Then someone fell.
Holden crashed to the ground, his shoulder oozing blood and his sword out of reach. He tried to rise, but the soldier kicked him back down and raised his sword. Jace broke from the group and sprinted back to help. He threw his sword blade into the path of the soldier’s. Metal shrieked on impact, driving Jace’s sword into the ground, but both blades missed Holden.
The soldier was quick. His sword came up in an instant, straight for Jace’s throat. As Jace jumped back, the tip of the blade narrowly missed his neck and nicked his shoulder. Fire pulsed through his limbs, but a swift and powerful counterstrike left the soldier unarmed and bleeding heavily from a deep wound to his arm.
Jace grabbed Holden by the jerkin, hauled him to his feet, and guided him toward the others. They were the last two to join their group. The soldiers converged to cut off their escape, but they dashed through the narrow gap and raced away from the village. When Jace glanced back, a couple of soldiers were in pursuit, but most scrambled for their horses. They reached their own mounts without a second to spare. Hoof beats pounded behind them as Jace swung up onto Niton’s back.
The group sent their horses into a gallop, riding hard across country, but the soldiers kept pace. Jace looked back again. This chase would be the doom of their rescue. Already tired from the ride to the village, their horses would never outlast the soldiers’ fresher mounts. Niton’s deep, snorting pants confirmed this. They couldn’t keep the pace long, let alone widen the gap to make an escape. If Goler were to capture all of them, there would be no one left at camp to lead it as Trask intended. It could all fall apart. Then Kyrin would have no place to go. Not unless something slowed the soldiers.
A steady rise lay ahead of them. Eyes set on it, Jace lifted his bow from his shoulder. If he failed, he would become the first to fall back into Goler’s hands, but a calm settled inside him. Regardless of what happened to him, the others needed this chance.
At the top of the rise, he pulled Niton to a skidding halt and spun the stallion around. Dropping the reins, he reached for an arrow. The first soldier up the hill took the projectile to the chest and toppled out of the saddle. Fitting a second arrow, Jace fired in a rush with another rider almost upon him. It grazed the man’s side. He jerked on the reins, and his horse lost its footing, rolling over on top of him and almost taking out the third rider. Jace set his sights on him with a third arrow already drawn. The soldier stopped a few feet below him while the other eleven pranced at the bottom of the hill.
Their eyes locked. The soldier slowly raised his hand, his expression one of pleading. The bowstring slipped a little, but Jace held it. Backing down a couple of steps, the soldier turned his horse in a hasty retreat. The others followed his example. Jace held his bow until his arm started to shake and then lowered it. By now, the fleeing hoof beats were fading away into the distance.
Quiet settled around him. He sank back in his saddle with a sigh and hung his head, catching his breath. Taking up the reins again, he turned Niton around and rode on to catch up with the others.
Kyrin carefully cleaned the deep cut to Kaden’s finger and wrapped a thin strip of bandages around it. He barely seemed to notice, intent on devouring the plate of rolls and cheese wedges Lenae had set before him. Kyrin looked across the table where the other woman was bandaging Trev’s badly bruised chest. She winced, but at least he could rest now and give his ribs a chance to mend. Her eyes shifted to Tane, who stood at the door peering out at camp. She drew a nervous breath. Her heavily thumping heart kept tricking her into thinking she heard horses.
“I’m sure they’ll be all right.”
Her attention returned to her brother and his encouraging half smile. If they weren’t both sitting, she’d hug him again. She attempted a small smile of her own, but every minute of waiting was torture. Praying with all her might, she finished up with Kaden’s injuries.
Ten minutes later, Tane’s voice sent a jolt of energy through her. “They’re here.”
She froze, not quite prepared for what news might await. But the desperation to know propelled her to her feet, and she dashed out of the cabin after Tane. The riders gathered near the corral, and Kyrin did a rapid head count. The moment she saw Trask and realized that no one was missing, her breath rushed out of her lungs, and she ran the remaining distance.
