Page 48 of Cage of Destiny
“What’s that noise?” one ofthe men toward the back asked.
The leader gave a signal,and everyone came to a stop.
“What’s your name?” Allyssaasked the man behind her.
“Larek.”
The same name as themerchant boy from Emperor’s City. A sign or a coincidence? Beforeshe could think more on the matter, she heard the distant sound ofhorse hooves rapidly approaching.
“Ride,” the leaderyelled.
Larek urged his horse intoa full gallop. The group of them thundered over the land, thehorses’ hooves kicking up grass.
“Split up,” the leaderordered. “Five with me, five with Larek.”
Larek veered right whilethe man Odar rode with went to the left.Blimey. The people pursuing themcould either be a rescue mission or a group of mercenaries huntingthem. How was she supposed to know who was friend orfoe?
Kerdan had told her tobehave like herself no matter what. In that case, she would usethis as an opportunity to try to escape—with or without Odar.Glancing back, she saw a group of twenty or so men on horsespursuing them. It didn’t appear that anyone had bows and arrows.That, at least, was something.
“They’re gaining on us,”Larek said.
“Instead of these sixhorses remaining together,” Allyssa said, “you can conceal me onyour horse. Everyone should go in a different direction then. Ourpursuers won’t know who to follow if they can’t see me. At most,you’ll only have three or four men to contend with instead oftwenty.”
“I’ve got a better idea,”Larek said. “I know a place to hide you until the threat passes.”Turning to his men, he yelled, “Create a diversion while I hide theprincess. I need a solid thirty seconds where they won’t seeme.”
The men slowed their horseswhile Allyssa and Larek headed eastward.
“Stay low on the saddle,”he instructed, his cape flying behind him. They headed over thenext hill and then veered sharply to the right toward the line oftrees at the bottom of the valley. “When we reach the stream, jumpoff and hide in the water.”
The urge to ask if he wasone of Kerdan’s men was strong; however, it didn’t matter at thispoint. If he was, then she needed to listen to him because he wouldprotect her. If he wasn’t, then the men pursuing her were mostlikely affiliated with Kerdan. The only logical thing was to do ashe said. Once she was alone, she would make a run forit.
“While I’m hiding, what doyou plan to do?” she asked.
“I’ll draw the men awayfrom you. We must be quick for this to work.” They were almost atthe trees. “Get both your legs to the left side of thehorse.”
She did as instructed,preparing to jump. Hopefully he would slow the animal so the impactwouldn’t injure her. Instead of going alongside the stream, he wentright into it, shoved her off, and continued to the other side,heading up and out of the valley. Glancing back, she didn’t seeanyone coming over the rise yet. There was a trail from the horse’shooves leading straight to where she stood in the waist-highfreezing water. She climbed closer to the bank where it wasshallower and ran northward, wanting to put at least thirty feetbetween her and the trail. There were several good-sized rocksalong the edge of the stream. At one of the bigger ones, she wentdeeper into the water. It wasn’t too fast or rough, which made iteasy to maneuver in.
Once it reached her thighsagain, she went under and found a good spot to wedge her feet tokeep her body from floating away. Holding onto the side of a rock,she slowly let her head rise until her nose came above the water soshe could breathe. Her hair started to float around her face so shegrabbed it, tying it into a knot and shoving it under hershirt.
The ground rumbled ashorses neared. A lone tree not far away swayed in the wind, castinglong shadows over the water, helping to conceal her body. Severalmen rode their horses through the river without stopping. A couplepaused on the bank.
Taking a huge breath, shewent farther under the water. Her body violently shook from fear.Or maybe the frigid water. Regardless, she tried holding still,keeping her body in place so she wouldn’t cause any disturbances inthe water and garner the men’s attention.
The water turned murky fromthe horses thundering through it and stirring up the sandy bottom.The few men who hung back rode their horses up and down along thebank, searching for any sign of Allyssa. One stopped only a fewfeet away, looking at the ground.
“See anything?” someonecalled out, the words muted and difficult to hear under thewater.
The man near her replied,“No, nothing. The grass along the bank looks untouched.”
Thankfully she’d had enoughforesight to travel in the stream instead of alongside it. Huddledunder the water next to the rock, she closed her eyes, begging theman to move on. It was hard to remain still and not lift her headabove the water.
After what felt likeforever, the man left. Allyssa slowly let her nose come out of thewater again, and she took a much-needed breath. However, sheremained in the water, trying not to move, for another ten minutesin case someone still lingered nearby. A fish swam by her leg, andshe almost screamed. She’d have to thank Kerdan for her predicamentlater. Assuming she saw him again and the men she’d just evadedweren’t his.
When enough time hadpassed, she slowly brought her head above the water, observing thearea. No one was in sight. Not wanting to go farther into Russek,she knew she needed to head south. Based upon the placement of thesun, she guessed the stream flowed southward—more or less. Sinceshe was already soaking wet and half frozen, she decided to travelin the water for the first mile to conceal her tracks. Then she’dneed to climb onto dry land and run to put distance between her andher pursuers and to warm her body before she became ill. At leastshe would be traveling the direction the water flowed instead ofagainst it.
She carefully stood,wondering how much time she had before Larek returned for her.Might as well lure him in the opposite direction. Scrambling out ofthe water, she ran north along the stream, trying to trample thegrass so her trail could easily be seen. After thirty feet or so,she climbed back into the stream and headed south, half swimmingand half floating with the slow-moving current. There were severalrocks along the way. She tried not to bump into them as she hurriedalong, attempting to stay in the deeper sections so she wouldn’tget hurt.
Nathenek had promised to benearby. However, she didn’t know how that was possible. The streamwidened and the water’s depth dramatically decreased, making itdifficult to swim. Clambering to her feet, she stumbled out of thewater and onto dry land, her body shivering uncontrollably. Upahead, a group of rocks was clustered together on a mound. She rantoward them, needing to hide before Larek found her. Maybe once thesun went down, she could make a fire. Bloody hell—she still didn’tknow how to start one. That would have to be rectified.Eventually.
