Page 162 of A Vow of Wrath and Ruin

A voice in the darkness startled me awake. Only blackness surrounded me except for the dim glow of a lamp.

“Who goes there?” the voice called.

Was this my chance?

Neither Baylis nor Alwin answered. Either they were asleep or off hunting. The voice sounded again.

“Who goes there?”

“Help!” I cried out. “Help me!”

A small halfling with a wrinkled face came into view. Through the dim light, I could see his gray eyes widen.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“Do I look alright?” I whispered, desperately. “Help me get out of here.”

The man looked around wearily.

“Hurry, please.” My voice was barely a whisper.

Climbing into the cart, the man pulled away my cloak, gasping at my chains.

“I am Hand to the Alder King. I have been kidnapped. Please help me.”

“Ma’am, I am but a halfling. I cannot carry you.”

“Run to town and alert a magistrate. We are on the move. Tell them where you saw me last. King Tharan will know what to do.”

The man nodded so frantically the hat he wore nearly fell off.

“Go, now.”

The halfling fled into the woods.

An arrow whizzed through the darkness, but I did not hear it hit its mark.

I sat up. Through the red light of the dying fire, Baylis emerged. The shadows playing against her delicate features turned her into the monster she really was.

She scoffed, kicking the mercenary who’d passed out from drink hours ago. “Get up, fool. We need to get out of here.”

The man continued to snore.

Scooping up a ball of snow, she threw it at Alwin, who jerked awake, running a giant hand through his dark, wavy hair. “Wha… What’s going on?” His voice slurred with the clumsiness of a drunk.

“We need to go,” Baylis said, throwing snow on the fire. The flames hissed as they died.

Alwin hooked the horse up while Baylis loaded the cart.

With a click of his tongue, the cart lurched forward, and with it, any hopes of my rescue. I said a silent prayer to Amenna thatthe halfling had made it. Baylis couldn’t see in the dark. Her aim would’ve been off.

We rode through the night and into the next morning. The sun crested over the horizon, casting everything in a pale pink light. The first buds of spring peeked through the snow. From where I sat, I could see grape vines hanging from wooden braces. We were in elven territory now.

“Baylis, what are you doing? The elves don’t take kindly to outsiders.”

“It’s fine. We have permission to pass.”

“What? What do you mean?”

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