Page 72 of Chaos Tempted

“We’ll never get away,” I cry out.

“If we can just get to the forest…” Oakes clenches his jaw. “Then we have a chance.”

I gasp as our horse suddenly gains more speed.

In front of us, a dozen long strides away, is a thick cover of woods. I think about Twyla’s connection and her claim of being able to communicate with animals. What if I can call on the hidden forest creatures to protect us? Or at least be a distraction?

Thinking about the influencer magic and how it felt when I told the bear to leave me alone, I use my limited experience of telepathy to send out a distress call.

The faint light of sprites flicker in the distance. Did they hear me?

“Help us!”I mentally call out to any creature that feels so inclined.

The lights disappear, leaving me with nothing but panic.

Help isn’t on its way.

Oakes’ horse crashes into and through the thick brush. I yelp as tree branches smack and scratch my face as we whip by.

A flash of fur flies past me. Then another shadow zips nearby.

I squint back toward our rough entry into the woods and see a few soldiers have followed.

Then two giant bears and a dryad attack three of the soldiers.

Flower faeries are dive-bombing another, stabbing them with tiny needle swords.

The bears knock two soldiers from the horses and are making quick work of their entrails.

I can’t watch anymore and turn away. “They’re stopping the soldiers from following us.”

“Let’s keep moving.” Oakes nods ahead of us. “When we know we are clear, then we can circle back and rescue the others.”

Oakes and I ride for another few minutes, and the adrenaline fades.

He slows our horse to a stop.

A mind-numbing pain shoots through me.

We both gasp. He must feel the pain, too.

Oakes slumps over in his saddle and falls off the horse, taking me with him on his way down.

“Oakes!” I scream out, feeling as if someone is ripping my heart from my chest. After a moment of trying to resist the darkness that seeks to claim me, I collapse to the ground against Oakes’ broad chest.

I hear someone approach, but I don’t have the strength to even look at who or what is about to capture us.

31

BROKEN

JADEN

Isniff the air and hold a hand up to alert Baelen. “Someone draws near.”

Baelen’s keen sense of hearing, which astonishingly is better than mine, reveals more. “Several someones. Surrounding us.”

“Fuck!” I spin my horse to see the closest threat. “It’s a trap. We need to get to Wyn.” My heart races, realizing we have gone in opposite directions. “And Eldrin.”

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