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T hirty-four

T HE HORSES CANNOT long maintain this pace.”

Chase recognized the truth of what Hall said, even if he didn’t want to acknowledge it. Already his animal’s sides puffed in and out like a smithy’s bellows. Killing his mount would only slow him down in the long run.

Yielding to better judgment, Chase pulled up on the reins, directing his horse once more to a slow walk.

“Someone follows.” Hall’s head cocked to the side as he drew up next to Chase, much like a bird eyeing seed on the ground.

Chase tilted his head in a similar fashion, straining to hear whatever it was that had caught his friend’s attention. Nothing other than the heavy breathing of their horses and their hooves hitting the trail reached his ear.

Not that he didn’t think Hall was telling the truth. It would surprise him more if someone didn’t follow. In all likelihood, Ulfr himself led them. With little love lost between them, Ulfr would no doubt relish the opportunity to come after him.

“We must be getting close.” Rationalizations were all that kept him from losing it entirely after all the hours he’d put in the saddle.

If that son of a bitch had laid one hand on Christiana .

. . Chase breathed deeply through his nose and forced the air back out again, directing his thoughts to the here and now.

“If we have to slow down, so does whoever is following us.”

“They do. Though at some point, we will have to stand and fight.” An eerie glow emanated from Hall’s eyes in the predawn light. “Whether on open road or after we reach Tordenet, I cannot yet determine.”

Again he strained without success to match the other man’s hearing.

“You have any guess as to how many of them are coming after us?”

They’d left ten men behind sleeping. Well, nine.

The sentry had been awake before they bound and gagged him.

The question in Chase’s mind was whether Ulfr would bring the full number after them, abandoning the task his lord and master had sent him to perform, or if he would come with just a contingent of one or two.

It didn’t matter. Not even all ten men combined could keep him from reaching Christiana.