Page 227 of The Lost Ones

“Thank you so much Toby. You and your family have gone above and beyond.” I say gratefully.

When the opportunity presents itself we will definitely be coming back here.

“Here,” Sage says, handing him four gold coins.

Kysen grins as Toby’s eyes widen in shock. I have feeling she’s just given him the equivalent to an awful lot of money.

“Half now and half when we get back.” She says firmly when he tries to argue with her.

There’s no point she’s set on helping the people, so she will.

“Thank you, miss.” He says gratefully sensing a lost battle before he’s even tried to fight it.

She smiles and follows Hunter as we all start to leave. We quickly load up the horses and then set off. The whole town is yet to wake, the sun only just starting to light the sky. We needed to make an early start, if we can manage to check the place out and get Kysen’s brothers to us then there is a small chance that we could rescue them tonight.

That would be the ideal situation anyway and the shortcuts we’ve found should help immensely in getting the guys to us.

Instead of following the wide entry road that we came into the town on we make our way through the cobbled streets as if we were going to ride into the centre of town but five minutes before we get there we follow Kysen down a small turning. Cobbled streets turn into packed dirt and it’s not long before we reach the woods and the path running through them.Although not as wide as the paths we’ve been travelling so far it is still wide enough for us to travel on horseback and hopefully just about wide enough to bring the carts and carriages back.

“Alright guys, from here we just head straight and it should lead us to the woods surrounding the walls of the Cursed City. So lets kick it up a notch and see how fast we can make it.” Kysen suggests.

My horse snorts as his muscles bunch preparing to set off. Almost as if he understands what Kysen has just said. There’s something just that bit extra about them. It would hardly surprise me to find out that they had a magic of their own. I know that they have been used to bring students and instructors through portals to the Fae and Demon realms before and it makes me wonder if maybe they’ve picked up magic whilst travelling through the portals. Like some residual magic clings to them and because of that it’s changed them.

If I remember, I’ll have to look it up when we get to the academy.

Kysen urges his horse into a gallop and the others follow with no encouragement, I’m the last to follow making sure I have eyes on everyone.

“Watch out for low hanging branches.” Hunt calls back as he barely manages to duck one in time.

“Good call.” Kai calls back amusement clear in his tone even over the sound of the rushing wind and the horses hooves.

After that there’s not much opportunity to talk. Unsurprisingly our horses make it to the edge of the forest surrounding the Cursed City in less time than they should’ve and they don’t even seem to be winded.

We pull the horses to a stop well within the edge of the trees so there’s no chance that they’re going to be spotted.

“We’ll leave the horses here so that we can move more stealthily and are less likely to be seen.” I explain out loud as everyone starts to dismount and Sage gets this cute little furrow in between her eyebrows. The one she gets when she’s confused about something.

“Hunt do you think you could tell them that if anyone comes they need to make themselves scarce but meet back here in an hour or so. Or wait for you to call them back?” Jax suggests, I watch impressed as he pulls a droplet of water from a nearby leaf and starts playing with it absently. “My gift is growing its becoming much easier.” He explains when he catches me watching him.

“That is so cool.” Sage says, clearly impressed and making Jax practically glow from the compliment.

He spent so long being scared of other peoples reactions to his scars, even if they were hidden that he’s not used to the open affection that Sage gives him. I am so happy that he gets it now. He deserves it.

“That sounds like a great idea, at least it would be if I knew how to do it.” Hunter replies scrubbing his hand through his hair a sure sign that he’s starting to get frustrated.

“I don’t know what to suggest. We haven’t learnt much about your giftyet. Only what I’ve already told you.” Kysen shrugs.

“Just follow your instinct.” Sage suggests walking up to him and placing her hand on his chest, his face softens as he gazes down at her. “It’s worked so far. It’s worth a try.” She shrugs.

He holds her hand to his chest right above his heart as he bends down and kisses her. His supernatural size is truly impressive and it makes me grin when I notice that he has to bend his knees slightly in order to kiss her properly even though she’s on her tiptoes.

“Alright Sweetheart.” He says when he pulls back. “It’s worth a shot.”

We all stand silently as we watch him close his eyes and take a deep breath. I can’t see what he’s doing but from the look on wonder on Sage’s face I’d guess that she can see something that we can’t. After a few moments Hunt’s horse comes up to him and nudges his chest with its head. Hunter opens his eyes and gently strokes the horses nose. The horse snorts before turning around and trotting off through the trees the other horses following him.

“I think it worked.” Hunter says.

“Well I’d say they definitely understood something.” I say, smiling.