Page 71 of Lost Heir
Ronan stopped walking and turned to me. “Do you really think I would leave you in Keldara … alone?”
“Ronan …”
He shook his head and continued walking. “No, Leila. You can’t ask that of me. I’ll cross through Keldara alone; you don’t need to come with me. Return to the palace. No one in Valoria will hurt you.”
I tugged on his hand and forced him to turn to me. “No! I won’t be at peace if I don’t know what has happened to you. I’ll accompany you until we reach the Central Plains. Once we get there, we’ll figure things out. Maybe I can sendword to my brother to come get me. But we’re not parting ways yet.”
He huffed and grumbled, “You’re so damn stubborn.”
I snorted. “As ifyouaren’t.” I tugged on his hand to start walking again. “Come on. Let’s get a move on.”
Time crawled at a slow pace as we walked to the Valorian – Keldaran border. The fear of what to expect when we arrived gnawed at my insides. I could only hope that what Mykal said to me at the banquet was true and I could come to him if I needed help.
“We're almost there,” Ronan said, his hand gripping mine a little tighter.
The forest provided a sense of security with its dense foliage, but soon we would have to cross a clearing that served as the distinct border between the two nations. Just as the clearing came into view, we heard yelling.
“There! There they are!”
Ronan and I whirled around to see a cadre of mage warriors come out of hiding, ready to ambush us.
My eyes went wide and I tightened my hold on Ronan’s hand. “I think it’s time to run!” I muttered as I watched in horror.
“I think you’re right!”
We spun on our heels and ran at top speed toward the border, hopeful we could secure sanctuary on the other side.
“Catch them! But don’t hurt the princess!”
The mage warriors’ shouts echoed through the dense forest as Ronan and I pushed our legs to their limits, dodging trees and leaping over underbrush. My heart pounded, not just from exertion, but from the fear of what being caught could mean. Their voices grew louder, closer,and our chances of escaping without confrontation dwindled with every step.
As we broke through the last line of trees and into the clearing that marked the border, a sense of desperation washed over me. The expanse before us was open and provided no cover, a stark contrast to the sheltered forest we’d just left behind.
Ronan glanced back, his expression grim. “We need a distraction,” he said, his voice steady despite our dire situation.
Before he could attempt a foolish maneuver to save me, I released his hand and pulled one of my own. I stopped and turned to face our pursuers. Ronan gaped at me in disbelief, and when his steps faltered, I shouted, “Go! I'll hold them off!”
“No!” he protested, his voice cracking. “I'm not leaving you!”
I pressed a searing kiss to his lips. “Ronan, you need togo. I can handle them. I'll catch up, I promise. You know they won’t hurt me.”
The mage warriors were nearly upon us. With their hands lifted, their spells crackled in the air, ready to be unleashed. Tears blurred my vision as I worried for Ronan’s safety. “Go!” I shouted and pushed him away. With a heavy heart, I turned my back on him, hoping he’d run to safety.
“Don't hurt the princess!” a mage warrior yelled, his words fueling my desperate fight to protect the man I loved.
I didn't dare look back at Ronan, afraid that if I did, I couldn’t do what was needed. Instead, I focused on the mages as they neared the tree line. Tapping into my own mage powers, I reached for the roots of the trees, screaming from the exertion as I pushed myself to the limit.
Once the mages neared, I uprooted several nearby treesand dropped them onto their path, blocking their way to us. Heaving, I placed my hands on my knees as sweat trickled down the sides of my face. I’d expended more power and energy than I had. With their path blocked, I spun on my heels ready to run when I ran right into Ronan’s chest. The stubborn fool had never left.
His gaze was searing. “I can’t leave you, Leila. Either we live together, or we die together. Don’t ever ask me to leave you again.” He took my hand and gripped it tightly.
As our feet pounded against the ground, each step taking us closer to safety, I couldn't shake the fear that clung to me like a second skin. Adrenaline coursed through our veins, propelling us forward.
The gap between us and the border narrowed, and we were almost there. Just mere steps away from safety, Caelan’s voice cut through the brewing storm.
“Lyanna!”
Ronan and I whirled around and watched in horror as Caelan slowly approached. Although there was still a great distance between us, I was nervous by his chilling demeanor. Standing by the tree line, he’d obviously been lying in wait and watching from afar.
