things I would need to pack for our journey. It had been some time since I had visited the Imperial City.
My sleep that night was fitful. I had dreams where I saw my mother dying, sobbing in agony and begging for me to help her. I woke with gritty eyes and a damp pillow. We set out at dawn.
Admon had the good sense not to ask me whether I had changed my mind. Instead, he spent a moment taking in my worn appearance and remained silent. We said little to each other over the course of the week-long journey to the Imperial City. I sat across from him in the horse-drawn ca
