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Wren didn’t even think about the consequences or what she was doing as she twisted her body to grab her friend. Stinging pain grabbed at her neck as she ran her hands over Cara’s slim form trying desperately to find the source of her pain.
She tried to breathe out something that sounded like agreement as she realized there was no physical cause of her pain. She would do anything if it only meant Cara never screamed like that again. Tears rushed down the smaller woman’s face as she fought against the pain.
“All right!” Wren shouted. “I’ll go! Please just stop!”
Cara slumped to the ground, holding her face in her hands. As Wren bent forward, Cara looked up, her eyes swollen and red. “No, Wren. Don’t. Go get help.”
“Interesting you should value her life over yours, but I can work with that motivation.” He seemed to delight in his words, as his mouth twisted into a smile. “I’m afraid help will not be coming. However, you might both live to see the morning should you comply.”
Cara’s eyes sparked like dancing flames and Wren’s belly went leaden. She knew her friend and knew the determination that burned in her. She would fight her way free even if it meant death if she believed Wren could walk away from this.
“Cara,” Wren whispered. It was enough to pull her friend’s gaze back to her. Wren shook her head like the coward she was. If Cara was fire, then she was ice. “Do what he says.”
Cara’s eyes narrowed as she stared at her accusingly. Wren would accept it if it meant they lived through this.
“Excellent. Now walk,” the man said as he gestured towards the massive structure she had noted before.
Wren’s brain thought rapidly trying to figure out what was happening to her. She clearly wasn’t in her home any longer and she was obviously in a very poor situation. They could try to run, but she was sure he would throw that dagger and something in her knew he would not miss. Her mind couldn’t work fast enough beneath the fear that threatened to cripple her. The thought occurred to her she should be crying or begging, but she felt too dazed and unsure to allow herself the luxury. All she knew was that Cara’s hand in hers was all that mattered.
More questions rolled in her mind, but then she was standing in front of what was certainly an expansive castle. Her gaze wandered over the stone fortress before landing on a massive iron gate. Torches lit along either side of it and their light gave way to a pair of guards whose gazes passed over the three of them as if they were nothing out of the ordinary.
Wren had the alarming thought that if she went through the gate she would never come out again. In desperation she raised her voice still hoarse from taking on so much water. “Please help me! This man is holding us against our will. Please!”
Dread filled her belly when she saw the men plaster identical grins on their faces. One of the guards walked to a lever which lifted the gate while the other came to stand behind them, hand on the sword sheathed at his side.
“Thank you, Gregory. Please escort these young ladies to the green room for preparations.”
Wren whirled around, no longer concerned by the threat at her back. All that she knew was if she went in there she wasn’t coming out and if she couldn’t get away then maybe at least Cara could. Even as she willed the courage to act in herself she was always one step behind Cara. Cara turned, her damp hair fanning out, as she threw herself at the guard. With the element of surprise she managed to pull the sword from his sheath. She was an image of strength and everything Wren could never be.
Cara reached for Wren’s hand and pulled her back, putting distance between their captors. The sword outstretched as if it could fend off three men at once. With Cara’s spirit, Wren didn’t doubt it could.
“We are leaving. If you follow us I will not hesitate to run you through.” Her voice didn’t betray the fear that caused her hand in Wren’s to tremble.
With the light of the flickering flames the man who had threatened them came clearer into view. He was older than she expected, and had a long graying beard and a sharp nose. He smiled serenely at her. The feeling of his smile solely on her caused an array of shivers to run themselves over her skin. Cara turned to look at her and as she opened her mouth to speak, a line of red appeared at her throat.
Cara’s eyes widened in surprise as a gurgling sound erupted from her throat. Wren’s mind tried to grapple with the reality of what she was seeing and yet the horror filling her bones and heart told her she already knew. Wren bent to reach out for her friend even as Cara’s body fell forward. Her knees hit the soft ground as she cradled Cara’s body in her arms. Someone was screaming making it hard to focus on helping Cara and yet Cara’s eyes stared forward as if she didn’t see Wren at all.
“Cara, Cara.” Her name was a plea amidst the screams.
“You will do as you are told and say what you are told to say, or you will be killed immediately. Then I will find your family and I will kill them. Do you understand?” The bearded man’s voice tried to cut through the noise all around her.
“Help her!” she demanded as she brushed errant strands of hair from Cara’s beautiful face.
“She’s gone. I warned you what would happen if you didn’t obey. You can’t save her, but you can spare your family if you comply.” Where his voice had held a note of pleasure before there was only impatience.
“I can’t leave her,” she sobbed.
There was no denying the truth she already knew. Her best friend, the person who knew her best in the world, was in her arms and there was no life remaining in her. Crimson dripped from the line across her neck that no weapon had touched. It was difficult to feel anything above the crushing force of loss that threatened to bring her down.
“I can’t leave her,” Wren repeated dumbly even as the blood seeped onto her arm.
“Gregory.” The guard moved as if his name were a command and stepped towards her reaching for Cara.
“No!” Wren screamed, pulling Cara to her.
“Unless you want to see her body tossed into that lake and your family behind it then I suggest you let Gregory do his job,” sneered the man.
Wren shook her head, thoughts and nightmares crashing into each other. “What will you do to her?”
