“No,” she admitted. “That’s why I pushed them—to see if they’d retaliate or hurt either of us. They didn’t, so we must be okay.”
He cursed. “You have got to be kidding me.”
No, she wasn’t kidding. Why would she joke about something so serious?
“I can’t believe I agreed to go along with this foolish plan,” he muttered. “This entire situation is ridiculous.”
“No, it’s not.” Bold, daring, and a little bit crazy, but not ridiculous. “I think you’re upset because it’s not your plan.”
“That has nothing to do with it,” he hissed. “I’m upset because I swore never to be captured again.” The roped pulled against her body, pinching her. Odar must be trying to wiggle free.
“You didn’t have to be a part of this,” she reminded him.
“Of course I did. I couldn’t let you do this alone.”
“I could have.” She didn’t need him here complicating matters. Being so close to him confused her. Even though she didn’t care for him like she used to, it was still hard to work with him because of everything they’d been through.
“I’m not going along with this plan much longer,” Odar whispered. “One more day and that’s it. I’m leaving.”
“Alone?”
“That remains to be determined.”
Sitting astride the horse in front of the same man as yesterday, Allyssa observed her surroundings. They must be well into Russek by now. Yet, nothing looked familiar. The low rolling hills were dotted with flowers, making the kingdom appear beautiful and serene.
“We’re too exposed out here,” someone commented.
The leader grunted. “This is the only way to Henec where the meeting is to take place.”
Allyssa didn’t recognize the name of the town. The dark clouds from yesterday had passed, leaving the sky a brilliant blue. However, the air was still chilly and she wished she had on a fur jacket like some of the men did.
“What’s that noise?” one of the men toward the back asked.
The leader gave a signal, and everyone came to a stop.
“What’s your name?” Allyssa asked the man behind her.
“Larek.”
The same name as the merchant boy from Emperor’s City. A sign or a coincidence? Before she could think more on the matter, she heard the distant sound of horse hooves rapidly approaching.
“Ride,” the leader yelled.
Larek urged his horse into a full gallop. The group of them thundered over the land, the horses’ hooves kicking up grass.
“Split up,” the leader ordered. “Five with me, five with Larek.”
Larek veered right while the man Odar rode with went to the left. Blimey. The people pursuing them could either be a rescue mission or a group of mercenaries hunting them. How was she supposed to know who was friend or foe?
Kerdan had told her to behave like herself no matter what. In that case, she would use this as an opportunity to try to escape—with or without Odar. Glancing back, she saw a group of twenty or so men on horses pursuing them. It didn’t appear that anyone had bows and arrows. That, at least, was something.
“They’re gaining on us,” Larek said.
“Instead of these six horses remaining together,” Allyssa said, “you can conceal me on your horse. Everyone should go in a different direction then. Our pursuers won’t know who to follow if they can’t see me. At most, you’ll only have three or four men to contend with instead of twenty.”
“I’ve got a better idea,” Larek said. “I know a place to hide you until the threat passes.” Turning to his men, he yelled, “Create a diversion while I hide the princess. I need a solid thirty seconds where they won’t see me.”
The men slowed their horses while Allyssa and Larek headed eastward.
“Stay low on the saddle,” he instructed, his cape flying behind him. They headed over the next hill and then veered sharply to the right toward the line of trees at the bottom of the valley. “When we reach the stream, jump off and hide in the water.”
The urge to ask if he was one of Kerdan’s men was strong; however, it didn’t matter at this point. If he was, then she needed to listen to him because he would protect her. If he wasn’t, then the men pursuing her were most likely affiliated with Kerdan. The only logical thing was to do as he said. Once she was alone, she would make a run for it.
“While I’m hiding, what do you plan to do?” she asked.
“I’ll draw the men away from you. We must be quick for this to work.” They were almost at the trees. “Get both your legs to the left side of the horse.”
