The irony wasn’t lost on me: I was trying to protect the man who, under different circumstances, would have been my sworn enemy.
I reached for the knife lying beside him on the ground. It was his favorite.
If Asher had any sentimental attachments, this blade was certainly one of them.
I slid it into my belt, then bent down and gathered him into my arms. His weight surprised me. Asher was so light, almost fragile. I stepped out of the shelter.
The forest around us was alive with noise, branches swaying in the wind, distant animal calls, but I kept my focus on the task at hand.
I moved quickly, my senses heightened, scanning for any sign of movement. The blockade I’d scouted before wasn’t far.
It was a gamble, but it might be our best shot at getting out of here alive.
I spotted the jeep before I heard the voices. It was parked just beyond the blockade, a testament to the hunters’ overconfidence.
The key still hung from the ignition, a careless mistake. Perhaps they thought no one would dare approach their vehicle.
Well, they hadn’t accounted for me.
Carefully, I lowered Asher into the passenger seat, ensuring his body rested securely. He didn’t stir. Not a sound, not a twitch.
My chest tightened, but I forced myself to focus. There was no time to dwell on what couldn’t be changed. Not yet.
I slipped into the driver’s seat and gripped the wheel, sparing a glance toward the cluster of tents in the distance.
The hunters were likely resting for the evening, their guard down. But that wouldn’t last.
The engine roared to life, shattering the forest’s stillness. Almost immediately, shouting erupted from the camp.
Figures scrambled out of the tents, their movements frantic. I didn’t wait to see what they would do next.
Slamming the gear into drive, I pressed down on the accelerator.
The jeep tore forward, bouncing over uneven ground as I made for the main road.
In the rearview mirror, I saw the hunters giving chase on foot. One of them raised a gun, but the distance between us was too great.
A single shot rang out, missing the jeep by a mile. I let out a humorless laugh. Desperation made people reckless.
Once I hit the main road, I didn’t look back.
The jeep sped along the deserted highway, the towering trees blurring into a sea of green on either side. I didn’t dare slow down.
Returning to the town where we first got off the train wasn’t an option. It was too risky.
Instead, I followed the signs pointing to the next town.
Asher had mentioned Declan and his team were preoccupied with another hunt; maybe that would buy us time.
Then there was Bram. He likely assumed he’d succeeded in killing Asher. And he probably thought I’d be too devastated to think straight.
Too broken to fight back, or worse, that I’d eventually return to Craven Hill, back to Beric and the nest, tail between my legs.
That would be the logical move in Bram’s mind.
Beric would demand answers, of course, but Bram would count on my loyalty or at least my pragmatism, to smooth over any doubts.
For now, he’d probably give me space and time, expecting grief to do his dirty work and push me back into the fold.
