The hoofbeats were close now.Piper could see them—six men on powerful horses, riding toward the clearing. Even from a distance, she could sense their confidence, their arrogance. They thought this would be easy.
Maybe they were right.
“Remember,”Lewis said, his voice dropping. “The lairds have paid good money for this. Daenae disappoint them by dyin’ too quickly.” He looked directly at Gabriella. “Especially ye, troublemaker. I made sure to tell them ye’re the feisty one.”
Gabriella’s jaw clenched,but she didn’t respond.
One of Lewis’smen approached, carrying a horn. An actual hunting horn, as if this were some grand sport instead of the horror it truly was.
“Any last words?”Lewis asked mockingly. “Any tearful goodbyes?”
Madison turnedto look at them all, her eyes fierce despite her weakened state. “Run fast. Run smart. And if ye get the chance, survive.”
“I’m goin’for the cliffs,” Gabriella said quietly. “Either I find a way down, or…” She didn’t finish, but they all understood.
Flora said nothing,just stared at the forest with those terrified eyes.
“What about ye, plump girl?”Lewis sneered at Piper. “Got a plan? Or are ye just goin’ to waddle into the woods and hope for the best?”
Anger flaredin Piper’s chest. Two months of abuse, two months of fear, two months of being called worthless and ugly and fat. She was done.
“I’m goin’to survive,” she said, her voice stronger than she felt. “And then I’m goin’ to watch ye hang for this.”
Lewis’s face darkened.He raised his hand as if to strike her, but one of the lairds had ridden close enough to see. Lewis lowered his hand with obvious reluctance.
“We’ll see about that,”he muttered. “We’ll see.”
The lairds formed a line,their horses stamping and snorting. Piper couldn’t make out their faces clearly, but she could feel their eyes on her. On all of them. Assessing. Choosing their prey.
“Ready the horn!”Lewis shouted.
Piper’s whole body tensed.Her mind raced through possibilities. The forest was closest, but everyone would run there. The cliffs were dangerous but offered a better chance if she could find a path down. The open ground was suicide.
The forest.Run for the forest and daenae stop. Daenae look back. Just run.
The man raisedthe horn to his lips.
Time seemed to slow.Piper could hear her own heartbeat, thunderous in her ears. Could feel the cold morning air on her skin. Could smell the earth and trees and her own fear.
Please.Please let me survive this. I daenae want to die. Nae like this.
The horn sounded,a long, mournful note that echoed across the clearing.
“Run!”Lewis roared. “Run, ye stupid lasses!”
Piper ran.
She ran as fastas her legs could go toward the trees. Beside her, Gabriella veered left toward the cliffs. Madison headed straight for the deepest part of the forest despite her limp. Flora stumbled, caught herself, and kept going.
Behind them,the thunder of hoofbeats began.
Faster.Run faster.
Piper’s lungs burned.Her side cramped. But she didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. The tree line was so close, just a few more yards?—
“I see ye, bonnie!”
The voice camefrom behind and to her right. Close. Too close. Piper risked a glance back and saw a laird on a gray horse, grinning like a wolf. He was older, his face cruel, his eyes hungry.
