Page 114 of In the Shadow of a Hoax

She blinked up at the sky, her eyelids feeling heavy with exhaustion, and when the stars suddenly shifted, moving quicker, spinning, it made her dizzy. She blinked once more, only the stars continued their race across the sky. Then the stars converged into moving pictures in the night sky. Enraptured, Tarley watched a man embrace a woman, but the woman stole his fire and ran. The man wandered, searching the universe for the woman and the fire. When he found her, he sent star birds to watch her. At first, it seemed romantic, only the birds eventually pecked her and consumed her, leaving the man with the fire once more.

Tarley opened her eyes, realizing she’d fallen asleep and had collapsed into a dream. Only now her heart was pounding in her ears, making it hard to hear beyond it and the crackle of the embers in the low fire. It was still dark, a few hours before dawn. Ferdie snuffed a noise at something.

Tarley tensed.

Someone or something was in camp.

Having spent so much time in the woods, Tarley didn’t frighten easily. She knew how to avoid dangerous animals, how to track, and how to keep to herself. Nothing had truly given her cause to be afraid, but an animal wouldn’t cause that reaction in Ferdie. Only a person would, and that was terrifying. Gan’s horrible grin accosted her thoughts. A part of her hoped it was Lachlan, but Lachlan wouldn’t have made it to her so quickly.

With a deep breath, Tarley counted to three and considered a weapon. Her bag with her dagger was an arm’s reach away; she wouldn’t get to it in time.

Thoughtless, Tarley.

A whisper cut the silence of the night, followed by the light crackle of someone walking through the scree.

Shit.

She needed to move.

Being as quiet as possible, she rolled.

The steps halted.

“There,” someone said; it was a voice she didn’t recognize.

“It’s her.”

Tarley knew that voice—Dr. Allean Rufus.

A different voice said, “Seems stupid to wander unprotected in the woods,” the volume barely a breath in the darkness but enough of a difference from the forest to hear it.

“She’s so bright,” Rufus said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You said she’s been whoring it up with Jast?” a third man asked.

“Traitorous bitch.” A fourth.

The whispers dropped away.

Afraid they knew she was awake and aware, Tarley remained still at least until she realized this was her only chance. She flung the blanket off and scrambled to her feet to run, but she didn’t get very far. The weight of a body slammed into her back and took her to the dirt.

She screamed and fought against the added weight as Ferdie, whinnying with distress, stamped his feet.

She threw an elbow and connected with the man on top of her, as pain shot up her arm and through her shoulder.

He grunted. “Fuck,” a stranger’s voice, deep and raspy, said. “Bitch is feisty.”

His hold relaxed.

She scrambled through the dirt.

“Hold her!” another voice yelled.

Her captor doubled down, dragging her by the legs as someone else secured her arms.

“Let me go, you pricks!” Tarley screamed, struggling and looking for an opening to free herself. Her father had taught her methods to defend herself, but these men must have known them too.

---