Though not yet full, the moon gave Alex enough light to navigate the overgrowth of the tree line, where she would remain until the suns rose to begin the day anew. She treaded carefully, knowing that one false step could cause her serious injury, or worse, so she was mindful of where she placed her feet, and she took her time. Her adrenaline kept her moving forward, and as it kept getting darker, it felt as though her feet were the only part of her that remained stable.

She was uncertain as to how much time had passed. For all she knew, she could have been walking for hours. Her plan was to circle around far enough to arrive on the stable's side of the castle, and if her instincts were correct, she would soon arrive at the base of the mountain that provided the castle's backdrop. From there she would sneak into the stables and wait. She tried not to think about any other details, but only that she get there, and get there fast.

She crept among the underbrush, careful of the upraised roots and hidden sinkholes. Her boots had caught a couple of times, and had she been moving any faster than her over-cautious pace, she would have tripped and found herself in a dire predicament. Luckily, she was able to catch herself when she was rendered off balance, and thanks to the extent of the overgrowth, was able to support herself on nearby trees as often as she needed.

That said nothing about the overgrown thorn patches that pulled at her hair and tore at her clothes. Every so often she'd reach up to make sure the delicate comb remained in place; at that moment, its well-being mattered more than hers.

She was especially careful not to be seen, and only one patrol passed by as she neared the castle. It felt like an eternity as she held her breath and hugged a tree to keep herself hidden, but her presence remained unnoticed as they walked away. She waited until it seemed as though they wouldn't be returning before moving again. As the dim sunlight of the suns' dawn broke through the overcast sky, the stables came into view. She knew this was her chance.

Crouching down as low as her body would allow, she sneaked from the safety of the overgrowth's cover to the base of the mountainous rock wall. If she remembered correctly, the wall would lead her around to the stables, whose steps would bring her to the lower depths of the castle, where she would hide until it was time to proceed.

But first she needed to get to the stables. Soon she'd be betrayed by the daylight, so she needed to get moving with her plan regardless of how hard her heart pounded in her chest.

Making sure the coast was clear from all directions, with her hand on her knife, she moved away from the protection of the overgrowth to follow along the edge of the mountainside. She crept along the wall slowly, and when no patrol returned, she took advantage of her unanticipated freedom and moved faster as she kept her back against the wall. Keeping her peripheral vision clear on both sides but constantly moving forward with one foot in front of the other, she came to the corner of the wall and knew, by the sounds and smells of the horses, that the stables were on the other side.

She was so close.

Everything they had endured, and all she had suffered through, would soon be vindicated. Reylor would answer for his crimes and would serve out his sentence by her hand.

Lost among her daydreams, Alex's impulsiveness got the better of her, and as she turned the corner to the stables, she was greeted by a welcome party with swords in their hands and arrows nocked on their bows.

At the head of the mob, Reylor smirked in the firelight.

"Empress, how nice to see you again."