line each side. It’s narrow. You’ll have to ride in front of me.”
“In front?” she echoed.
He nodded. “I doona want you behind me where I can no’ protect you.”
“It’s a perfect place for an attack, isn’t it?”
He hadn’t wanted to tell her, but he should have known she’d see it. She was smart and intuitive. “Aye,” he admitted reluctantly.
“Then let’s go. I’m tired of fearing for my life.”
He grinned at his little warrior wife. Every moment he was with her he loved her more, if that were possible. “Here,” he said and handed her a dagger from his boot.
She looked at the weapon then back up at him.
“I’d rather know you have a weapon to defend yourself with. Please, Katrina.”
She took it from him and stuffed it into her boot. “We’re not going to need it,” she said confidently. “It’s left us alone. It’ll continue to do so.”
He let her lie to herself, but couldn’t help but hold out the same hope as she did. They were so close to Drahcir, so close to fulfilling the curse. A few moments later they were traveling through the pass. Sorin kept his gaze above him, looking for any signs the Tnarg was following them. But he saw nothing.
Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling it was near. Very near.
As they moved slowly through the pass, it seemed much longer than it ever had. Part of him wanted to kick the horses into a gallop, but the snow was too deep for them to do anything more than walk.
Then he saw it – the end of the pass. Excitement rushed through him. He was so close to home he wanted to shout. He looked over his shoulder once more but saw nothing. When they neared the end of the pass, he let out a breath. If the Tnarg had thought of attacking, it would have already done it.
Once they reached the end, he nudged his horse beside Katrina’s and smiled at the large gate to their left. “We’re here.”
Just as expected, the gates swung open, welcoming them into Drahcir. Sorin saw his parents and Elric and Lucian with their mates. He had made it, he was home.
His family’s smiles faltered as they began to shout. Sorin’s heart dropped to his feet, for he knew of only one thing that would make his family react so. Elric and Lucian both drew their swords, but Sorin knew they wouldn’t be allowed to leave Drahcir to help him.
“Katrina, listen to me,” he said calmly. “Get off the horse and run as fast as you can to the gates. Doona stop, and whatever you do, doona look back.”
“Sorin, nay,” she said. Her hands shook as she gripped her reins.
“Remember, I love you,” he said and spun his horse around to find the Tnarg behind them. “Run, Katrina!” he yelled and unsheathed his sword for an attack.
The Tnarg’s long claws ripped open the horse’s chest. The horse screamed in pain, and Sorin leapt from it just before the mount collapsed into the snow. He got to his feet and tried to push thoughts of Katrina and their future from his mind.
Sorin knew he couldn’t win against the Tnarg. Nor did he think he could make it to the gates in time. He didn’t relish his family seeing him slaughtered either.
He had precious few choices.
“You should’ve just let me have her,” the Tnarg said. “You could have saved your family seeing you sliced into little pieces.”
“Just get on with it,” Sorin said.
He had just begun to recover from his other wounds, so he knew he wouldn’t move as quickly as he normally did. But he did have his sword back.
Unlike before, he waited for the beast to attack. As soon as it did, Sorin went down on one knee and slashed with his sword. The Tnarg howled and gripped its arm as blood dripped into the snow. Sorin grinned and rose to his feet.
“As I said, get on with it,” he taunted.
He knew he wouldn’t get away with that move twice, but he also knew it was essential that he continue to wound the creature
“In front?” she echoed.
He nodded. “I doona want you behind me where I can no’ protect you.”
“It’s a perfect place for an attack, isn’t it?”
He hadn’t wanted to tell her, but he should have known she’d see it. She was smart and intuitive. “Aye,” he admitted reluctantly.
“Then let’s go. I’m tired of fearing for my life.”
He grinned at his little warrior wife. Every moment he was with her he loved her more, if that were possible. “Here,” he said and handed her a dagger from his boot.
She looked at the weapon then back up at him.
“I’d rather know you have a weapon to defend yourself with. Please, Katrina.”
She took it from him and stuffed it into her boot. “We’re not going to need it,” she said confidently. “It’s left us alone. It’ll continue to do so.”
He let her lie to herself, but couldn’t help but hold out the same hope as she did. They were so close to Drahcir, so close to fulfilling the curse. A few moments later they were traveling through the pass. Sorin kept his gaze above him, looking for any signs the Tnarg was following them. But he saw nothing.
Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling it was near. Very near.
As they moved slowly through the pass, it seemed much longer than it ever had. Part of him wanted to kick the horses into a gallop, but the snow was too deep for them to do anything more than walk.
Then he saw it – the end of the pass. Excitement rushed through him. He was so close to home he wanted to shout. He looked over his shoulder once more but saw nothing. When they neared the end of the pass, he let out a breath. If the Tnarg had thought of attacking, it would have already done it.
Once they reached the end, he nudged his horse beside Katrina’s and smiled at the large gate to their left. “We’re here.”
Just as expected, the gates swung open, welcoming them into Drahcir. Sorin saw his parents and Elric and Lucian with their mates. He had made it, he was home.
His family’s smiles faltered as they began to shout. Sorin’s heart dropped to his feet, for he knew of only one thing that would make his family react so. Elric and Lucian both drew their swords, but Sorin knew they wouldn’t be allowed to leave Drahcir to help him.
“Katrina, listen to me,” he said calmly. “Get off the horse and run as fast as you can to the gates. Doona stop, and whatever you do, doona look back.”
“Sorin, nay,” she said. Her hands shook as she gripped her reins.
“Remember, I love you,” he said and spun his horse around to find the Tnarg behind them. “Run, Katrina!” he yelled and unsheathed his sword for an attack.
The Tnarg’s long claws ripped open the horse’s chest. The horse screamed in pain, and Sorin leapt from it just before the mount collapsed into the snow. He got to his feet and tried to push thoughts of Katrina and their future from his mind.
Sorin knew he couldn’t win against the Tnarg. Nor did he think he could make it to the gates in time. He didn’t relish his family seeing him slaughtered either.
He had precious few choices.
“You should’ve just let me have her,” the Tnarg said. “You could have saved your family seeing you sliced into little pieces.”
“Just get on with it,” Sorin said.
He had just begun to recover from his other wounds, so he knew he wouldn’t move as quickly as he normally did. But he did have his sword back.
Unlike before, he waited for the beast to attack. As soon as it did, Sorin went down on one knee and slashed with his sword. The Tnarg howled and gripped its arm as blood dripped into the snow. Sorin grinned and rose to his feet.
“As I said, get on with it,” he taunted.
He knew he wouldn’t get away with that move twice, but he also knew it was essential that he continue to wound the creature
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