mine. If you abuse the young one who spoke up
for her, I’ll be back to claim her too. If I come back, nothing of your clan
will survive.”
The little bit of strength she had drained and she succumbed
to darkness just as she heard her mom yelling.
Something tickled Wisteria’s nose. She sneezed. Her tummy
slightly jerked, followed by a faint burn. The whipping.
Her eyes popped open and she came face-to-face with a wall of
fur. It swayed back and forth in rhythm to the clapping of horses’ hooves. She
tried sitting straight but something tightened at her waist and she couldn’t
move. Where was she? The last coherent thing she remembered was hearing her mom
begging the Barbarian to set her free.
The Barbarian! She shuddered and her gaze raced along her
body. She lay crouched on his lap, her hands draped at her sides and her cheek
resting flush against the hide covering his chest. She stiffened. A muffled
heartbeat pummeled her ears but she didn’t know whether it was his or her own.
Where were they headed? Even worse, what were his
intentions? She tried relaxing to mislead him into believing she remained
asleep but her body wouldn’t cooperate and her shoulders stiffened. She inhaled
a shaky breath while gazing at the landscape. They were traveling just outside
the forest through an open meadow, a place unfamiliar to her. A line of
treetops brushed across the moonlit sky, their dark branches swaying in the
slight breeze. If not for the moon’s bright rays shimmering upon the ground,
she and her captors would be encased in complete darkness.
How far away was her home? If she escaped the Barbarians
she’d return and beg her clan for forgiveness. She’d even apologize to Sledge
and accept their union. She thought she’d rather die than spend her life under
his pelts but in her current situation, desperation and fear changed her heart.
Had the Barbarians murdered her clan? She tried to remember
exactly what he’d said. Did he threaten them or promise to murder them?
Again she stiffened.
Her eyes bulged as visions of slaughter raced through her
mind. Her people. Being bludgeoned to death by barbaric weapons.
It was so vivid and real she squeaked to fight sobs rising
in her throat.
Then she snapped her eyes shut and stilled.
Why would they take her and kill the others? Why not kill
her too?
If she had courage she’d ask about her clan’s fate. And
hers. But she wasn’t that brave. It was probably best not to worsen a bad
situation. They were known to burn people alive after having tortured them . She didn’t need to dwell on that until they tied her to the stake and lit the
fire.
She had only one option. Jump.
Then run for her life.
She closed her eyes and swallowed, then moaned, pretending
sleep. Cautiously she spun onto her hip, facing away from the Barbarian. His
grip loosened as if giving her room to maneuver and she used the split second
to position her hands on his thigh.
With her heart beating rapidly and pulse thumping, she gave
herself a swift push off his lap. His hand shot outward and he tried gripping
her as she slid down the horse’s bowed rib cage. Her feet hit the ground hard.
Her knees buckled and she rolled. The horse whinnied and rose on its hind legs
as the Barbarian yanked on its reins. Its front feet landed close to her head,
nearly crushing her. Gruff voices shouted as the others halted their mounts.
Through the commotion she sprang to her feet and ran for the forest. In there
she could increase her chances for survival, unlike the meadow where she had no
place to hide.
Her heartbeat raged out of control and her lungs were on
fire. Everything around her blurred as she ran. The sound of stampeding hooves
closed in at her back. She squealed and forced herself to increase speed. The
skin stretching along her thighs and the constant jarring of her tummy caused
immense pain but she forced herself to run through it. Then suddenly the
thundering hooves stopped. She wanted to look
for her, I’ll be back to claim her too. If I come back, nothing of your clan
will survive.”
The little bit of strength she had drained and she succumbed
to darkness just as she heard her mom yelling.
Something tickled Wisteria’s nose. She sneezed. Her tummy
slightly jerked, followed by a faint burn. The whipping.
Her eyes popped open and she came face-to-face with a wall of
fur. It swayed back and forth in rhythm to the clapping of horses’ hooves. She
tried sitting straight but something tightened at her waist and she couldn’t
move. Where was she? The last coherent thing she remembered was hearing her mom
begging the Barbarian to set her free.
The Barbarian! She shuddered and her gaze raced along her
body. She lay crouched on his lap, her hands draped at her sides and her cheek
resting flush against the hide covering his chest. She stiffened. A muffled
heartbeat pummeled her ears but she didn’t know whether it was his or her own.
Where were they headed? Even worse, what were his
intentions? She tried relaxing to mislead him into believing she remained
asleep but her body wouldn’t cooperate and her shoulders stiffened. She inhaled
a shaky breath while gazing at the landscape. They were traveling just outside
the forest through an open meadow, a place unfamiliar to her. A line of
treetops brushed across the moonlit sky, their dark branches swaying in the
slight breeze. If not for the moon’s bright rays shimmering upon the ground,
she and her captors would be encased in complete darkness.
How far away was her home? If she escaped the Barbarians
she’d return and beg her clan for forgiveness. She’d even apologize to Sledge
and accept their union. She thought she’d rather die than spend her life under
his pelts but in her current situation, desperation and fear changed her heart.
Had the Barbarians murdered her clan? She tried to remember
exactly what he’d said. Did he threaten them or promise to murder them?
Again she stiffened.
Her eyes bulged as visions of slaughter raced through her
mind. Her people. Being bludgeoned to death by barbaric weapons.
It was so vivid and real she squeaked to fight sobs rising
in her throat.
Then she snapped her eyes shut and stilled.
Why would they take her and kill the others? Why not kill
her too?
If she had courage she’d ask about her clan’s fate. And
hers. But she wasn’t that brave. It was probably best not to worsen a bad
situation. They were known to burn people alive after having tortured them . She didn’t need to dwell on that until they tied her to the stake and lit the
fire.
She had only one option. Jump.
Then run for her life.
She closed her eyes and swallowed, then moaned, pretending
sleep. Cautiously she spun onto her hip, facing away from the Barbarian. His
grip loosened as if giving her room to maneuver and she used the split second
to position her hands on his thigh.
With her heart beating rapidly and pulse thumping, she gave
herself a swift push off his lap. His hand shot outward and he tried gripping
her as she slid down the horse’s bowed rib cage. Her feet hit the ground hard.
Her knees buckled and she rolled. The horse whinnied and rose on its hind legs
as the Barbarian yanked on its reins. Its front feet landed close to her head,
nearly crushing her. Gruff voices shouted as the others halted their mounts.
Through the commotion she sprang to her feet and ran for the forest. In there
she could increase her chances for survival, unlike the meadow where she had no
place to hide.
Her heartbeat raged out of control and her lungs were on
fire. Everything around her blurred as she ran. The sound of stampeding hooves
closed in at her back. She squealed and forced herself to increase speed. The
skin stretching along her thighs and the constant jarring of her tummy caused
immense pain but she forced herself to run through it. Then suddenly the
thundering hooves stopped. She wanted to look
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