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“Where are her shoes, Guild?”

His jaw flexed. “She didn’t have them when I found her.”

I turned toward the road. Thought. “Which direction was she walking?”

Guild frowned. “Toward here.”

“No.”

I faced him again. “Before you stopped.”

Understanding moved across his face. “She was already coming this way.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I passed her.”

I stilled.

Guild continued. “Didn’t register at first. Woman walking along. I got maybe a quarter mile down the road before something felt wrong.”

“You turned around.”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“She hadn’t changed direction.”

My pulse slowed. “She knew where she was going.”

Guild nodded. “I think so.”

“How far from here?”

“On foot? Couple of hours.”

“And she was walking it.”

“Yes.”

“With no shoes.”

There was no answer.

Rain whispered through the trees. I looked back at the house. Nyssa was in there somewhere with her. Waiting for answers. So was I.

“Did she escape?”

Guild didn’t answer.

“Guild.”

His eyes found mine. “I don’t think so.”

Something inside me went very still. “Why?”

“Because people who escape look behind them.”