by Sam Dogra
“Cielo, knock it off!” Ryan roared.
Cielo ceased his mad rush. My forehead smashed into Ryan, and I groaned as coloured spots danced across my vision. Ryan hissed, doubling up and gripping his side; one of the saddle bags had whacked him below the ribs. I rubbed my sore head, wincing. I’d have a fine bruise tomorrow morning.
“Ryan, you okay?”
“I’m…fine,” Ryan gasped, sitting upright again. He paused, waiting for his breathing to return to normal. “What about you?”
“I’ll live,” I said, blinking to clear the haze. When my sight returned, I glanced back to the tree-veiled path. There was nothing but a trail of shredded pines and hoof-prints. “What happened? One minute we were trying to lose that guy, then everyone went crazy. I thought I heard a shot, but…”
“You did,” Ryan said, wiping snow off his cheek. “Looks like our assassin had his own stalker after him.”
“What?” I blurted. “Are you sure?”
“I saw the crossbow bolt,” Ryan said. “I also saw who fired it.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? So who was looking out for us? One of the Guardsmen? Though it seems a little direct to open fire like that.”
Ryan hesitated. He opened his mouth, but at the last moment he closed it again and sighed.
“It doesn’t matter. At least we escaped in one piece. Still, I don’t think we should go back to the South Road. We can cut across the lake and get to Dhjerba this way.”
I blinked. Well, someone was keen to change the topic. Which could only mean that whoever had saved us was someone Ryan didn’t consider an ally.
I bit back an irked hiss. Goddess, Ryan, why do you have to be so secretive all the time? We’d been moments away from being attacked, then saved by the purest of chances, which he happened to have an explanation for, and the most informative thing he had to say was ‘it doesn’t matter’?
It was almost enough to give up being lady-like and clout him with the back of the hunting knife.
Ignorant of my annoyance, Ryan squinted through the tree cover. I followed his gaze. We’d come to the border where the pines ended and the lake began. Except, in place of greyish water stood pure ice. It gave off a bluish tinge, contrasting with the conifers, and the centre resembled etched glass. Pieces of forest debris were trapped within the frozen water, blemishing its surface with dead branches and bleached logs. Finally, a break in the clouds let sunlight filter through, setting the whole lake sparkling.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmured, resting my hands on Ryan’s waist. For once, I didn’t have to fight a rush of emotions; the scene was peaceful enough to quell even the Binding.
“Told you,” Ryan chuckled. “And you get to enjoy the view for the rest of the journey.”
I scoffed.
“Oh please, pour on any more charm and I’ll drown,” I said. “Let’s get going before we’re joined by anymore unwanted company.”
“Aha,” Ryan said, “so you prefer us being alone? You should’ve told me sooner.”
I rolled my eyes. He was in a flirtatious mood all of a sudden. No doubt trying to take my mind off his evasive answer earlier.
“Maybe you should get your head out of the clouds and concentrate on riding,” I said, poking his shoulder. I could save the brutal questioning for later. “Onwards, driver.”
I didn’t have to see Ryan’s face to know he was grinning. He chose a path parallel to the lake’s edge and the trees. I shifted back, taking in the view. Snow dotted the ice, and the air was still. Hard to believe that only a mile beyond the trees lay one of the busiest roadways in Azaria. I curled against the back of Ryan’s neck, warming my cheek against his collar. Perhaps this trip wouldn’t be so bad, after all.
I’d spoken too soon. Cielo had hardly taken four steps when something stirred in the trees. Some crows broke free from the canopy, followed by a rustle as woodland creatures fled into the undergrowth. I sat bolt upright, watching the shadows. Ryan didn’t bother to look and instead leant forward, urging Cielo to run.
We were too slow. A click echoed from the pines, and Cielo screamed. He kicked his hindlegs, almost throwing me off, then burst into a canter, straight onto the lake.
“Cielo, no!” Ryan yanked the reins, desperate to get back to the bank. If Cielo didn’t change course, he’d take us straight to the thinnest part of the ice, and into the water.
