Page 10

I feel the slow cantering of the horse, a warm hand wrapped around my middle, and the dull throb in my head and ankle. Birds chirp all around me. I blink my heavy eyelids, squinting as the brightness of the day engulfs my vision. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.

My eyes flicker around the surroundings. There are trees as far as the eye can see, moss and ferns cover the ground. The scent of damp earth and wet tree trunks fills my nostrils. A blanket of haze coats the air. My hands are tied in front of me, numb and leached of color.

I stiffen as the memories of the prior night come flooding back to me. Clawing at the hand encircling my waist I manage to shout, “Stop the horse.” The words scrape my throat, unfamiliar and raw.

My gaze darts frantically, searching for anything recognizable in the dense, shadowy forest. We’re far from Bellehaven now, farther than I’ve ever been.

“Stop the horse!” I lunge for the reins, my voice rising with desperation.

“Whoa.” Ledger’s arm snakes around my chest yanking me back against him. His breath is warm on my ear as he growls, “We are not stopping. We need to make up time.”

I lean to the side, and his arms tighten around me.

“What makes you think I will help you?” I spit the words at him as I try to shrug him off. My anger sparks anew.

“You are under no obligation to help me, but you will.”

“And if I refuse?”

“You won’t.” His short presumptuous answers stoke my growing outrage.

All I see are trees and I wonder just how far I’d get if I could get off the horse and run.

“You wouldn’t get ten feet. And if, by the off chance, you did escape me, you would not live to see the sunrise. The creatures that roam these woods are the fuel of many nightmares.”

My body feels heavy, discomfort gnawing at me from all angles. It takes substantial effort to sit up without swaying, so my odds of outrunning him or escaping are low.

“If I help you, what are your plans for me after?” I glare back at him through my eyelashes, holding my chin high .

“Haven’t gotten that far, blondie.” He hardly pays me a glance and that sends a bolt of fury down my spine.

“Layla,” I grit. “My name is Layla.”

“Noted.” His face is bored, void of any discernable emotion.

I elbow him in the ribs needing to draw some kind of reaction from him, and he grunts.

“Do that again and I will tie a rope to your ankles and drag you behind Apollo the rest of the way.” I catch a glimpse of his neck as it turns a tinge of red. It brings a triumphant smile to my face knowing I was able to anger him.

“Please do; that sounds much more pleasant than being stuck pressed up against your brick of a body,” I snap back, accepting the fact I would have to come up with a different plan of escape.

The hours tick on, and I nearly weep with joy when we come to a halt.

My mouth pops open as our backdrop comes into clear focus.

We’ve stopped at the most idyllic body of water I have ever seen.

The water is a crystal-clear teal, and a soft roaring is coming from a freely flowing waterfall in the middle of the spring.

There are trees and moss-covered rocks surrounding it.

My breath catches at the beauty; it is beyond anything I could have imagined.

I continue to stare, mesmerized as Ledger hops down from behind me. “Don’t get out much, do you?”

“I didn’t know such things existed; it’s incredible.” I’m breathless as Ledger’s hands come around my waist and set me on the ground. My legs are stiff, and parts of my body still throb angrily.

I can’t stop from greedily drinking in my surroundings. The sun shines bright and hot, indicating it must be late afternoon.

When Ledger turns to tend to his horse, the dagger strapped at his hip gleams against the light, catching my eye. I barely have time to contemplate my next move before I am foolishly snatching it from his belt. I dig the tip into his back, where I know his heart beats a few inches away.

“I must go back. I cannot leave my mother.” My heart pounds in my chest. I grip the dagger in my tied hands. “She is all I have, and I cannot leave her to the antics of the King.” Ledger remains still as I hold the dagger firm.

“Is she healthy?” he asks, and by now the other party members are staring at us.

“Of body but not of mind. You need to return me.” I glance over at them nervously.

“I can’t do that,” he responds. I push the dagger further into his skin until red droplets soak through his shirt. “Do it, stab it right into my heart.” He leans back and the knife slips further into his skin.

I gasp and my grip falters.

Ledger moves swiftly. He turns, and his foot knocks into my ankles, sending me careening to the ground .

He’s on top of me in a breath, the dagger still in my hand between us. His palm closes over mine, forcing my wrists towards myself.

The cool metal of the dagger brushes the delicate skin of my neck.

