His Captive Sorceress

Chapter 14: Our Pursuers

"Let me down," I say. It's the next morning, and we've stopped at a trade post. The three of them have dismounted to go browse the little market, but I'm stuck on Becky with my hands tied to the saddle horn.

"'Tis only a short interruption to collect supplies," Trevus says. "You need not follow."

"We've been riding for hours. I need to stretch my legs before I fall off the saddle. Letting me down won't delay when we reach the king."

"Quiet," Giddius growls. "We need not let rumors spread."

I smile, and Trevus puts his hand to his forehead. Giddius just provided the leverage I need. "As I was saying," I repeat in a louder voice, "letting me down won't delay when we reach the-"

Trevus's hand lands on mine, and I stop. He unties my sleeves from the saddle.

I jump off Becky, and orange dust plumes around my boots. I bend and stretch my legs to get blood flowing. It's refreshing to be out of that static position.

"Do not wander," Trevus says.

After an acknowledging nod, I follow Marcellus and Trevus through the short wooden gate. Giddius stays behind with the horses. He appears nervous, though he hasn't shared the reason. It's not like four wild men could pose a threat to an entire trade post.

The market is dominated by tables with white tarps overhead. Two dozen farmers are bartering, some hauling grain sacks and others carrying fruit baskets. The only permanent structures are two small wooden storage huts. A short post fence forms a perimeter, but it could do no more than keep animals out. This must be the half-way point between two villages.

I stride beside Marcellus and Trevus, not behind. I won't appear lesser than them. We stop at a table, and a round man with razor-short black hair greets us. An assortment of fruit is laid out – pears, tomatoes and berries of various colors. I can't remember the last time I tasted berries.

Trevus and Marcellus each pick out a dozen pears and tomatoes.

"Five pieces," the merchant says.

Trevus counts five silver coins from his pouch. I reach over the table and pick four of each berry to add to our pile.

The expression on Trevus's face demands an explanation.

"It's one for each of us," I say.

"Six pieces," the merchant says.

Trevus counts another coin and hands the merchant his silver. After packing our pouch with food, we thank the man and move on to the butcher.

Marcellus takes a deep breath at the scent of dried salted beef strips. "Do you have knowledge of the only pleasure I desire more than maidens?"

"I shall humor you," Trevus says. "What?"

"Droavors strips." Marcellus gnaws down on the snack, and his gaze finds me. "Sorry girly, but no maiden could compete with salted beef."

I lean close to Trevus's ear. "There are many things that women love more than Marcellus. Headaches, scratches from wild animals and even birthing pains make more pleasant company."

Trevus chuckles. Marcellus gives me a suspicious side-long glance. I do my best to hold back a smile.

After paying the merchant, we head back to the horses.

Someone catches my upper arm, making me yelp as my body is jerked to a halt. A large bald man has his hand on me. "Aren't ya pretty. Ya'd make a fine wife for my-"

Trevus grabs the man's arm and tears his grip off me. The man draws a knife from under his shirt and slashes wildly. Trevus twists his body to dodge the blade before punching the man's face. A cry escapes the man as he hits the ground, his knife falling beside him.

Trevus's black shirt has a long gash across the chest, but to my relief, there's no blood.

"Who do ya think ya are?" Two of the man's friends step forward.

Marcellus grabs my arm and pulls me behind him. He stands beside Trevus. They both curl their fists.

Upon seeing that Trevus isn't alone, the man's friends take a step back. The one who grabbed me is rubbing his jaw. That punch looked hard, and the cracking sound from his face made me shiver.

"Trevus!" Giddius shouts. He's still by the horses. "Cerillis's cavalry is on the horizon!"

Trevus no longer looks so confident. He grabs my sleeved hand with such force that I wince. Taking off in a sprint, I'm nearly dragged off my feet.

We reach the horses. Giddius is already mounted, and his eyes are wide. I follow his gaze. Horsemen dot the horizon, at least twenty- no, thirty. They carry a striped emerald banner – the same ones our horses wear. Trevus is of House Cerillis. Shouldn't he be pleased?

Two hands snap to my sides and lift me up into the air. I latch onto the arms in fright. Trevus places me on Becky's saddle. Marcellus climbs up onto his horse as well. I've never seen them rush like this.

Trevus slices the knots around my elbows and rips off both sleeves. He puts Becky's reins in my hands. "You must ride yourself," he says.

"What?" These three soldiers are the toughest men I've seen. They weren't at all frightened by the wild men that ambushed us yesterday. Their panic is unsettling.

"That is Regent Evecius's armed force," Trevus says. Who's Regent Evecius?

"They know we venture against Evecius's orders," he continues. "They wish to halt our rescue and recapture the tower sorceress."

His grip tightens on my arm. "You must direct your horse to gallop beside ours. If you break off from us, they shall rout and corner you. Do you comprehend what I have said?"

"Yes." I nod. With Becky's reins in my hands and the cavalry chasing our party, Trevus won't be able to pursue if I break off, but I'd risk a one-way journey back to Antiock.

Trevus climbs on his horse. "Jade, do not make a regrettable choice." With the flick of his ankle, Gramps takes off. Marcellus and Giddius race after him.

Those three soldiers – Trevus, who freed me from that tower, Marcellus, who accepted my challenge like an equal, and Giddius, who discovered I was forgotten in Antiock – I trust them over the line of cavalry charging after us. With a kick of my ankle, Becky leaps into a gallop.

The four of us head for the thicker trees on our right, leaving the trading post in the dust. Trevus glances behind us, prompting me to do the same. A handful of horsemen have split from their group to pursue us. They're carrying short swords and round shields, each painted with the same diagonal emerald stripes.

Two more horsemen jump out from the ridge ahead. It's an ambush. Trevus jerks his reins to direct Gramps into a sharp turn left. We all do the same, sending our four horses into denser trees.

Becky and I are losing pace. I don't have their experience riding with rapid maneuvers.

"Witch!" a man shouts. They're close. I'm afraid to look back – as if seeing would make it real. "Halt! You shall not be harmed!" he shouts. While I may be physically unharmed, my mind will suffer back in that room.

Trevus's gray horse shoots past me in a blur. He turned around? I twist my head back to watch. He raises his sword like a lance as he screams towards our pursuers. The first Versillian horseman prepares his shield, but Trevus's sword passes right over it. The man yells and tumbles backwards off his horse. My stomach twists. Trevus stabbed the man.

Without a moment to pause, he strikes at the legs of the second horseman, eliciting another scream. He's going to kill them! I pull Becky to a stop. The injured man has dropped his weapons and taken off in retreat. There are two more horsemen – Trevus's next targets. "Trevus, stop!" I shout. My freedom from the tower isn't worth taking life.

The last two horsemen flee. "Trevus!" I shout again. He pauses his pursuit, turning back to me.

"Get moving, Jade!" he barks.

I knock Becky's side again and steer her after Giddius and Marcellus. Trevus soon catches up. His sword is still in his hand, and it's painted red. I can't look at him right now.