Page 37 of Destiny of a King

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.