Chapter 25 Ro
Ro
Years of precise practice yielded results. The arrow hit true, lodging into the man’s thigh. Dead center, embedded right in the bone. He collapsed backward, groans of pain beginning to escape him.
Panic took hold, prompting me to move. If he alerted the others with his cries, it was over.
I’d already lost an arrow. If I had to fight against them, I’d be outnumbered.
Also ingrained from years of training, I had another arrow loaded and pointing at the man as I closed the short distance between us.
I stood over him, arrow aimed at his chest. “Scream, and this will pierce your heart before you can blink.” Desperation coated my words with lethal venom.
If my hushed tone didn’t connote my seriousness, the rage in my eyes certainly did.
To his credit, despite the agonizing pain he must be feeling, he fought through it to obey.
Shit. What the fuck just happened?
“Are you with them?” I briefly tilted my head in the direction my arrows should currently be flying.
He held up his hands in submission, brow furrowed, teeth clenched. “Why do you want to know?”
“That’s a pretty fucking ballsy question, considering the position you’re in.” Emphasizing my suspended kill shot, I lifted my eyebrows, encouraging him to cooperate.
“I think it’s a pretty smart question, considering the answer holds a fifty-fifty chance of you killing me.” He gritted his teeth, a fresh layer of perspiration dotting his dark brow. His black hair was half pulled back, the rest pooling over his shoulders.
“Are. You. With. Them,” I repeated.
His jaw ticked. “It’s complicated.”
“I’ll take that as a coward’s way of saying yes. Lucky for you, yes is the right answer.” I lowered my bow.
Despite the rapid rise and fall of his chest, he managed a sigh of relief.
“Where are they headed?” Taking a step back, I dared a glimpse of Alba. Over five hundred yards away now. Shit. I couldn’t make that shot.
The man groaned as he sat up, propping himself upon his elbows. “I have a vague sense of who you’re talking about, and my guess is they’re going to the nearest outpost.”
“Where is that?” Stupid question, considering I wouldn’t be able to point out where I currently was on a map.
“A couple hours by foot.”
“Further north?”
“Yes.” He eyed his injury, blood dripping over both sides of his muscular thigh.
“What’s the setup at the outpost? How many others will be there?”
He gripped his hand around the arrow’s shaft. “Just them.” Then he yanked it free from his leg, immediately doubling over and rolling onto his side. His breathing turned ragged, but he attempted steadying breaths, trying to manage the pain.
I remained primed to use my weapon if he tried anything.
He tore a section off his pant leg, his brown arms flexing beneath his rolled up black sleeves that hugged his muscles.
If he could muster the strength to do that through the blinding pain he was no doubt in, I knew I had to keep my guard up.
I didn’t know what type of training he could have.
Or how many magical abilities he wielded.
Aiming my arrow pointedly at him again, I said, “Don’t even try using your magic. I can splice an arrow with another arrow at three hundred yards away. My speed is equally as impressive.”
He released a harsh grunt as he tied the strip of fabric around his thigh, knotting it tight to staunch the bleeding. “Yeah, I’m well aware of that.”
He glanced up at me, his dark brown eyes blinking lazily. I wasn’t sure where to go from here. Letting him live could be a deadly mistake, but he also could be the answer to my problems.
Reading the hesitation on my face, he said, “I won’t attack you.”
“That’s exactly what someone who planned to attack me would say.”
He huffed. Not quite a laugh, but it was possible his pain wouldn’t let him do it, anyway. “It probably is. What are you doing out here?”
“You first.”
“Hunting for game,” he replied, raising his uninjured leg and resting his arm over it for support.
I squinted, not trusting his answer. “These woods don’t seem to contain much wildlife.”
“Hence why I’m empty handed.”
Could easily be a lie. “You’re going to help me get my friend back.”
He raised a questioning eyebrow at me, the dark hair matching the scruff around his mouth and jaw. “Your friend?”
“Your people stabbed her and are currently dragging her north, supposedly to the nearest outpost.”
He leveled me with a look. “And what exactly do you want me to do about that?”
My lips pinched together. How could he not care that an innocent woman had been stabbed by his people?! Had they all lost their humanity? Gone mad from the eerie silence in the forest? “You’re going to take me to the outpost. Then you’re going to convince your people to let her go.”