Seconds later Cielo shrieked again, and this time I felt the ripple of flesh beneath my leg. I held onto Ryan tighter, looking to the horse’s flank. My jaw went slack. Two crossbow bolts were sticking out of his rump. No way…who was firing at us?!
The icing on the cake was yet to come, as a hissing crack added to the mess. We were too close to the centre. The ice was going to shatter!
Instinct took over and I gripped Ryan’s shoulders, managing to get a leg onto the saddle. Cielo slowed even more. I had to get off before he’d stop altogether.
“Eliza, what the hell are you doing?!” Ryan snapped.
“Cielo can’t take the load, and neither can the ice,” I shouted back. “Get him to the bank, then come back for me.”
Ryan snatched at my sleeve, but I was too fast. Bracing against the saddle, I kicked off, trying to get as much distance as I could. I landed on my hands and knees on the ice, skidding slightly. The crackling sharpened, so I threw myself on my belly to spread my weight and crawled as fast as I could. The cold scorched my hands, but I continued to scramble towards the pine trees.
Once the creaking stopped, I sat on my haunches. I surveyed the ice behind, now crosshatched with white steaks. Phew, I’d gotten off just in time.
“Eliza, behind you!”
“Huh?” I glanced round, and gasped as something sharp and cold snapped to the back of my neck.
“You’re not going anywhere,” a gravelly voice hissed in my ear. “Move another inch, and I’ll shoot you before you take your next breath.”
I gulped. What had I thrown myself into now?
The snap of a crossbow being loaded cut my thoughts, and the pressure on my skin grew more intense. My legs started to ache, and I was desperate to change position, but I didn’t dare move, terrified to provoke my captor into firing.
“Leave her out of this!” Ryan’s voice carried across the lake. He was somewhere on my left. Footsteps crunched over the ice, heading straight for me.
“Stay where you are!” my assailant bellowed. The footsteps stopped. “Come any closer and I’ll kill her, Ryan. I don’t think you want that.”
My eyes widened. This man knew Ryan by name. At once the pieces clicked into place. This had to be the person Ryan had been fleeing; the one who’d shot him at the aqueduct. He must have seen the Amaranthite threaten us, and stepped in to stop Ryan getting hurt. Knowing that we’d run from the commotion, he was now in the perfect place to capture his prize.
And I was the bait.
Steeling myself, I managed to lift my eyes from the ice. Ryan stood a few metres away. He was alone—he must have left Cielo at the bank. His crossbow was unfolded, but it lay limp by his side. He wouldn’t risk using it, not when my life was in danger. I let out a silent curse. Why was it that whenever I tried to help him, it was always thrown back in my face?
“Get to that side of the bank, Ryan,” the man ordered. “And keep clear of your precious Cielo.” He gave a dark laugh. “Not that you’ll be riding him anytime soon. You will wait there while I bring the girl.” He shifted his grip and pressed the crossbow bolt against my throat. “Make any move I don’t tell you to and I’ll throw her corpse into the lake.”
Ryan slowly walked over to the pine trees, his face clouded with frustration. It must have torn him up inside to feel so helpless. Worse was knowing it was my action that had landed him in this situation in the first place.
“On your feet!” A hand latched around my shoulder and forced me upright. I gritted my teeth, determined not to give him the satisfaction of making me cry out. I caught a glimpse of a grey longco
at and black stockhat, before the man twisted my arm and pinned it to my back. “Don’t try anything.”
Heart racing, I managed a tiny nod. What could I do, anyway? Things had changed so swiftly, and neither I nor Ryan were in a position to fix it. Further, the Binding added another layer of danger. I had no doubt the man wouldn’t want to take excess baggage, and so the moment he captured Ryan, he would toss me aside, leaving the curse to transform me into an Unbound. Alternatively, if he wanted to make a clean job of it and silence any witnesses, I was dead meat, too. After all of my close scrapes, it seemed this one would be my last.
But if I slipped upon the ice and caught him off guard…
The thought was so abrupt, I almost lost my footing. My instep skimmed the frozen surface, and the hold on my arm tightened. I frowned, thankful my assailant couldn’t see my face. My subconscious must be working overtime if that was the best it could come up with. Anyway, I couldn’t fall on story clichés to save my skin. Not when it would earn me a crossbow bolt to the head.
