Hellion's Reckoning
Chapter 48

Ava should have seen it coming. With Ailog’s loyal soldiers following him to battle, the palace guard surrendered without a fight. They advanced in the name of Sylvis, just as she had orchestrated. The streets swarmed with people tearing down the Prefect’s banners, a frenzy of rebellion overtaking the city as shops and banks became targets of the uprising. The proclamations of the new laws displayed throughout the city went up in flames. City guards, their armor discarded, sided with the rioters in droves.

Hector and Tamil seized control of the palace. Then their pursuit of her began swift and relentless. The traitor who bewitched them. Guards were pounding on the door, trying to break past the warding she had thrown up at the last minute. They wouldn’t hold long, but she was still packing. When Ailog left, she had snuck into his room to get Endolyne’s phoenix bracelet for Ashryn.

Layla, her sleek black viper, wound itself around Ava’s form, coiled and poised for defense. Draping herself in a cloak, she flung open the window, greeted by the sight of guards below, their spears waiting to catch her. With a deep breath, she braced herself and climbed out onto the narrow ledge, and jumped towards the awaiting guards, their weapons raised. She opened her cloak, dropping pounds of purple powder from within. Wind rose to slow her descent and control the landing as she fell several stories to the ground below.

They coughed as the powder formed into a mist surrounding them as she landed gracefully on her feet. One by one, they fell unconscious, and she ran for the gate. Her tiny frame allowed her to weave past oncoming arrows. As Ava sprinted towards the gate, her heart pounded. The clatter of armor and shouts of pursuit echoed behind her, pushing her to go faster, to evade capture at all costs. She couldn’t afford to be caught now, not when the revolt was in full swing, and her allies were counting on her to escape.

As she leapt, the winds carried her over the palace walls. The guards looked on with wide eyes as she soared high above them. The wind whipped through her hair as she flew over the startled guards, their shouts of alarm fading into the distance below. She descended to the ground and sprinted towards the city with a grin on her face.

Dusk Haven was a battleground now, a theater of rebellion and revenge. Her heart pounded in her chest, fueled by fear and determination. Those few still loyal to the Prefect fought desperately against the mobs. The cries of the people, the clash of steel, the crackling flames of burning proclamations—everything merged into a symphony of rebellion. Ava knew she had to keep moving, keep evading, before the palace guard caught up with her.

They had already caught her scent and began tearing through the mob to catch her. “She’s going to warn Ailog!” One of them yelled to rally the mob against her, “We can’t let her escape!” Some stopped their looting and closed in on her like vengeful shadows.

As Ava raced through the chaotic streets of Dusk Haven. The thundering footsteps of the palace guard grew louder behind her, their shouts echoing through the alleyways. Panic seized her as she dodged past rioters and looters, her heart pounding in her chest with a mixture of fear and determination. With every step, she felt the weight of the impending danger closing in on her. She was being hunted like a cornered animal fueled her sprint towards the city walls. Her only hope lay in reaching the other side, where Thaddeus, the wise mouse, awaited her.

The guards and rioters were gaining on her, their shouts growing closer with each passing second. With a burst of adrenaline, Ava leaped towards the rough stone surface of the wall. With two daggers drawn, she dug them into the stone wall and climbed. Her daggers shimmered, cutting through the wall’s magic wards and stones. Layla hugged her tightly and Ava summoned a shield of wind around her.

Every muscle strained as she hauled herself up, the jagged stones of the wall cutting into her boots as she climbed higher and higher. The wind sent arrows flying in different directions as they neared her. The dark cloak whipped and tugged at her, threatening to pull her down.

She looked up to replace the guards atop the walls, aiming their arrows as she neared them. With one last push pulled herself up, the wind carrying her high enough to catch the ledge and leap onto the wall. The guards drew their bows, but she leapt over the side. As she descended, the white speck on the ground came into focus and she smiled. Ava saw the little wand in his hand spinning as she wind slowed her descent to the ground.

Ava landed on her feet, bracing her knees as Layla slid up her torso and around her neck. “Was all this really necessary?” she asked with ragged breaths as the mouse climbed up her cloak to sit upon her shoulder. “It is, but I’ll explain later, child. We must go.” Thaddeus said and tapped his wand against her jaw. “You did well.” Ava smiled and nuzzled her cheek against the little mouse, “Did you doubt me?” she asked as an Elk approached them.

“I worried,” Thaddeus smiled and jumped from her shoulder to one of the Elk’s antlers, “The prince has leant me his steed.” He explained as Ava mounted Fievel. Thaddeus clicked his tongue, and the creature ran off towards the burning forests.

With Fievel’s strong legs beneath her, Ava and Thaddeus rode towards the burning forests, the fire casting long shadows across the ground. The air was thick with the scent of smoke, and the sound of crackling wood filled the air. Despite the danger that lay ahead, Ava felt a sense of relief at the sight of three figures running over the hills. “There they are!” Thaddeus shouted, pointing ahead.

Ava could hear the cries of revolt fading behind them. She couldn’t help but think of the people of Dusk Haven, of the chaos and turmoil that now filled their city. In just a couple weeks they had turned a bastion of purist ideals into a pit of rioting citizens. She had given it the push needed to topple the Magistrate’s regime.