Chapter 26
Jessiah
“Get up!” Xavier’s voice pierced the silence of the forest. I was on my feet in less than a second, hand on my sword in two. “They’re coming!”
“Who’s coming?”
The sun was just starting to break the horizon, creating a soft red glow in the distance among the dark tree trunks. It provided just enough light to see movement in the distance—movement, and the distinct, sleek black and gold of the Pericius guards.
“We need to go,” I said, already throwing my pack onto the back of my horse. Xavier scrambled to do the same beside me. “Now.”
Rummy was slower to get up, but as soon as she stood, she, too, was scrambling, shoving her pack onto her horse and hoisting herself up.
The constant thud of the royal horses was indisputable. We’d been wrong before. They would come after us. Of course they would. They wouldn’t let someone as precious as Rummy out of their grasp when she had been so close.
“Faster! I can’t fly all three of us!” My angel wings sharpened at my words, ready for takeoff. But I held them tightly behind my shoulder blades as I rushed my horse forward.
Xavier’s horse followed close behind.
Then Rummy’s.
There was no way in all hells I was letting those bastards catch us.
“There’s too many of them!” Rummy shouted from behind. “We’ll never be able to outrun them!”
I pushed my horse to her limits, leaning forward in the saddle and using everything I had. Forward. Forward. Forward.
But my heightened senses were all too aware of how close those damn footsteps were getting.
“Is the king with them?” I shouted over my shoulder.
After two seconds, Xavier responded, “Not that I can see. Eight soldiers, maybe ten, but no king!”
“Keep going,” I ordered. “Their horses will tire before ours.” The other choice was standing and fighting. Three against ten? I wouldn’t risk it. Not when so much was at stake.
They wanted Rummy’s power. They would do anything to get it back.
I wasn’t about to let that happen.
Our horses sprinted through the foliage, breaking branches and jumping over bushes every few feet. We maneuvered as swiftly as possible, and nobody said another word as we let the horses run.
And run.
And run.
“This way!” I ordered. I veered to the left as quickly as possible, and the two behind me followed at my heels. The group chasing us had fallen behind just enough, we were just outside the line of sight.
We could do this.
My heart raced like a wild animal in my chest. I had been at war before. I had fought in battle. But nothing made me as terrified as this.
“Faster,” I hissed. Our horses panted. Our lungs screamed.
The forest was growing thicker as we maneuvered farther, the path becoming difficult for the large animals to persevere. My arms and face stung with small cuts from the surrounding branches.
With my heart in my chest, I pulled back on the reins and slowed my horse.
“What are you doing?” Xavier asked. “They’re right behind us!”
“They’ll continue running straight ahead. They won’t think to change course in this direction. Not if we are quiet.”
“And if you’re wrong?” Rummy asked. Her hair was wild and in disarray, her wind-blown clothes hanging loosely over her body.
“If I’m wrong, then we’re all dead. Anyone have a better idea?”
The two were quiet.
“Good. Then keep your horses calm. They’ll be passing us any second now.”
They both brought their horses up on either side of me. Together, we waited.
And then we heard them. The three of us stopped breathing as the charging group of soldiers approached. I squeezed the reins of my horse until my hands blistered, and one glance told me Xavier was doing the same.
But Rummy? Rummy didn’t look the slightest bit nervous at the impeding enemy’s arrival.
No, she looked pissed.
She ignored my gaze, though, and just stared straight ahead, ready. Determined.
My right hand hovered over the handle of my sword, ready for an attack. But none came. The footsteps grew and grew and grew—-
And then they were silent.
I scanned the trees around us looking for any signs of our attackers.
Nothing.
“Are they gone?” Xavier whispered. “Did they pass?”
I had just opened my mouth to respond, Yes, they’re gone, when I heard one twig break on the right.
My wings snapped outward as I dove my horse in front of Rummy’s, protecting as much of her as I could.
But it wasn’t going to make a difference.
A few seconds later, we were surrounded.