chapter six

Kiera sat on the edge of the clearing. She watched the survivors from the palace flow out of the passage. More than she had hoped, at least a few hundred of the servants and guards had managed to escape.

she quickly gathered them all together and took count of them and the meager supplies they'd brought. Without some sort of food they weren't going to last long.

"Does anyone know where we can find some food?" She yelled.

She wasn't sure if the silence bothered her more than the message it conveyed.

"How about a map. Does anyone have a map?"

Still no reply, save a few muttered groans from some of the injured servants.
This was going no where. She walked up to the top of the ridge and looked out.

She could see Ankara from here, there were fires scattered across the city. That was one option ruled out.
She continued to survey the surroundings as one of the guards approached.
"Milady, we must move. That rabble will be coming soon."
"Get the people together, we're heading east."
"The nearest town is five kilometers west of here. Shouldn't we head there?"
"Really? Send a platoon to escort the wounded there; the rest of us will move to the hills. We can hunt for food for now."
As the guard started barking commands to his fellows, Kiera strode over to the entrance to the passage. She drew her sword and began scratching arcane symbols about it. It wasn't good for the blade, but she could sharpen it later. Still etching the runes, she glanced around for something to use as ink. She stopped, she could only think of two things that could be used and neither of them were apealing.
She leveled her sword, point to the ground. placing her hand on the blade, she forced it into the ground. she winced in pain as blood trickled down and filled the marks upon the ground; this had better be worth it.
she withdrew her hand, wiped her sword, and activated the enchantment. the few drops of blood expanded, hardening, and filled each of her markings. they glowed dimmly red in the shadows of the valley. It had worked; the Ga-Vok would find it much more difficult to follow her now.
Sheathing her sword she rushed to join the plodding crowd as they headed into the mountains.