Pyre - A Novelette Featuring the Avebury Witches

Chapter 3

Bill hung his head, his hand stroking the Moll's velvety nose. "I don't want to risk your life, I really don't. But I can't just go on and pretend I am who my father wants me to be."

His head came up, the grey-blue eyes blazing. "It's wrong, plain wrong."

He was a decent man. Born to the Others, yet he cared about creation. He would set free the mice the family cat caught, would nurse sparrows with broken wings and throw back any fish he caught. That was what had drawn her to him in the first place.

Rosy realised he would never betray her. Not willingly. But he might become their tool of destruction. And that would destroy him. She couldn't allow that.

But if she left him behind now, what would they do to him? Would that be any better?

The horse pricked its ears the same time as Bill tensed and narrowed his eyes.

"Hells bells. I knew it. Men. And dogs. Can you find your way to the brook?"

Icy fear lanced into her chest. "Brook? I'm not from here, you know that."

Bill swung onto the horse behind her. "Move. It's not far, it'll hide our tracks from the hounds."

She knew she should throw him off but found herself incapable of doing the necessary. Instead, she said, "I'll find my way."

"No, you don't. You just told me. Move, I said."

A dog barked, and instinct took over. Rosy dug her heels into the horse's flanks, and the mare trotted away, the soft clop-clopping of her hooves swallowed by the cover of moss and leaves.

But if their pursuers had hounds it wasn't sound they needed to worry about.

"Why would they chase me now that I've left the town?"

Bill's voice spoke the answer into her ear. "I fear somebody saw you without that wretched coif and told the hunters. It doesn't matter why, you have been seen and that is what counts. But first they'll need to gather, and the hounds have to pick up your scent. That'll buy us time. And they'll be on foot."

The drumbeat of her heart sounded overly loud in her head. "They'll track me into the garden. And through that gate. Bill, they will realise that you . . . That we . . ."

His arms encircled her from behind and loosely settled on her waist. "Then it is decided. I'll come with you. And spare me your arguments, my mind is made up. If you hadn't come here, I would have gone to Avebury."

Molls was cantering along the narrow bridleway, and while the trees tried their best, the two riders had to keep ducking to avoid the branches. Eventually, the constant whipping became too much.

"Hoh, slow down, will you?"

Rosy pulled at the rains, and the mare came to a stop. No words were needed. They both listened for the telltale sounds of the hunt.