“I’m sorry about your mother but that is none of my concern. Just like my loved one was not of your concern.” His nostrils flare. Vines wrap around my already bound wrists replacing his hand and squeezing so tightly my fingers spasms, releasing the dagger.

Ledger grabs the blade and stands, leaving me struggling on the ground. Mia appears in front of me, shaking her head. Her dark skin gleams in the sunlight, her hair shiny and neat, tied in a long braid that hangs to her lower back. “I’m Mia,” she says, and I kneel awkwardly in front of her.

“Is this really necessary, Ledger?” She takes out a knife and slashes at the vines and binds until I’m free. I sigh with relief as I rub my wrists, moving my fingers to get blood flow. Ledger steps up to us, and she places a hand on his chest. “I’ve got her.”

She raises her eyebrow until he relaxes and turns back to the horse. “If she attempts to escape, it will be you that goes after her.” He scowls down at me.

“Gladly.” She grins. Her demeanor is light and playful, and despite the circumstances, I instantly like her. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I’m so relieved to have a female join us; men are such headaches to travel with.” She glances obviously at Ledger and my lip twitches.

“Do you know how to swim?” she asks; her teeth are a dazzling white as she smiles at me.

“No, I can’t swim. There aren’t many bodies of water in Bellehaven.” Embarrassment floods me, and I fight to keep it off my face.

“No worries—the water doesn’t get very deep here.” She begins to remove her clothes until she is left in her undergarments. I blush at her nudity, looking away. “Come on, Layla, the water feels amazing.” She calls, fully submerged in the enticing water.

I look around, seeing Ledger and Cam tending to the horses.

Archie approaches me when I catch his eye. “Hey, we didn’t get off to the best start yesterday. I’m Archie.” He holds out his hand, and I stare at it, remembering the way he sent that knife towards Maddox’s chest.

He drops his hand after a few moments and rubs at the back of his neck. He looks to be in his mid-twenties with smooth unblemished skin. I wonder idly if he is capable of growing facial hair. He’s very handsome with thick blonde hair that is tousled and down-turned bedroom eyes.

“Sorry about last night. We had to get you away from Sandor. I thought you’d come willingly, but clearly, I was mistaken.” He looks at me sheepishly. “How about we start over? I promise you’re going to like me; I’ve yet to meet a female that doesn’t.”

I have no doubt that much is true. He winks at me, and it reminds me so much of Maddox it melts some of my initial reserve.

“Let’s all go for a swim, maybe if I smelled better, it would help my case.” He sniffs his armpit and makes a face, tugging off his shirt.

I catch a glimpse of gruesome scars littering his back before he jumps into the water.

Cam shoots me a nervous look before moving a few feet away and shucking off his clothes. The guilt I felt the previous night returns when I make out purple bruising at his temple.

Everyone swims through the crystal waters. They all look so happy and carefree. I can’t remember the last time I truly let go and enjoyed something like that. I wasn’t sure if I was capable of those emotions.

My eyes snag on Ledger, who is removing his shirt. He folds it neatly next to him, leaving him in only a pair of briefs.

My blood heats at the sight of him and my power surges to the surface. He is all muscle, scars, and tanned skin—a harsh kind of beautiful. I can’t decide what is more breathtaking, the spring or him.

I force myself to look away, annoyed by my thoughts.

My own pale skin is dirty and stained, and my bones ache for reprieve.

I itch with the desire to feel the enchanting waters against my skin.

I’d only ever read and heard about places as magnificent as this, and it would pain me to miss the opportunity.

It doesn’t take me long before I remove my boots. Once I have them off, I test the water with my bare toes. It feels glorious.

Spotting a bush, I walk over and remove my leggings. I opt to keep on my dress, cursing myself for not putting anything under it before leaving the castle.

I walk hesitantly into the water until I am shoulder-deep, and sigh when the water laps against my heated skin. My head tips back, and my hair splays around me.

“Doesn’t get much better than this, does it?” Mia is next to me, now floating on her back. The water pebbles on her skin, reflecting off the sun. Archie pushes Cam’s head under the water, and he pops up laughing and splashing. They both swim toward the waterfall.

Once they make it, they stand and let the water cascade over their heads. “Come try, Layla,” Archie shouts.

The normalcy of the moment perplexes me. I thought I’d be chained in a dungeon somewhere by now, not swimming leisurely in a beautiful spring with my captors.