Page 146 of Enchanted Kingdom
It looked like Prince Krewan was obviously no longer going to be the one saving the day.
Owen drew his sword and pulled a dagger out from behind his back while his own green magic flared to life. “We have orders from Prince Keiran to have left the castle for the day,” Owen said, his voice colder and more demanding than I had ever heard. “So be out of our way.”
“Oh, we know,” the one in front said while grinning evilly.
“We just don’t care,” the one from behind us added.
Owen looked at me and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Listen to me very carefully. You are one of the smartest people I know. Run. Either run to the castle or hide. I will find you either way as soon as I deal with these pricks.”
I hadn’t realized I was breathing so heavily until I latched onto his wrist and tried speaking. “Please don’t make me leave you.” Realizing I was making Owen’s rising magic vanish, I let go immediately. We were going to need it if he was going to get us out of this.
The one in front of us threw some magic out at me, which of course dissolved as it came close. “No matter!” the red head called excitedly. “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.”
Owen’s eyes narrowed as the green under his skin burned brighter and brighter. “Run, Jorah.Now.”
CHAPTER40
Without really thinking about it, I took off somewhat in the direction of the Dead Lake, trying to find that back hole in the hedge to get into the castle. The same one we took to get to the meadow the princes practiced in.
Behind me, Owen sent a line of green fire as a barrier keeping the three men from following me. It was tall, reaching at least twenty feet high.
My heart was pounding in my chest as I tore through the forest. It wasn’t a quiet escape, branches and twigs snapping as each step led me closer and closer into the forest. But behind me, I could feel the buzz of magic and the power of the wall of fire. Those four were not being quiet either, and hopefully Owen kept them busy enough for me to run for help. I needed to get to Keir and send him out to help Owen. How long could Owen hold off three guys on his own? How tired would he be after exerting all that magic into the fire barrier?
I could see the hedge. I was so close. So close and yet so far because I had to go over branches and around massive tree trunks that I would not have been able to reach my arms around if I had tried.
But I was almost there. I turned back as if expecting Owen to be on my heels, but I could only see and feel the buzz of magic from way off. He was still busy.
I turned toward the back hedge when out from behind a tree, a man stepped out.
“Why hello there, pretty.”
I skidded to a halt. It took me half a second to read the short man’s body language, the way he stood blocking the entrance to the hedge and also the twisted smirk that graced his mouth to know that this man was not here to help me. Not at all. He had a nice beard, but he was bad news.
He lunged for me, and I dove away. I felt a branch smack my face as I quickly got back to my feet and began running.
The man was unfortunately somewhat in shape as he gained speed on me quickly.
“Owen!” I yelled. “Keir! Krew!”
If they were going to kill me or take me, I wasn’t going down quietly.
His hand reached around my waist and that was when I saw a gray blur come out of nowhere.
Rafe.
Rafe launched himself at the man and bit his wrist, blood pouring from the man’s hand while he began screaming out in agony.
Not knowing what else to do, I began running back into the forest. The man was hurt, but how long would he stay that way? Owen said to run to the castle or hide. I wasn’t sure there wasn’t another man or two or three waiting at that spot in the hedge, so I decided hiding was the best option.
I didn’t know if I was making the smartest decisions because I was clearly panicked, but I kept running, not knowing what else to do.
Soon, I felt him next to me: the wolf fell in beside me and ran with me.
Not two minutes later, we came to a fork in the two pathways of the forest. I had no idea where I even was. Or what direction the lake was from this spot. I was officially lost in the forest.
I slowed and looked one way and then the other. Instinct wanted me to take the way that would lead me closest to the castle.
Rafe, however, had another idea.
