“It’s time. Silence from here on.”
***
Deeper into the forest, the mare seemed to dance underneath Cassandra. Was this its first time away from Hollingsworth Manor? The sounds of the woods coming to life, animals scurrying, birds wrestling out of their nests; every noise made the creature’s eyes shift and widen. The horse’s nervousness extended to her rider, and in turn,Seth. He would have recommended that Cassandra stay in the clearing had that not meant leaving her alone. The best thing would be to turn around, but that meant leaving her alone withhim.
Then again….
His presence wasn’t strictly necessary, was it? He thought to ride up and ask Cooper for permission, but Cooper raised his left arm in warning, and then pointed.
All horses stopped.
Grazing in the grass of a meadow at the forest’s edge stood the largest red stag that Seth had ever seen. Standing over seven feet tall, its antlers branched out with twelve, no—fourteenpoints. And he wasright there. As if sensing something amiss, the stag paused and lifted his nose in the air, his nostrils expanded and his dark eyes dilated.
He smells us.
Cooper took aim, finger steady on the trigger.
BANG!
The stag groaned and ran into the trees.
“Blast it!” Cooper lowered the rifle as a whistle sounded nearby. “A second too late!”
Seth meant to speak, but the sound of a high-pitchedzipwhistled past his ears. Time slowed. The mare reared up on its hind legs. Cassandra half-dismounted.Sliding.Hands slipping from leather. A cry of alarm.
BANG!
The sound caught up with the round, and time doubled. With a frenzied squeal, the mare sprinted into the clearing. Seth didn’t have time to think orbreathe. All instincts ignited. He didn’t have to tell Sabre to run. The horse already knew.
Now!
Sabre gave chase, four days of pent up energy fueling him to go faster,faster.
The mare’s reins flapped freely in the wind as Cassandra held onto the saddle.
Catching up, Seth reached for her.
“Seth!” Cassandra cried out. Her hair whipped wildly, her hat flew off, trampled beneath the mare’s hooves. Sabre’s presence only spooked the mare further, but Seth had totry.
“Put your feet in the stirrup! Try to grab the reins!”
“I can’t! My skirts!”
The wind screamed in his ears, heart pounding, as they weaved through branches and raised roots. Winding. One misstep would break the animal’s leg. As if on a mission, Sabre brought Seth parallel to the mare after flitting around trees until they hit another meadow. Up ahead, they were running straight into dense woods. The mare wouldn’t be able to stop at the breakneck speed.
It had to be now!
He stood in his stirrups as he urged Sabre to run faster.Faster!
Lungs heaving, Seth reached again for the reins. His fingertips closed on air.
“Reach for me!”
“I can’t!”
Cassandra held onto what she could of her saddle and squeezed her eyes shut. She was too far away, sliding from the saddle once more. Holding on, she called for him, “Seth! Please!”
The woods rushed toward them, a solid wall of trees.