The man holding her yelled to his men and they burst into motion, rushing at Melanos as she was dragged away. Fane barreled after her, but the Riverman at his side was faster, kicking the back of Fane’s knee. Sonah screamed out to Melanos and Fane as the Rivermen surrounded them.
She kicked and spat, twisting and almost freeing herself, when the soldier holding her stumbled against her momentum.
Suddenly free, Sonah ran.
She’d not gotten far when she was snatched around the waist and thrown over the man’s broad shoulder. His armor punched the air out of her lungs. When she regained her breath, Sonah screamed again, watching through tears as her friends continued fighting off the Rivermen.
Thrown over a saddle, Sonah immediately tried to slide off. The soldier leaped onto the horse and grabbed the back of her cloak, pulling her back. She clawed at her throat where the cloak fastenings were choking her.
With the little remaining air left in her lungs, Sonah feebly called out as the horse raced away from her friends. And any chance of escape.
Chapter 14
NEAR CALLA, OVENNO
The tracker had worn Terena down on their journey south to Calla. Terena had agreed to let Vassori send a note to her brother for news of Sonah’s whereabouts. When they were close to the capital, Vassori had gone off alone to send word to Xoran and await his response. While they waited, Terena had sent Migela and Gabriol north to fetch the cleric. They were all to meet back up outside of the city.
Rydon had cautioned against splitting up, but Ren had told him of the story Orry had found in his research. A story of an amulet gifted to a shepherd that sounded very much like the one Xoran—and the emperor—were searching for.
Shortly before Migela and Gabriol returned with a smiling Orry, Vassori rode into their camp and pulled Terena away. As she’d gotten up to speak with the tracker, Gabriol and Migela showed up with Orry. The cleric’s cherubic face was bright red from the ride, his precious tomes stuffed in a bag he clutched to his chest. After exchanging greetings, Orry made his way to the fire behind Migela, and settled beside her.
A scream tore through the encampment.
Rydon took off running, his heart thundering painfully as his mind emptied of all but getting to Terena.
When he found her, she was crouched low, her head in her hands with Croak standing near her, shoulders slumped. Vassori stood over her, a piece of parchment clutched in her fingers as she looked up. Rydon skidded to a halt.
“What’s happened?” he shouted, arms spread as he stalked toward their small group.
“News from my brother,” Vassori said dismissively, her gaze falling back to Terena’s huddled form. Ren sprang up, her face bright red, eyes brimming with tears Rydon knew she would not shed in present company.
“He turned on us?” Rydon turned to Vassori, who flinched back at the look on his face.
To her credit, the tracker faced him with her chin lifted. “He did not turn on us. It’s all part of his plan.”
“Part of his plan?” Croak’s cruel sneer belied his fear for his sister. “What plan calls for him to lose Sonah?”
Rydon gaped at Croak a second before lunging at Vassori. Gabriol moved to intercept him, and Croak chuckled at all of them.
“He lost her?”
“He did not lose her,” Vassori snarled, shoving against Rydon’s hold on her shirt. She looked over at Terena, a desperate plea in her voice. “He did not lose her, goddess. The next part of his plan would not work without first making itlooklike he lost Sonah Yahn.”
“And what part of the plan is that?” Croak called out.
Without bothering to look at the boy, Vassori continued to speak to Terena.
“He cannot return to the emperor without Sonah Yahn, and he would not betrayyou, so he had a plan to make it look like they were attacked?—”
“Theywereattacked!” Croak yelled. Rydon turned his attention back to Terena, who seemed at war with herself.
“Keep your fucking voice down,” Rydon growled, his eyes bulging as he glared at Croak. “If Ovenno soldiers patrol nearby, you’ve just given us away, you fool!”
Croak flushed and dropped his head. Rydon motioned for Vassori to continue.
“He needed a ruse to get Sonah away from his soldiers, I understand,” Rydon continued, stepping close to the tracker with a menacing glare. “So what happened? Where’s Sonah?”
“She did not meet up with the man she was supposed to find,” Vassori said cryptically. Lifting her hand, she held out the parchment to Rydon, who snatched it from her with a frown.
