Chapter Thirty-Three
Edith sat rigid in the back of the wagon, her hands clenched tightly in her lap, nails digging into her palms. The road ahead seemed endless, the uneven clattering of the wheels amplifying the dread building in her chest. Her father loomed beside her, his hands loosely gripping the reins, eyes fixed on the path ahead, his sneer barely hidden beneath the shadow of his hat.
Edith fought to keep her breath steady, forcing calm over the panic swelling inside her. She needed to gather information, but each word felt like a step into darkness.
“You said there’s a man,” she ventured quietly, trying to keep her voice neutral. “Who is he?”
William didn’t look at her, his focus on the road, but she saw the tightening of his jaw. “A good man,” he grunted. “Wealthy. That’s all that matters. You’ll meet him soon enough.”
Her stomach twisted painfully. Who is he selling me to?
The thought throbbed in her mind, but she couldn’t let her fear show.
She needed to keep him talking, to learn as much as she could.
“How far is it?” she asked, her voice measured, careful not to betray her growing dread. How much time do I have left?
This time, William shot her a sideways glance, suspicion flickering in his eyes. “Outside of town. You’ll know when we get there. Don’t get any ideas.”
Her heart raced. Outside of town. If they weren’t going far, she had less time than she thought.
Maybe an hour, maybe less. She stole a glance at the dense trees lining the narrow path, their shadows long and jagged in the moonlight.
The woods—they might be her only chance.
But when? If she moved too soon, he’d catch her. Too late, and it wouldn’t matter.
“Why him?” she asked, her voice soft, almost curious. “Why sell me to him?”
William’s bitter laugh sent a chill down her spine. “Why? Because he’s payin’ more than that trapper ever could. And he’s not askin’ too many questions. A man like that’ll keep you in line.”
Her pulse quickened. Keep me in line. Edith pressed her lips together, fighting the nausea rising in her throat.
She had to find a way out. There was no way this man her father had found, a man willing to buy her from him, would be a good man.
She had been blessed once with Daniel already, and it wasn’t likely to happen again.
She had to get away before they reached the end of this road.
The trees thickened along the path, the road narrowing as the wagon jostled over the uneven ground.
She glanced over the side of the wagon, her muscles tensing with anticipation.
If I run now, will he follow? The thought hung heavy in her mind, but her father’s presence loomed beside her, his every movement a threat.
He was watching her more closely now, his gaze flicking to her with a warning.
She had to run, somewhere where her father would never find her. Maybe, with time, she could find her way back to Daniel, once it was safe. Or perhaps, God would lead Daniel to her, and they could escape together. All she knew is that she could not stay in that cart with her father much longer.
“Is he expecting us tonight?” she asked, keeping her voice even though her mind was racing. She needed to know how close they were.
Her father’s eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into his voice. “He’ll be ready for you,” he growled. “And don’t think about runnin’. You won’t get far.”
Edith swallowed hard, the weight of his threat tightening around her chest. She couldn’t let him suspect anything. She had to keep calm and make her move at the right moment. But her time was running out.
The road curved sharply ahead, the trees opening up slightly. This is it, she realized, her pulse hammering in her ears. It has to be now. Her heart pounded as she measured the distance between the wagon and the tree line. The moment hung heavy, and her muscles coiled tight with fear and hope.
She took a deep breath, her heart slamming against her ribs as she tensed her legs. Then, without warning, she pushed herself off the side of the wagon.
The world tilted as her body hit the cold, hard ground.
The force of the impact knocked the wind from her lungs, her arms scraping against the jagged rocks and roots that littered the path.
Pain shot through her ribs, but she forced herself to move, scrambling to her feet despite the sharp throb in her ankle.
“Edith!” William’s roar pierced the night as the reins snapped and the wagon ground to a halt. “Get back here, girl!”
Her father’s boots thudded heavily as he leaped from the wagon, but Edith was already running, her feet pounding against the dirt road as she darted toward the trees. The cold air burned her throat as she gasped for breath, her body screaming with every step.
Behind her, William’s curses grew louder, the sound of his boots crashing through the underbrush as he gave chase. Panic surged through her veins, her mind racing faster than her legs could carry her. She couldn’t let him catch her—she couldn’t.
Branches tore at her dress, snagging the fabric as she pushed deeper into the woods.
Her ankle throbbed with every step, the pain slowing her down, but she couldn’t stop.
She forced herself forward, the shadows closing in around her, the only sound her ragged breath and the distant crash of William’s pursuit.
Just keep moving. Don’t stop. Don’t look back.
Her lungs screamed for air, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst, but she didn’t dare slow down. She could hear him, closer now—his breath, his anger.
And then, for a moment, everything went silent.
Edith skidded to a stop, pressing herself against the trunk of a large tree, her chest heaving as she tried to listen. Nothing. No footsteps, no angry shouts. Just the soft rustle of leaves in the wind.
Had he given up? Was he still following her? Her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out the quiet sounds of the forest. She leaned against the tree, pressing a hand to her aching side, her breath coming in shallow, painful gasps.
But she didn’t have time to rest. Her ankle throbbed sharply, and she bit back a cry of pain as she tried to put weight on it.
I can’t stop now. I have to keep going. She pushed herself off the tree, wincing as she limped forward, her pace slowed by the injury.
She wouldn’t get far like this, but staying still wasn’t an option.
Suddenly, a branch snapped behind her, the sound cracking through the night like a gunshot. Edith’s heart lurched in her chest as she spun around, her eyes wide with terror.
