Page 22 of The Queen's Huntsman
Málik?
Absurdly, shefelthim. It was as though his arms were enfolding her. She sensed the unmistakable warmth of his cheek against her own, the sweetness of mint at his breath, and her heart pounced into her throat. Only belatedly, she heard his voice in her ear.
Shhh,he said.Be still. I am with you.
Was it really him?
Was she mad?
His whisper was like the sound of wind rustling through the boughs of trees… unintelligible… and yet… she understood.
Be calm.
Two arms enfolded her, but it felt as though she were caged by a thousand unyielding vines, pressing her mercilessly against the rough bark, giving her scarcely room to breathe, much less scream.
You left me, she thought, bitterly.You left me when I needed you most.Yet even as hot tears pricked at her eyes, a thumb caressed her cheek, impossible as it seemed.
“Damn the bloody get! I saw her!” shouted one of Loc’s soldiers. His hound continued to sniff at Gwendolyn’s legs. “She was here!”
“Shut up, you blind bastard! If you saw her, she’d still be there. You let the bitch get away.”
“We had her!”
“Aye, well, you don’t now, do you? And let’s see what the King says about that. I warrant he’ll pluck out your blind eyes if you claim that lie to his face. No woman vanishes like a puff o’ dirty smoke, not even one cursed by the Fae.”
The man with the hound sounded more uncertain now. “But… you saw her too.” He scratched at his head. “You told me you did. She ran this way. We both saw her,” he mewled.
“I did not see her,” denied the other hotly. “I came this way becauseyousaid you saw the bitch and your dogs, too. But clearly she’s not here, you daft fool!”
Gwendolyn hadn’t any notion how this was possible.
How could they not see her when she was standing in plain sight?
A moment later the entire vicinity was a crush of Loc’s soldiers, all searching frantically—looking behind trees, turning up leaves, leaving no stone or stump unturned.
“Bloody hell,” complained another, wading through a sea of leaves. “’Tis deep enough to conceal an army!”
“She can’t have gone far,” complained the man who’d scolded the man with the dogs. “Her horse is here.” He pointed in the direction whence Gwendolyn had come, but the tree held her too firmly so she couldn’t move.
“Did you see what she did? Leaping from horse to horse?” asked one of the passing soldiers, then whistled loudly. “I’ve ne’er seen a woman ride that way before!”
“Nor any man,” agreed another.
At Gwendolyn’s feet, the dog continued to sniff, and began to whine and Gwendolyn held her breath.
“She must be here somewhere. Evan, take two men and search that way.”
Then suddenly, everyone froze as a new rider came trotting through the woods, stopping only briefly to glower at the whining dog. One brow arched as he observed the hound.
Loc.
Murderer.
Deceiver.
Monster.
She fought to stifle a sob. It stuck in her throat, a thousand curses welling up behind it.
