Quickly, she collected her things from around the room. She didn’t know what Damien’s plans were, but if the Darkened One was involved, they weren’t good. “I’m so stupid . . .” she mumbled to herself as she stuffed things into her leather bag. “Trusting a stranger. Such an idiot.” Tears blinded her, but she blinked them away as she dressed. Now was not the time to break. Crying could come later, right now she needed to focus, to escape. She slid the window open and crawled through as quietly as she could.
The drop wasn’t far with their room being on ground level. She looked up and down the miserable streets. It was barely morning so no one else was around.
Wasting no time, she peeled off, heading towards the stables.
She snatched Pickles’s bridle and saddle from where they rested on the wall and practically threw them onto the mare. Buckling the equipment proved to be a challenge with her heart racing and her fingers shaking; she forced herself to take a steadying breath and tried again. When the mare was finally ready, Luna tried to mount but couldn’t. Pickles was just too tall. After several more failed attempts, she realized she needed help.
She scanned the dark stables, feeling like the shadows in the angles of the structure were closing in on her. Suffocating her.
A bucket caught her eye, and in the span of seconds, she had it turned upside down and under her feet to help her mount Pickles. One giant leap later, she was on the mare’s back.
She slammed her heels into Pickles so hard, the mare squealed and reared back, front hooves slicing through the air—then she bolted. Luna clung to her back, barely holding on.
Chapter 31
The Road Ahead Isn’t Always Pretty
Pickles’s hooves thundered against the dirt road, carrying her farther and farther away from Gregory and Damien. From his lies. Luna had no idea where they were headed, but she didn’t care. Her heart matched the frantic beat as Pickles galloped on, wind whipping through her hair and the mare’s mane. Any hope for a future filled with happiness trailed in the dust kicked up behind them.
A cool wind swept between the mountains looming on all sides, flattening the grassy fields in long snaking paths. As the sun took its place above the horizon, Luna became aware of the sweat that shimmered on her brow, dampened her palms, and soaked Pickles’s coat. They had been running for some time now, but she didn’t dare slow. Unicorns were no ordinary creatures, who knew how quickly Damien would catch up.
Two small dots appeared in the distance when she looked back. She didn’t wait to wonder who, encouraging Pickles to keep pace as she steered her off the road.
The pounding of hooves behind her confirmed what she feared.
Chancing another glance backwards, she saw two men on horseback galloping off the road, gaining on her fast. They wore the king’s colours—navy with golden fleur-de-lis embroidered on their tunics.
Frantically, she dug her heels into Pickles’s sides again, urging her to go faster, but the mare couldn’t. She was heaving, and her legs were on the verge of collapse. Luna kicked and kicked, but their speed slowed and before she knew it, the men were upon her.
“You seem to be in an awful hurry,” the closest guard taunted, like they hadn’t been chasing her.
She couldn’t be caught. Not like this. Not now. She scanned the horizon, but there was no obvious escape route . . . No shadow unicorn to rescue her.
“Can you blame her?” the other guard said, amusement lining his voice. “Wouldn’t you if you were the runaway beast?”
Damn the skies above.They knew who she was.
Biting her lip, Luna took one look at Pickles and knew she wouldn’t be able to outrun them. Luna cursed herself. If she was smart, she would have asked Damien to show her how to transform before she chose to leave, then she could have at least run away on her own legs—or, if she was desperate, she could stab them with her horn at the very least.
With no other option, she straightened her clothes, lifted her chin, and with the finest, most elegant voice she could muster, said, “I’m fine, gentlemen. Thank you for your concern, but I’m afraid you have me mixed up with someone else.” She forced her lips into a pleasant smile. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be on my way.”
She turned Pickles away, hoping her confidence would confuse the men and they’d just let her go, but she was barely down the hill when the whizzing of an arrow sounded. It flew past Luna and hit Pickles square in the shoulder. The mare reared and Luna hit the ground with a hard thud. Pain vibrated through her body, chest burning as though a cracked rib had pierced her lungs. Every breath sent a sharp, searing ache through her, making it harder to draw air without wincing. Clutching her torso with one hand, she pushed herself up and looked around for Pickles, but the horse was long gone.
The guard who held a crossbow now pointed it directly at her, approaching slowly with a wicked grin.
She scrambled backwards and tried to summon her magic but couldn’t find it. It was as though her power was hiding, frightened just as much as she was.
What’s the point of being a unicorn if her powers couldn’t help her in a time of need?
She cursed under her breath before noticing how the stabbing pain in her chest had lessened; her magic already working on healing her from the fall.
“Another inch, and the next one will be for you,” the guard warned, lifting the bow ever so slightly. The men, still on their horses, circled her. Any sign of amusement from earlier was gone, replaced with deep hatred. To them, she was a beast meant to be hunted. “By order of the king, you are to surrender and come with us.”
Frozen, her mouth opened and closed, her eyes darting between them. When she didn’t respond, the men moved closer, forcing her to stand and take a step backwards. Her temperature plummeted, sending uncontrollable shudders sweeping through her.
“Move,” the guard commanded, gesturing with his crossbow.
No. Her decision, though hasty, was final. Risking an arrow would be better than going with them. Anything would be better than ending up back with the king.
