As he neared the captain, he saw the soldiers fan out, racing past him and his men in every direction.
“Captain,” Daris called out, his face a mask of displeasure, “this isn’t necessary.”
The captain only flicked a glance at him before turning back to one of his men.
Daris caught the man’s baldric, whipping him around so his face was inches from Daris’s own. “Did you not hear me?”
The captain flinched but didn’t back down. “I’m here on direct orders from Duke Aurora. Your King?—”
“And I’ve just told you this isn’t necessary. My men and I will take care of it.”
“I’m not here to steal your glory,Commander,” the man sneered, and Daris’s eye widened. He heard a choked sound coming from Jason. “I have orders from?—”
Daris hauled the man closer, as he hissed, “I don’t care who gave you orders. I am taking her in, so you and your men can leave.”
He pushed the man, satisfaction lifting his lips as the captain stumbled back, bumping hard into his man behind him. Flustered, high color rose in the man’s face as he sputtered, “You have no authority! I demand you step aside!”
Daris didn’t bother to respond as he turned to Jason. “Get?—”
Shouts sounded across the square as arrows whistled through the air. Several soldiers behind Daris yelled, and he spun in time to see two of them fall. He roared for his men to find cover as he raced toward the nearest building and ducked. Leaning forward, Daris cursed as more arrows whistled past and caught soldiers not fast enough to hide. He motioned to Jason, who had sheltered behind a barrel next to a small house, to stay low. Jason nodded, then looked out at the yard as others scrambled to find cover.
Daris waited. Whoever had fired those arrows—and he had a pretty good idea who—seemed to have stopped. He leaned further out, sword in hand, then nodded to Jason as both sprang out onto the main thoroughfare, Daris calling out to his men. They raced to the inn, mounting their horses quickly without regard to the captain or his men as they rode for the main gate.
“Shit!” Jason swore as he jumped from his horse and ran for the closed gates. The two men posted there were dead on the ground, their throats slit.
“They’re barred from the outside!” Jason called up to Daris as he mounted his horse.
Daris wheeled his horse around, and his men followed as they tore across the city to the eastern gate. He cursed again, their pursuit slowed by the terrified citizens running out of their way—or rather, into their way in their panic to get out of the path of charging horses.
When Daris saw the gates, he yelled at the people blocking their path, slapping the reins as he urged his horse into a full gallop. He turned his mount left after exiting the gate and hoped was the direction Terena had taken.
Behind them, he heard the captain’s men close in. The snow let up enough for a few moments he urged his horse faster, his men riding in formation around him as he tore across the plains.
At dawn, the snow stopped. Daris pulled up, his men doing the same around him. He swore, turning his horse as he glanced around the snowy landscape. Mist swirled over the ground, the weak light of dawn making everything appear eerie.
The captain and some of his men finally appeared, drawing up when they caught sight of them.
“Did you see them?”
The absolute fucking gall.“No, I didn’t catch sight of them, Captain,” he bit out. “I wouldn’t be sitting here, would I?”
The captain didn’t seem to catch the sarcasm as he looked about. Like he expected to see them in the wide open space.
“Are you sure they went this way?”
Daris dropped his chin. His head snapped back up as Michael answered. “Must have. You can reach Fell River from here.”
Daris shot his man a look that shut him up.
The captain didn’t seem to notice.Of course not.
“Yes,” he muttered, looking in the direction Michael had indicated. “Fell River is about a mile or two away.”
“We’re so close to where The Event occurred, the river’s sure to be frozen enough to cross on horse,” one of his men said at his side, his mount dancing beneath him.
Daris shot another death look at Michael, who ducked his head.
“Right,” the captain said. “Listen up! Our quarry seeks to evade us, but we are men of Aurora and we will bring that traitorous bitch right to the duke’s feet!”