Most of the men had dismounted by now. Trask climbed out of the saddle slowly, but very much alive, and Warin assisted Holden, whose sleeve and side were stained with blood. Kyrin caught a glimpse of red on Jace’s shoulder, but everyone else appeared unharmed.
“You made it,” she breathed.
Trask turned to her with a weary, yet bright smile. “We did.” He nodded over his shoulder. “Thanks to Jace.”
Her eyes shifted to him, as did a few others. He looked at them in surprise, but then ducked his head and focused on Niton. A slow smile feathered across Kyrin’s lips.
Warin came up behind Trask and put his hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get those chains off you and get you and Holden inside to Lenae.”
The three of them walked toward the cabin while the rest of the men cared for the horses. Kyrin lingered behind and approached Jace, running her hand down Niton’s face as she watched him loosen the saddle.
“You’ll have to tell me what you did.”
He glanced at her and shook his head. “It was nothing.”
She traded a look with Rayad as he passed by. Maybe Jace wouldn’t tell her, but Rayad would. Her focus drifted over to Lenae’s cabin. The woman had come out and had just released Trask from her embrace with a beautiful smile on her face. Kaden stood in the cabin doorway behind her. The sight brought an instant rush of moisture to Kyrin’s eyes, and she struggled for a full breath.
“Are you all right?”
She turned her head around. Jace’s brilliant blue eyes regarded her with almost grave concern. With a wobbly smile, her lungs freed up a bit.
“It just hit me…it’s over. Kaden’s here, and for now…we’re all safe.”
Lying in bed in the early morning quiet, Kyrin smiled up at the ceiling and basked in how right things felt in that moment. With Kaden just in the next cabin, everything was as it should be, and she cherished it. The last couple of months had brought much pain and hardship, but, in many ways, things were better for it. Thank You.
Below her, Lenae worked on breakfast—such a peaceful, now familiar sound that added to Kyrin’s joy. Ready to face a day full of such thrilling newness, she slipped out of bed and dressed. Downstairs, Lenae smiled at her, mirroring her contentment.
“Anything I can help with?” Kyrin asked.
Lenae shook her head. “I think I’ve got everything nearly finished. Besides, you’re going to rest and enjoy these days. I insist.”
Kyrin smiled as gratitude filled her heart. The woman had become such a dear friend and mentor. On impulse, she walked up and gave her a hug. Lenae let out a little noise of surprise and squeezed her tightly in return.
“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me these past weeks,” Kyrin told her.
As they parted, Lenae’s lovely eyes were a little watery, and she cupped Kyrin’s face in her hands. “You’re welcome. I enjoyed every moment of it.”
They shared another smile, and Kyrin stepped away to the window to admire the beauty of the bright forest right outside. Her gaze fell on Jace sitting with Tyra nearby. Rayad had told her all about what he’d done in Landale and during their escape, much to Jace’s chagrin. He clearly didn’t want the recognition of a hero, but that was how she would see him. And it wasn’t only because of Landale. He had saved her life too, after all.
She opened the door and walked out to him. Tyra wagged her tail in greeting, and Jace rose to meet her. She smiled at them, glad of the opportunity to talk to Jace. He’d kept his distance after returning to camp the day before. The excitement would have certainly made him uncomfortable, but she suspected something more.
“Good morning,” she sa
id cheerfully.
Jace echoed her with enough of a smile on his face to make her happy.
“It’s a beautiful day,” Kyrin went on as she breathed in the fresh, earthy air.
“It is.”
She stared at him for a long moment until his expression grew uncomfortable, but she couldn’t help but marvel at the change in him since the first night she saw him at the fire. With such clear images of his tortured eyes in her mind, it was easy to compare the difference to their vivid sparkle now. And for some reason beyond her understanding, Elôm had used her to make it happen. What a thrilling transformation to be a part of.
Following the same impulse as before, she stepped forward and closed her arms around him. He tensed but returned the embrace, a bit awkwardly at first, and she bit back a chuckle. When they parted, he stared down at her with an amusing crinkle in his brow.
