The party set out the next morning, and their path opened into rolling hills covered in tall grass, and beyond that they crossed through rocky terrain where the ground was uneven and the horses had to pick their way carefully over loose stones.
They passed a few scattered villages in the distance, each one abandoned. The fields they crossed had once been farmland, but now lay fallow and overgrown.
Myrenne led them without much conversation, occasionally pointing out landmarks or warning them about uneven ground, and they took brief stops at intervals to rest the horses and stretch their legs before continuing.
By midday they had crossed into a valley where a river ran alongside the road and provided a source of fresh water when they stopped again.
Aeris remained quiet for most of the journey, sitting in the cart and watching everything with wide eyes, while Laela and Arianna spoke quietly between themselves and Aiden kept his attention on the road ahead.
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