Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms #1)(83)

“You love that boy,” Enat says from where she sits behind me as we both ride Aspen into Malam. It’s a statement and not a question, but I find myself nodding.

“Yes,” I whisper.

“I’m glad. He’s a good man and good for you. When this is all over, you should marry him.”

I smile, enjoying the daydream sparked by her comment.

A hundred birds whoosh out of the nearby trees and flap away in a massive cloud of black wings. The hairs on the back of my neck rise. Aspen whinnies and canters backwards, fear turning her haunches rigid.

“Hush,” I whisper soothingly as I pat her neck while scanning the forest for the source of the birds’ movement.

And then I hear it—?not so far away, a rhythmic pounding vibrates the forest—?horses. Two, possibly more.

Enat grips my waist. “We have company. Let’s go.”

Digging my heels into Aspen’s side, I urge the horse into a sprint, skirting the origin of the birds’ flight. The forest flies past, gravel and dead leaves spattering outward in the urgency of our plight. Enat curses, and in my periphery a shadow breaks from the trees, matching our frantic pace.

Tomas appears to the south.

“Stop!” Captain Omar’s command thunders over the pounding of hooves around us.

We cannot be caught. The captain, Papa’s murderer, will surely not let us live to see the high lord. Enat hunkers down, lowering her head to my back, and commands Aspen to go faster.

Behind the captain, Leif breaks out of the trees. Three against two aren’t terrible odds. I push Aspen as fast as a Southland horse.

Captain Omar cuts northward. “Stop now!” he yells. “Or I’ll spare the hanging and slice you through now.”

His threat is terrifying because it’s true. Every word.

“Keep going,” Enat says, though stopping isn’t even a consideration. She twists in the saddle, pulling her bow over her head, and—?

I feel the thwack before I see the arrow embedded in Aspen’s neck.

The horse screams, rearing back so quickly that Enat and I tumble to the forest floor. I shake off the blow and scramble to my feet. Aspen advances a few steps, flailing her head side to side as she lets out a horrible cry.

I rush to Enat’s side to pull her up when I see her bow is snapped in two, the pieces sticking awkwardly out of a low shrub. Scattered along the ground among the crush of fallen leaves are two arrows.

My arrows!

I reach for my quiver and notice my bow is missing.

I scramble through the leaves, grabbing up arrows while searching. The guards surround us, with the captain being the first to dismount.

Where is my bow?

Aspen has fallen a dozen paces away, and though she’s not dead yet, her blood loss is a pool of black, staining the rocks and dirt. My bow! It’s attached to the saddle.

“I should kill you here and now,” Captain Omar says. He’s behind me. The other two guards are at the sides of the clearing.

“Go now!” Enat yells.

I bolt forward, arms pumping, to move me faster to my weapon. Vaguely, I catch the shouts of the other men, but my focus blocks out the details of their words. A ring of steel echoes behind me just as my fingers find purchase on my bow.

I spin back to face the guards with an arrow notched, feathers softly brushing my fingertips. Only, the scene doesn’t make sense.

Omar’s bow is pointed in my direction, though his attention is on Tomas. The weasel guard has his sword drawn against Enat. Everything seems to slow like it did the night of the rainstorm. Leif rushes in my direction. For a split second, my attention diverts to him—?and that’s when I hear the cut.

Blade against skin. A short gurgling gasp.

“NO!” I rage, the scene slamming into me in regular time. My arrow is slicing the distance before I even realize what’s been done, flying true to nail Tomas between his shoulders. For the first time in my life, I’ve aimed and shot at a man to take his life. The guard tips to the side and falls next to Enat, who is somehow still standing.

Her eyes roll, showing an unnatural amount of white. A terrible bubbling echoes out of her throat. I sprint to her side, not caring what the other men in the forest are yelling, and wrap my arms around her body to lower her to the ground. I cover her neck with my hand, pressing, frantically trying to focus on her remaining energy.

It’s not too late. It’s not.

Her energy whispers beneath my hand, ripples on an otherwise still mountain lake, fading fast. I pinch my eyes shut, demanding the panic to settle so I can focus as I start to push my energy into her. Just like after the lightning storm.

The touch of her hand on mine . . . oh mercy. Her bloody, bloody hand has me snapping my eyes wide open. “No,” she mouths.

And I know what she’s telling me, but I cannot—?no, I will not—?accept the command. “No,” she mouths again, fainter this time. “Find . . .” A gurgle. “Her . . .”

I don’t understand what she’s saying. Find her? Perhaps the Spiriter? Maybe it’s the madness of pain that’s causing her to speak nonsense.

“Let me do this,” I plead. My eyes sting. My throat aches. “I can make everything right. You were never supposed to get hurt. I—?I never wanted anything to happen to you.”

Enat has moments left. My voice breaks as hot tears run down my nose and stain her beautiful wrinkled cheeks.