Garnar, for the first time, hesitates. I open my eyes in time to see him glance at Thea, still hiding her face against his shoulder. “Is it Thea that has made you so bold?” I ask. Quickly, Garnar’s gaze snaps back to me. “Do not drag your poor sister into this. All of what’s happening now is you
Garnar’s shock and fury leaves him near breathless. His voice sounds like a gravelly growl as he demands, “Who?” “What does it matter?” I reply. “He’s young and handsome. Tall, fit, and no disappointment in the bedroom. Not with what he’s carrying, I can tell you that.” Garnar’s hands curl into
I back up a step but catch my ankle wrong and start to stumble.In a flash, Miles reaches out. With his arms around my waist, he catches me and then brings me against him so that I am pressed to his chest.“So careless,” he grumbles. The words reverberate in his chest under my ear. “Have you forgott
“Will he bring you, Esther, as his wife? Or maybe he’ll bring that other woman again?” “That’s none of your business, Miles,” I snap. He’s baiting my anger, I know that, probably trying to punish me for my many lies this evening. I shouldn’t show him how easy he can hurt me with just a few simple
“You love doing things like this,” Cynthia continues. “Being out here with people, organizing things, seeing it all come together.” Cynthia smiles. “This is the happiest I’ve seen you in such a long time.” I almost feel a little guilty by her words, like I shouldn’t be happy. After all, I’m not at
Behind Miles rode a group of adoring men and women. They laugh at Garnar and Thea now, and at Miles’s wonderful takedown of the pair.“You can’t even handle a horse,” one man snickers. “God knows how he treats his wife.”“Poor woman deserves better,” says a younger woman. “True men know how to lead
The riders begin to line up. They will trek through the forest in pairs, with a five minute gap between them to keep from overlap. Each target is being observed through cameras to determine who shoots what and with what accuracy.Miles lines up in the lead. His father declined attending the event, b
I roll out of the way in the last minute, as the boar charges past.“Esther!” Cynthia calls. She’s steadied her horse somewhat, several yards down the trail. Sparkle Heart, already upset from earlier, continues to run.“Go! Keep riding!” I shout to her. “Get help!”“I can’t just leave you!” Her hors