Page 25 of The Sunbound Princess
“All right,” she said. “Let’s keep going.”
Nikolas released a slow breath. Helios looked ready to commit murder. But no one said anything as we returned to the trail.
We continued down the road, the silence broken only by the occasional bird call and the soft scuff of our boots. After an hour, Bel’s stomach released a growl that made the birds stop chirping. She slapped a hand over her midsection, her face going pink inside her hood.
“We’ll find something to eat soon,” I promised. Nikolas was a skilled hunter, but I couldn’t help hoping we stumbled upon a farmer in need of extra help in exchange for a hot meal.
Another hour passed, and we encountered a crossroads marked with a weathered signpost. It boasted two arrows: one pointing toward Solbarren and the other toward Saldu. Carvings under the letters helped the illiterate decipher which city was which. Saldu boasted a fiery sun, while Solbarren was marked with an obsidian tower.
My heart sped up at the sight of the latter, and panic stirred as I avoided Nikolas’s gaze. Somehow, we had to keep Bel out of Solbarren. But how? There was a fifty-fifty chance she’d choose that path. Just as the panic climbed into my throat, Nikolas darted in front of Bel. Facing her, he walked backward, one of his most charming smiles in place.
“Saldu is nice this time of year,” he said.
She slowed, her gaze going to the signpost. “I don’t know…”
The magic in my chest tugged, urging me toward the road that led to Saldu.Thank the gods.
Bel looked at me. “The magic is pushing me toward Saldu. Is that what you’re getting?”
I managed to keep the relief from my voice as I said, “Absolutely. Saldu. No question.”
With a curt nod, she started down the road. Helios bobbed at her side. Nikolas and I followed, and he winked at me as we moved toward the city.
The sun continued its slow ascent, and a companionable silence fell over our small party. The forest thinned. The trail broadened to a road made of packed dirt and lined with rolling meadows. Wildflowers bloomed on either side, their centers heavy with pollen. Helios sneezed, then muttered a curse as he slapped a fat blossom out of his path.
Bel’s stomach rumbled again. My own stomach cramped with hunger. Magic leash or no, we had to stop. Before I could voice the suggestion, the thunder of hooves sounded behind us.
Nikolas and I moved fast, hurrying Bel off the road. A look back revealed a patrol of approaching knights, their armor glinting in the sun.
“Get lost,” Nikolas hissed at Helios, who streaked away so quickly he was impossible to track.
The knights thundered closer, their horses kicking up dust as they approached. I kept my head down and my shoulders relaxed. Bel did the same, her cloak brushing my leg. Nikolas was a stoic presence on her other side, his gaze on the ground as we maintained an unhurried pace. Running was the fastest way to attract attention. The knights were clearly on their way to Saldu. They wouldn’t bother with a trio of travelers on foot.
The pounding of the hooves grew louder. The ground vibrated as the knights passed, sending a cloud of dirt rolling around us. As the jangle of bridles filled my ears, I focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
The knights kept moving, and some of the tension drained from my shoulders.
“You there!” a man bellowed. “Halt!”
I didn’t think, just grabbed Bel’s hand and ran. Nikolas did the same, and the three of us plunged through the grass and raced across the meadow next to the road.
Hooves pounded at our backs as at least one of the knights pursued us. I tightened my grip on Bel’s hand and put on a burst of speed. She kept pace with me, her hood slipping as we ran for the treeline.
I risked a glance back. Two knights thundered behind us, their horses gaining ground with every stride.
“Faster!” Nikolas urged, charging toward the trees. The forest wasn’t as dense as the one we’d left, but it was better than the meadow. The knights would have a more difficult time chasing us down among the trees.
As before, the magic in my chest kept me tied to Bel. She matched my pace, faster than any human woman. The knight shouted again as we plunged into the forest.
“This way!” Nikolas rasped, racing toward a thick cluster of pines. Tangled hedges flanked it, and we dove between the trunks and raced down a leaf-strewn incline. The knights’ muffled curses rose behind us.
Nikolas and I spotted the hollow at the same time. Fallen logs and overgrown bushes partially concealed the depression in the ground. The three of us slid down another small incline and scrambled toward the hollow. When we reached it, I pushed Bel down and then dragged dried foliage over us. Nikolas went flat on his stomach on Bel’s other side. Acting on instinct, I tugged her against me and cupped a hand over her mouth.
Twigs snapped somewhere above us, followed by the sound of hooves thumping against the ground.
“Damn,” one of the knights growled. “It’s like they disappeared.”
The other knight grunted. “They were fast.” A horse snorted, and the first knight spoke again.