Yet if I could reach my knife…
Again, my brow creased. I could barely wield the thing. I’d end up hurting myself rather than inflicting damage to my opponent. However, as we got closer to Ryan, the fear in his eyes strengthened my resolve. If I didn’t do something soon, everything would be over.
I had to try.
I took two more paces, then deliberately overstepped, making my heel shoot out from under me. My captor’s fingers clamped around so hard I was sure it left imprints in my arm. He braced me against his torso, stopping me from falling.
“Nice try,” he growled. He raked his crossbow tip against my cheek. “I wouldn’t suggest you do it again.”
Now!
I kicked backwards, striking the man on the shin. He groaned, and the grip on my arm loosened. I snatched it free, and in moments the knife came to my palm.
Aim for his legs!
Adopting the new grip Ryan taught me earlier, I dropped to one knee, then lunged for the man’s ankles. My blade scored a deep cut in his calf, tasting blood, and the man screamed. He grasped for the wound, but I didn’t let him lay a finger on it as I slammed my shoulder into his knee. He flew onto his back and crashed to the ice, landing awkwardly on his crossbow.
Get him into the lake!
My muscles acted of their own accord, aiming for a second strike. At the last moment the man rolled away, and my knife cut into the frozen lake. I freed the blade with a snarl, while he flipped himself onto his hands and knees. He stood up, crossbow poised, his dark curls revealed as his hat had fallen off.
“Don’t think you can match me!” he sneered.
“Aronzo, don’t do this!” Ryan yelled. I could hear him storm across the ice, and load a crossbow bolt. He raised his arm, which trembled slightly. “Please, leave her alone.”
“Sorry, Ryan, but I can’t,” the man said. “I have to fulfil my duty.”
He groped in his longcoat pocket, seeking another weapon. Without thinking I raced across the ice, planting my feet and letting the slickness build my momentum. He raised his arm to throw the dagger, but I was quicker and thrust my elbow into his chest. He gasped, the wind knocked from his lungs, and he grabbed my cloak. We hit the ice, hard, and fresh crackling rang through my ears again. Goddess, no!
Ryan screamed my name, as the ice buckled and I plunged into the freezing depths.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
‘His only wish was to see her once more, to glance upon her starlit cheek as he had done that cloudless night...’
—Tale of the Binding
The icy blackness pierced my skin, and bubbles escaped my mouth as the cold tore into my bones. It wasn’t just the chill that had me seized up; the man’s arms were tight about me, squeezing the air left in my lungs. Miraculously, the knife remained in my hand, but with his weight pinning me down, it was next to useless. I stared at the cracked ice above, writhing, kicking, thrashing, yet nothing would make him loosen his hold. My throat burned, and my chest tightened. I wouldn’t be able to hold my breath much longer.
My vision began to blur, so I redoubled my efforts to break free. Try as I might, I simply couldn’t overcome his grip. Had I the air to spare, I would’ve screamed. How could he keep such a vice-like grasp and not fear for his own safety? We must have been down for almost a minute, and he showed no sign he needed to surface. Was he so determined to get rid of me he’d drown the both of us? I couldn’t let him do this!
If only I could free my knife arm and make him let go…
A rune flashed into my mind: pain. The white fire appeared, followed by a jolt that raced through my arm. Against all odds, the man shifted his hand, so I could move my elbow. With dexterity I never knew I had, I flipped the blade in my palm so it was angled downward, then thrust it back as hard as I could. The steel bit into something soft, and at long last the pressure around my chest and neck fell limp. I didn’t waste a second and kicked out towards the gap in the ice.
I ripped through the surface, hungry for the frozen air. I struggled to keep my head above the water, my breath coming in sharp wheezes. My chest hurt so much, it was painful to inhale. Blotting out the ache, I grasped for the nearest ice slab, only to have it snap in my fingers. I cursed. The fragments weren’t solid enough to hold onto, and certainly not stable enough to bear my weight.
