Chapter 9 #2
Dravic pulled hard on the reins.
Fiora hovered in front of him, her head tilted slightly.
“What is it?”
She held up one small hand, silencing him.
Dravic scowled but said nothing.
Fiora turned slowly, her wings barely moving as her eyes searched the forest.
“They are close.”
Dravic’s hand tightened on the reins. “How close?”
“Close enough that you need to stop shouting at me.”
He ignored the remark and looked at his warriors. “Spread out. No one escapes.”
The men moved at once.
Dravic dismounted and drew his sword.
Fiora flew closer. “You do not know how many there are.”
“I know they have Adira.”
He started forward.
Fiora smiled faintly and followed.
Adira watched the men ready the horses.
Her worry grew when the one who hit her motioned for her to stand, then gave her a slight shove to start walking and after a bit of a walk they came upon another man tending horses. Horses would take them farther, faster away from a chance to be rescued.
She could not let them put her on one.
Glancing around, she now counted five men. Three stood near the horses. The man who had struck her remained close, while another gathered the reins.
Adira lowered her eyes, hoping they would think she had surrendered to whatever fate awaited her.
The man beside her reached for her arm and she let him take it. He pulled her toward one of the horses and after only two steps, she purposely stumbled.
The man lost his grip on her arm enough for her to tear free, and she ran.
She suspected shouts chased after her. She could almost feel the shouts carried along on the chilled wind, though she could not hear them. She heard nothing. Noting but utter silence.
Adira ran blindly among the trees, lifting her skirt with both hands as she struggled through patches of snow and over exposed roots. Branches caught at her cloak and scratched her face, but she did not stop.
She had no doubt the men followed her, though she could not hear their footsteps. Could not hear a branch snap behind her. Could not hear a warning that someone was close, and that frightened her more than knowing they did.
Adira glanced back.
She saw no one.
She turned forward and ran harder.
A hand caught her cloak, and she screamed though no sound came from her throat. She twisted violently, slipping free when the fastening at her neck gave way. Her cloak remained in the man’s hand while she ran on without it.
Cold air struck her immediately, but she ignored it. Her mind went wild with how close the man might be behind her.
Adira looked back again. He was not far behind her and she pushed herself harder.
Her foot caught beneath a root and she fell, her hands striking the frozen ground. Pain shot through her palms, but she scrambled up and ran before the man could reach her.
She looked back once more and was shocked to see he was gone and she slowed.
Where was he?
Her chest rose and fell with her frantic breaths as she turned in a circle, searching the surrounding forest. She looked for signs that someone was there: a single branch that swayed harder than the others that swayed with the wind, a sudden flight of birds, animals scurrying up trees. She saw none of that.
Her inability to hear had never frightened her as much as it did now.
The forest held dangers she could not detect. A man could come upon her from behind and she would never know.
Adira turned sharply, but no one was there.
She moved again, walking backward for several steps before forcing herself to turn and hurry forward. She needed to head in the direction of the castle… to Dravic.
The thought of him gave her courage and knowing he looked for her gave her hope.
Adira hurried through the trees, searching for anything familiar, but the deeper she went, the less certain she became of where she was.
A movement to her right caught her eye, and she froze.
One of the men stepped from behind a tree.
Adira turned and ran in the opposite direction, and she had no doubt the man followed.
She risked a glance behind her and saw another man appear farther back. Now there were two. How did she outrun them? She did not know but she was about to find out.
Adira faced forward again, her heart pounding painfully against her chest as she went to run only to collide so hard with a man that it nearly knocked her backward.
Powerful arms caught her, but she fought wildly, striking at the broad chest in front of her and twisting to escape.
He grabbed her wrists, stopping her futile efforts.
Her gaze flew to his face and she froze… the king.
Relief swept through her so swiftly her legs weakened beneath her.
Dravic felt her body weaken and he released her wrists and caught her around the waist before she fell.
Adira did not stop to think he was the king and no one touched him without permission. She simply threw her arms around him and clung to him as if she intended to never let go, then she pressed her face against his chest as her body trembled.
Dravic welcomed her improper embrace, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her tight. He had her there in his arms. She was alive, living, breathing, trembling.
She was safe, and he closed his eyes briefly and held her tighter.
A man burst through the trees.
Dravic heard him before he saw him.
The man stopped abruptly, his eyes betraying his shock at seeing the king.
Two of Dravic’s warriors appeared suddenly behind him.
The man, hearing them, turned.
“Take him,” Dravic ordered, sharply.
The warriors seized him without incident.
Another shout came from deeper in the forest, followed by the clash of steel.
Adira felt the rumble in the king’s chest when he spoke strongly, and she turned her head to see one of the men who captured her being dragged away. She spotted more of the king’s warriors moving among the trees and knew the danger had passed.
Realizing how it must look with her in the king’s arms, she stepped away, but not far, since one arm remained hooked at her waist.
The angry red mark on her cheek caught Dravic’s eye and his expression changed. He reached up and brushed his fingers lightly over it.
Adira flinched and Dravic went still.
Anger rose in his eyes as he looked in the direction his warriors had taken the prisoner.
“Who struck you?” he demanded.
Adira watched his lips move but did not understand.
Dravic pointed to her cheek, then fisted his hand and gestured as if striking.
Understanding dawned and Adira looked toward the man being dragged away.
That was all Dravic needed. He turned, his arm falling away from her waist.
Adira grabbed his arm.
Dravic looked down at her hand, then at her.
She shook her head.
His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. Dravic wanted his blood spilled across the snow for daring to take what belonged to him.
Adira stepped closer and rested her hand against his chest. The rage in him did not disappear, neither did the fear he had felt for her. It was there, strong, and she could not help but turn a soft smile on him.
Dravic stared at her, his feelings conflicted. Anger. Relief. Worry. And a feeling he could not define but seemed stronger than all the others.
She shivered and he immediately removed his fur-lined cloak and wrapped it around her, pulling it closed beneath her chin before taking her hand firmly in his.
“Stay with me.”
Adira could not hear the command. She did not need to. Her fingers curled tightly around his.
Dravic turned to his warriors as Fiora fluttered down to land on a nearby branch.
“Three captured,” one of his men reported. “One dead. We search for the others.”
“Find them,” Dravic commanded, snow starting to fall around them.
The warriors rushed off.
Dravic looked at Adira.
She stood wrapped in his cloak, her cheek bruised, her hair tangled, and her face scratched from branches. Yet she looked at him with such complete trust that something tightened painfully in his chest.
He had found her. The thought should have brought relief. Instead, he found himself thinking of how easily he might not have.
Dravic tightened his hold on her hand.
He would never allow anyone to take her from him again.