1
“We’ll nae leave ye.”
Madison’s heartfluttered as she clasped Piper’s trembling hands. She knew all too well it wasn’t the cold that had her quaking like the last leaf in autumn.
“Ye must.It’ll be suicide if ye stay,” Madison answered as she tried not to let the pain rolling up the left side of her body dull her tone. She turned her attention to the two huddled in the corner of the wagon. Their eyes were as wide as the full moon and just as ominous.
“I will killLewis for what he’s done to ye,” Piper vowed. The conviction in her tone was like a bell ringing through Madison. As much as she wanted to answer the calling of hope and dive into the realm of that security, she couldn’t. Madison knew all too well what fate was in store for her. But the others, Gabriella, Piper, and Flora, they had a chance.
“Ye have to escape first,”Madison said, her tone clipped but honest. There was no denying the truth and they all knew it. It settled on them like a wet blanket.
“Tellme what ye did last time,” Piper implored. “And when I’m free, I’ll come with me brothers and we’ll see ye’re freed.”
Madison pursedher lips into a tight line. She’d heard that vow before. In fact, it was one she’d made herself. If only she knew then there was no escaping the cycle of terror and torture. But seeing the hope flickering like a candle in the darkest night within Piper’s eyes, Madison couldn’t bring herself to tell Piper there was no chance of escaping.
“Is thereany way we can make it out of this?” Flora asked as she peered through the sliver of burlap that was tossed over the top of their cage. “Some place we can hide?”
“There should be a stream,”Madison whispered, hoping her voice didn’t carry beyond the four of them. “To the south. If you can find it, follow it up stream. There, ye’ll find a nook in the rocks. Ye might be safe there. But ye’ll have to lose the hounds.”
“What is the point?”Flora whimpered as she curled into Gabriella for support. “We’re nothin’ to them but animals. We willnae survive this.”
Madison releasedPiper’s hands and turned for Flora. “I ken that the world is cruel. Believe me, I ken it better than most. But ye cannae give up. Ye cannae let the world win. Do ye remember what the good book says? We’re told nae to worry. It’sin there three hundred and sixty-five times. Do ye think that’s a coincidence?”
Flora shookher head as she wiped away the stream of tears flowing down her cheeks. The pain on her face made Madison wish that Lewis would be satisfied with her suffering and maybe he’d let the others go. But the time for negotiations had passed.
“Nay,but ye cannae think for one moment that we can leave ye in the state yer in,” Flora said glancing to Madison’s injured leg. “If ye’re taken, then we will all be taken.”
“Please daenae giveup yer freedom for me. Ye cannae put such a burden on me shoulders. When this wagon stops and the cage is open, ye are all to run. I daenae ken how much time ye’ll have. But ye must try. We all heard the rules. If ye can make it till dawn, ye can win yer freedom. Stay hidden, stay silent. Understand?”
Madison glancedat the girls before her, studying each of them. They all shared the same terrified expressions. As if the unknown would be far worse than what they had already endured. Madison let out a heavy sigh as she fought back the tears that wanted to come pouring out of her.
“Swear to me,swear ye’ll run,” Madison implored as the wagon came to a stop. Her heart dropped to her stomach and every nerve in her body tingled. The thud of the driver landing hard on the ground might as well have been a bag of rocks tossed on her shoulders. Madison’s body tightened as if it were ready to spring like a snake from its resting place.
The girls turnedfor the door of the cage as the sound of keys rattling and clanging against metal caused Madison’s ears to perk. A rusty orange sky greeted Madison as she climbed from the wagon. It reminded her of the color of her mother’s hair as she hung the laundry in the yard all those years ago. While Madison couldn’t quite remember all the details of her mother’s face, she couldn’t help but be transported to a different time and place.
“Ah.”
The rough clamorpulled Madison from her thoughts. She glanced about finding Piper, Flora, and Gabriella still standing before her as they watched the wagon drive off without them.
“What are ye doin’?Ye must go before the horn is called. Ye only have till the driver gets back to the keep,” Madison said as she hobbled to the boulder on the side of the trail.
“We will nae forgetall ye done for us,” Gabriella said as she grabbed Flora’s hand. Madison’s heart ached to think this might be the last time she was goin' to see them.
“Daenae thank me yet,”she answered as she pulled them into her embrace. “Now go.”
It tookevery ounce of her strength to watch her companions flee from her. But it wasn’t like she could have their blood on her hands. She brushed away the rogue tear from her cheek and glanced at Piper.
“Ye need to go.”
“Will I see ye again?”
“Only God kens the future,”Madison answered as she hugged Piper tighter. Although their friendship had blossomed through adversity, Madison could only pray her friend would escape this madness. “Now go. Ye have an oath to keep.”
Madison pulled awayand flashed Piper a weak smile. It was the only thing Madison had left to give. Piper nodded and turned on her heels just as the horn blasted through the grove and darted toward the south.
Madison’s chesttightened as she stood alone. Her leg wouldn’t allow her to run. Even walking was a chore. Glancing around, Madison’s choices were limited. She could stay and greet her fate with complacency. She shook her head as she strained to hear for any signs of the hounds. No, she wouldn’t go down without a fight. If she was going to be caught, she was going to make it as difficult for them as she could.
She hobbled to the trees,using the trunk to stand upright. There were no nooks or hollowed spots for her to hide in. Nor could she find any caves, or rooted spots to help mask her. Tossing her head back, she ran her fingers through her hair as defeat hung like a dark cloud. Then it hit her as she caught sight of the nest over her head.
