Vera just held him, and it was several moments before his tears finally stopped.
Slowly, he eased back, sniffing as he met her gaze. “I’m sorry.”
She gave him a gentle smile. “It’s all right. Sometimes we all need a good cry.”
He glanced over at Venn, and his cheeks colored. “I’m sorry, Venn.”
“It’s forgotten,” Venn said easily, compassion lighting his eyes.
“What’s wrong with Finn?” Sarah asked.
“Nothing’s wrong with him,” Venn said quickly. He glanced over his shoulder, noting the stable just at the end of the street. He looked to Vera, who quickly nodded, then he focused on the young boy. “Finn, why don’t we get the horse and bring it here?”
Finn nodded and moved to join Venn while Vera took Sarah’s hand.
“We’ll just be a moment,” Venn said, setting a hand on Finn’s shoulder.
“Take your time,” Vera said quickly. She imagined Finn would want a moment alone with Venn—a moment to recover without so many eyes on him. The stable wasn’t far, but it would give him brief privacy.
While Venn and Finn finished walking the rest of the way to the stable, Vera squeezed Sarah’s hand. “Why don’t we sit on those crates over there while we wait?”
The little girl nodded and followed Vera to the side of the street, where wooden crates had been stacked.
A presence moved up behind her, but there was no time to turn before the sharp tip of a knife pressed against her back. “Don’t make a sound,” a dark voice demanded lowly. “If you do, the little girl dies.”
Vera swallowed a scream, but she couldn’t stop her stomach from dropping—or the chill from breaking over her skin.
She knew that voice. She’d heard it for agonizing days, terrifying nights, and in every nightmare since her escape.
Her mouth was dry as she whispered it. “Tariq.”
The knife against her back edged deeper. “Move into the alley.Now.”
Vera looked down at Sarah, and her insides seized when she saw a Mortisian man standing behind her as well, one hand clamped over her mouth, the other holding a knife against her throat.
“Don’t hurt her,” Vera breathed. “Please.”
“Go to the alley,” Tariq hissed. “Now.”
Left with no choice, Vera gripped Sarah’s hand and edged toward the nearby alley. Her eyes darted toward the stable—so close, and yet so far. She couldn’t see Venn, and that meant he couldn’t see her.
Fates,she couldn’t believe this was happening.
Panic swelled as they entered the alley and lost sight of the stable. The shadows were thicker here, and everything felt darker when Tariq gave his next order.
“You have until the count of three to take off that carrier, or I’ll cut the babe loose.”
Vera released Sarah’s hand, and the little girl whimpered from behind the hand that gagged her.
Vera murmured to her as her fingers fumbled to loosen the baby carrier.
“Hurry,” Tariq snapped.
“Don’t hurt them,” Vera pleaded.
“You don’t give me orders. But if you shut up and don’t fight me, the brats can stay here.”
Vera slowly lowered Rebecca to the alley floor, the sling pillowing around her. Then she looked at Sarah. The man who held her continued to smother her mouth, and her eyes were wide and terrified.
