Read Online Chasing Emily [Duoterra 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) by Jennifer Denys - Free Book Online Page A

next day he had closed up his home and set off on his journey. That was yesterday, and he was a bit further than halfway there when he was forced to stop for the night. He would probably arrive in Eden late tomorrow if he left very early, or the following morning, as he calculated he had about another day and a half to go, it being about three to four days hard travel to get there. Most people took it easily, stopping off en route to see friends on farms along the way or spending a night or two in Riverside, which had been established as a mill town.
    A sound alerted him. It was the noise of someone riding a horse along the road, riding fairly quickly from the sound of the horse’s canter. Who on Duo is on the road this late?
    His heart started to beat quicker as a worry came over him, and his fears were realized when Finn came into view. Shit, it would be him!
    As Robin stood up from his place by the fire, his body tense with resentment, Finn clearly saw him as he pulled the horse to a sudden halt. Directing the horse over to his nemesis, Finn then stopped in front of him and leaned forward over the horse’s neck, grinning at him in a less-than-friendly manner. “I gather you haven’t found my wife yet?”
    Robin gritted his teeth. “She isn’t your wife—the ceremony wasn’t finished.”
    Finn chuckled. “So you think if you find her, she will agree to be yours instead?”
    “Maybe.”
    The man on the horse laughed louder. “Oh, come off it. You’ve failed to get her to the altar this far. What makes you think you can do it now?”
    Robin refused to answer Finn, so infuriated was he by the other’s remarks, partly because he knew the truth of them, even if he didn’t want to acknowledge them.
    Finn got down from his horse. “Aren’t you going to invite me to join you for the night?”
    Glaring at him, Robin simply said, “Nope.” He then went back to his fire where he had a pot of moss bark brewing and poured himself some into a mug but pointedly didn’t offer any to the other man. It was lukewarm, and he grimaced, turning his head trying to avoid showing Finn. It hadn’t been warming very long, but he needed to do something to show he was ignoring him.
    “Well, that’s just fine then. I’ll camp on the other side of the road. Sweet dreams.”
     
    * * * *
     
    When Robin woke up the next day, he cursed. The sun was high, and Finn had gone. It had taken him hours to get to sleep. Every time he heard a noise he glanced over to see if Finn was still there. He was determined not to let his competitor get the edge on him and was certain he would hear him rise, but instead he had dropped off into a deep sleep where he had nightmares of marrying Emily but waking up with Finn in his bed instead.
    It was just as he screamed at the sight of Finn leering at him that he jerked awake, his cry startling the birds in the forest, who suddenly flew off their perches, cawing angrily.
    Ashamed at crying out like that, he had turned quickly toward where Finn had set up camp, and there was no one there.
    Throwing his blanket off, he ran over to feel the ground where Finn had lain. It was stone-cold. And judging by how high the sun was, it was well into the morning. He cursed vividly as he stomped over to his camp.
    Robin didn’t stop to cook some breakfast but instead hurriedly rolled up his blanket, jammed it into his saddlebag, and stamped on the remnants of last night’s fire to make sure it was well and truly out. No one could blame him for pounding it much more violently than necessary.
    He pulled out some grain for his horse to eat and then climbed on and rode off swiftly. To begin with, he cantered quickly but soon slowed down. Not because he was worried about tiring the horse, but because he was unsure of the turning in the road. Deciding on one particular path which looked the most likely route, he rode for some way. However, the trail got narrower, and finally he stopped.
    “Shit! This can’t be the way.