“I appreciate that,” I say stiffly.
He stares off down the road. I can tell he’s mulling something over. Then he looks back at me and says, “So do your orders include accompanying me to Montrice?”
“Yes,” I say, because I want nothing more than to share his mission.
“Huh.” He hesitates again. I know he still isn’t sure he can trust me.
“I am to aid you in any way I can, which includes traveling to Montrice,” I insist, as I cannot be left behind.
He nods and he must decide that he can finally trust me or that he won’t get rid of me so easily. I try not to look relieved. “Montrice may be funding the Aphrasians and helping them regain power. They may be plotting to invade Renovia.”
I nod, letting him continue.
“The queen believes a Montrician conspirator is aiding the Aphrasian monks, and we need to find out who it is and ensure that person isn’t a threat to Renovia ever again,” he says grimly.
“Understood.”
Caledon nods. “Good. In that case, let’s get moving.”
* * *
WE RIDE ON AT a steady pace for a while, each absorbed in our own thoughts. Even though I just traveled this way not too long ago, it all looks different. More menacing. Every large stone or tree looks like the ideal hiding place for an ambush of guards or thieves; I don’t like being out on this wide-open road either. We can be seen from miles away.
“Once day breaks, we should head into the Black Woods,” I say, motioning toward the forest ahead. “There’s a road cut through there that should lead all the way into Montrice.” I know this only because I read it in one of my aunts’ books. I don’t tell him that, of course. “It’s tricky but will be less traveled. And easier to find cover.”
“I don’t like it,” Cal says. “That’s the first place they’ll look,” he adds. “Anyone would take the first opportunity to get off the road. It’s the obvious move.”
Not sure if he meant that as an insult, but it felt like one. “Even if they do, we’d still have a better chance of getting away. Where are we going to hide out here?”
“We won’t have to hide. If we don’t stop, they can’t catch up. Crossing the woods will take longer.”
Ridiculous. How has he even survived this long? It’s common sense—it’s almost like he wants us to be an easy target. “Queen Lilianna sent me in the name of the crown, and I say we go into the woods,” I say, hoping I sound more confident than I feel.
“Unbelievable,” Cal mutters.
We go on quietly for a few more minutes. Cal rides up right next to me. I stare ahead intently, ignoring his presence.
“It’s vital we work together,” he says. “Arguments will only slow us down.”
“We wouldn’t argue if you didn’t contradict everything I say. Hold on, I mean if you don’t want to hear anything I have to say. You think you have all the answers already!”
He shakes his head. “You should follow my lead!”
“But you interfered with my spell-casting!”
“Was I supposed to let him hurt you? You said it yourself, I was helping you.”
“What if I didn’t need help? I got us out of there, didn’t I?”
“But . . .” His voice trails off and I feel somewhat triumphant.
After some silence he says, “Fine, we’ll do it your way. We’ll take to the woods.”
It’s not quite the triumph I was hoping for, but at least it’s a start.
* * *
THOUGH IT’S DAWN AND the sky is clear, as soon as we enter the forest it’s as pitch-black as the middle of the night again. The treetops obscure the bit of sun that was just beginning to peek above the horizon. I instantly regret insisting we go this way, but I’m not about to admit it. There’s nothing to be afraid of, anyway, and I maintain it makes more sense to stay off the main road. If a missing-prisoners bulletin goes out, a farmer could see us and either report it or attempt to detain us for the reward. That’s a headache we don’t need.
I can tell Cal is thinking the same thing—that maybe the forest was a mistake—but for now, he doesn’t say anything. We’re forced to slow down due to the darkness and the condition of the path—the horses have to step carefully over half-buried branches and deep ruts. I can feel the eyes of the hidden wildlife watching as we go by. The horses are on edge. Out of nowhere something large flaps right past my head, spooking the horse and making it rear up. I stop to calm him. “Shh. Shh. It was just a bat.”
Cal snorts.
“The horses are tired. I think we should stop and rest them when we get to Alvilla,” I tell him.
“Of course you do,” Cal says under his breath.
My nostrils flare. “It’s close to the border. And we can’t push the horses that hard. What do you think we should do?”
“I think we should have taken the main road and gone straight into Montrice. And now that we’re here . . . I still think we should go straight through.”
“Do you? Or are you just saying that because you want to disagree with me?”
“Look, I don’t think it’s a good idea to stop in town. People will be looking for two fugitives.”
“But we need to stop in Alvilla. For the horses,” I say, even though that’s not quite the truth. The truth is I’m hungry and tired and I need to rest. Casting that spell took a toll on me, but I don’t want him to know how weak I am. I don’t want him to win.
Cal shrugs in response. We don’t speak again for a while.
A bit farther on I hear something. “Wait.” I put up a hand as I try to make out what it is. It may just be something wild, but I need to be sure. I listen intently, beyond the sounds directly surrounding us, into the distance. “Horses,” I say softly. “And armed men.”
“Looking for us?” Cal asks me.
I focus on the sounds, but it’s too far to hear clearly. Not that we need to. Armed men don’t usually enter the woods at dawn. This is my fault. We’re being followed just like Cal said we would be.
Worse, they have tracking dogs. I can hear their barking more distinctly as they draw near. We can’t outrun them once they pick up our scent. They’ll just keep coming and coming until eventually . . . I close my eyes and try to think, and then I hear something else. A great rumble coming from the other direction.
“We need to outpace them,” Cal says.