The road was long and silvered with early moonlight, the silence between them filled only by the crunch of their boots over earth and fallen leaves.
The horse walked obediently beside Sebastian, its reins loosely held in his gloved hand. His coat flared behind him with each confident stride, while Thalia matched his pace, her cloak tugged tightly around her frame.
"So…" she panted slightly, brushing her wind-swept hair from her cheek, "where exactly are we going?"
Sebastian groaned as though the question had plagued him for miles. "I'm starting to feel like we need a change of plan."
Thalia furrowed her brow, glancing sideways at him. "Wait—what was the original plan again? Because I feel like I missed that part while being dragged through half a forest."
He didn't answer at first. His eyes scanned the horizon, and then after a thoughtful pause, he stopped walking. Thalia nearly collided with him.
