The night in Ironvale had grown colder. A thin fog slowly crept through the streets, mixing with the smoke from the factories and covering the city in a gray veil.
Inside the abandoned warehouse, Ethan Hale stood near the broken window, watching the distant lanterns moving through the streets.
"They're getting closer," he said quietly.
Isla Whitmore tightened the worn shawl around her shoulders. She could hear whistles and shouts echoing across the district.
"They won't stop searching," she said.
"They won't," Ethan agreed. "Which is why we have to leave now."
Liam quickly grabbed the small bag he had found earlier inside the warehouse. Inside were a few pieces of bread and an old water flask.
"Not much," he said, "but it's better than nothing."
Ethan nodded.
"Good thinking."
He pushed the warehouse door open slightly and looked outside.
The street was empty for the moment.
"Stay close to me," he whispered.
The three of them slipped into the dark street and began moving north.
The industrial district of Ironvale was a maze of narrow alleys, warehouses, and worker housing. Even during the night, the distant sound of machines echoed through the city.
Ethan moved quickly but carefully, choosing the darkest paths between the buildings.
"Once we reach the river," he explained softly, "we'll follow it out of the city."
"Do people live near the river?" Liam asked.
"Fishermen," Ethan said. "And smugglers."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"Smugglers?"
"Sometimes they're the only ones willing to help."
Several streets away, Captain Roland Vance stood at a crossroads surrounded by guards.
Lantern light reflected off the metal buttons of his coat.
"They can't have gone far," one of the soldiers said.
Roland remained silent for a moment.
Then he looked at the map in his hand.
"If I were escaping this district…" he said slowly, "I would head for the river."
The soldiers looked at each other.
"The river?" one of them asked.
Roland nodded.
"It's the only exit without a gate."
He looked up sharply.
"Send patrols to every road leading north."
The trap was tightening.
Ethan, Isla, and Liam had almost reached the outer streets when they heard the sound of boots again.
Guards.
"Hide," Ethan whispered.
They slipped into a narrow passage between two buildings. Broken barrels and crates lay scattered along the wall.
The guards passed by only a few meters away.
Lantern light briefly illuminated Isla's face before fading again.
When the soldiers disappeared around the corner, Liam exhaled.
"I hate this city," he whispered.
Isla almost smiled.
"You're not the only one."
After another fifteen minutes of careful walking, the streets finally began to open.
The air felt different here—cooler, fresher.
Ethan stopped suddenly.
"Do you hear that?" he asked.
Isla listened.
At first she heard nothing.
Then slowly…
The sound of moving water.
"The river," she whispered.
Hope flickered in her chest.
They moved toward the sound until the dark outline of the North River appeared before them. Moonlight reflected across the surface of the water.
Wooden docks stretched along the riverbank, and several small fishing boats were tied to the posts.
Liam's eyes lit up.
"We made it!"
But Ethan didn't relax.
Something felt wrong.
Too quiet.
He looked around carefully.
Then he saw them.
Lanterns.
Dozens of them.
Guards stepping out from behind the nearby warehouses.
A voice echoed across the riverbank.
"I expected you would come here."
From the shadows, Captain Roland Vance stepped forward.
His gray eyes studied them calmly.
"You've caused quite a disturbance tonight," he said.
Liam whispered nervously:
"That's a lot of guards…"
Ethan stepped slightly in front of Isla.
Roland looked at him with curiosity.
"So you're the outsider."
His hand rested on the sword at his side.
"I admire your courage," Roland continued, "but you've reached the end of the road."
The guards slowly began surrounding them.
Behind them was the river.
In front of them stood Roland and his soldiers.
Isla's heart pounded.
There was nowhere left to run.
Ethan glanced at the dark water behind them.
Then he leaned slightly toward Isla and whispered:
"Can you swim?"
Isla looked at the cold rushing river… then back at the approaching soldiers.
"…a little."
Ethan nodded once.
"Good."
Roland stopped a few steps away.
"Surrender," he ordered.
For a moment everything was silent.
Then suddenly—
Ethan grabbed Isla's hand.
"Jump!"
And the three of them leaped into the freezing river as the guards shouted in shock.