Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
FYN
My blood boiled at the sight of him holding her in the saddle.
Soon we’d be free of him. As we rode through the castle gates, I knew it wasn’t soon enough.
The winding path had him clutching her closer to him. I had to keep reminding myself that it was the plan.
But every jolt of her in his saddle made it even more apparent that I couldn’t reach her fast enough if he did something he shouldn’t.
There were few things I trusted as we raced forward. I kept my eyes on her. Every time she looked back at me, I memorized the way she looked.
When we reached the nearest village, she climbed out of his saddle and pulled her sword free.
“The sun will sweep high before you make it to the divide. Don’t stop until you’re back in Nythrel.” Soren tossed a leather wrap to her and then raced off without looking back.
She swung the strap over her shoulder and darted toward me. “Curse it. I don’t know how to wear this thing.”
“I’ll help you with it.” I dismounted and reached for her. “Edward, keep watch.”
“I can get up on a horse, Fyn.” I had barely let her speak before I kissed her.
“You’re really here.” The look of longing in her eyes softened something within me.
I guided her hand over my heart. “I’m here.”
“If we’re ever going to make it we have to get going,” Edward said.
“We’re going.” I just got out of prison, had just been able to hold her again, and now we would race the sun and everything depended on it.
Even the moon’s glow wasn’t enough to illuminate the way. Trust had to guide us far more than I would have liked.
Edward insisted he knew these roads, but as our horses raced down the path, I wasn’t so sure I shared his certainty.
There was no choice.
She couldn’t go back.
I wouldn’t let them take her.
The sheath of her sword pressed into my chest as we raced on. I tugged it to the side.
“What are you doing?” She cried.
“Getting closer to you.” I yelled as the wind smacked us both in the face. “Nothing will be comfortable.” It didn’t matter, though. She was with me.
And in hours we would be free.
As we took a sharp curve, her hand braced my thigh.
“Sorry!” She tugged it back.
Being this close to her was absolutely undoing me. Her warmth swelled through me.
The hilt of her sword whacked me, knocking the air out of me. The moment I gasped, she tugged at it.
“Maybe I should take it off!” It was impossible for her to adjust it.
“Leave it. You may need it.” I desperately hoped she wouldn’t.
“Did you just say I’ll need it?!” She jerked her head over her shoulder, looking back at me.
“Do you really trust Soren?” I asked.
“No.” Her reply was barely audible over the wind, but I heard it all the same.
Every turn we made, I was bracing myself.
My mare’s ears flared in the wind. She wasn’t running as fast. I rarely pushed her this hard, and it had been hours.
Ashlyn’s sword knocked the air out of me again. I began to hate that cursed thing.
The villages we had traveled past before were silent. I recognized one from the journey in.
I wished I had paid better attention to the rest.
Edward’s horse raced alongside Merda as we passed the last. “I think we’re close to Sygil.”
“How close?” Lack of sleep was wearing on me and on her. I could feel her growing heavier against me.
As we carried forward, glimmering golden light flickered through the trees.
“The divide!” Ashlyn yelled.
“Where is the gate?” We needed to get to it for her to cross back into Nythrel.
I hadn’t even figured out how we would handle it if it was heavily guarded.
“We may need to stop and reassess,” Edward yelled. “I thought we should have been near the gate a while ago.”
Leather tugged at my palm as I pulled back on the reins.
Ashlyn slid back into me as we halted. “If we don’t find it—”
“We’re finding it.” We had to. I scanned the stars in the sky, hoping they’d orient the way. It was something I studied long ago, and rarely relied on.
“Let’s try to travel south.” It had to be close. He couldn’t have gotten the path back that wrong. “Let’s go.” With my swift command, Merda raced onward.
Swaying in the wind, the golden light seemed to have no end as we raced alongside it.
The trees grew taller along the edge.
“Do you hear that?” Ashlyn gripped my hand. “Fyn. Tell me that’s not what I think it is.” She leaned back into me when the sound of hooves echoed in the distance.
They grew louder.
Too loud.
“We’re not giving up.” I whispered in her ear as I steadied her against me. “Edward!” I called to him, gesturing for the trees.
They’d give us cover at least temporarily. Merda was too tired to outrun them.
The hooves raced faster as we dove into the thicket.
Sounds of muffled commands carried on the wind.
“Why are we stopping?” She cried. “We have to keep going. Please.”
“I will never stop. Do you hear me?” I grabbed her hand in mine. “I love you and when we get to the other side, you will be so sick of me telling you exactly how much I love you.”
She nodded. “Promise it?”
“I promise it.”
Edward pulled his horse alongside us again. “We need a plan.”
“You know I function far better without one.” My throat dried when I said it. I absolutely didn’t have one.
Her freedom was all I cared about.
She would pay too great a price if our plan failed. I couldn’t let that happen.
I steadied her with my hand as the sound of the horses and the men on them only grew louder. “I’ve got you. I’m not leaving you.”
“You should.” Her back twisted in a way I knew was causing her pain to face me. “You and Edward can go through the divide here. And I will wander back on the path… and they can take me.”
“No. I am not letting you sacrifice yourself for me.” I would never.
I dismounted Merda when we reached the divide. “We’ll walk alongside it on foot. If we need to, we can send the horses ahead as a distraction.”
The moon’s glow highlighted Edward’s glare.
“Do you have a better plan?” I scolded him. “You can still cross. Go if you must.”
He looked back at Ashlyn as she climbed down from the saddle. “I promised I’ll guide you both back, and I will stand beside you, Lord Chancellor.”
There was only one way I could give her the life she needed.
I would hold them back if I must.
No matter what it cost me.