Chapter Eleven #2
She shoves me away from the camp. Panic fills our bones as I look around at the disarray. Before we can run any farther, a hooded man steps in front of us.
“Ah, ah, ah, and where do you sweets think you’re going?
” He asks, flipping his hood down. Half of his face is covered by a dark cloth.
Kohl lines his eyes, giving him a menacing appearance.
The masked man holds his bow carelessly on the back of his shoulders. He swings an arrow with his other hand.
“Please,” Raia starts. “We’re just traveling through. We mean no harm, honestly.”
The man chuckles. Humor laces his dark eyes. “Fear not, little lovey. We won’t hurt ya,” he pauses. “Much. Come along with me.”
With that, he turns his back towards us, cackling as he starts moving towards the camp. My eyebrows raise as I follow his movements. I glance at my best friend. Worry fills her eyes. Have we traded one master and keeper for another?
“Do-don’t hurt us. We haven’t done anything wrong.” Raia says again, nervously. She grips my arm tightly in apprehension.
“Come on, now. You can trust us,” the man cracks.
“You killed those men,” I respond tartly.
“Ahh, friends of yours?” He asks.
“Not quite,” Raia mumbles.
“Didn’t look like it,” the man snickers again. “The name’s Wyll,” he turns around and winks.
Wyll pauses at the fire in the middle of our camp. I try to ignore the bodies of the men. Most of the guards are dead, while two still alive are being held at knife point. A masked man rifles through the coach and the luggage that accompanied it, teasing the guard with every coin he found.
Maisie stands by the fire, shaking like a leaf. She hugs herself tightly, her arms wrapped around her middle. Maisie looks as if she wishes she could disappear.
“Irric!” Wyll shouts at the masked man who holds the guard at knife point. “Got more prisoners for you to keep. Should probably check them over. Looks like our friend Horace is a bit of a rough lover.”
Irric motions the guards to move towards the fire. He shoves them down to their knees and motions for us to sit beside them.
“We’re fine,” I tell him before he can get any closer. “We don’t need your help.”
Someone lets out a snort from the trees.
A hooded man lounges on a thick tree branch, watching the entire event unfold.
His left foot swings as he picks apart an apple with his knife.
The man wears a forest green hood, black trousers, and brown leather knee high boots.
“Not sure that matters anymore now. You’re ours.
It would be foolish if we didn’t check our newly acquired goods over. ”
I recoil, taking a small step back. “We belong to no one.”
“Well that’s not quite true, is it?” The hooded man asks. His leg still casually swings from the tree. “Traveling with two skin traders and a small contingent of the royal guard, with,” he pauses dramatically. “A coach from one of the richest estates in the kingdom.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snap, trying to sound more confident.
“I don’t, do I? Then by all means, tell me where I’m wrong.” He jumps down from the tree, tossing the apple core in the bushes, and saunters towards us. I feel as if I’m a small prey trapped in a dangerous predator's gaze.
“We’re traveling to Eldsford Keep to see the Prince. We’re seamstresses, that’s all,” I explain to the stranger, hoping he’d take my lie and let us go.
“Rightya are, lovey,” Wyll cracks. “And I’m a lawman, taking care of the Grove one mangy thief at a time.” The rest of the men chuckle.
“And I’m a tree trimmer,” the man he called Irric goads. I look from Wyll to Irric and back. The two look eerily similar, almost two identical copies of each other.
“What’s wrong, lovey?” Wyll asks. “Never seen a pair of twins as handsome as us?”
“Ach, quitya gigglin’ an’ clownin’ around, you idiots,” one of the men snaps. He holds two bags he stole from the coach. “We’ve got a bounty to count and these maids to get rid of. What are we going to do, Rhylen?”
“The Prince is expecting us,” I try to tell them. “He’ll be angry if we don’t arrive on time.”
The hooded man smiles. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”
He turns towards the two still standing near the coach.
“Argus, gather whatever supplies we can use. Irric and Wyll, see to it our lovely ladies are attended to. Ewan, kill the other guard and send ole princey our regards by way of this one. Release the horses, they’ll find their way home.
I’m sure our guard friend will be ecstatic to pass on the message. ”
“Wait!” The guard condemned to his death holds his hands up in surrender. “Please don’t kill us. We can help. We’ll do whatever. We, we, we know things. Please have mercy.”
