Page 53 of Tethered In Blood

Another arrow flew past. Oberon twisted at the last second, but the tip grazed his cheek, leaving a thin line of crimson behind. He held my wide gaze without flinching.

Panic gripped me as I scrambled for the reins. I almost missed them due to the trembling in my hands. The leather straps felt foreign in my grip, slick with sweat and rain. I didn’t know how to sit on a horse, let alone steer one. The gravity of the moment crashed over me. If I lost control, we would die.

The horse jolted beneath us, spurred on by the chaos. The sudden lurch sent me rocking sideways, my grip slipping. Behind me, Oberon became a living weapon, his knives striking true. The pained groans of our pursuers blended with the sickeningthunkof metal meeting flesh. The sound caused my stomach to lurch.

Gods.

We hadn’t outrun them.

We barreled straight for the river.

A flicker of movement ahead made my breath seize in my throat. The dark water stretched before us, glassy and endless, with no sign of a bridge or way across it.

We were trapped.

My stomach plummeted. “Sinclaire!” I choked out. “There’s no bridge!”

“Jump it!”

“What?” My voice pitched in panic. “Are you out of your mind?”

We rode too fast, and the river was too wide. Our chances of making that jump were slim to none.

Oberon stirred behind me, pressing forward until his chest pressed against my back. His arms ensnared mine, anchoring me in place. His warm breath brushed my ear as he growled, “Brace yourself.”

He snapped the reins.

The horse let out a fierce cry and surged forward. The force yanked me from the saddle and threw me against Oberon as the warhorse dug its hooves into the ground, propelling us toward the edge with terrifying speed. The wind lashed against my face, and my lungs felt constricted in my chest.

The ground disappeared.

Weightlessness enveloped us.

For a moment, no sound or movement lay beneath us—only the vast expanse and the dark maw of the river. My stomach flipped, my breath halted, and my whole body tensed as we soared through the air.

The far bank loomed closer.

Hooves struck the soil near the riverbank. The force rattled through me, snapping my teeth together. The horse skidded, sliding in the mud, as the weight of two riders threw it off balance. My heart lurched, and my fingers clenched the reins in a death grip. When we crashed to the ground, the destrier quickly recovered. Its muscles convulsed as it heaved itself forward and regained its footing.

We made it.

The shaking rattled my bones. My breaths came in sharp, uneven gasps. My eyes were glued to the river, as if staring too long might rewind time and reveal that we had plunged into the water and drowned.

Oberon’s hands still covered mine on the reins. His grip remained firm, his warmth the only thing anchoring me here. He pulled back first, gazing at the tree line and scanning for movement. He stayed ever-vigilant and ready to fight.

My voice rose above a whisper. “How did we make that?” My heart pounded in my ears. “Gods, you are truly deranged.”

Oberon tore his gaze away from the trees and met mine. “Any other horse would have landed us in the river—or left us stranded, fighting off bandits. But Neryth isn’t just any horse.”

I blinked.

Neryth.The name was unfamiliar, yet fitting.

When my gaze shifted to his face, I was drawn to a thin, fresh line of red streaked just above his temple. Another cut I hadn’t even noticed occurring. A frustrated breath escaped from me. I should have been aware. His injuries were a consequence of my hesitation.

Oberon turned his gaze to me, his brows furrowed. “What?”

I sighed and shook my head. “You’re collecting injuries at this point.”

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