The icy water of the North River swallowed them instantly.
Isla Whitmore felt the cold like a thousand knives cutting through her skin. The shock forced the air out of her lungs as the current dragged her beneath the dark surface.
For a moment she couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
Then a strong hand grabbed her arm.
Ethan Hale.
"Kick!" he shouted through the rushing water. "Let the current carry you!"
Beside them, Liam struggled but managed to keep his head above the surface.
Behind them, the riverbank erupted with chaos.
Lanterns swung wildly as the guards rushed to the edge.
"They jumped!" one of them shouted.
"Get the boats!" another yelled.
But the current was strong, and the river quickly pulled the three fugitives away from the docks.
The water was freezing.
Isla's body trembled as she fought to keep moving.
The city lights of Ironvale slowly began to fade behind them.
For several terrifying minutes, none of them spoke. The only sounds were the rushing river and their desperate breaths.
Finally, Ethan spotted something ahead.
"Over there!" he said, pointing toward the shadow of a fallen tree near the riverbank.
They fought the current until they reached the half-submerged trunk and grabbed onto it.
One by one, they pulled themselves toward the muddy shore.
When Isla finally crawled onto the riverbank, her whole body was shaking uncontrollably.
"We… we made it…" Liam gasped, collapsing beside her.
Ethan helped them both move away from the water.
But he didn't relax.
Not yet.
He turned and looked back toward the distant lights of Ironvale.
Somewhere in the city, Captain Roland Vance would already be organizing search parties.
"This isn't over," Ethan said quietly.
They moved deeper into the trees along the riverbank until they found a small clearing.
A weak fire burned there.
Isla froze.
"We're not alone," she whispered.
A shadow shifted beside the fire.
Then a voice spoke calmly.
"You took quite a risk jumping into that river."
Ethan immediately stepped forward, placing himself between Isla and the stranger.
From the darkness stepped an older man with a thick coat and a gray beard. A small fishing boat was tied to a nearby tree.
The man studied them carefully.
"Well," he said, "you don't look like fishermen."
Liam whispered nervously, "Who are you?"
The stranger smiled slightly.
"Name's Marcus Calder."
He nodded toward the distant city lights.
"And judging by the guards searching the river tonight… I'd say you're the reason Ironvale is making so much noise."
Ethan didn't lower his guard.
"Are you going to turn us in?" he asked.
Marcus chuckled softly.
"If I wanted the reward, I would have done it already."
He tossed another piece of wood into the fire.
"Sit," he said. "You look like you're about to freeze to death."
For the next few minutes, none of them spoke much.
The warmth of the fire slowly returned feeling to Isla's fingers.
Marcus watched them quietly.
Finally he looked at Isla more carefully.
"Wait a moment," he said slowly.
"Have we met before?"
Isla shook her head.
"I don't think so."
But Marcus seemed unsure.
"I worked near the factories years ago," he said. "Before they became… what they are today."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"There are many secrets inside those walls."
Ethan leaned forward.
"What kind of secrets?"
Marcus looked toward Ironvale again.
"The kind powerful men kill to protect."
The fire crackled between them.
For a moment the night was silent except for the wind in the trees.
Then Marcus spoke again.
"And if I'm not mistaken… the girl you risked everything to rescue might be connected to one of those secrets."
Isla's heart skipped a beat.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
But Marcus only shook his head.
"That's a story for another night."
He stood up and pointed toward his small boat.
"For now, the guards will search this river by morning."
He looked at Ethan.
"If you want to stay free… you'd better leave before they find you."
Ethan exchanged a glance with Isla.
The road ahead was uncertain.
But one thing was clear.
Their escape from Ironvale had only revealed a much bigger mystery.