Page 106 of Esperance

Of course, it was also possible that these men hadn’t come from Esperance, but had still managed to be close. Just like Ford was living in an abandoned cabin, perhaps rebels were scattered across the jungle.

He needed to warn Ford.

They continued down the mountain in silence, alert and watching the trees around them for any threat. Sweat gathered along his spine and bled through his shirt. His heart pounded, and around every bend in the path he expected to see a flash of fiery hair. But there was no sign of Amryn, and panic began to squeeze his lungs.

Had they passed her, somehow? Or was she moving faster, and still just ahead of them?

Footsteps sounded around the next bend of the trail, and Carver motioned for their party to divide to either side of the road, creating an ambush.

He kept to Argent’s side, who hovered protectively beside Jayveh.

They waited, poised to fight. But when the group moved into view, they relaxed.

The uniformed Esperance guards looked just as relieved to find them. “Your Highness, thank the Divinities you’re all right.” The middle-aged man in the lead stepped forward, leather armor creaking. “The high cleric sent us up the mountain as soon as dawn broke, to make sure you were all unscathed by the storm, but there are enemies around.”

“We’re aware,” Argent said. “Have you found anyone else?”

“No, you’re the first.”

Dread rose in Carver’s gut. “You haven’t seen Amryn?”

The man frowned. “No. Is Lady Vincetti missing?”

His throat dried. “Yes.”

If she was on the road ahead of them, the guards would have encountered her. Which meant she was either on the road behind them, or she’d never made it out of the jungle.

“We need to find her,” Jayveh said. “Now.”

“We will,” Argent assured her. “But you need to get off this mountain.” He turned to his bodyguards. “Escort the princess to safety.”

Jayveh looked like she was about to argue, but Argent leaned in and kissed her. It was surprisingly gentle, though fast. When he pulled back, his gaze was serious. “I promise, I’ll find her. But I need you safe.”

Carver opened his mouth to tell the prince he should also get to safety, but a high, feminine scream rent the air. His blood froze, and his head snapped in the direction it had come from.

Amryn.

He plunged into the trees on his right, his heart pounding as another shriek ripped through the sweltering jungle.

Chapter 27

Amryn

Amryn wasn’t breathing as she ducked into a cave.Holding her breath probably wasn’t necessary, as the rush of the nearby waterfall was probably enough to mask any sound she might make. But she could feel the emotions of the men hunting her, and she had no doubts about what they would do if they caught her.

She didn’t know who they were, but there were two of them, and their low-burning fury was a deep and terrifying thing. So was their frustration.

She didn’t know if they’d broken off from the men who’d originally stalked her and Carver, or if this was a different group, but that didn’t really matter. The fact that they were following her made them threatening enough.

Saints, she couldn’t believe she’d exposed her secret to Carver like that. She hadn’t told him she was an empath, but she’d admitted to sensing a danger that was impossible to have gleaned any other way. She hadn’t thought about the consequences when she’d sensed the danger, though. The murderous intent of those men had been impossible to ignore, and if she hadn’t said anything, they both might be dead, and then there would be no point in keeping her secret.

She didn’t look forward to the questioning that Carver’s sharp gaze had promised was coming later.

If they both survived this, of course.

She’d moved far enough away from Carver that she’d only heard muted shouts, and then everything had gone silent. She could only hope he was still alive. He was General Vincetti, after all. He didn’t just order his men to battle, he marched with them.

He had to be alive. She wasn’t going to examine too closely why she felt that so emphatically.