She was stronger now, stronger than she’d ever known.
And this time, she could run straight to Caspian.
“Huntsman,” Lady Manning screeched. “We will stop here for the night and tomorrow we will continue on our way. I can’t sleep with this incessant jolting.”
The wagon ground to a halt with a whine and she pretended she wasn’t awake. If she didn’t move a muscle, maybe they would leave her alone.
“Set up camp,” a masculine voice ordered from somewhere behind her.
Was it the person who had grabbed her? He wasn’t the old captain of the guard. He would never have tied Sophia up.
As she listened to the guards around her setting up a camp, Sophia tried to take deep breaths. She was far too outnumbered to run for it right now, even if her legs were free.
The idea of sleeping and being unaware of what was going on made her stomach turn, but she would need to be well rested in order to make her escape.
Sophia closed her eyes, praying Caspian would come and find her, or she would have the opportunity to escape herself.
Because she knew once she was back in Lady Manning’s home, there would be no chance.
It was light when she awoke. She shivered in the cold of early morning, Lady Rendon’s dress a flimsy barrier against the dew and the cool breeze.
How she longed for her cozy bed at home, with plenty of quilts and blankets, and a roaring fire in the kitchen.
She took a deep breath as the reality of her situation crashed into her awareness once again. The blissful avoidance of sleep fell away, and her heart began to beat faster.
Lady Manning was bringing her back to Riyel.
And if she made it there, she wouldn’t make it back out again.
Somehow she knew that, deep in her bones.
She had to get away before they got into the city.
She prayed that Caspian would come for her. Surely he had realized by now that she was missing. The ride to Riyel took time—she should know. She’d walked it on her way to the Northlands almost a year ago. Her mind strayed to the several days she’d been walking before Dietrich had found her, the freezing wind and snow biting through her worn clothing and her body shaking from the chills. She hadn’t eaten in several days, and getting water to drink from the creek only made the cold worse.
If Dietrich hadn’t found her, she wasn’t sure she would have survived.
But he had found her and brought her to Thea. They had placed her before a roaring fire, clothed her, fed her, given her hot cider to warm her. Thea had found her a place to sleep that night, and in the morning sent Dietrich to Lord Rendon to ask if he had any openings for a maid.
She didn’t know what Dietrich had told Lord Rendon, but she was given a place there, and barely a week later, the manor had goats that needed someone to tend to them, and she was given the job.
And then, not too long ago, Caspian had arrived, and her life had changed.
She didn’t want to do life without him.
He had to come for her.
He had time to get to her. One man on horseback was faster than a wagon and a carriage. She didn’t know how long the drive normally took, but it had to be at least another day.
He could catch up to them.
Though maybe she shouldn’t wish for him to come. She had no idea how many guards there were, and as much as she knew her fate would be difficult, it would be better than watching Caspian die. And Lady Manning would make sure she saw it, if she got an inkling of how much Caspian meant to her.
Sophia didn’t like thinking of all the things she’d been forced to do, but she knew beyond a doubt Lady Manning would make her watch them hurt Caspian.
Maybe it would be better if he didn’t come. It would probably be better for him. But she knew, without a doubt, that Caspian was not the kind of man who could walk away and not follow her.
Her traitorous heart couldn’t wait for him to arrive.