She smiled and gave a shrug. “I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me, really. Kaden may be here now, but you will always be one of my best friends, and I don’t ever want to lose you. You can count on me for anything.”
Relief cleared the confusion from his face. So it was as she suspected. He had worried that Kaden’s presence would change things. He looked away from her and swallowed as if working to control his emotions. She waited for him to turn back to her. When he did, his expression was the most open she had ever seen, and his voice came out a little rough. “I don’t want to lose you either.”
“You won’t,” Kyrin promised. “Not by my choice.”
A full smile emerged on his face—one of such true joy, Kyrin could have cried. Perhaps the doubts, the lies, the pain would still come around to haunt him, but for right now, he had found peace.
Off to the side, movement caught her attention. Holden approached them slowly, his arm in a sling. Just like with Jace, the look in his eyes had completely changed since the days he’d glowered in mistrust. Contrition filled them instead.
“Looks like he has a lot on his mind.” She looked up at Jace to make sure he was comfortable. “I’ll let you two talk.”
Jace’s eyes followed Kyrin for a short distance as his mind still lingered on how he had come to care for her in only a few short weeks. She was special. She hadn’t given up on him when many others would have, even when he tried to push her away. That was the true definition of a friend.
Finally, his focus fell on Holden. Though unsure of his intentions, none of the old apprehension surfaced. Something else settled inside him—something nearly foreign. Confidence. Whatever the man might say, those who mattered most would stick by him, and that offered a calming assurance.
Holden came near and seemed unable to meet Jace’s eyes until he stood directly in front of him.
“I needed to talk to you…because of yesterday.” He paused and rubbed his shoulder as a clear struggle played out on his face. But determination set in, the expression of a man owning up to his mistakes. “I was wrong. Everything I said and thought about you was wrong.” He shook his head. “I was a fool and went against everything Elôm has been trying to teach me. I’m sorry. I don’t know if you can grant it, but I ask for your forgiveness.”
Jace had to let this sink in. Not a single person in all his life had ever apologized or sought his forgiveness for their actions against him. He wasn’t even sure how to accept it. But Holden waited, his eyes earnest—such a stark contrast to the scathing looks he’d previously cast Jace’s way. Realization settled inside Jace that forgiveness was a difficult thing for him. It always had been. Yet, didn’t he so desperately crave it for the things he’d done? Things far worse than what this man had done to him? Who was he to withhold it?
“I forgive you,” Jace declared, and the gratification that washed through him was instantaneous.
Holden breathed a deep sigh. “Thank you for that, and thank you for saving my life. I didn’t deserve it.”
He extended his hand. Jace looked at it for a moment and then gripped his arm. For the first time, Holden smiled at him.
He turned to go then, but glanced back. “By the way, I don’t believe your wolf is possessed.”
Jace let out a soft chuckle and reached down to rub Tyra’s ears.
The moment Kaden left his cabin, Kyrin walked over to him with a huge grin springing to her lips. Though it would take time for the bruises and signs of beatings to fade, just one full night of sleep and good food had already lessened the effects of captivity. It brought her such joy to see him that she had to keep hugging him to be sure she wasn’t dreaming.
“You’re here. I can’t believe it.”
“Neither can I. It’s unreal.” His grin matched hers—a wonderfully familiar sight. “I told you we’d make it. It just took a little longer than I expected.”
She laughed, thinking back to the bell tower. “A lot longer and with a lot more difficulty. If I’d known then half of what I do now, I would’ve escaped that very day.”
Kaden shrugged. “It turned out all right in the end.”
“It did.” As much as she would have liked to be spared the heartache and pain they had both experienced, anything different may have ended disastrously or not happened at all, such as befriending Jace. That she would not want changed.
“So, this is it. This is home,” Kaden said as he surveyed camp.
She took in the sight as well. It was the same as always, yet it felt more complete to her now, and a deep fondness for it welled inside her. “Yes, this is home.”
