Page 20 of Rising Out of the Darkness
How had I forgotten about these wretched things? Hanging my head low, I silently screamed, because he was right, which meant I would have to ride with someone.
“Well, then I’ll ride with that guard.” I tossed my thumb over my shoulder towards a random guard behind me.
“Nice try, but you’ll be riding with me.” He scoffed.
“I’d rather walk.”
“You’re going to walk for five days?”
“Watch me.”
Both of us were locked in a glare, silently tempting each other to be the next to add kindling to the fire of our fury. To my surprise, he mounted his horse. Over his shoulder, he looked down at me with a mischievous grin.
“Enjoy your walk, my lady.”
A smile tugged at my lips. If they were going to drag me from my home, they had better believe I would be putting up a fight the entire way.
Will’s eyes widened as he looked behind me. Before I could even turn around, strong hands grabbed me by the waist and lifted me from the ground.
“Hells!” I shrieked, trying to kick my feet. “Put me down at once!”
Arms swooped underneath my thighs, flinging me onto the horse in front of Killian. The sound of snickering spewed from behind me, and now Liam rode up beside us. I elbowed Killian in the gut, causing him to grunt alongside a few curses under his breath. A stern voice boomed next to me, making me very aware of a firm grip still squeezing my thigh.
“You will sit, and you will stop acting like a babe throwing a tantrum! Believe me, my lady, the last thing you want to do is make me angry.” The snarl was so deep, it made goosebumps erupt over my arms. “Sit and stay put. There will be no more outbursts from you. Do you understand?”
My eyes widened and my breath hitched as I took in theShadow Lordstanding below me. There was no mistaking that this was the prince, as his appearance and demeanor were everything the ladies in town had described, and so much more.
His olive-toned, sun-kissed body hovered next to me. Defined muscles rippled in his arm as he gripped my thigh, his shoulders broad. Outlining his chiseled jawline was a well-trimmed short beard. Wavy, hazelnut locks flowed over his head. A few strands fell into his face. Hints of black tattooed ink peeked along the side of his neck and over his breastplate. More ink peeked through this rolled up sleeves, exposing swirls that curled around his arms, like waves of smoke.
Prince Declan’s striking emerald eyes bore into me, his thick lips pushed together in a line. There was a coldness about him that made goosebumps ripple up my arms. The man was devastatingly handsome, with just enough malevolence in his presence to remind me this was a man I should fear.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest. I realized that keeping this man waiting would not end well for me.
“My apologies, Your Highness.” With some reluctance, I bowed my head, biting my bottom lip to force myself to not say more. For a mere moment, his glare softened as it roamed over my face before hovering on my mouth.
Heat blossomed up the sides of my neck and onto my cheeks. My traitorous body was reacting in ways it shouldn’t. I shifted in the saddle, unsuccessfully trying to avoid the searing sensation as they continued to hold his gaze on me for longer than felt comfortable.
It felt as though he could see right through me, exposing me all the way down to my soul itself. All the way down to the darkest parts of me, parts that I kept hidden from everyone else in my life.
A sharp ache bloomed inside my chest, and I rubbed my palm against it in soothing circles. Thankfully, the prince averted his eyes before I melted into a puddled mess on top of the horse. He cleared his throat. “That goes for you as well, Captain Ashford.” Prince Declan spoke, raising an eyebrow towards Killian.
“Yes, General, my apologies.” Killian shifted in his saddle a bit, obviously flustered. Will shook his head and turned back around in his saddle.
“Good. Now that we are all in agreement, let’s get on the road. We’ve wasted enough daylight already. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
The prince stalked over to his massive black stallion and in one leap he had gracefully mounted his steed. Straightening my back, I positioned myself as close to the front of the saddle as I could. The more space between me and the guard behind me the better. Breathing deeply, I exhaled as Killian nudged our horse into motion.
Dread coiled inside my stomach as my bottom lip began to tremble. Glancing over my shoulder, I took one last look. An uneasy feeling stirred within me, whispering into my mind the thoughts I feared the most.
This might be the last time I ever laid eyes on my home.
Outside of the town was eerily quiet, with just the clicking of hooves as our horses trotted over the valley floor. I was lost in my thoughts, which was never a good place for me to be. Shaking my head, I desperately searched for something to distract myself.
Everywhere my eyes drifted appeared so peaceful, quite the opposite of the chaos I’d experienced the past two days. The sun spread over the meadow’s luscious foliage. Wildflowers blossomed in endless colors, sprinkled as far as the eye could see.
All this beauty that I was no longer free to roam in. My freedom had become as fleeting as the breeze that now tossed strands of my hair about my face.
Will was still ignoring me, just as he had done the entire way thus far. Every time Killian and I closed the gap beside him, Will’s guard nudged his horse to gallop ahead. In all the years we’d known each other, I didn’t think we had ever been upset with one another. He’d also never been this silent.
