“Damn it,” I cried into the night. An owl answered in return. Further examination showed Beth didn’t seem to have damaged her leg or hoof, but there was no way I’d be able to ride her at the earlier rate. And from her exhausted appearance, she probably wouldn’t have let me do it much longer anyway.
I got back on her. Even at an easier trot, every equestrian instructor I’d ever had would chastise me for this. It risked further injury. I hoped that wouldn’t happen—just as I hoped the painting’s buyer would sell me a horse.
But Beth refused to budge. I was finally forced to go on foot, leading her behind me. Each step down the road was agonizing—not because of the physical toll, but the mental. I was weary and frustrated. The moon was traveling farther and farther across the sky, and all I could think about was how each delay put Cedric at risk. At least two hours had passed when I heard a thunder of hoofbeats behind me. I instantly became guarded, not knowing if this would be a help or hindrance. At the rate the riders were coming, there’d be no chance to divert into the woods, so I simply moved to the side and waited for what was to come. I put my hand on my knife.
Five men rode up, slowing when they reached me. One held a lantern. They all had weathered faces, with worn clothing suggestive of a laborious life. I didn’t recognize any of them. But they recognized me.
“Countess,” one said cheerfully. “We’re here to escort you back to Osfrid.”
Chapter 30
I took a step back, trying to calm my rapid breathing and pounding heart.
“You’ve made some mistake, sir,” I said. “I’m a common laborer, making a delivery.”
“A little late for that,” said one of the other men. “Looks more to me like you’re trying to run for it before things blow up in Cape Triumph. Not sure I blame you.”
“We aren’t going to hurt you,” said the first man. He dismounted, and a couple of others followed suit. “Just need to ship you back and collect our payday. Come with us, and make it easy on everyone.”
I tightened my hold on the knife and took another step back. I was almost off the road and wondered how far I’d get if I took off into the brushy woods. Probably not very. The terrain looked rough, and I’d likely fall over some log before getting ten feet away.
“She ain’t going to make it easy.” The first man reached for me, and I swung out with the knife, cutting through his shirt and slashing shallowly across his chest.
“Bitch!” he cried. “Get her!”
The other men surged forward, and I knew I couldn’t beat those odds. As with Warren’s attack, I refused to make it simple for them. If they expected a woman to be easy prey, they’d soon learn otherwise. I dropped to the ground as they reached me, causing them to run into one another. I wiggled away as best I could, stabbing one man in the calf. I had the sense to yank the knife out and scurry away as he fell yelping to the ground. I scrambled to my feet and ran—but was quickly stopped. A hand grabbed my hair and jerked me backward. I fell down, slamming the side of my head against the dirt road.
“Don’t injure her!” yelled their leader. “We need her intact.”
“She’s got two months at sea to heal,” countered the man nearest me. He tried to grab me, but a wild swing of the blade kept him at bay. His companions were moving in, and one finally managed to knock the knife out of my hand. Surrounded, I finally slowed down and accepted defeat—for now. They had to get me back to Cape Triumph and onto a ship. Plenty of time to escape.
Sensing their victory, the men came to a standstill and awaited their next order. That moment of silence was suddenly filled with the pounding of more hooves. Everyone turned to stare down the road—everyone except me. I used their distraction to slip through two men and grab my knife.
But when the riders came into view, even I was taken aback. A man and a woman slowed before us. They both rode white horses and wore black masks across their eyes. The man nearest me gasped.
“Pirates!”
“Tom Shortsleeves!”
“And Lady Aviel,” said another. He spoke the name like that of a demon, ironic since she bore the name of one of the six glorious angels.
Aiana’s words came back to me: All stories have a seed of truth.
Legends come to life. I hadn’t really believed the stories. So many rumors flew around Cape Triumph, and this had seemed particularly outlandish. But if these intimidating figures weren’t really two of Cape Triumph’s most notorious pirates, their impressions were so good that it didn’t matter. They matched the descriptions I’d heard numerous times at parties and, of course, from Mira, their biggest fan. Tom’s sleeves were, in fact, short, and I could just make out the peacock feather in his hat. A mane of golden hair fell down Aviel’s back, over a cape stitched with stylized stars. The two of them drew swords at the same time, their movements practiced and efficient.
“You have something we want,” said Tom or whoever he really was. “Leave Lady Witmore with us, and go.”
Two of the men immediately began retreating, their faces full of fear. The gang’s leader faced the riders down. “She and her reward belong to us. Get out of here before we— Ahh!”
Tom charged forward, slamming the pommel of his sword into the leader’s head. Aviel moved just as quickly and went after another of the men. They might be outnumbered, but the horses gave them an advantage since all of the other men had dismounted. The fear the twosome inspired was equally effective. Some of the raiders were trying to get away, and the one I’d injured in the leg was having trouble moving at all.