Page 38 of Tricky Princess
“Why are you helping me?” she asked.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“You’d be surprised how little help we get.”
“I don’t know, I’ve only read about this place,” Ellea admitted. “Please tell me how it is. Are you miserable? Do they torture you for all your wrongs?”
“No, it’s not all bad,” she grumbled behind her. “I miss them. But every day is pretty easy. It’s like living but…not? There is no time or worry, only peace. At first, I didn’t realize anything was wrong. Then I started getting my memories back and I realized what was missing all along. I’ve tried a number of times over the years to escape and find them, but I’m always caught.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, storing that information for later. “Does anyone else try and escape?”
There had to be more; the world was full of mortals and supernaturals, Jocelyn couldn’t be the only one.
“There are others, but they finally gave up,” she said sadly. “From what I can tell, I’m the only one who tries to escape.”
“That can’t be true,” Ellea said. “You two aren’t the only interspecies couple to pass away.”
“Maybe I’m the only one who remembers.”
Ellea didn’t think that was it either. She would have words with Azzy when she got back tonight, but first, she was going to get Jocelyn to her family. She smiled to herself, feeling like she was actually doing something besides training, reading, and eating. The sound of hooves stampeding behind them shook Ellea from her triumphant thoughts. Both women turned their heads to see two guards galloping after them.
“Fuck,” they said together.
Ellea kicked Mhairi but she was already moving into a gallop, ready to outrun the chase.
They weaved and bobbed around rocks and trees, but the two trailing them were slowly gaining ground.
“Come on, old lady,” Ellea whispered to the mare. “Show them what retirement really is.”
Mhairi pinned her ears back and found another gear. Ellea worried it wouldn’t be enough, and then an idea hit her.
“Princess!” one of the guards called. “Please, you’ll get hurt.”
“Princess?” Jocelyn hissed behind her. “You’re one of them?”
“I’m not,” Ellea huffed out. “I’m a witch, it’s only a nickname. But I have an idea. Grab the reins.”
She reluctantly grabbed them and leaned around Ellea to give her room. Pulling at her magic, Ellea summoned a rope with two balls on either end. It felt heavy in her hands. Leaning off of the mare, she turned around the best she could and whirled one end in a rapid circle before letting it fly behind her.
It was enough to spook one of the horses, and the guard slipped unceremoniously off, stopping the second horse in its tracks. Jocelyn whooped loudly and handed the reins back to Ellea. They galloped further up before Ellea pulled back and stopped the mare. She hopped off and helped Jocelyn slide into the saddle.
“What are you doing?” she hissed down at her. “They’ll get us!”
“They’ll get me,” she said. “Now hold on and get to your family. Be safe, and when you are, send Mhairi back. I think she knows what to do.”
Ellea didn’t give her time to protest. She gave Mhairi a loving pat and then a loud smack on her rear.
Give them Hel, old girl.
“You lost a prized war horse, took down two guards, stole both their horses, and freed a woman from the mortal lands,” Duhne said, pacing back and forth in his uncle’s study. He kept glaring at her with every pass.
“All before dinner,” Ellea said, leaning back in the leather chair across from Azzy’s massive desk.
“My uncle is going to murder me,” he said, sitting down next to her. He quickly stood when the king strode through the door.
Ellea slowly stood, eyeing his demeanor. The situation she’d found herself in suddenly seemed much less fun. When Duhne swiftly bowed, the king gave her a wink, and she bowed in answer.
“Someone has been quite busy today,” Azzy said, sitting behind his desk as if it were a throne.
