Page 107 of A Sweet Destruction

That, or she had friends.

Not liking the thought of being outnumbered, I pushed harder, chasing Esme’s form like she carried my life force with her. I guessed she did.

The tree line was coming into sight, rays of sun splitting through the trees and paving the way to our salvation.

I braved a look over my shoulder, seeing if there was someone trailing within line of sight and finding nothing. They were still close enough that I could hear the distant rattle of boots slamming into the forest floor.

We were about to become very easy targets, out in the open field. Moving blindly, I ripped out the longer scope I always kept on me, screwing it into place on the top of my gun.

“Keep running! I’m going to catch you!” That mocking voice split through the forest.

I ignored it, but I wasn’t the only thing in control of my mind anymore. The Bond didn’t give a shit about my training, necessary for this exact circumstance to resist getting distracted by taunts.

All it heard was a threat towards Esme’s life, and it was livid.

Look. She’s in front of us. We have to get her to safety, I yelled back, trying to redirect its anger. Protect.

My next stride was longer and faster than it had been before, gaining a foot on Esme out of nowhere. Later, I would be clearheaded enough to dissect how fast we were running and how little energy it took to do so.

For now, I focused on the blur of movement coming from our right, a streak of light and dark gray next to each other.

Oh, thank God.

Finally breaking out of the trees, we met Sky and Shadow at a full sprint, performing yet another physical feat that I would have thought impossible, and jumping onto our saddles without them so much as slowing down.

“Lead Shadow,” I called up to Esme. She looked back at me with a harrowed expression, before moving it away and nodding. She leaned forward, pushing Sky harder.

Shadow followed, her pace picking up impossibly faster.

This had better work, I said, both to myself for courage and to the Bond for support.

Unhooking my boots from the stirrups and murmuring an apology to Shadow, I lifted myself up on the pommel and flipped myself around so that I was riding backwards.

“Ford.” I wasn’t sure that Esme’s growled admonishment was that loud in reality, but it sounded like a gunshot in my ear.

“Just ride,” I said back, blindly trusting that she’d be able to hear it over the wind rushing through our ears.

I lifted my scope, aiming for the spot we’d just broken out of. Sure enough, there was movement behind the trees. We were moving fast, but not enough to deter them.

Sure enough, the distinct whistle of arrow fire broke out a second later, depositing an arrow no more than five feet behind Shadow’s leg.

That was enough.

Taking aim based on what little I could see and pure instinct, I fired off three shots into the tree line. I could have sworn I heard the maniacal laughter that followed.

“Almost there!” Esme yelled. I would be more thankful to see Salona than ever before, not something I thought I’d ever say. The looming relief was so potent, I’d dare say I’d even be excited to see Elijah or Caspian.

Not unless they had anything to do with this, which I sure fucking hoped they didn’t.

Another arrow hit the ground, this time just off the side of Shadow’s body. Their aim had been higher, arcing more severely to track our height on the top of our horses.

If they were any decent marksman, two shots would have been enough to gauge where you needed to adjust your aim.

Right as the thought passed my mind, I realized that both of their shots had been aimed slightly to the left. Esme was to my left.

I wasn’t taking any risks where she was concerned. If she was the target…

However that thought was going to finish was lost when my entire body centered on the stinging sensation in my hand.