Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
She drew a slow breath, not knowing what to make of him. Did he speak truthfully or did he have another reason for wanting to travel with her? In the end, he was leaving her with no choice. He intended to follow her whether she granted him permission to do so or not. But why? Why should her safety matter to him? She continued to be suspicious of his motive. But if he intended to follow her, it would make more sense that he did so alongside her rather than somewhere she could not see what he was up to.
With no choice or time to spare, she asked, “Your name?”
He smiled as though victorious, and she noticed then that neither the scar nor the scruff on his face could disguise his fine features. Nothing about him, his appearance, his garments, or his persistence made sense.
“Dar,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “And yours?”
Elara stared at him for a long moment, torn between mistrust and a reluctant sense of safety his confident manner stirred before saying, “Elara. And we will be traveling companions until Thornleigh, then we part.”
He stepped aside, sweeping his hand out for her to pass. “Elara. You may find that you enjoy my company so much that you may not want to part from me.”
“I doubt that very much,” Elara said, and thought she heard him chuckle as she swept past him.
They walked in silence and hadn’t gone far when Dar suddenly moved ahead of her, his posture changing, tense and alert, his eyes wide scanning the area, and his head tilted, listening.
“Quiet,” he murmured, his voice low and steady, carrying the weight of command.
Elara slowed, her heart quickening. Something in his tone told her not to argue.
Then she heard it, the steady thud of hooves, the creak of harness, the murmur of voices threading through the morning air.
Dar turned to her, eyes sharp. “Follow my lead.”
Before she could ask why, his arm coiled around her waist, drawing her firmly against his side. His cloak fell around her, enveloping her in warmth and the faint scent of earth and pine. The move was so swift, so sure, she hadn’t time to resist.
“Keep your head down,” he whispered against her hair.
Two riders appeared along the forest path, their dark cloaks heavy with dew, faces hidden beneath their hoods. Even at a distance, Elara could feel their presence, the air thickened with it, cold and oppressive.
Hunters.
They reined in their horses, blocking the narrow pathway.
“You there,” one barked. “Hold.”
Dar obeyed, his arm still firm around her, his stance shifting subtly between her and danger.
“Your names,” the man demanded.
“Wanderers,” Dar said. “We keep to the woods and stay clear of trouble.”
The second rider’s gaze swept over them, lingering on Elara. “You’ve come from Birkfell?”
Dar shook his head. “We heard the cries and stayed clear. Whatever business brings Hunters to a healer’s village, it’s none of our concern.”
The man’s stare narrowed. “You’ve seen no one? No healers fleeing the village?”
“Nay,” Dar said. “We’ve heard only the echo of your drums.”
The Hunter’s eyes fixed on Elara. “You—look at me.”
Dar tightened his hold slightly and spoke before she could respond. “If my wife were a healer, we would not be wandering these woods. We make no trouble, nor do we want any trouble.”
For an instant, Elara forgot to breathe. The warmth of his body, the way he held her snug against him, as though he would let no one take her from him, felt all too real.
The Hunter studied them for a moment longer, then he gave a curt nod. “Keep to the forest while the Hunters hunt or you will find trouble.”
Dar inclined his head. “Aye, we want no trouble.”
The riders turned and continued down the path, their figures swallowed by trees.
Elara didn’t move until the sound of hooves faded completely.
When Dar finally lowered his arm, she stepped away, the sudden absence of his warmth leaving her unsteady.
“You lied well,” she said, though her voice came out softer than intended.
He shrugged. “It comes of needing to stay alive.”
Her gaze met his. “If they’d looked longer—”
“They didn’t. Because they believed what they saw, a husband protecting his wife. Now let’s keep moving if we’re to beat the Hunters to Thornleigh.”
Elara hurried to keep step, the chilled, autumn morning air cool on her skin, though she could still feel the ghost of his arm around her. The memory of his strength lingered like the echo of the drums.
They walked in silence, the only sound the steady rhythm of their steps and the distant calls of busy birds. The forest had begun to thin, the trees stretching taller, as a cool wind drifted through the leaves just beginning to turn colors, carrying the clean scent of rain-washed earth.
Dar kept a few paces behind her, content to let her lead though she followed no path he could see. She moved with quiet purpose, her stride even, her head held high. There was no fear in the set of her shoulders, only resolve.