Lin Wan swallowed her tears. She forced herself to stand up again, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind. She looked at her bloody hands and then pulled her cloak tight.
*Inhale.*
She calmed her breathing down just a little bit. "I won't let him catch me. I won't go into a cage."
She pushed herself forward, walking as fast as her aching body allowed. The path ahead began to slope downward, leading toward a dark, noisy valley. She could hear the faint sounds of shouting, the clinking of iron cups, and the heavy stomping of boots.
A border town was just ahead.
Lin Wan's heart gave a small spark of hope.
A crowded place meant she could hide her scent. She could blend into the mass of travelers and find a way to escape this nightmare once and for all.
She pulled her hood completely over her face, hiding her dark eyes and the burning black mark on her neck, and walked straight into the gloomy, shadowed valley.
....
The border town was a chaotic, lawless place.