“I always did want to live in the woods.”
Kyrin chuckled a little. Their grandfather’s face had turned so red when Kaden had mentioned this dream back in Auréa. “Elôm gave you exactly what you wanted.”
“What about you?”
“My biggest concern was the two of us being split up, but we’re both here and surrounded by good people and good friends. That’s enough for me.”
Kaden didn’t say anything, but she felt his eyes on her. She looked up at him. “What?”
“You’ve changed.”
“Have I?”
He gave a definite nod. “I’m not sure how, exactly. You’re more outgoing, I guess. The way you helped Lenae with the injured and how you interact with everyone. I don’t think the Tarvin Hall Kyrin would’ve been so quick to do that.”
She contemplated this. She hadn’t even thought before she’d acted yesterday. “I guess I hadn’t really noticed.”
“It’s good.”
Kyrin smiled in appreciation of his praise and linked her arm with his to give it a little hug. Her eyes drifted to the center of camp where Jace and Holden had finished talking. From the look on Jace’s face, it had gone well. She smiled up at Kaden and said, “You haven’t officially met Jace yet.”
Kaden also looked at him, curiosity in his voice. “Is he…?”
“He’s half ryrik.”
Kaden’s eyes grew a little wider, but after everything that had taken place in the last weeks, it couldn’t be as shocking as it might once have been.
“He’s taught me a lot since I got here. Besides Sam, I’ve never had a friend like him. I hope you and he will be friends.”
“Your friends are my friends,” Kaden said without hesitation.
She smiled, and just to cement his feelings, she added, “He saved my life when we came upon a band of ryriks a couple of weeks ago.”
Kaden’s brows lifted.
Having achieved the desired effect, she tugged on his arm. “Come on.”
She led him over to Jace and Tyra. Jace looked a little nervous, but Kyrin offered him an encouraging smile. She trusted her brother completely to treat him with compassion and to befriend him just as she had.
“Jace, I would like you to officially meet my brother, Kaden.”
Kaden was quick to extend his hand, and Jace took it with little hesitation.
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Kaden told him.
“And you,” Jace replied.
“Thank you for taking care of my sister.
I’m glad to know someone’s been looking out for her.”
Jace shrugged, but a small smile came to his face. “I think she’s looked out for me more.”
Kaden grinned and glanced at her. “She’s good at that.”
It wasn’t long before Anne showed up in camp. Kyrin smiled at her teary reunion with Trask. They hugged tightly for a very long moment before Trask stole a quick kiss when he thought no one was looking and claimed her hand to lead her into camp.
To celebrate the blessing of having everyone alive and well, and in honor of the camp’s newest members, Lenae cooked a special lunch. At noon, the entire camp, including Anne, gathered for the meal. Their conversations were light and filled with laughter. For Kyrin, the experience was far more meaningful and enjoyable than any banquet she’d taken part in at Tarvin Hall. Claiming a seat between Jace and Kaden, an overwhelming flood of joy pushed tears to her eyes, but she could not stop smiling.
They shared their small feast and the stories that had brought them to this moment. Near the end, Trask rose from his place beside Anne and walked into the center of the gathering. Conversation quieted as they all looked at him.
“I’d like to say a few things,” he announced. He turned in a circle to look at everyone. “First, I’d like to formally welcome the newest members of our camp, Kaden and Trev.” He motioned to them and everyone smiled their way.
“I also want to thank all of you.” His voice took on a more serious tone. “You saved my life, and I wanted to say, well done. This group is exactly what I hoped and prayed for when Elôm compelled me to do this. You worked well together, and I’m proud of each of you and what you’ve accomplished.”
He paused, letting his words truly touch their hearts, before going on somberly, “All of us have now seen just what the emperor and his supporters are capable of. Many of us experienced it firsthand.”
Kyrin exchanged a glance with her brother, considering what the two of them had suffered at the hands of Daican and Richard, and the miracle of sitting here in this group still in one piece.