Bounded To You (Star-Crossed)

Chapter 23 - Retreat

CHAPTER 23:  RETREAT

It was early in the morning when Noah and Lucius stole the car keys from Tobias's lab, going to the newest one parked outside. Lucius was impressed with all of Tobias's inventions, many making life easier. As much as he preferred horses, cars were a great way to get around. Once they were in it, Noah started it, thanking god that the house was big and almost all the rooms were on the other side of the villa to hear the roar of the engine. He drove it through the path in the forest, away from the villa and through the barrier.

"Are you sure about this?" Lucius asked, reaching over to take Noah's hand.

"Very." Noah said, turning to him with a smile before continuing.

Not everyone had a car. Only the highest class were ones with the machine, as it took too long to make, and was challenging to engineer each piece of it, making it only available to the rich and wealthy. Not everyone had alchemy on their side like they did, where Tobias only needed the metal to create whatever he needed before putting it together. He usually liked to avoid using his alchemy, saying he'd rather do it himself, but sometimes there was no avoiding it. Especially with new inventions.

The paths were empty so early in the morning. It took them an hour to get to the closest town to them. It was where Eglar's main city once stood. A culture and history lost to everyone in the new world. Now there were structures foreign to the time they came from, completely alien to whomever was raised and grew up during Eglar's time.

"Honestly, I've forgotten what the world looks like." Lucius muttered, his eyes taking everything in, "So much has changed in the years from when I'd first came to you. It's been so long since I've left the house by the lake."

"We weren't able to see much on our last mission."

"That's what you get when you avoid main roads." Lucius said with a chuckle, "Still, nothing compares to our lake."

"Not even all the modern advancements?" Noah asked, having read one of the many newspapers Tobias makes sure to get whenever he goes into town. He loved learning how his inventions helped the world.

"They all originate from the mansion. Coming here changes nothing but us seeing other faces." Lucius said, "Do you feel it, Noah? Eglar's soul..."

Noah smiled, glancing at him as he said, "It's the air around here. The one thing that will never change."

"I hope you are right. It's the only thing left of what our kingdom once was... it was such a beautiful place."

"Indeed it was." Noah muttered.

***

Ira pulled on her robe, going down stairs towards Lazarus's room, knocking on the door urgently.

"Blayth, I will make breakfast when I wake up!" Lazarus said from the other side.

"It's me." Ira called, "Someone left the barrier." She said the moment he opened the door.

"You're sure left and not entered?" Lazarus asked.

"Certain." She replied with a grim nod.

"Call everyone. Let's see who left." Lazarus said, going to the main entrance, about to check on the horses when he noticed a car missing.

"What's going on?" Edmur asked when he was in the living room, looking sleepy.

"Is Tobias here?" Lazarus asked, turning around to face him.

"Yes. He's getting dressed." Edmur said, taking a seat on the couch, watching the rest starting to come down the steps, all seeming sleepy.

"It's Noah and Lucius." Ira said, hurrying down behind them, handing Lazarus the paper she found on the bed, "Found this in their room."