The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter One: Fallon

Fallon's breaths are loud pants in her ears.

"Come on," she urges her horse on faster with a shaking, panicked voice. Tears still stream down her eyes which sting and ache. Blood. Rayana's blood still clings to her skin. Coating her hands, arms and clothes. It is getting sticky as it dries and irritates her skin. She wipes a tear away, her vision blurred from the gathering water in her eyes, and smears blood on her face at the same time.  She turns back and her heart leaps up into her throat.

It isn't surprising really. Her grandfather is a smart man who seemed to know the girls better than they did. Pretending to be one step behind when he was actually ahead. He would have known that Fallon was likely able to find an escape. She has no doubt he had people watching the paths leading away from the castle and city. Which is why, even though the castle is turning into a small blob back in the distance, a large cluster of speeding horses are gaining on her. She just hopes Emlyn managed to hide or stay out of sight. She urges her own horse on faster, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She had not had time to check the bag to see what was in it. Whether there was a weapon or not. Looking back around again, she curses. They are definitely gaining. A whistle sounds next to her ears and she ducks out of the way as an arrow flies past her ears.

So, they haven't been ordered to capture her then. They want another dead princess. She grits her teeth and dodges another arrow. More and more begin to be fired toward her, clipping her skin or her horse who is beginning to panic and slow.

"No," she growls and tries to urge the horse on faster. He does so, heavy pants and rasps leaving his mouth as Fallon pushes him. Suddenly, he cries out and tumbles. Fallon screams as she flies over the top of her horse and rolls along the ground. She is up quickly, but the same can't be said for her beast who is lying on the ground with heavy breaths and wide, terrified eyes. An arrow sticks into his flank. Fallon doesn't have enough time to comfort her fallen friend. Instead, her eyes are wide and fixed on the incoming group of at least ten riders. Red Guard, by the looks of it. Soldiers who are loyal to Kristoff and his father. She grits her teeth and turns to run, darting into the tall crops in the fields next to her. The leaves of the branches slap at her skin as she frantically pushes them out of her way to charge through them. Behind her is a huge thundering sound as the Red Guard charge in behind her, following the trail she's already made. She pushes her legs faster and grits her teeth.

"You aren't getting me," she snarls and darts off to the side. Fuck a blade. She'll use her fucking hands if she has to. She has the gift of Lupine strength and speed, and she's going to use it. Her speed picks up as she circles around. She slows, taking a deep breath to calm her shaking body. She watches as the Red Guard follow her trail, dashing past her and destroying all crops in their path. As they continue, she starts to run again. Lupine speed and strength fill her as she leaps through the air. She is silent. Taking the rider at the back by surprise, he doesn't even have a chance to make a sound before she has thrown him off his horse and broken his neck. She is already running off before he has landed on the floor. She runs after them but is careful as she moves, calming herself so her movements aren't frantic and destructive anymore. She does not want to leave a broken trail of crops for them to follow.

"Split up!" The order is shouted not too far in the distance. "She can't have gone far." The sound is slightly distorted with all the crops around her. Taller than her, making it impossible for her to see over, they allow her to stay hidden from sight. In fact, they are even taller than the riders on horseback, meaning they are struggling to see through the thick shrubbery.

The unfortunate part about the thick, tall crop, is that it makes it hard to hear exactly where the sound is coming from to pinpoint where they are. It creates an eery silence as everyone goes quiet to listen out for her and any sound of the breaking of branches or crunching of dry dirt beneath feet. Her vision adjusts to the night, thanks to the Lupine senses, making it easier for her to see with the light from the moon. She listens carefully. They are moving slowly on their horses, as though they can sense her watching them. Stalking them. A sound to her right has her darting through the crops in a sudden flurry of speed.