Page 74 of The Lord's Compass
Suddenly, the carriage lurched forward and Faith stumbled, losing her balance but catching herself on the seat behind her. Her captors were similarly surprised and in the few short extra seconds it took them to find their footing, she took full advantage.
She shot forward as quickly as she could, turning her shoulder so that her entire body crashed into the man in front of her. He went flying backward, hitting the wall of the carriage as she did. She flinched as she followed after him, ending up on the floor at his feet – but she wasn’t done.
She quickly snatched her bow and arrows from the floor beside her, throwing her quiver on her back as she turned to face the second man. He had already regained his footing, and the first attacker surprised her by grabbing her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist as he picked her up and held her, apparently as a gift forDonRaphael. The Spaniard smiled evilly as he watched her grapple with his men, and Faith wished with all her might that she had trusted her instinct the first time she had seen him. But it was too late for that now.
The first man had her by the waist, but he hadn’t held her hands – which was a huge mistake on his part. For as soon asDonRaphael neared, she lifted her hand and pressed the broken piece of arrow forward, wincing as she felt it pierce into his shoulder muscle.
“Ahhh! You bitch!” he yelled out and the man who held Faith yanked her back away from him and began to fight her for the quiver of arrows she now clutched to her.
“That was for Eric!” she cried. “Now, open the carriage and release me!”
“Never,”DonRaphael snarled as he slapped his right hand to his left shoulder where Faith had stabbed him. “Do you truly believe that you can overcome all of us?”
He was right – there was no way that she could. But she was sure going to try.
Just as she launched herself forward, the carriage door was thrown open, and two men with their faces covered stood in the doorway with pistols drawn.
Highwaymen? Were they truly going to be robbed now, when it seemed as though all had already been taken from her?
“Out!” One of the men shouted, and Faith stumbled forward, the other men following her.
“Hand over your weapons,” the second man said in a voice that, while muffled, tugged at Faith’s memories. She’d heard that voice before – although where escaped her. It was none of the men involved in this treasure hunt, however, of that she was certain.
She was about to pass over her bow and arrows when one of the highwaymen held out a hand, palm first, to stop her.
“Run away, Lady Ferrington, as fast as you can,” he said, and she started in shock that he knew who she was. Had he arrived to rescue her?
“I-I will, but… my husband, he’s… he’s…” The pain hit her anew, “injured,” she said, panting, not allowing herself to finish the sentence. He could not be anything besides injured. She couldn’t go there.
The two men exchanged a look.
“Take the carriage and return for him,” one said, nodding to the driver, who sat on top. “We will look after these men.”
Faith nodded, her need to return to Eric overcoming her confusion at who these men were and why they were saving her.
Later on, she would consider just why they had done so, but for now, she only had one purpose, and one purpose alone.
To get to Eric and make sure he survived.
CHAPTER25
Eric groaned as he opened his eyes, the pain radiating up his leg overwhelming all of his other senses.
He took a breath, pushing away the burning in his lower leg with his resolve to fight through it. He had to find Faith. She was alone with five men – make that four, he realized, when he registered the body lying next to him.
He crawled over toward it using his arms and good leg, and when the body twitched, he jumped backward.
The man was still alive, although blood was pooling on his chest where Faith’s arrow had pierced him. Eric looked about, seeing nothing around him but dusty road and trees. And there, in the distance, the shape of Castleton.
He crawled toward the road, hoping that he would be able to attract the attention of a passing carriage, keeping an eye open for a stick or other tool he could use to walk – although perhaps he was being optimistic to think that he could bring himself upright.
Eric couldn’t have said how long it took him to make progress, but by the time he reached the road, exhaustion had set in, and when he turned to look behind him he saw with dejection, captured by a trail of blood, that he had barely made any progress.
He wasn’t going to make it. That was not what most aggrieved him, however – it was the thought that no one would ever know what happened to Faith, and they would never be able to truly recognize their love for one another. Love that he had been scared of providing her for he was worried she would never find it for him in return.
Maybe they both should have taken a chance on one another – and trusted in themselves to be what the other one needed.
Eric fought as hard as he could to keep going, but his eyes were heavy and his leg immovable. He knew that he was nearing the end of his efforts – and then he heard it.
