Page 118 of Bound to the Heartless Duke
“Magnus?” the soft, sleepy voice sounded from behind him.
He turned to find Lily standing in the doorway, barefoot, her hair loose and tumbling over her shoulders, her nightgown hidden beneath her robe.
She looked at once half-awake and alarmed.
Without pausing to explain, he moved toward her.
“Come.” His voice was urgent, but his hand was gentle when it wrapped around her wrist.
“What—?” she began, but he had already pulled her into his arms.
She gave a startled gasp when he lifted her into his arms and cradled her against his chest.
“Hold on to me,” he instructed, remembering to keep his voice soft with her.
He carried her straight to the stables and set her down beside his stallion. She barely had time to plant her feet before he reached down for her hand.
“Up,” he said.
With one quick pull, she was in the saddle, seated before him. His arm slid around her middle, locking her firmly against him as the horse lurched forward.
Lily was still confused. She had just woken up, and now Magnus had invited her to a horse ride. There must be an emergency.
“What happened?” she managed to shout over the thudding of the horse’s hooves.
“Nathan,” he answered, his voice rough.
Her eyes went wide.
“He’s alive,” Magnus continued. “Running. I almost had him.”
His arm tightened around her, and she knew, as surely as if he had said it, that he was holding her closer than strictly necessary, as though part of him feared she might vanish too.
They galloped across the uneven track, the early sun beating down on the fields. Birds flew from the hedgerows as they passed, and the scent of grass mingled with Lily’s warm scent.
While they rode, Lily’s thoughts drifted to her brother. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to meet him yet.
“Do you think we can catch him?” she asked, her voice quieter, as though speaking too loudly might shatter this strange bubble that had formed around them.
“Yes,” Magnus said without hesitation. “If he heads for London, we’ll have to intercept him at the docks.”
She glanced over her shoulder, long enough to catch his gaze; it was hard, focused, but there was something else there. A flicker of heat that wasn’t entirely to do with the chase. Something that rather warmed her as well but had no place with them then.
Eventually, they crested the hill and descended into a small valley where the track split in two directions, one leading east toward the open countryside and the other leading south toward London.
Magnus pulled the reins, and the horse stamped its hooves impatiently. He scanned the ground before saying with grim certainty, “South.”
The horse turned instantly, and Lily found herself leaning back into his chest. It was a strange comfort, even though her mind was racing with questions about Nathan, about the danger ahead.
The road stretched before them, leading back to the heart of the city, to the docks, where ships waited to sail for far shores.
Somewhere out there, Nathan was riding for his escape.
Magnus urged his stallion to go faster, and they plunged into the chase.
CHAPTER 29
Fog hung thick in the air when they arrived. Lantern light from the carriage they had flagged down when the horse got tired cast a pale glow on the cobblestone. The wind was cold, especially for someone who was clothed in such light material.
