Chapter Twelve #2
What about in the other direction? What lay beyond the trees? Mountains, probably, and valleys. Lush forests filled with creatures I hadn’t yet encountered. Like monstrous boars. It didn’t matter what I might face. I had to do something.
Determination ignited in my chest. Like hell I’d just go peacefully.
I karate chopped his bicep and then elbowed him in the ribs, slamming my heel against his foot.
“What the?” Stryder lost his grip and faltered in step.
With him reeling from my sneak attack, I took advantage of the moment and dashed toward the trees to the right. Surprisingly, my legs behaved. I didn’t stumble, not even once. I just ran like my life depended on it. Because it did.
Leaves and vines whacked me in the face. Something sharp cut across my cheek. But I kept going, pumped full of adrenaline.
“Think hard before you do this, kid.” Stryder’s voice carried through the trees, calm but with an underlying threat. “Stop running now and I’ll forget about this little mishap. But if you make me chase you, you won’t like what happens.”
A sharp pain in my side made me slow in pace. Running wasn’t my thing. At all. I was a couch potato through and through. I hid behind a tree to catch my breath. Being out of shape wasn’t the only reason I struggled.
The curse of my weak lungs struck again. A wet crackling sounded in my chest, making me wheeze and clutch the spot.
“You can’t run for long,” Stryder said, his voice a lot closer than before. “It’s not good for those damaged lungs of yours.”
A cough built and rose up. I slapped both hands over my mouth and did my best to stifle it. My eyes watered, and my chest burned. A twig snapped from somewhere behind me—somewhere a bit too close for my liking.
I shoved from the tree and kept running, fighting the crackling burn in my lungs. Small coughs bubbled up, and I wheezed harder than I ever had.
If he doesn’t kill me, running sure will.
After sprinting a short distance, I ducked behind another tree.
It wasn’t the first time I’d been chased and used trees as a cover. My heart quaked as I recalled that snowy morning at the cottage. I’d flicked snow at Maddox, unintentionally starting a snowball fight. He’d then stalked me around the backyard, hunting me down.
And just as he’d been about to catch me, a voice had come from the branch above me.
“Gods, can you move any slower? Come here.” Rowan grabbed my arm and lifted me up into the tree.
“R-Ro?” I reached for his face with a shaking hand, sure I was dreaming.
“The one and only.” He leaned into my palm before shifting me onto his back and climbing to a higher branch. “Hold on tight.”
It wasn’t a dream. He was really there.
“Saving me again,” I croaked, still feeling the effects of my exertion. “First from Maddox and his snowballs and now from being Evan-napped.”
“I reckon we’ve come full circle then. Finally makin’ amends for when I Evan-napped you.” He tossed me a tight smile over his shoulder. “Sorry it took me so long to reach you. Had to take care of something first.”
“I knew you’d come for me.” Although a part of me had feared that very thing.
“Nice job with that hit. Seems the rabbit’s defense training came in handy.”
I smiled into the back of his hair. “Didn’t even need a sword to do it either. Just my clumsy little foot and the power of a bony elbow.”
“Stop talking. Focus on catching your breath.” Rowan leapt from one branch to another, traveling between trees. With barely any light to begin with, it was hard to see the shadows swirling at his feet, but I knew they were there, helping carry him through the air.
“What did you need to take care of?” I asked as his earlier words sank in.
When he smiled back at me, it held a touch of impishness. “Brought the cavalry.”
That’s when I heard the thump of hooves and distant voices.
Stryder yelled before a commotion rang out. I turned, struggling to see through the various leaves and tree trunks. Flashes burst in the air, followed by grunts and shouts.
My throat clamped shut. Stryder was casting spells. How many were fighting him? Maddox and Callum? If a strong protection stone hadn’t been enough to defend against his attacks, a shield sure as hell wouldn’t.
“We have to help!” I squirmed on his back. “He’s going to—”
“Calm down, little treasure.” Rowan leapt to another branch and paused in place, head cocked as though listening. He then nodded and gently slid me off his back. “Should be safe now. The mercenary evaded us once, but Reign was prepared this time.”
“Reign’s here?” I settled on the branch, straddling it like a saddle. Best way to keep my balance. Not that he’d let me fall.
His gaze softened. “Everyone’s here, little treasure. Reign, Draven, and all your knights. Hell, I even got the pup out of the house.”
I wiped at my eyes.
“There you go cryin’ again.”
“Not crying,” I lied, the burning in my throat matching the one in my not-teary-at-all eyes. “It’s just dust.”