She did as instructed, preparing to jump. Hopefully he would slow the animal so the impact wouldn’t injure her. Instead of going alongside the stream, he went right into it, shoved her off, and continued to the other side, heading up and out of the valley. Glancing back, she didn’t see anyone coming over the rise yet. There was a trail from the horse’s hooves leading straight to where she stood in the waist-high freezing water. She climbed closer to the bank where it was shallower and ran northward, wanting to put at least thirty feet between her and the trail. There were several good-sized rocks along the edge of the stream. At one of the bigger ones, she went deeper into the water. It wasn’t too fast or rough, which made it easy to maneuver in.
Once it reached her thighs again, she went under and found a good spot to wedge her feet to keep her body from floating away. Holding onto the side of a rock, she slowly let her head rise until her nose came above the water so she could breathe. Her hair started to float around her face so she grabbed it, tying it into a knot and shoving it under her shirt.
The ground rumbled as horses neared. A lone tree not far away swayed in the wind, casting long shadows over the water, helping to conceal her body. Several men rode their horses through the river without stopping. A couple paused on the bank.
Taking a huge breath, she went farther under the water. Her body violently shook from fear. Or maybe the frigid water. Regardless, she tried holding still, keeping her body in place so she wouldn’t cause any disturbances in the water and garner the men’s attention.
The water turned murky from the horses thundering through it and stirring up the sandy bottom. The few men who hung back rode their horses up and down along the bank, searching for any sign of Allyssa. One stopped only a few feet away, looking at the ground.
“See anything?” someone called out, the words muted and difficult to hear under the water.
The man near her replied, “No, nothing. The grass along the bank looks untouched.”
Thankfully she’d had enough foresight to travel in the stream instead of alongside it. Huddled under the water next to the rock, she closed her eyes, begging the man to move on. It was hard to remain still and not lift her head above the water.
After what felt like forever, the man left. Allyssa slowly let her nose come out of the water again, and she took a much-needed breath. However, she remained in the water, trying not to move, for another ten minutes in case someone still lingered nearby. A fish swam by her leg, and she almost screamed. She’d have to thank Kerdan for her predicament later. Assuming she saw him again and the men she’d just evaded weren’t his.
When enough time had passed, she slowly brought her head above the water, observing the area. No one was in sight. Not wanting to go farther into Russek, she knew she needed to head south. Based upon the placement of the sun, she guessed the stream flowed southward—more or less. Since she was already soaking wet and half frozen, she decided to travel in the water for the first mile to conceal her tracks. Then she’d need to climb onto dry land and run to put distance between her and her pursuers and to warm her body before she became ill. At least she would be traveling the direction the water flowed instead of against it.
She carefully stood, wondering how much time she had before Larek returned for her. Might as well lure him in the opposite direction. Scrambling out of the water, she ran north along the stream, trying to trample
the grass so her trail could easily be seen. After thirty feet or so, she climbed back into the stream and headed south, half swimming and half floating with the slow-moving current. There were several rocks along the way. She tried not to bump into them as she hurried along, attempting to stay in the deeper sections so she wouldn’t get hurt.
Nathenek had promised to be nearby. However, she didn’t know how that was possible. The stream widened and the water’s depth dramatically decreased, making it difficult to swim. Clambering to her feet, she stumbled out of the water and onto dry land, her body shivering uncontrollably. Up ahead, a group of rocks was clustered together on a mound. She ran toward them, needing to hide before Larek found her. Maybe once the sun went down, she could make a fire. Bloody hell—she still didn’t know how to start one. That would have to be rectified. Eventually.
When she reached the rocks, she quickly surveyed the area. If she hid on the south side, she would have a better view of the valley to the right. However, someone would be able to spot her between the rocks. The north side provided better coverage. She sat on the ground, shimmying her body in a small crevice and out of sight, thankful for the refuge from the harsh wind. Hopefully there weren’t any small creatures waiting to pounce on her.
