A day? A week?
Every moment she spent near him, she jeopardizedhissoul.
His eternity.
And the fate of the entire world.
I could never be so selfish.
Noir would torture him unmercifully in Azmodea. Use him to breach the barrier into this world.
I have to stop them.
Holding that thought inside her heart, she forced her feet away from him and moved to take a horse. A gentle mare called to her as she neared the last stall.
“You’ll not harm me, will you?” she whispered.
The brown mare stared at her with gentle eyes.
Ariel smiled before reaching for a bridle. “You’ll have to help me,” she whispered in the lowest of tones, holding the bit to the animal’s teeth like she’d seen Wace and the groom do. “I’m not sure how this needs be done.”
The mare took it in her mouth.
Ariel stroked the mare’s nose, grateful she understood her, and worked the leather straps into their correct positions around the mare’s head.
With a wishful sigh, she glanced to the saddles, but decided against it. She doubted she could lift one, and even if she did, she had no idea of how to fasten it.
No need to risk an injury to herself or the horse, or waking Valteri with that.
Instead, she took a blanket from the wooden post, draped it over the mare’s spine, and led the animal out into the cold, lonely night.
Though she ached to look back at Valteri, she knew better than to try. A single glance in his direction could very well destroy her will to leave him.
Mounting the horse, she kicked her into a gallop.
Ariel expected the sentries to stop her at the gate, but instead they waved her through.
They were more interested in keeping people out than keeping them in.
Grateful for that, she rode for leagues before she slowed the mare’s pace. The horse snorted, and pranced as if suddenly skittish from some foreign scent. Soothing her with her touch, Ariel looked about to see what had her horse so upset.
“Leaving so soon?”
Demon stench filled her head and she struggled not to gag. “Go away!”
Belial laughed, then materialized in front of her. “Why would I listen to you?”
“Because you’re too weak to be out here.”
“Am I?”
That sent a shiver over her as she realized that he was stronger now.
How?
Belial started near the horse, but because his powers were renewed, the animal backed up, leery of what it smelled from him.
He smiled wickedly at her. “So what did you tell Valteri?”
