Kidnapped

Chapter 4

The office door swung open with only a slight creek. Robiel limped in on crutches with Mom at his side, one of her hands on his shoulder. She held a set of keys in her free hand.

Fern stood. "What's going on?"

"Be quiet," Robiel whispered. "We're breaking you out."

"It's safer for everyone if I stay in here." The jail was the only place that could hold a werewolf or werecat.

"You wouldn't be staying in Refuge." Robiel limped toward her cell.

A chill shot through Fern. After what happened in the fields, how could she survive in the forest?

Mom unlocked the door to her cell and opened it. Fern stepped into the cell's doorway but hesitated.

Robiel grabbed her injured arm and peered at it. "He bit you?"

Fern nodded.

"Do you trust him?" Robiel eyed Thorne.

Fern glanced at Thorne. "He seems okay for a werewolf."

"Have you practiced shooting much?"

"We trained for guard duty. Ash made me practice extra." What was Robiel planning?

"No one in town is willing to mount a search party to rescue Ash. By the time I heal enough to catch up, they'll be in Roland." Robiel tensed. "I want you to take my horse and Thorne. Eva and I will help you two get out of Refuge. Once I heal, I'll come after you. If you'd rather hide or stay here, I won't look down on you. It's your choice."

Fern hesitated. The prison cell was safe. The forest wasn't. She'd need to take Thorne, and she barely knew the werewolf. Part of her wanted to go back in the cell and stay there, but Ash needed help. "I'll do it."

Mom unlatched Thorne's cell door.

Thorne stepped out and rolled his shoulders. "Thanks."

Robiel dropped a crutch and grabbed Thorne by the throat. He shoved the big man against the cell bars. "I'm letting you loose because we need you to find the boy. If anything happens to Fern, I will hunt you down and rip out your throat. That is a promise." He released Thorne.

Thorne crouched, his head bowed. "I'll do everything in my power to protect her."

Robiel gazed down at him. "Shift into wolf form and curl your tail over your back. They'll think you're my dog."

Thorne did as Robiel ordered.

Fern shivered. No cell bars stood between her and the gigantic predator. What was she getting into?

Robiel limped ahead with Thorne at his side, like Thorne was just a big dog. Fern and Mom waited a bit longer before sneaking past Barry, who slept in his chair.

"I'm surprised he didn't wake up," Fern whispered once they were out of the jail.

"I drugged his coffee," Mom whispered. They crept down the path toward the gate.

Ahead of them, Robiel hobbled along with Thorne. In the darkness, Thorne almost looked like Robiel's diredog. They made it to the stables, where Fern saddled Robiel's main horse.

Robiel shoved his rifle in the saddle scabbard. "There's ammunition for it in the saddlebags, along with some food, a water purifier, and a few clothes. Load the rifle with silver rounds two days before the full moon. Normal lead works for the rest of the moon phase." He paused. "You might want to wear leather, the tighter the better. If you shift, it shifts with you."

Fern shivered. "I hoped two bites would mean I wouldn't shift."

Robiel frowned. "No one knows what two bites will do to someone like you. If you do shift, remember that God will help you control the wolf or cat instinct, just like He helps with human instinct. There isn't much difference."

Fern nodded her jaw tense. God, please don't let me shift. Robiel was just trying to make her feel better. If she shifted, she'd be like Mitch, not Thorne.

Robiel peered out of the stables. "The guards are awake, but they're all looking outside."

The foursome crept to the gates. Mom lifted the beam that kept the gate closed.

"Mount up," Robiel whispered. "When the gate opens, run for the trees."

Fern climbed onto Robiel's horse. "Are you two going to get in trouble?"

"It doesn't matter," Mom whispered. "Be careful. I love you." She reached up to Fern and squeezed her arm.

Robiel swung the gate open.

"Goodbye!" Fern dug her heels into Robiel's horse.

The mare shot forward.

Shouting erupted on the wall.

"Don't shoot!" Mom yelled. "It's Fern."

The horse ran faster, trampling potatoes and crashing through corn. Thorne kept pace beside her, his tail now low, all pretenses of being a dog gone. Once they made it to the trees, Fern pulled the horse up and looked back.

Refuge was barely visible, a bit of the tin on the walls glinting in the light of the half-moon. Ahead of them, the forest thickened, making a perfect place for vamps.

Thorne sniffed the ground. "I need to pick up the scent."

Fern rode after Thorne as he loped along, his nose low to the ground. He made it to the area where Fern thought the riders had vanished. He stopped and sniffed deeply, then turned into the forest. "This way. They didn't take the road." He paused. "There are four riders and a pureblood werewolf male."

"I only saw three riders," Fern said, "and the werecat."

"I think one of the humans is from Refuge. He's got the city scent all over him. They must have had a spare horse for him, and another for Ash by the smell of it."

"Nelgen," Fern spat. "He snuck into the trees right before we were attacked."

Thorne raced into the forest. "Follow me."

Fern stared at the dark shadows that stretched ahead. "What about vamps?" she asked.

Thorne paused and sniffed the air. "If we stick together, the small clans will probably leave us alone. Come on."

Fern followed after Thorne. As they traveled northward, she kept the rifle close and stayed near Thorne. The night wore on with no sign of vamps.

At dawn, Thorne stopped near a stream.

Fern yawned. "Why are we stopping?"

"Get the horse a drink and rest. You're tired."

"I can keep going." Fern rubbed her eyes.

"I'm resting." Thorne walked to the stream and took a drink.

Fern sighed. She couldn't find Ash without Thorne's nose. She slid off the horse, her muscles protesting to the movement.

Thorne lay down. "We can move on in a couple hours."

Fern hobbled the mare and sat under one of the numerous trees. "Should one of us keep watch?"

"Vamps only come out at night. We're off the human paths, so bandits won't be an issue," Thorne said. "I'll keep my nose open. You get some sleep."

Fern lay down. Thorne had a point. They needed to be fresh when they caught up to the enemy.

She watched him rest under the tree next to hers. Could she really trust him, or would he kill her in her sleep? Then again, if he wanted to kill her, he could do it any time, or he could just abandon her. Fern closed her eyes and prayed she'd live to open them.