“I daenae trust ye,” she said finally.
“I ken that.”
“Ye’re too good to be true. Men like ye daenae exist.”
“Maybe most daenae. But I’m nae most men, lass.”
“That’s exactly what a man who’s lyin’ would say.”
Despite everything, Elijah felt his lips twitch. “Aye, I suppose it is.”
They rode in silence for several minutes. The sun was climbing higher now, warming the air. In the distance, Elijah could see a line of trees that marked a stream—a good place to stop and rest.
“I need to think,” Piper said suddenly.
“About what?”
“About whether to believe ye or nae. About whether stayin’ with ye is better or worse than takin’ me chances alone.” Sheglanced back at him again. “About whether ye’re a liar or just insane.”
“Fair enough.” Elijah nodded toward the trees ahead. “We’ll stop there. Ye can think while the horse rests.”
“And if I decide to run?”
His jaw tightened. “Then ye’ll run, and I’ll wish ye the best of luck.”
It was a lie. If she ran, he’d follow. Not to drag her back, but to make sure she didn’t get herself killed within the first hour.
But she didn’t need to know that yet.
5
They rode in silence for another half hour before Elijah guided the horse toward a small stream that cut through the forest. The water burbled softly over smooth stones, and the surrounding trees provided welcome shade from the midday sun.
"We'll rest here," Elijah said, dismounting first. He reached up to help Piper down, but she ignored his offered hand, sliding off the horse on her own—though not as gracefully as she might have hoped. Her legs wobbled slightly after so long in the saddle.
She moved immediately toward the stream, putting distance between them. Kneeling by the water's edge, she cupped her hands and drank deeply, the cool liquid soothing her parched throat. Behind her, she could hear Elijah tending to the horse, speaking to it in low, gentle tones.
Piper glanced back at him. He wasn't watching her. Wasn't hovering. He'd simply let her go to the water while he saw to the animal's needs. It was... unexpected.
"There's some bread and cheese in the saddlebag if ye're hungry," Elijah called without turning around.
She wasn't. Her stomach was still twisted in knots. But she appreciated that he'd offered. Appreciated even more that he wasn't trying to force anything on her.
Piper stared at her reflection in the water. The woman looking back at her seemed like a stranger—hair tangled, face smudged with dirt, eyes wide with lingering fear and confusion. Just days ago, she'd been returning home with her wages, dreaming of escape. Now...
Now what? Was she truly free? Or was this just another trap, more elaborate than the last?
She looked back at Elijah again. He'd sat down beneath a tree, giving the horse a rest, his eyes scanning the forest around them—alert, watchful, but not focused on her. He could have grabbed her a dozen times by now. Could have done... anything. But he hadn't.
"We should move on soon," Elijah said after a few more minutes, rising to his feet. "We've still got a fair distance to cover before nightfall."
Piper stood as well, brushing off her skirts. As he helped her back onto the horse—and this time she accepted his hand—a plan began forming in her mind.
She would test him. Truly test him.
They'd been riding for another hour in tense silence when Piper finally spoke.
"Stop the horse."