He fought to stand, rising slowly with no amount of small effort. “Is that so?”
I braced, ready to strike. “Yes.” My bow groaned at the tension, the string resting on my knuckle pressed into my cheek.
He straightened, testing his strength by placing pressure on his wounded leg. His body flinched, but my confidence built that he wouldn’t be able to attack me without me getting the drop on him first. Slowly, he dragged his dark brown gaze to me, eyes glittering with pain.
I hadn’t registered exactly how tall he’d been before I’d shot him. He stood roughly an entire foot above me. Thankfully, my training with Rav taught me how to hold my own against an opponent that was bigger.
“Are you blessed?” he asked.
“Does it matter?” I countered, arms steady.
“Your friend is, right?” He dabbed his arm against his slick forehead.
I didn’t respond. Incriminating her or me wouldn’t bode well among a group so callous.
He sighed, grimacing as he pivoted to fully face me. “Yes, it does matter. If you want my help, that’s something I need to know.”
Something about his demeanor, his calm energy, the smoothness when he spoke made me question his intentions.
Listening to the others, witnessing their actions, I’d accurately assessed their threat level.
The man before me, though, he was different.
I, for one, would definitely not be as calm if someone had just shot me with an arrow and threatened my life.
I knew enough to keep my guard up, hence why my arrow remained pointed.
Yet, when he asked me about my magic, I didn’t sense any ill intention, regardless of the answer.
A lump formed in my throat as I found myself aware of that vacant spot on my shoulder.
Braxius was a good judge of character, and I missed hearing his little voice in my mind.
If he were here, he’d warn me if he sensed something off.
But he wasn’t, and I had to hope he’d started the journey back home. So here I stood, face-to-face with a stranger, relying on nothing but my own judgments and observations. “Tell me why you need to know,” I said, this time with intentional softness.
“Leverage,” he said.
“Well, at least you’re honest.” I huffed an unamused laugh. Unusual to have an enemy so forthright and honest.
“Not against you, against them.” He pointed his chin toward the road.
“Whatever trick you’re trying to play, I’m not falling for it. Take me to the outpost, you’ll lead.” I wouldn’t allow him to manipulate or distract me, and I certainly wouldn’t take my eyes off him.
For a moment, he stared at me as if in contemplation.
His hands balled at his sides, muscles flexing along his exposed forearms from the movement.
My skin heated when his gaze peered over my shoulder, most likely counting the remaining arrows in my quiver.
He’d know I couldn’t take all his companions out.
“I promise I’ll let you live if you don’t fuck me over. I just want to save my friend.” Did he notice the slight tremble in my voice at my raw honesty? My desperation? His gaze returned to me, and my chest felt leaden as I waited for his response.
Far from safe, I still nearly sobbed when he dipped his chin in agreement. So much of how this would play out was still unknown, but I only had to worry about the next step. Now, that was to have him lead me to where this group would gather.
Returning a nod of my own, a silent contract formed between us. I didn’t have reason to believe him, nor him me, but in these desolate woods, a temporary pact between strangers held the weight of life or death.
Exactly who’s was still unclear. His, mine, Alba’s, or his crew.
Stepping aside, I wordlessly instructed him to move.
He found great difficulty in those first strides, battling the uneven brush that surrounded us.
Eventually we emerged onto the road, no sign of anyone else.
Judging by his speed, or lack thereof, I knew the distance between Alba and I would only grow.
Would I make it to her in time? I had no idea how grave her injury was, or if any of those with her had the ability to treat it. Doubtful that even if they could, they would bother. They’d done this to her, to make her submissive to their will.
Three arrows remained. The sharp, pointed tips called for their blood.
That would leave two of them alive, and even with this man injured, he might have magic up his sleeve.
If he had wind like Rav, he could easily overpower me with that alone, send my arrows scattering into the trees where I couldn’t access them.
Alba wouldn’t survive any sort of confrontation like that.
The man limped in front of me as we continued along the road. I kept my aim on him. If he attempted to stand against me, to draw upon any magic, I wouldn’t hesitate to let this arrow fly.
Part of my soul felt like it was falling into shadows at the things I was thinking on this trip. The things I was doing. Who I was becoming.