Page 64 of The Time Of Kings

“…Pip, you know what to do!”

“ON IT!” Pip yelled back, the sound of her voice pure excitement, making me shake my head at my friend. I swear, she lived for shit like this. But when I saw what she was capable of, then it was of little wonder. For the river straight ahead of us was no longer an obstacle to get around but was one for us tomake for those following us. For she raised up her hands, and the sparks of power flowed from them like some magical essence was seeping from her skin.

She started to split the water, making my mouth drop open as she caused the riverbanks to tremble. Each side rippled to the centre before rising enough for us to travel along, doing so enough so as our horses didn’t get stuck in the mud.

“Just call me Moses!” Pip shouted with glee, urging our steeds to continue on, only welcoming back the flowing river once we had crossed, and each side crashed back together behind us.

“That should slow them down,” I said, patting Pip on the back as a form of well done. However, Sophia was quick to point out,

“It might have slowed them down, but it won’t prevent them from riding back to the castle and telling my brother where they saw us last. Which means we have to carry on at speed.” I gritted my teeth, knowing this was only the beginning.

For we still…

Had a long way to go.

The restof the journey was long and arduous, with my exhaustion setting in enough that half of it became a blur. I remembered pieces of it. Like when I kept falling in and out of consciousness and leaning so heavily against Pip that she became concerned that I might fall from the horse. Her little anxious taps against my leg woke me enough to stay upright more than once.

By the time we found an inn, I had become a walking zombie, completely reliant on my daughter to try and get me inside theroom. I had practically passed out before my head even hit the pillow. But I also knew why. Because unlike Fae, I had spent the last thirty years as an immortal. And now I was back to being mortal, it was like I was being zapped of all my energy as my body adjusted to the drastic change.

Which meant it really didn’t appreciate being on horseback, travelling through the night at speed without rest. It also didn’t much like the growing distance between Draven and I, as it certainly felt like my body was repelling. As for my soul and heart, that too felt like a piece of each had been left behind.

But after a few hours’ sleep and some food… food that was certainly questionable whether or not it deserved the classification of being edible… we were back on the road again. At least I was feeling better, although that didn’t mean after hours of chaffing on a horse, I wasn’t more than ready for our next stop.

So, the moment that Fae suggested it, I felt like weeping with joy. Especially when Sophia told us there was a stream nearby where we could fill the flask that Pip had packed on the horses. Honestly, my girls had thought of everything, and I couldn’t have been more grateful for them. Knowing that without them, I doubt I would have survived this long through what Fate had been determined to put me through.

Although unfortunately, our good fortune didn’t continue the way I hoped it would. And quite honestly, I never expected the first problem to come in the form of actual bandits attacking us. No, I would have thought it would be in form of one or both of our husbands come to recapture us.

But no.

Bloody bandits!

Our next problem was in the form of weapons and a demand we go with them so as they could collect the bounty that Draven had obviously put on us. Although if my husband knew of thethreat we now faced, I doubt he would have set a bounty to begin with. As these guys didn’t exactly look like they were going to gently take us back to the castle.

Drag us, more like.

And speaking of not being gentle, my very capable daughter decided to take a stand against them. Not surprising, really, seeing as she was her father’s daughter, after all. And well, it also had to be said that the girl knew how to fight. Although knowing this didn’t make me worry any less for her, hence why I whispered,

“We need to call out, Fae.”Because I knew that Pip and Sophia weren’t as breakable as we were at this current moment.

“If we do that, then we could chance people hearing us… say, certain somebodies with enhanced hearing,” she replied, making me realise that she may have a point. Yet I don’t know why, I still couldn’t help but feel as if this was wrong. It certainly wasn’t easy watching, despite how capable Fae was at fighting. Of course, her acting skills were also far better than mine were, as she started this showdown by pretending to be scared. And while playing the damsel it meant her first victim got close enough to make that mistake.

A broken bone was the price he paid for that one.

“Damn,”I muttered with a wince as I was left to watch my daughter’s brutality.

“Now you guys have a choice, you can either count yourselves lucky that I am going to give you one chance to run, or you can be left broken in pieces just like your friend here,” she said with the level of confidence that only came with years of training to hone her craft.

“Nice,”I couldn’t help but praise, making Fae smirk as the two men looked at each other as if asking silently if this was really worth it. However, after informing us that the one nowbroken and clearly in pain was related to them, now it wasn’t just the bounty they wanted.

Now it was revenge.

“Fae, look out!” I shouted the second one of the men charged at her, my eyes widening when I watched her take him down with ease, now choking him out. However, the problem with witnessing my daughter fight, was that I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Which also meant that I wasn’t watching the threat that was sneaking up behind me. One that had me crying out the second I felt the blade come to my neck and arms wrap around me from behind.

This was also when I knew that Fae might put herself in danger trying to save me. So, before she could take my rescue into her own hands, I looked to where Pip and Sophia would be with the horses and screamed with everything I had,

“HELP US!”

“Shut up, bitch!” the bastard threatened, grabbing my hair and wrenching my head back. The blade at my throat dug in painfully, and was hard enough that I felt it nick the skin. The second Fae saw this, panic hit her, making her raise her arms up in surrender as she quickly pleaded,

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