Rhylen sighs, pulling his hood down. My heart stirs at the handsome rogue. His deep brown hair is tousled, like he often runs his fingers through the top of it. I catch myself staring and quickly look away. Shame filling my chest as I hurry to think of Oli back home.
He stomps over to the guard, slicing his neck open without a second thought. The guard collapses at his feet. “Pile the bodies in the coach and send our friend on his way.”
I stare at the monster in front of me, completely horrified. My jaw is slack.
“He begged for mercy. He didn’t want to die. What is wrong with you?” Disgust drips from my words.
“Did you want me to let them rape you, then? Because once Milo was done, Horace would have been next. These guards wouldn’t have been able to help themselves. The temptation is too much, after all. Should I have stayed back?”
“How do you know them?”
“None of that concerns you.”
“You won’t get away with this,” I warn them.
Wyll and Irric share a look between each other and cackle.
“Oh, lovey. Do you know who we are?” There’s a twinkle in Wyll’s eye. Raia’s jaw drops.
“Yo-you’re rebels. The rebels. You’re the Hood and his men. You’re practically leading the rebellion,” she stammers.
Her eyes light with hope, despite the horror in her voice. My heart pounds violently, as if it’s going to beat out of my chest; the fear threatening to swallow me whole.
“I’m honored,” Wyll bows. “Leading the rebellion. Didya hear that Rhylen? We’re leading it!”
Rhylen rolls his mahogany brown eyes. It’s hard to ignore the attractive male that towers before me. I quickly tamp down any thoughts of our capturer, feeling my cheeks get hot. While his tousled brown hair and eyes are something to look at, his attitude leaves a lot to be desired.
Get yourself together, Isla.
“Saddle up the horses, we’re leaving before the wisps get too adventurous.” His men nod their heads and promptly go to work.
“Wisps?” I ask before I can help it.
“Things in these woods would love a lass like yaself,” Argus explains. He walks away as if that explains everything.
“No one has seen a wisp in decades.”
No one else responds. Rhylen proceeds to ignore Raia and I after his directions. Resentment and hatred rushes through me at the thief that has ruined everything. “We’re not going anywhere with you.”
“And what makes you think you have the power to say no?”
Raia sighs, shaking her head. “Isla, please. Stop being so stubborn. Oliver isn’t coming.” Rhylen watches both of us; an eyebrow raised in intrigue.
I rub my temples. “You just don’t get it.”
“No, you’re right. I don’t get it. I don’t understand how you can love someone you barely know. Someone who has been disguising who he is for years. Someone who was lying to you,” Raia snaps. “Oliver thrives on the superiority he has over you. He’s best friends with the prince. Wake up, Isla!”
“Best friends with the prince, you say?” Rhylen asks, apparently tired of watching our conversation. He’s leaning casually against a tree. His arms are crossed as he watches our exchange. At being addressed, Raia clamps her mouth shut.
“We wouldn’t be talking about The Captain Oliver Cahir, the esteemed captain, the spare heir of the Cahir Estate?” He asks as he stalks towards us.
“We weren’t talking to you,” I answer coolly.
“Awfully brave to be so bold to your new owner,” Rhylen retorts.
“You don’t own me,” I reply testily.
“Doesn’t look that way from here. What’s the saying? Finders keepers. I found you, therefore you’re mine.”
I roll my eyes. Ignoring him and the buzz from his words, I look back at Raia. I can’t stand the pity in her gaze.
“He’ll come for us,” I whisper, the fight bleeding out of me. I can’t help the doubt that begins to fill its place.
“As touching as all of this is, we need to go.” Rhylen insists. “You,” he points to me. “You’re riding with me.”
“My name is Isla,” I snap.
“Don’t care. Didn’t ask,” he shrugs, walking away from me.
“Who am I riding with?” Raia asks.
Rhylen looks back over his shoulder, “Ewan.”
Raia nods, gathering the little stuff she has and follows Rhylen. I look at both of them in disbelief. How can she just go with them? Accept her fate? How could this have happened? Not even two days ago, I was in Oli’s arms. Now, I don’t think I’ll ever see him again.