“Shadow,” a voice said from below us. “The mercenary’s been seized.”
“Good to hear.” Rowan wrapped his arms around me and jumped from the tree, landing on the ground with a soft thud.
My landing wasn’t nearly as graceful. Seemed I’d used up all my agile points during my daring escape earlier. As I put weight on my legs, I swayed and nearly toppled over. What stopped me?
Draven’s pecs.
“Oops,” I said, falling into his chest.
A mask covered everything apart from his eyes. Which were narrowed slightly as they held my gaze.
“Still wobbling like a newborn boar.” Rowan shook his head, gently pulling me away from Draven and his pillowy pecs. “Some things never change.”
A scatter of leaves brought a familiar scent. Like peaches and springtime. Arms then came around me from behind. Breath tickled my nape.
“Lake.” I tipped my head back against his.
“Are you hurt?” he asked in a tone that told of his barely repressed anger. “I should’ve ripped his head from his shoulders.”
“He didn’t hurt me.” I turned in his arms and lifted my hand to his cheek. “My sweet wolf.”
“My human.” Lake nuzzled the side of my hair and held me tighter, a whine tearing through his throat. He held me like that for another moment or two before slowly lifting his head and looking at something over my shoulder.
“Sweetheart?” Maddox stood several feet away, chest heaving and sword lowered at his side. There was a wild look in his eyes. Fury and desperation laced together, like a warrior who’d just stepped off the battlefield and was having trouble realizing the danger had passed.
“Hey, big guy.” I approached him.
Two steps were as far as I got. He strode forward, closing the gap between us before I could take my next breath. Warm spice and the scent of worn leather wrapped around me, familiar and comforting, just like his arms.
Maddox pushed his face into my hair. “If anything ever happened to you, I don’t know what I’d…”
“I’m okay.” I rubbed up and down his spine. His back muscles slightly quaked beneath my palm. “I’m safe and right here in your arms.”
A rough sound left him. “You’re not allowed to be anywhere else.”
“Ev?” Steps pounded against the ground before I was wrapped up in vanilla bean and sunshine. Callum kissed me everywhere his lips could touch: my neck, jaw, cheek, and finally, my mouth.
Maddox kept his face in my hair, holding me with one arm now to allow Callum to squeeze in. When traces of magnolia blossoms tickled my nose, my soul eased even further.
“Thank the gods,” Briar said, running his hand over the top of my head. “You’re safe.”
“Hey, Doc.” I smiled at him through the small gap between our knights’ bodies.
Callum stood shorter than Maddox but still had several inches on me. Tall enough I couldn’t see over his shoulder. The two of them then stepped farther apart, allowing Briar to step forward and take me into his arms.
“Oh, love.” He kissed my temple. “When Rowan returned from Prince Cedric’s study and told us what transpired, I’d never felt more afraid. I feared we’d never…” He shook his head, letting the unfinished sentence hang between us.
But I understood. I had felt the same. Afraid I’d never hold my men again. Never see them smile or hear their laughter. Terrified that my days with them had come to an end.
I buried my face into his shirt, feeling like I was about to break. “I wanna go home.”
“I know, love,” Briar gently said, petting the back of my hair. “As do I.”
“But we can’t.” Something sharp sliced across my heartstrings. “Can we?”
“No.”
Even when upset, I always tried so hard to keep a brave face. Tears might fall, but I fought them every step of the way, not wanting to worry anyone. But as Briar held me, my walls came down—shattered. I cried like I never had. We couldn’t return to the same life we’d had only a day earlier.
Nothing would ever be the same.
The others closed in around us. Maddox kissed my nape while Lake nuzzled my hair. Callum rested his head on mine. Rowan squeezed in between me and Lake, and my cries worsened when seeing our wolf softly nuzzle Rowan’s red hair just like he’d done to mine.
“We need to keep moving,” Maddox said. “News of your escape is sure to have spread by now. They’ll be sending patrols to search for you.”
“Where are we supposed to go?” I asked between sniffles.
“I know of a place,” Lake said. “My father’s cottage.”
Maddox nodded. “We can stay there for the night and then figure out our next move come morning.”
“Leaving Bremloc soon would be for the best,” Briar answered. “With Cedric pulling the strings, his word is law. No one will ever believe your innocence as long as he claims otherwise. Not the council nor anyone else.”
Pressure built in my chest. “I can’t let you throw everything away for me. What about your clinic? Thane and Herbert?”
“I taught Thane well.” Briar offered me a somewhat sad smile. “He’s more than ready to take charge. You are my priority, love. Keeping you safe.”