Page 18 of Unbetrothed

Thousands of insects and snakes lurked nearby, but what choice did we have? At least it wasn’t too cold. I shut my eyes. “Laude?”

“Yes, miss?”

I snuck a peek at her shadowed profile, and a lump formed in my throat. “You could head back home instead of joining me. We have no guide, and we’re in more danger now than when we left. I must continue, but you don’t need to go on with me.” I hugged myself, feeling small and insignificant compared to the star-powdered sky. My hopes and dreams shrank to dust.

Laude gave my hand a gentle squeeze, just like Mamá would have. “I thinkweshould continue your quest.”

“Laude, you don’t need to say that. The chances of us coming out of the valley alive are slim.”

Our breaths came out in heavy sighs with only crickets trilling in the background.

“No,” Laude raised her voice, “we need to finish this. You, because you’re miserable knowing your gift is out there somewhere. Me, because I finally don’t feel trapped. Sometimes, I wonder if the palace will suffocate me in my sleep.”

I laughed. This wasn’t what I expected her to say. In fact, I never considered what she felt—ever.

“I’m serious. I even have nightmares that the walls cave in over my bed. You call and call for me to help you, but the stones press in around me so tight I can barely breathe. And then I wake up.”

The buzzing of the night surrounded me with the eerie sensation of awakening gripped by fear. A pinch of pity lodged itself within my ribs. “That’s quite the nightmare. Let’s not talk of such things. We have a long walk ahead of us, wherever we go.”

“’Night, miss.”

“Goodnight.”

My marks itched, but my sleeves encased my upper arm too tightly to reach with my fingernails. I rubbed the silky fabric, but that didn’t help. A lump in the grass jutted into my back, and I shifted. Another mound stuck out in such a way I couldn’t get comfortable, so I returned to my original position. Laude’s breaths slowed to a deep rhythmic sound.

Judging by my burning skin, I have very little time.The moon nudged across the night sky until my eyelids closed and I slipped out of consciousness.

When my eyes snapped open again, a gray-bearded man hovered above my head. Twilight shone around him, and a wicked smirk twisted his lips.

CHAPTER 10

LAUDE SCREAMED.SEVERAL MENlaughed, their sinister rasps raising the hairs on my arms. I scrambled to sit up and take in my surroundings. Fog loomed in the air, blocking the view of the trees we’d seen yesterday, leaving us only able to see a circle of scruffy men dressed in shabby pants and dirty tunics.

“Good morning, sweet ladies. We hope we didn’t disturb your sleep.” The bearded man cackled as he stepped toward our trunk. He tossed the lid open. “We heard there might be something to fill our coin bags in these parts.” He pulled out one of our pears and chomped into it.

Laude leaned into my shoulder, holding my arm while I counted ten men. Our chances of escaping were not good.I’ve got to try something. I shot to my feet and pulled Laude up. “Yes, sir. I am certain my papá will reward you greatly for bringing us back to Giddel.”

The man cackled some more, slapping his thigh as if I’d told a joke. He was likely the leader. Strong hands seized me from behind. I kicked my captor’s shins, but he merely cursed and tightened his grip.

Laude fought wildly as a burly man wrestled with her wrists to get her to stop punching. Another man pinned down her legs. She rolled her body, slipping out of their grasp. Might she break free?

The leader of the scoundrels tossed an exasperated gaze to the sky and descended upon Laude with a dagger to her nose. “You will learn to obey.”

Laude stopped flopping. Her chest rose and fell in quick breaths.

The leader dragged his heavy-lidded gaze toward me, a malevolent curl playing at his lips. His boots padded the grass as he drew near. The first rays of morning light glimmered off his blade and sparked waves of goosebumps on my flesh.

He yanked my braid back, exposing my neck, and his hot breath lingered against my skin. It reeked of booze and rotting teeth. My stomach churned. “You are beautiful. I might have you for myself.” He ran a hand against my thigh, lifting my skirt.

“Get away from me!” I tried to jerk free, but the man behind me tightened his grip.

The leader pressed the tip of the dagger to my jaw. “It would be a shame if I had to mar your perfect face.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, and a quiver rattled down my back. My feet were still free.

“Tie them up.” The leader unbuckled his belt and tossed it on the trunk.

My breath quickened. Panic flapped in my chest. A young man with dark hair approached with rope in his hands. He met my gaze and hesitated for a second, but that’s all I needed.

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