My hand flopped back to the water. The chill penetrated deeper, and my teeth rattled. No way, I couldn’t be stuck in this icy pit! But where else could I go? The bank was miles away. I’d never crack through enough ice to reach it in time. As it was, I could barely stay afloat with all my shaking. And it was so damn cold…
“Eliza!”
I looked across the lake. Ryan stood a few metres away, utterly helpless. Of course, if he came any closer the ice would split apart even more.
I was on my own.
Swamped with shivers, I paddled to the other side, swatting at the ice that continued to drift along the surface. Something sharp pricked my shoulder, and I spun round. A trunk had frozen in the lake. The bough was thicker than my arm, and the bulk of the log sat firmly in a sheet of unbroken ice.
It was my ticket out.
I snatched the branch, its edges cutting into my skin, and gave a sharp tug. It didn’t budge. Good, it should be strong enough to let me climb up. I used my knife to get some purchase, then dragged myself out of the water’s grip. But my cloak was too heavy, and I was snatched back into the depths. I snarled. After all I’d been through to get the garment, I wasn’t keen on discarding it, but it wasn’t doing its job right now, either. I needed to prioritise.
I tore the fabric off, and the difference in weight was instantly noticeable. This time I could draw much closer to the log and yank myself up. I dug my fingers into the bark, pulling further, and finally managed to get a knee out. Yes! Spurred on, I grappled for the next hold, and finally I was free from the water. Still, I wasn’t out of the woods yet; I could hear the ice cracking. Then my shivering tripled in volume—maintaining my grip was becoming difficult.
Ryan remained at a distance, circling the log and awaiting the moment I’d get to thicker ice. I was exhausted, my arms aching, yet stopping to rest, even for a moment, would be fatal. If I fell into the water again, I’d not make it out a second time. The freezing air bit into my cheeks, and my breaths came in ragged grunts. I tightened my jaw, determined to keep going. Come on, a few more metres, and I’d be safe.
At last I reached the end of the log. The crackling ceased, and I slid off onto the frozen surface. I scrambled on my hands and knees, edging towards the bank, but I only managed a tiny shuffle before I collapsed, the kiss of ice stinging my skin. The shivering was uncontrollable, and my strength left me. My eyes closed. Goddess, make it stop hurting…please…
“Eliza, hold on!”
Ryan’s boots crunched over the ice, and the next thing I knew, his arms were around me, hoisting me upright. I grimaced.
“Eliza, stay with me,” he said, draping my arm aroun
d his neck and helping me to stand. I couldn’t keep my balance and sagged against him, a dead weight. “We have to get to the bank.”
I nodded, though I didn’t think it was noticeable over my trembling. It took a lot of effort to get my legs to work, and my muscles screamed. Ryan didn’t wait, and had to carry me. Fortunately the bank wasn’t far, and soon we were back in the tree cover.
Ryan took me to a tree stump. He wiped off the snow with his forearm, then set me down. I drew my arms around myself, trying to stop the shivers, but it was no use. Ryan stood there for a moment, looking lost. Eventually he started to wander around to find twigs. Before he got too into it, I grabbed his wrist.
“No.” My throat burned as the air raced past my raw vocal cords. “Too late…for fire. Have to…dry…me…then…dress in…layers…”
Ryan stared blankly. Then the penny dropped.
“Oh, of course!” With a reassuring squeeze on my shoulder, he sprinted off into the trees. He quickly returned with two saddlebags. He rummaged around, drawing out a blanket. He peeled off my sodden jacket and scarf, then wrapped the thick fur around me. “You can change under this.”
I nodded, reaching for my buttons, but I couldn’t undo them. My hands were shaking too much. That, and my blouse was sticking to me like gumpaper. I didn’t have the energy to pull it off.
“I…I…need…a…hand,” I murmured, struggling to form the words. Ryan reached out, then hesitated, his fingers stopping short of my blouse. Were I not so damn cold, I might have empathised with his embarrassment. But now was not the time to cower behind protocol. To hell with the Binding, too; if I didn’t get warmed up soon, I was going to die. “Please…just…it doesn’t…it has to…be done.”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed. He drew the blanket tighter across my shoulders, and tucked its edges into my fist.
