Alpha Orion
Hope.
Her eyes darted to Erik, but he didn't notice her stumble. His jaw was set, his eyes hard as he tugged her forward. He wasn't slowing down, and he wasn't looking back either.
By the time they reached the trade route at the city's border, Rey's lungs burnt, her breath falling in sharp pants. The air here was thick with dust and spice, with wagons lining the road in an endless procession.
Merchants shouted their wares, oxen stamped their hooves, and guards cursed as they struggled to keep order in the chaos. It was a river of bodies and wheels, a flood with no end.