My veryshortlifetime, considering how things were currently going.
As we moved to the next village—the next massacre—the land grew hilly. Until now, the land we’d crossed had been similar to Second Territory: flat, repetitive, speckled with dry trees and tangled briars. Here, though, the earth was textured, small inclines and deep, rock-covered hollows and divots forcing us to slow. The naked trees and brush grew denser as we traversed the rugged terrain, skirting around imposing boulders that were sometimes as tall as the saddle.
Hiding here would be easy.
The men must have known that, because they’d been stiff in their seats since we left hours ago.
A meaty hand snaked around my belly to keep me in place as we descended a particularly steep drop. It began to slide up toward my chest, taking new liberties—
A puff of air. The hand dropped. I spun around to watch as surprise gave way to emptiness on his ugly face. He fell. My blood quickened as I stared at the…thearrowin his side.
Shouts erupted as three wet, fleshy thumps sounded in succession. Three riders in front of me dropped from their saddles, and chaos broke loose.
Figures emerged fromeverywhere, shooting toward us in blurs of tan and black. Koerlyn’s men leapt to the ground, freeing their weapons, but not before some were cut down with savage swipes by men whoroared.
Shock froze my limbs.
Everything was moving so fast. Too fast.
The attackers moved with savage efficiency, cutting down Koerlyn’s men with terrifying synchrony. Some used knives, others axes, and a few swords. All sprayed blood, working in time with the others, setting traps for each other to finish. Koerlyn’s men took swipes of their own. They’d manage two, maybe three blocks, and then one attacker would slice their leg while another tore into their neck, and the same cycle would repeat with a new man. The group was overwhelmed by speed and skill, and there was no way Koerlyn’s men could claw themselves out of that.
A growl broke through my reverie. I traced the sound, finding a…a beast. It wasn’t his clothing, which was the same as the others’, or his size, which was as huge as the tree men’s. It was the utter ferocity etched on his face as he spun and struck and moved with unmatched grace. It was pure, raw power. Not the kind that Koerlyn held in his voice, but the kind you created with your own body.
His victim fell, and dark eyes slid to me.
Finally,finally,I was propelled into action.
My hands tied behind my back, there was little I could do but slide from the horse and prepare for the landing…
Which was directly on my rider’s bloated body.
It was gross, but it was helpful.
I rolled to my knees, stumbled to my feet, and took off.
Fear of that man lit a fire within my veins. With my arms restrained, I was awkward and unbalanced, and any speed I normally had was stunted. I stumbled over roots and rocks, unused to the bumpy terrain. The only destination I knew wasaway from him,and I would keep going until I got there.
Something told me that was a man I could not survive.
The sounds of battle faded, but panic ran strong. My toe rammed a rock, and I lurched forward, barely catching myself just as the air seemed to fill with electricity.
I stole a desperate glance behind me.
My lungs seized.
He was ten paces away. Feet soundless. Muscles flexing. Shadowed eyes set on me. A monster bearing down on his prey.
I was so screwed.
And I also watched my hunter for too long because the same foot rammed intoanotherrock, and I turned my head forward in time to watch myself dive face-first down a slope. Rocks and roots passed beneath me as I sailed. The ground sped toward my face. I couldn’t break this fall with my hands.
Instinct moved me at the last second. Head tucked, shoulder forward, I crashed into the dirt. The force of the impact snapped my head back, and my body rolled twice before sliding to a stop on my bound hands.
There was no air. I couldn’t take a breath. My throat wouldn’t inhale, but Ineeded to breathe.I was suffocating. I’d been impaled in the chest. I was drowning out of water becauseI couldn’t breathe.
I tried to make my muscles work, but only a strained choke came from my open mouth.
“You can breathe. Your body knows how.” The low timbre waded through my panic, sounding fuzzy as the words registered.
