The road to Roakan stretched ahead of them through rolling hills and dense forest.
They had been traveling for five days now.
The carriages rolled along the packed dirt road. The Dragon Maidens rode in formation. The iron-suited soldiers kept watch on the perimeter. Everything had the organized, practiced feel of a group that knew how to move together.
Jake sat in the carriage with Chelsea and Gran Rosalinda.
Chelsea was reading something. A book she'd brought from the house. Gran Rosalinda was dozing against the window with her head resting on a folded blanket. The afternoon sun came through the carriage window in golden bars of light that moved across the interior as they traveled.
Jake was quiet.
He'd been quiet for most of the journey. Not sullen or withdrawn exactly. Just thoughtful. Processing everything that had happened. The awakening. The python. The system screens that only he could see. The growing weight of being the heir to House Raikarndel.