As the silence settled in around Allyssa, she had nothing to do but think. How long did she have until someone found her? She didn’t particularly want to travel at night; however, the darkness would provide cover, and she couldn’t remain in this crevice forever. Glancing at the sky, she guessed it would be dark in two to three hours.
It felt like her fingertips would freeze and fall off. Shivering between the rocks, she vowed she would return home and get to know her brother. The image of Savenek looking regal as he stood on the balcony next to her mother came to mind. Their mother, she corrected herself. Darmik hadn’t said too much about him, and she’d been afraid to ask. She didn’t want to be sidetracked or lose focus on the mission. One thing at a time. Kill Jana, then return home. Even Kerdan had pointed out that her emotions affected her focus. Kerdan . . .
She still needed to decide what to do about him. She’d agreed to marry Kerdan because she feared Odar would have some hold over her. That if she was tied to another man, it would help when she faced him again. However, it didn’t matter. Whatever attraction she’d felt for Odar had simmered. The way he’d treated her in Fren, and the callous way he severed their engagement, had managed to destroy the love she’d had for him. Even though she’d said yes to Kerdan’s proposal, her father had made it clear she could change her mind—that nothing would be finalized until after Jana was dead. Which brought Allyssa back to deciding whether she should marry him.
If she chose not to, that left her options open for other suitors. Not that there were many worth considering at this point, especially since Emperion had acquired Landania, Fia, and Kricok under its empire. No other kingdom could match them in terms of size, military strength, or economic prosperity. Russek did offer a large military, but it brought with it a kingdom in poverty. Once they disposed of Jana, Russek would no longer pose a threat to Emperion.
Allyssa did need to marry to produce an heir to ensure the royal line continued, but she was still young. That could wait. Kerdan’s words came back to her. He’d told her to marry because she wanted to—to do what was best for her, not Emperion or anyone else. Yet, all she could think about was doing what was best for her kingdom.
Kerdan... could she marry him and be happy? They were friends, and she enjoyed being around him. Could there be more to their relationship than mere friendship? Although she’d never acknowledged it before, she did find him attractive. In fact, she found him more attractive each day she was around him. But it was too soon to move on after Odar, wasn’t it?
The sound of horse hooves pounding over the land startled her. She pulled her legs in as close to her chest as possible, trying to remain small and hidden between the rocks. It was still too light out to make a run for it—she would be seen. Her only hope was that no one would think to look for her here.
A horse snorted close by. Blimey. She held her breath, trying to be as quiet and still as possible. A moment later, a man she recognized squatted in front of her.
Sitting atop the horse, again in front of Larek, Allyssa fumed. She was dripping wet, cold, and tired. Up ahead, the other half of their group waited for them. Squinting, she tried to find Odar. None of the horses carried more than one rider. Two of the horses didn’t have anyone at all. Her breath caught. Hopefully Odar was okay.
As they neared, one of the men’s shoulders slumped forward. It had to be Odar.
“All good, Larek?” the leader asked.
“We threw them off our trail, split them up, and then disposed of them.”
Allyssa’s body stiffened. “You disposed of them?” she said. “What does that mean?
The leader responded, “Good. We killed those pursuing us as well.”
Horror filled her. That was why two of the horses didn’t have riders and Odar sat alone. They’d lost three men. Three.
“What happened to her?” someone asked.
“The princess took a tumble in the stream.”
She did not fall. Larek had pushed her in.
“The village we’re supposed to meet Zerek in is ten miles from here. We can’t reach it before nightfall.” The sky had already started to turn dark.
“Let’s hunker down for the night. We’ll leave at first light,” Larek suggested.
Lovely. Another night with these men. Larek unclasped his cloak and wrapped it around her. A small, but much welcome, comfort in this hostile land.
Dozens of Russek soldiers surrounded the small village of Henec. “Is that normal?” Allyssa asked, suspecting it wasn’t. She squinted in the bright morning light, thankful it wasn’t raining.
“No,” Larek said, following close behind the leader.
