At Yves’command, the men rallied their steeds hastily about Annelise. The horses snorted nervously, well aware of the scent of wolf in the wind, and stamped withfear.
A wolf howled to its brethren. The horses shied away from the sound. Annelise stroked her mare’s ears, but the beast was oblivious to her touch. Its ears flicked, and its dark eyes were wide. Annelise felt the creatureshudder.
“Surely there must be somewhere we can take shelter,” she said, fearing it was notso.
The man beside her drew his blade. “It is too late now, my lady. They are all around us and hungry, unless I miss myguess.”
Annelise looked into the woods, at the pacing shadows of the predators. “We shouldflee!”
“To where?” the man beside her asked. “Wolves are possessed of an unholy cunning and stamina beyond all. They will separate us and dog our steps until our horses fall from exhaustion. At least one of us will pay the price, to besure.”
That one of their party—if not more—was doomed to become a meal for these beasts made Annelise’s heartrace.
Yves gathered his reins in his gloved hands. When he spoke, his voice was grim. “We must try to outrun them, even knowing that one of us may fall. I remind you all that you have already given your pledge to protectAnnelise.”
The men grunted inassent.
“Shall we draw lots or allow Dame Fortune to make the choice?” Yvesasked.
The men barely glanced at each other beforeresponding.
“Dame Fortune is my choice,” the man beside Annelise replied. “And let our fates fall as they may. May she not be a greedy wench this night and see us alltaken.”
The other two men nodded their agreement, drawing their blades as they watched the wolves’ shadows under the barrentrees.
Yves put a gloved hand over Annelise’s and their gazes clung. “I bid you good fortune, sister of mine,” he said softly, “lest I not have the opportunity to do solater.”
Annelise’s heart clenched at the import of his words. She felt the full weight of her guilt. She should never have chosen the convent, not if it meant any of these men should die. “Yves, I never thought...” she began, but Yves tightened his grip over herfingers.
“It is not your fault,” he said, interrupting her with resolve. “I erred in being as stubborn as you in this. In fact, I erred more by leading us astray this day.” His gaze turned resolute and he was once again the young man she had come to trust. “I wanted only to ensure your safety before I left and I was too stubborn to wait for finer weather.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile, making the dimple that graced his chin deepen. “Fare thee well, sister mine,” hewhispered.
“And may you fare well, also.” Her voice broke, but Yves had already movedaway.
“I cannot even count their numbers,” whispered oneman.
“And they are gaunt from this cursed winter,” muttered the third. “Mark my words, they will bebold.”
“As shall we!” Yves bellowed. The wolves halted and eyed him warily, their eyes glinting silver. “Away to the right with all speed! We circle back to the road. And mind thelady!”
All four men shouted and gave spurs to their horses at that moment. Their steeds were only too glad to obey the command to run. Annelise’s palfrey raced in their midst, surrounded by the larger horses. The wolves howled and she did not doubt they were fast inpursuit.
She crouched down as her mare plunged into the forest. The snow crunched underfoot as the horses broke trail, their breath billowing steam into the air. She could feel that her mare was running with all hermight.
The palfrey understood instinctively that whichever horse fell back would be the first tofall.
Several wolves bayed, and there was the sound of breaking branches. Annelise glanced over her shoulder to see four wolves close in pursuit. She clutched her mare’s reins, her heart in her mouth. Her heels dug into the horse’s side as the wind ripped her hood from herhead.
The mare bolted forward and ran alongside Yves’ steed at breakneck speed, her fear ensuring that she left the other three horsesbehind.
“Flee, Annelise!” Yves cried when he saw her. “Do not wait—our armor will be our doom!” He did not wait for her reply. His hand smacked heavily on the mare’srump.
It was all the encouragement that horse needed to race even more quickly into the forest, leaving Yves and his menbehind.
Annelise wasalone!
