AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They carry a flag. Royal blue and gold. And—silver too.”
With a will, Corayne racked her memory, trying to remember what those colors meant.
The assassin knew.
“Outriders of the court,” she snapped, looking for all the world like she might breath fire. There was fear too, hiding behind her frustration. Corayne saw it glimmer in her tiger eyes. “Hunters for the King of Ibal.”
Corayne bit her lip. “Will they help us?”
Sorasa’s hollow laugh was brutal. “They’re more likely to sell you to Erida, or use you as some bargaining chip. You’re the most valuable thing in in all the Ward, Corayne. And the King of Ibal is not a fool with his treasure.”
“What if they aren’t after Corayne?” Charlie piped in, his face drawn in thought.
Sorasa’s eyes narrowed, some doubt clouding her face. Whatever words she wanted to say died in her throat.
“I will take Corayne and the blade,” Dom said heavily, turning from the horizon. Before Corayne could protest, she found herself in the saddle of a sand mare. Dom mounted up on the only other horse, ignoring the lack of saddle. The Elder did not need one.
Corayne sputtered, fighting the reins being pressed into her hands. To her surprise, Andry appeared at her knee, tightening the girth of the saddle. His fingers closed on her ankle, forcing her foot into a stirrup.
“Andry—stop it. Dom!” she protested, kicking her boot free. She made to slide off the mare’s back, but Andry held her firmly in place, his lips set in a grim, unyielding line.
“We’re not abandoning you,” Corayne said, half wild.
The Elder grabbed for the bridle of Corayne’s horse as he tugged his own mare’s mane, forcing both mounts along. “We have no choice.”
“You have no choice but to wait, Elder.” Sorasa remained still, but her voice carried fiercely. She put her back to the horizon. Over her shoulder, the dark riders appeared out of the gleaming line where plain met sky. “The outriders of the king have no equal on sand or road. You might outlast them for a day, maybe. But evenyouwill be run down, and an ocean of blood spilled for nothing.”
Dom snarled as if he might run her through. “The coast is less than a day’s ride, Sarn.”
“And then what? You wish to face the king’s navy instead?” Sorasa scoffed.
Corayne could not help but agree. The Ibalet fleets were unmatched.
“You don’t even know which direction to go,” Sorasa added, casting a hand at the distant bay and Long Sea beyond. “But be my guest.”
It was Andry who growled, the anger in him taking Corayne aback.
“So it’s no choice but death, then?” he said, brow set with fury. Even in battle she had never seen him so enraged—and so hopeless. “For Corayne, for the Ward?”
Sorasa barely batted an eye, crossing her arms over her chest. There was dried blood under her fingernails, gone to rust.
“No one said anything about them killingyou, Squire,” she answered wearily. “Me, I’m a marked Amhara. Might not fare so well.”
“Uh, wanted fugitive here!” Charlie piped in, raising a finger.
Sorasa’s braid snapped like a whip as she turned her head, sneering at the Madrentine forger. “The Ibalet king hardly gives a shit about some errant priest with nice penmanship.”
He recoiled into his robes. “Gods willing.”
“Thenyougo,” Corayne offered, trying to dismount again. Andry remained firm, blocking her way. “Run. It’s us they want.”
The assassin waved away the offer with her usual smirk, as good as any mask.
“I’ll take my chances with the outriders. You’ll certainly need me too,” she added, gesturing to Dom still glowering in the saddle. “I don’t expect this one to be negotiating anytime soon.”
Corayne set her teeth, feeling the familiar sting of frustration. “Sorasa.”
You must run,she wanted to say.
