The Wind and the Horizon (Book 2 in the Starborn Series)

Chapter Twenty

Content warning: Strong language

It was morning by the time the bus rolled into the dusty little town of Willingdon. From what May could see, the place itself wasn't especially remarkable, but from here the bus route veered off in the opposite direction of where they needed to go. She and Em gathered their packs and hobbled down to the street, stiff and groggy from their cramped night on the seats.

On the sidewalk Em nodded toward a large map of the town and surrounding area that was posted outside the station; it was where they had been told to wait for further instruction. They shuffled over to it, yawning and stretching as they went, and surveyed the lattice work of neat little roads to kill time.

"Look," May pointed to one on the far side of town and grinned. "This one is called 'Dingus Street'."

Em snorted. "Who comes up with this shit?"

A pack dropped to the ground a couple feet to their left. May recognized it as Connor's and intensified her focus on the streets, knowing neither she nor Em was supposed to acknowledge the others so long as they were out in public.

Priva stepped forward and wordlessly tapped her lips as her eyes scanned the map.

"Yikes," Em muttered. "'Loveless Lane'."

May studied the street Em pointed at. "Bleak."

"Here," Priva announced, jabbing at a place on the outskirts of town somewhere well past Dingus Street. "This is the pull-off for the trailhead."

Out of the corner of her eye, May made out a dotted path snaking out to the north from the pull-off. She sneaked surreptitious glances at it while pretending to look for more odd street names.

"From the looks of things it would take most of the day to get to the first lake." Priva gestured to the tip of a body of water just visible along the edge of the map.

"That should still give us plenty of time to set up camp," Jeremy noted with a false cheeriness that seemed eerie after his sneering, sullen attitude.

"Should we refresh our supplies?" Connor asked.

Em burst into laughter. "There's seriously a place called 'Lickkity Way' here." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively at May.

"Behave yourself for once in your life." May gave her a playful shove.

"We'll leave in twenty minutes," Jeremy said, his remarkable cheerfulness disappearing completely.

***

The plan was fairly straightforward: the two groups would appear to go their separate ways from the station and find each other again later at a meeting point. In this case, the beginning of the West Green Crest Trail, which would lead them to the next town on their route.

While Jeremy, Priva, Connor, and Rue divvied up their shopping list and beelined for a grocery store, May and Em grabbed breakfast at a charming little family-run cafe. May took her time savouring her hot tea and fresh pastry knowing it would be days before she'd get to enjoy creature comforts again.

As they left, the pair spotted the others up ahead, making their way to a store specializing in camping and outdoor supplies. The girls strolled at a leisurely pace, mindful to keep their distance. Music wafted from a cobbled plaza that opened off the street; a busker played folksy renditions of popular songs to a small gathering of onlookers. Priva slowed, listening. Her features lit up as she recognized the melody.

"Ah, this is my song!" she cried, depositing her bags at Rue's feet. She snatched the packages in Jeremy's hands and placed them beside her own. "C'mon, boy. You're dancing to this."