Page 146 of Forcing Fate

No.

There was no way.

General Rafe sent some boy to retrieve me in the middle of the night—in the bunkhouse, where soldiers slept not five paces from my door? The whole barracks would know! Just how would that look?

I bared my teeth and growled like a wild animal. “You go tell General Rafe if he wants me, he’s going to have to come get me. There’s not a snowflake’s chance in a plume of dragon fire that I’ll be meeting him in the dead of night.” I raised my voice, hoping the men beyond would hear it.

“But–”

“No! You hear me? No!” I snapped. “Now go, or I’ll come out there and gut you.”

After his discouraged groan, light footsteps sounded his retreat.

I glared at the door, anger boiling in my veins, too hot to let me sleep. If it was indeed General Rafe who sent him, I could expect a visit from him shortly. Perhaps he would explain things, and not make it seem so inappropriate.

I stepped off the cot and pulled my trousers on. At least when he came and busted down the door, I would be fully clothed.

Sheathing my push dagger, I shoved my belt through the loops and drew my bandit breaker. Sitting back down, I waited. I wasn’t past the point of doing physical harm to General Rafe. He’d be asking for it if he came to my room. The law would be on my side if he tried to assault me.

I frowned at that thought.

He wouldn’t assault me. Sun, moon, and stars knew that he had plenty of opportunities to. That brought me back to why he sent for me. In my opinion, the ‘why’ didn’t matter. It was the dead of night, in a barracks full of men who would think me an army whore after this. He had to know that.

Creak.

I tilted my head, straining at the sound. A wooden plank groaned nearby. Someone was silent enough for me not to hear their footsteps, but unfamiliar with this side of the bunkhouse to know which floorboards were loose. The latch of my door whispered as it was freed. I gripped my bandit breaker. I widened my eyes as far as they could go, trying to see in the darkness.

I made out a thin patch of gray where my door cracked open, and I tensed, creeping into a crouch.

The door slammed into the cot, and I collided with the floor, my knife tumbling from my grasp. I growled, righting myself, and pulled my fists to my chin, knowing I had no time to search the dark space to retrieve it. I kicked my leg out, feeling for my cot, finding it pushed against the wall. The room wasn’t big, but without it blocking the way, anyone could get in. I cursed the darkness. I couldn’t see a thing.

There was a whisper and a flash. It could have been a candle or a match for all I knew, but the transition from complete darkness to instant light burned my eyes. I clenched them instinctively before forcing them open in a squint. I threw my fist out, making contact. The surprised grunt chilled me to my core.

It wasn’t Rafe.

That moment of fear, of hesitation, was all my attacker needed before he snared my hands and shoved a cloth over my mouth.

The light died, and I struggled against their hold as they fastened the cloth tight around my head. I kicked and flailed, to no avail. They threw me over their shoulders like a felled deer and stepped over the cot, leaving the room. I tried to scream, but my muffled moans and yelps were either unheard or ignored by the sleeping soldiers.

I bucked and pulled at my pinned arms and legs. His head snapped back and collided with my stomach, ripping the air from my lungs. I craned my neck, hoping to see the secretary at the desk, but no one was there. The man’s shoulders dug into my hips and ribs as he descended the stairs, walking around the bunkhouse to the alley that led behind the buildings.

He held me and walked calmly, as if taking a midnight stroll. The moon peeked out from the clouds, and I grappled to take in any details I could from my abductor. He was dark-skinned. Intricate braids plaited his hair down the center, though the sides of his head were shaven. In his right ear hung earrings made of bone and metal.

I fiddled with the cloth around my face, pushing at it with my tongue, trying to get it off my mouth. It wouldn’t budge.

He moved further and further away from the established barracks. I stilled, letting him think I was exhausted before thrashing again. He chuckled and held me tightly. I was sure I’d be sporting bruises for the next few days.

If I lived.

Who was this man, and why did he abduct me? Was this part of General Rafe’s plan? Did the boy send for the big brute?

I sighed and waited. There was nothing else I could do.

He kept a steady pace, and we soon crossed the training fields and entered the copse of trees. Beyond it, fires burned low in pits. It was almost impossible to see through the foliage. As we neared, men came into view, milling about as though this was a common occurrence. They simply found themselves awake in the middle of the night and wandered out here to enjoy a chat by a secret fire.

The man carrying me walked past the others, drawing stares and outright laughs. Fury lit my soul ablaze. These men were laughing at me? At what sport would come? As soon as I had a chance, I would show them sport. I would ask if they were laughing when I buried my dagger in their throat.

“Calm down, little one,” my abductor said, humor coloring his voice.

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