William stood at the edge of the clearing, his dark silhouette framed against the pale moonlight. His eyes locked onto hers, and a cruel smile twisted across his face. “Thought you could get away, did you?” he growled, his voice dripping with menace.
Edith’s blood ran cold. She turned and bolted deeper into the woods, her ankle screaming in protest, but her fear drove her forward. She could hear him behind her, closer now, his footsteps relentless as he pursued her through the trees.
Her breath came in ragged gasps, her vision blurring with exhaustion, but she couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when she was so close to freedom.
Her legs pumped harder, the uneven ground tugging at her boots as she ran, weaving through the trees. The branches scraped against her arms, her dress snagging on the brambles, but she pushed through, the fear giving her strength she didn’t know she had.
But her freedom was short-lived.
Heavy footsteps crashed behind her, and before she could react, a rough hand grabbed the back of her dress, yanking her off her feet.
She hit the ground with a thud, the force of it driving the air from her lungs.
Her father was on her in an instant, his weight pinning her down as she struggled beneath him, desperate to break free.
“Thought you could run, huh?” William growled, his voice dripping with fury. “You’re mine, Edith! You belong to me, and I’ll do whatever I please with you!”
Edith thrashed beneath her father, her nails scraping through the dirt as she fought with every ounce of strength left in her. “I’m not yours!” she gasped, her voice shaking with rage and terror. “I’m not your property! I won’t let you sell me!”
William’s hand clamped down harder on her arm, his fingers digging into her flesh with bruising force.
His eyes burned with fury, his face twisted into something monstrous.
“You don’t get a say!” he spat, his words laced with venom.
“You’ve always been mine! You’ll do what I tell you, or you’ll wish you were dead! ”
Edith kicked wildly, her heart pounding so fast she thought it might burst from her chest. She tried to push him off, tried to wrench free, but he was too strong—he always had been.
A sob of frustration caught in her throat as her vision blurred with tears.
She couldn’t escape. He was crushing her, stealing the air from her lungs.
“I’ll drag you to that man myself,” William hissed, his breath hot and rancid against her ear. “And there’s nothin’ you or that trapper can do to stop me.”
Her mind reeled, every muscle in her body trembling with exhaustion, but her spirit flared with defiance.
She couldn’t let him win. Not like this.
“No!” she screamed, her voice raw, kicking and flailing with renewed desperation.
Her fists slammed against him, but her blows were weak—her strength was fading, and she could feel it.
The weight of her father bore down on her, pressing her into the ground, and for a moment, she was suffocating beneath the hopelessness. He had her. He always had her.
But then a voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. “Let her go!”
Edith’s breath hitched, her pulse quickening as she forced her eyes open.
Daniel stood just beyond the trees, his figure tall, unwavering, and furious.
His eyes locked onto William, filled with a raw, unyielding determination that sent a flicker of hope through her—hope so fierce it hurt. Relief and terror clashed in her chest.
William’s grip on her loosened just enough for her to gasp in a breath. He rose to his feet slowly, his gaze never leaving Daniel. The air between them crackled with tension, thick and suffocating.
“You should’ve stayed away, trapper,” William growled, his voice a low, menacing rasp. His lips curled into a snarl as his hand moved with terrifying speed, reaching for the gun tucked into his waistband.
No...
Time seemed to freeze for an agonizing second, the world narrowing into the space between William’s fingers and the gun. Edith’s heart stopped, her scream caught in her throat as her father lifted the weapon in one fluid motion, hatred gleaming in his eyes.
“No!” she wanted to scream, but the words wouldn’t come.
The deafening crack of the gunshot shattered the night.
“Daniel!” Edith’s scream finally ripped from her throat, raw and filled with terror.
Daniel staggered, the force of the bullet slamming into him, his body jerking violently.
His eyes widened, his face contorting in pain as his hand instinctively flew to his side, blood already seeping through his fingers.
For a brief, gut-wrenching moment, everything slowed—his knees buckling, his body pitching forward as though he were moving in slow motion.
No, no, no!
Before she could even comprehend what had happened, Daniel collapsed to the ground, his body crumpling into the dirt like a rag doll. Edith’s heart shattered, a scream of pure horror tearing from her throat as she scrambled to her feet, her entire body trembling.
“Daniel!” she cried, but her voice felt small, swallowed by the cold night air. She lunged toward him, every step feeling like a lifetime, panic surging through her veins like ice. “Daniel!”
Before she could reach him, William’s hand clamped down on her again, yanking her back with brutal force. She gasped, the shock of his grip stealing the air from her lungs as he twisted her arm behind her, his voice a hiss of pure malice.
“This is your fault,” he growled, his face inches from hers, his breath sour and thick. His grip tightened, bruising her skin. “You always were more trouble than you’re worth.”
Edith’s mind raced, panic overtaking her as her eyes darted to Daniel’s still form, lying in the dirt, gasping for breath. Blood soaked through his shirt, pooling beneath him. A sharp, ragged breath escaped her, her body trembling with the sheer weight of it all.
I did this. He’s dying because of me.
Her chest tightened, suffocating her, but she fought against the wave of despair crashing over her. She couldn’t give up now. Not when Daniel had risked everything for her. She had to fight. She had to escape and save Daniel.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she twisted in her father’s grip, trying desperately to wrench herself free, but William’s grip only tightened. His face was a mask of fury, his voice dripping with venom as he pulled her closer, dragging her toward Daniel.
“You’ll pay for this, girl,” he snarled. “Watch then now, see what you done.”
Edith’s mind swirled, trying to figure out a way to stop her father. She forced herself to think, to fight through the terror. If she didn’t, her father would finish them both off. She couldn’t let this be the end.