“Perhaps she’s with Thorn or Shadow?”
Belial shook his head. “Already asked, and they appeared as baffled as you are.”
Valteri bit back a curse. “Do you know which way they went?”
Belial snorted, his eyes bitterly amused. “They rode to the north when they left here, as if they were riding toward the castle, but they may have altered their direction once they were out of sight.”
Wanting to punch the smug bastard in the face, Valteri grabbed a fresh horse and saddled it. With practiced ease, he worked the leather straps around the horse’s belly and his thoughts focused on his wife.
Had Ethbert taken her, or had she left of her own accord?
I’m such a fool.
Ever since he’d almost been crushed, she’d been more and more panicked. He should have seen this coming.
She was trying to protect him, and while he appreciated the thought, he wanted to strangle her, too.
I should have eased her fears more.
This was all his fault. If something happened to her because of it, he’d never forgive himself.
Valteri tightened the cinch with one last tug then swung himself up on the horse.
“Do you not wish for supplies?” Belial asked, a strange glow in his eyes.
“Nay.” All he wanted was for this bastard to get out of his way.
Literally and figuratively.
Ariel had already been gone most of the day.
Would he be able to find them?
If he rode through the night, he might be able to overtake them. Provided they stopped to sleep.
Surely they hadn’t been traveling without stopping for breaks. If they’d done that, he should be able to catch up to them.
Well, there was only one way to find out.
Wheeling his horse about, he kicked it into a full run.
Ariel stared at the flames of the fire, her mind traveling back to the blizzard and how Valteri had found her in the storm.
How he’d made love to her in their damp little cottage.
The fire before her warmed her cheeks, but did nothing for the coldness inside her, the coldness that needed her husband’s touch.
The empty ache inside her threatened to swallow her whole. God, if it hurt this much now, how was she supposed to live the rest of her life without him? This was excruciating.
Watching him die would be worse.
That was the only thing that kept her going.
This was to save him. Not only his life, but his soul.
And the world.
She had to do this.
