Perry cleared his throat causing Flora to look at him. "We just need rot out run anyone from Caris that comes looking for us."
"Is that possible?" Asked Flora.
Perry shrugged. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
Flora cocked one eyebrow up as she looked at him. "What a stupid question," She replied turning back to watch the road and traveling wagons. "Whose the woman there, by Lorcel?"
"Well—that is actually my cousin," Perry said, "a force to be reckoned with that one. These bandits...people... are my family."
"Makes sense why Thren isn't as important to you then," Flora said.
"That's not fair. You are all my family to and you know it," Perry said, keeping his eyes on the road. "Anyway, my cousin has risen the ranks pretty good. This is her pack. There are more of them farther in the deep woods... I've only just caught up with them. I led Roanan and Lorcel there after you were taken. Roanan is still with them somewhere."
"Roanan is okay?" Flora asked, feeling her palms getting sweaty, she couldn't handle another brother in dire harm right now.
"He is fine, like I knew he would. He brawled his way into their hearts," Perry said, flinching as they hit a major bump in the road. "And I think he has actually gotten bigger. Like he is filling the space the woods have let him grow into, rather than the confined rooms at Harriets."
"Why didn't he come into the city with you and Lorcel?" Flora asked.
"Well, he is not the sneakiest of all our brothers—" said Perry. "We brought him into the city once. Lorcel and I did not think that we could get him back out. When we did we decided not to try it again."
"What the—" came Dawson's voice from the back of the cart as they hit a large bump. Perry stopped the cart and Dawson slid out the back, coming slowly to the front of the wagon to climb up by Flora. Squishing her between the two of them.
"Where are we going?" Dawson asked with confusion. "I last remember being by the castle, tied up."
"Well—" Perry started, his lips squeezed together.
"Tell us Perry—I am too tired to wring it out of you," Flora said rubbing her eyes. "You owe us."
Dawson's eyes looked cloudy as he rubbed the top of his head. Pain was carved into his face but he kept his back straight.
"It's a long one, but—okay," Perry said sighing as he snapped the reins on the horse and they continued on.
Acknowledgements
I could not have gotten this book done without my husband listening to me every time I got a page written of a piece of formatting done. It only took three plus years. He is a real champ to put up with it all for so long.
To my mother and grandmother who instilled the love of reading in me. My mother would always buy me books about powerful woman, and it is largely why I became the stubborn woman I am today.
To Ebberly MacLagan who I hounded into reading my poorly written first draft and helping me make it so much more interesting and polished. I am sure it was torture to get through but they did and I will be forever thankful.
To Learn More
To see what else is happening in Flora’s world check out www.kendalmlyon.com/wordpress. Short stories on the men of Merridan and other books written by Kendal M Lyon can be found there.
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