“That’s why I came: to make sure you were safely on board when it left.”
A dog barked in the distance, interrupting them. Gideon looked over Rune’s shoulder. Whatever he saw there made his face blanch. He grabbed the pistol she’d thrown to the ground and shoved it into his belt. “We have to go.Now.”
Rune glanced back to see a group of soldiers and several hunting hounds cross the rail yard, moving swiftly toward them. Guns drawn.
Damn it.
Gideon grabbed her hand, pulling her after him, further out into the yard. But there was nowhere to go. Just tracks for miles, and every so often, parked train cars.
Barking and gunshots drowned out a distant train’s rumble.Luckily for Rune and Gideon, the soldiers were a good ways behind and were firing as they ran, making their aim unsteady.
Another rumble—like thunder—followed by a loud whistle made Rune glance down the tracks.
It wasn’thertrain making that sound. It was another train coming through, traveling down the furthest set of tracks in the yard.
And Gideon was heading straight for it.
“You’re kidding,” Rune wheezed, pumping her legs as hard as she could.
“It has to decrease its speed.” He spoke through labored breaths. “Once it enters the yard, it won’t stop… but it’ll slow.”
Rune glanced back. The dogs were gaining on them.
It wasn’t a choice. They would have to jump on.
Long before she was ready, the train pulled up beside them, engine chugging. Its wheels screeched on the tracks as it braked, slowing only barely. The sound was so loud, it drowned out the dogs and the gunshots.
Rune and Gideon pumped their legs faster.
Most of the cars had windows, meaning this wasn’t a supply train. But there were no people aboard either. Not that she could see, anyway.
Gideon’s hand tightened on hers, as if to say,Ready?
Rune wasn’t ready. The train was going way too fast. What if she jumped and missed? What if she fell under the wheels?
But the dogs were right there, snarling behind them. And Rune’s legs were tiring.Slowing.
And already, the train was passing them by. Only three more cars, and it would be gone.
“I thought you said it has to slow down!”
Gideon didn’t answer. Just let go of her hand, preparing to jump. He sped up beside her. She watched him time it just right:waiting until the second-to-last car was beside him and launching himself at the platform’s rail.
He grabbed hold, the toes of his boots landing on the platform’s edge. He pulled himself over the rail.
“Show-off,” she growled.
Gideon turned back to wait for her.
But it was too late—the car passed her by. She lost sight of Gideon as the next car—the end of the train—pulled up beside her.
This was it.
Her last chance.
She had to jump, or she’d be left behind.
The dogs snapped at her heels. Bullets whizzed past her head. She should give in. Give up. It was useless to try.