There couldn’t be more than fifty small wooden structures situated haphazardly with no clear organization to them. If there were any stores, they weren’t marked with a sign.
Allyssa shivered at the eerie silence of the place. “Where are all the people?”
“They’re probably dead,” Larek whispered.
“What do you mean?” Surely these barbaric Russeks wouldn’t kill their own people. What would be the point? Larek didn’t respond.
The leader stopped before one of the buildings and dismounted. “Wait here,” he instructed before entering.
An odd smell permeated the air. Glancing around, Allyssa saw a mound of smoldering ashes down one of the crooked streets. Revulsion filled her.
“They were probably loyal to Prince Kerdan,” Larek whispered. “Queen Jana must dispose of those who oppose her regime.”
“By slaughtering her own people like pigs?” she replied. Who could do such a cruel thing?
“These aren’t her own people,” Odar pointed out. “Jana is from Emperion. Haven’t you ever wondered why hatred for your kingdom is so prevalent here?”
She felt Larek’s arm, which was around her, stiffen at Odar’s remarks. Was that how Russeks truly felt? That Jana represented Emperion? That Jana was Emperion? Allyssa was about to try to explain that Emperions despised Jana as well when the leader returned.
“Bring the prisoners inside,” he ordered.
Allyssa dismounted and Larek took hold of her arm, leading her inside the dilapidated building. She entered a dimly lit room with a round table that had been shoved into one of the corners. A tall, imposing man rose from the chair, staring at her. She recognized him from the castle in Clovek—this was the man she’d impaled with her dagger when he’d thrown himself in front of Jana to protect the horrid woman.
The man’s cold eyes looked over Odar and then Allyssa. “These are the correct prisoners.” His words lacked the heavy accent most Russeks had.
“Captain Zerek, we were told that once you verified their identities, we were to deliver them to Queen Jana,” the leader said.
“T
hat is correct, Rutek,” Zerek replied. He hastily wrote something on a piece of paper, handing it to one of his men, who read it and hurried from the room.
“Are we taking them to Clovek?” Rutek asked.
“No. Duke Opanek’s home. He is expecting you. When you deliver the prisoners, he will pay you.” Zerek sat down at the round table, which was strewn with papers and maps.
“The duke will pay us?” Larek asked. “The order said that the first one to deliver the prince and princess to the queen will get the reward. It didn’t say anything about a duke.”
“The queen is at the duke’s house. She has something... special planned for these two.”
The capital city was well fortified. There would be no logical reason for Jana to leave unless... “What’s happened in Clovek?” Allyssa asked.
Zerek jerked his head in her direction. “What did you say?” he demanded.
“You heard me,” she replied. All reports indicated Jana had the backing of the nobles. However, what if one of those nobles tried to overthrow her? The only thing Jana could do would be to flee, gain forces by killing Kerdan and taking control of another section of the army, and then return to Clovek and retake it.
Zerek stood, his face contorting in rage. “Tell me what you know.”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking what happened.”
He remained still, staring at her for several uncomfortable minutes before turning to the leader and responding, “You have three days to deliver the prisoners. The money you so desperately seek is at Duke Opanek’s dwelling. Dismissed.”
They exited and climbed onto their mounts. A chill slid over Allyssa’s body that had nothing to do with the cold air. Where was Nathenek? What about Kerdan and her father? Did they know the queen was no longer in Clovek? Allyssa vowed to come up with a plan of her own just in case something had gone terribly wrong. When she glanced over at Odar, she found him watching her, his lips pursed and his eyebrows bent inward. His thoughts must mirror her own.
At midday, they reached a small village. While staying at the castle in Clovek, Allyssa saw a great deal of poverty at the town she’d traveled to with Kerdan. This village reminded her of that one. The houses were small shacks in no condition to withstand the harsh Russek weather. The roads were uneven and rough, the people haggard with torn clothing, and there was a feeling of despair to the place.
Cage of Destiny: Reign of Secrets, Book 3 Page 13
