AllFreeNovel
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“Time’s up, sweetheart.”
I stayed behind the tree, not wanting to go back to my horrible reality. Had my mother realized I was missing yet? Was my father okay? Would he be able to find me once he returned? I came back from the tree line, seeing him standing there with the ropes in his hands. “Why are you doing this?”
“Does it matter?”
“Of course it matters.”
He approached me and began to secure the ropes around my wrists.
I stared at him, studying his face like I’d see some glimmer of humanity in his gaze. “Where are you taking me?”
When he was finished with my wrists, he moved to my ankles and secured those before he lifted me into the wagon.
“Why are you doing this?”
He shoved the gag into my mouth and secured the rope around my head, completely heartless to all my unease.
I tried to kick him in the knee, but he sidestepped it like he knew it was coming. Then he forced me down underneath the tarp before he secured it again. “It’s nothing personal, sweetheart.”
* * *
I knew we reached the bottom when the incline disappeared. Now we were on flat ground. He hadn’t stopped since he’d taken me, so I wasn’t sure how much time had passed or if my mother had even realized I was gone.
He pulled back the flap, and instantly, the ice-cold air rushed in.
“Not so bad back here, is it?” He grabbed the knot at my ankles and dragged me close before he cut me free.
I sat up and looked at the world around us. White snow was on the ground. It covered the pine trees. I’d spent little time here because we usually traveled by dragon to HeartHolme, but my father had told me tales about his life down here in the cursed cold. When I looked at the path that wound its way back to the top, it was far in the distance.
He cut the bindings at my wrists. “Try to run if you want, but I’m faster.”
“How about we race and find out?”
His eyes locked on mine before a slight smile moved on to his lips. He didn’t say anything and walked to the horses. He freed them from the wagon, and one of them was secured to the saddle of the other. “You know how to ride?”
I hopped off the wagon and felt my body sink ankle-deep into the snow. It was freezing cold, and I was unprepared for it. Aurelias was in black armor with a snake on the front. The material was shiny, reflecting the light from the sky and the snow. He also wore a black cloak. It was enough to protect him in battle, but even in the extreme temperatures, he seemedunaffected by it.
He reached into the cupboard at the back of the wagon and pulled out clothing. “Put this on before you freeze.” He tossed it in the back of the wagon.
I wanted to refuse out of spite, but I was too cold for that nonsense. I pulled on the waterproof boots, the fur-lined pants, and the heavy coat he must have stolen from someone else to give to me.
“Let’s go.”
“Let’s go where?”
He walked over to the second horse, white with gray spots. “Come on. I’ll help you up.”
“You think I can’t get on a damn horse by myself?”
“The sooner you cooperate, the sooner you’ll be warm.”
“And dead.”
He continued to stand by the horse, giving me a cold stare. “You aren’t going to die.”
“Then what’s going to happen to me?”
“Just get on the damn horse—”
