Valerie's eyes blazed with stars.
'Who is this man? How?'
Her heart hammered wildly against her chest. Something was thrashing, crashing out, as though it thirsted for freedom and wanted to ride on it for the rest of her life.
All the while, she was held to Lucien's side. She slowly wrapped her small hands around him and leaned on his shoulders, undisturbed by the hardness of his steel pauldron.
That was when Lucien noticed her, but he did not mind. He merely shrugged it off and walked past the defeated Warden, then stepped out of the gate.
The outskirts of the city from the eastern end were rougher, smellier and bushier than they had been at the main gate.
Lucien finally had to put Valerie down, and the two of them traveled through the forest.
The forest plain was somewhat steep because as they continued to walk, it felt like they were ascending.
