I’m not sure if I hear horses or if my mind is playing a foul trick on me, but I manage to run faster. I want to go home. I need to go home. The safety of my castle walls is the only hope I can cling to now. Nurse Lydia’s sweet voice plays in my mind. I’ll run through the door, collapse in her arms, and she’ll cradle me. She’ll bring me a caramel tart and draw me a bath. The mountains will again crowd my windows, and I’ll be calm. Even the constant snow I once loathed will seem serene. Home. That’s where I’m going. That’s where I’ll stay forever.

The cold autumn air burns my throat. I’ve only run for a few minutes, but they draw out like years. Perhaps my father was right to demand I build my strength through endless sprints carrying weapons. My lungs are bruised and begrudge my air, and just as I think I’ll collapse, I glimpse something spin near the ground. Something snaps around my ankles, and I trip. I land hard, and my chin crashes into the dirt.

The pain of slamming into the ground again is almost too overwhelming to bear, and I can’t decide which hurts worse, my head, torso, or pride. I don’t try to fight; I can’t. I’m too weak. I can only wait for my captor to retrieve and likely kill me. Could it be one of The Others Nuri spoke of? Or a Baellilean soldier? There’s no telling how close Braizen got us to the border while I slept. My mind skitters through the possibilities, heart racing in fear.

The daunting sound of footsteps closes in. A pair of dirty boots appears near my cheek.

“You look terrible.” A female voice breaks the tension. “But then again, you’ve always looked terrible.”

“Lorna,” I whisper in resignation. She drops to her haunches, and I can barely turn my aching head far enough to peer up and see her fiery red hair.

“Verdanian,” she greets me with a coy smile. “Looks like we just can’t escape each other.”

I sigh heavily, blowing the dust on the road into soft ripples.

“Come on, Lorna. No playing with your food.” Lin stalks out of the trees and joins us. His eyes latch on to mine, and I see smug arrogance. He releases a dramatic breath.

“Idalia, I really want to like you, but seriously? Jumping from a moving carriage? I expected more, even from a Verdanian.” He shakes his head and tsks.

Lorna elbows him. “We should get going. You know, before the forest tries to eat us or something.”

Lin nods, and they both grab my shoulders.

I moan as they raise me, and Lorna shakes her head. “You really beat yourself up, didn’t you? Shame. I thought I’d be the one to do it.”