Total pages in book: 210
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 200096 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1000(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 667(@300wpm)
A sword through his gut would be too kind. “Abarrane, please escort the captain out of the gates.” I flash a wicked smile. “Since he likes feeding beasts, I know of one that is hungry.”
57
Annika
“This way.” Destry steers her horse left.
But Tyree halts, not following. “Do you actually have a plan?” Irritation seeps into his tone.
“I told you, we will seek refuge in the mountain.”
“The mountain is that way.” He points behind us, but there’s no evidence of it. The misty ceiling is too dense.
I pull my hood down farther and, roping my arms tighter around Tyree’s waist, I rest my cheek against his shoulder blade. “Wake me when you two agree on something.” After darting along alleyways and through stables, we stole two horses from the outskirts of Basinholde and have been riding nonstop for hours, first through darkness and now through morning fog. We follow trail after trail through a densely wooded area with no pattern and no end in sight.
Tyree smooths a hand over mine, squeezing it with affection. “Perhaps we should rest.”
“Not yet. We must keep moving while we have cover.” Destry disappears down the path.
With a heavy sigh, Tyree guides our horse to follow.
I settle against the tree, its gnarly roots forming an armrest to lean on while I savor a slice of cured sausage. For meat from a street merchant, it is quite good. I’m not sure I want to know what it’s made of. “I did not see you grab the provisions from the table.”
“Understandable. You were panicked.” Tyree sits beside me, the satchel between his splayed thighs. “I have wandered the woods without food before, and it is not an enjoyable experience.”
“I am not pleasant when I’m hungry,” I admit.
“Yes, I’ve noticed.”
“Bite your tongue.”
“Bite it for me.” He slices off another piece of meat and hands it to me with a smirk before his gaze veers to where Destry rests nearby, her cloak wrapped around her childlike body. She’s been in that position since we stopped to water the horses at a nearby stream. “If she had not come when she had, I’m not sure what would have happened.”
I can only imagine. I was so focused on Tyree, I wouldn’t have noticed anyone until they were standing in our chamber. I shudder and lean over to forage around in the bag. “What else do you have in—” I gasp as I pull out a fresh jar of honey. “You stole this from Ezra!”
“And I don’t feel an ounce of guilt about it if he traded us in.”
“Maybe that’s why he did. The man takes his honey seriously.” I twist the lid and hold it to my nose, inhaling. The sugary floral aroma brings me back to the loft and Tyree’s skilled tongue. A need stirs in my core.
Tyree’s lips part as he watches me closely, as if waiting for me to dip into it.
I screw the top back on. “Maybe later.”
A crooked smile touches his lips. “The vest fits.”
I test the laces I strung while we rode. “Yes, it does. You chose well.”
“I preferred how you wore it last night, though.” He pops a soft elderberry into his mouth before tilting forward to kiss me.
I sink into his lips, slipping my hand around his nape to pull him closer, my mouth working over his with desperate abandon.
“Annika,” he groans against me. “If you keep this up, I will not be able to ride a horse.”
“I can help you with that problem while we ride if needed.” I drag a finger over the ties of his breeches and the hard ridge tucked inside. Fates, two reckless nights and who have I become, flirting so blatantly with the Ybarisan scourge?
A flock of birds rushes past with noisy caws, and Tyree pulls away abruptly, trailing their path, his eyes narrowing slightly before his mouth returns to mine. But it’s a ruse, because in a split second, he’s on his feet, a tiny blade flying from his fingertips. A thump sounds as a bird falls to the ground.
“What is it?” I scramble to my feet and join him where he stands.
A small green bird lays dead, like the one Destry warned about.
“Destry, get up,” he barks, moving for the horses. “We must go now.”
The forest has given way to a meadow of long grass and tiny pink and yellow wildflowers, allowing the horses to ride side by side for a change.
“What time do you think it is?” We’ve been riding for hours.
Tyree scans the sky. The sun is a hazy glow, obscured by a veil of mist, leaving the air warm but damp. “Midday. We are going the right way, at least.” He points ahead at a faint dark outline of the mountain.
Beside us, Destry releases the stone pendant, her black irises returning. She’s been doing this periodically for hours, checking our surroundings for danger. A few times, I was sure she would fall from her saddle. “The forest is dark and dense. Difficult to search. But there is a village about an hour away. It is best we veer before we reach it. No visitor goes unnoticed in these parts.”