Ava had heard many arguments about it, but in the end, her grandmother had loved her daughter too much to go against her wishes and risk alienating her.
Ava recalled the happy times spent on her grandparents' estate were marred only by the look of agony in her grandmother's eyes when she had taken up her sewing in the evening and sent Ava to bed.
“Stables.” Luc's voice, low and rumbling, lifted her out of her musings with a jerk.
The stables must be ahead of them, she could smell them.
“You want to steal a horse?” she asked.
“Two horses, unless you can't ride?” His breath was warm against her cheek.
“It has been a long time since I sat on a horse, but I can ride.”
“Good.”
“How are we going to leave with two of their horses?” Now they were in the open air, she most definitely didn't want to go back. And they were very far from home free.
“I'll think of something, and if it's not going to work, we'll leave the horses and walk out,” he promised, and took the lead for the first time.
She relinquished control to him for now, as she was no more familiar than he was about this part of the fortress.
The weather was cool enough outside that it didn't look strange that the hoods of their cloaks were lifted. It made her feel less exposed.
She followed him to a long, low building that was well maintained and busy. Guards rode up in groups of two or three and swung down from steaming mounts, giving them to grooms to lead away.
A group of soldiers stood together, laughing and calling to the guards coming in, exchanging information and details of their patrols.
Luc was probably fighting a smile of satisfaction at the wealth of information swirling around them, light and easy as the evening breeze.
He was too big to miss, and she had worried he would stand out, but he moved with such confidence, even with his cloak wrapped close around him to hide the fact that he had no shirt. His stride was sure, even though she knew his stolen boots were too small. No one gave him more than a glance as he disappeared into the gloom of the stables.
She was just behind him, but as she reached the wide double doors she saw Juni, blocking their way.
His gaze was fixed on Luc, his mouth open to form his first shout.
Her heart gave a hard, painful thump in her chest, but she didn't hesitate. She pushed in front of Luc, felt the warmth of him as he crowded right up against her.
She held Juni's gaze, lifted her hand, and mimed turning a key.
Juni stared at her hand, and his mouth shut with a snap. He wanted to sound the alarm, but he lived in a brutal system that punished people harshly for no logical reason at all, let alone when punishment was actually warranted. He needed a reminder that he'd been where he wasn't supposed to be.
That he would be safer—personally safer—if he hadn't seen them escape after being down in the dungeons without permission.
He skirted around them, stepping out into the courtyard, and she heard him hail someone, his voice only a little infirm.
Behind her, Luc turned, keeping Juni in view, and then his hands came up onto her shoulders.
“Good job.” Luc's head dipped so his mouth was almost touching her ear. “I thought he was going to start screaming.”
“He may still,” she murmured. “If he has time to think about it.”
“Stand against the wall, keep to the shadows,” Luc told her, and then disappeared amongst the confusion of the horses being led in and out, the shouts of the stable hands.
When he returned, he was leading a horse that was saddled and rolling its eyes as it pranced sideways.
She fell into step with him as the last call of the day went up, the final warning for those not staying in the fortress overnight to leave.
Luc didn't mount up—even he must know his size on top of a horse would draw the eye—so Ava kept close to his side as they joined the flow of people streaming out of the gates.
It was easy enough to let the crowd sweep them under the arch of the drawbridge and onto the muddy road to freedom.
As soon as they were far enough from the gate that the torchlight no longer touched them, Luc led them off the road and into the shielding wall of trees.
Ava drew in her first full breath in a while, realizing she hadn't taken one until now. She tucked her cloak closer around her, her nose wrinkling at the smell of it. “They'll find we're missing any moment now.”
“Agreed.” Luc swung up onto the horse, held his hand out for her.
She looked at the saddle dubiously, but took his hand, let him pull her up so she was behind him.
The horse shifted uncomfortably beneath them, and she felt sorry for it.
It was in for a hard run with two riders.
Without another word, Luc urged it on.
She had to bite her lip to stop from shouting as they surged forward, as the trees flashed past them.
She was free at last.
Chapter 6
The chase began far sooner than Luc had hoped.
Perhaps Juni hadn't been able to help himself. He'd struck Luc as a man who had to be at the center of things, so he may have made an excuse to check on the prisoners so that he could sound the alarm.
Whatever the reason, the dogs baying in the distance gave Luc fair warning.
At his back, Ava stirred, straightening up and lifting away from him, making him suddenly aware of how close she had been pressed against him before.
“Hounds?” she asked, her voice fuzzy with sleep.
“Hounds and men.” They would be hunted like deer.
She gave a groan, so exasperated, he couldn't keep his lips from twitching.
Then she swore. “My head rag is gone. It must have fallen out of my pocket. Can I have one of your bindings?” She rested her chin on his shoulder. “Just a small scrap would be fine.” Her hands were loosely clasped about his waist, and she lifted them to smooth down one of his arms.
Her touch was gentle, trying not to hurt him, and it sent a wave of goosebumps over his skin. He had to suppress a shiver of reaction, holding still as she unwound one of the blood-stained bandages.
“You think dropping it will slow the hounds?” It wasn't a bad idea.
“Yes, but I need to do something to it first.” Her hands left him altogether, and she seemed to lean back, working on something.
“Should I stop the horse?”
“No. We don't have time. I'm nearly done.” The last word was said as if she spoke with something held between her lips, and then she tossed the bandage down on the ground.
“It might delay the dogs for a few minutes while they stop to sniff it. But not long enough.” After all, it would just confirm to the hunters they were on the right track.
“A short while is better than nothing.”
He couldn't argue with that, and he urged the horse faster, aware it was beginning to lag, and, he was afraid, to limp.
Less than half an hour later, it began to walk, and then stopped altogether.
He wanted to rage, but instead he sighed and slid off.
Ava stared down at him—her expression hard to read.
“I don't know if I can get down,” she said at last.
He caught her as she toppled off.
She felt light in his arms, warm and delicate, and an urge to bury his head in her hair and hold her close swept over him, so strong he almost gasped before he released her, flexing his hands in shock.