The three of them were sometimes far apart, sometimes nearly side by side. By the time Lu Qi Zhen had more or less found the rhythm, Chloe had basically run out of strength. When they reached the vicinity of the stables, they linked arms again, like sisters out for a stroll at the wrong hour.
Chloe motioned for the other two to be quiet and stealthily led them around to the side gate of the stables. Jahadorei immediately understood. She was the first to climb over the locked iron gate, then entered the nearby storage room and opened a window from inside.
Chloe and Lu Qi Zhen quickly climbed in through the window and entered the stables.
Their footsteps were soft in the dim corridor.
"Don't talk later. I'll find my horse first," Chloe said. "Then I'll take you to pick yours..."
Lu Qi Zhen and Jahadorei were both stunned. "Why do we need to pick horses?"
"Because I'm going home. Aren't you coming with me?"
"From here?" Lu Qi Zhen's eyes widened. "On horseback? Back to the city? Just the three of us?"
"Just tell me whether you're coming or not! If not, go back and sleep!"
"But I can't ride a horse—"
"It's fine." Jahadorei readily accepted Chloe's proposal and patted Lu Qi Zhen on the shoulder. "I'll take you."
Lu Qi Zhen shook her head repeatedly. "Friends, listen to me. There is a road from here to the city, but it's a highway..."
"So what if it's a highway? If cars can travel on it, horses can too."
"Don't do this!" Though Lu Qi Zhen lowered her voice, she was almost shrieking. "God, send a reliable adult to talk sense into these two children—"
The sound of a shotgun being cocked came from the darkness.
Before Chloe