Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,20

face. The dying embers flickered across his skin, accentuating his dark eyelashes and the five o’clock shadow across his jaw. I wanted to reach out and brush his hair out of his eyes, but held myself in check.

This was my chance and I would not waste it. I carefully got to my feet. He was closer than I thought. Even though there was plenty of room to spread out, Liam placed himself only a foot away, which made escaping even more difficult. I wanted to take the cloak with me, but it was tangled under his feet.

With the cloak out of the question, I would just leave with what I had on me. Gathering my courage, I tiptoed to the cave entrance and woefully stared out into the rain. It meant getting wet again, but it also would make it harder for him to track me. There was no use staying when he thought so little of me.

I stepped out of the cave and turned in the direction that I thought was Rya.

I was thoroughly and truly lost. I shook my fist at the sky and declared war. If only it wasn’t raining and I could see the stars, then I could navigate my way easily. But everything looked the same. I swore I even passed the same downed trunk multiple times. And the thoughts that were coming from the forest creatures were scattered and unhelpful.

Intruder.

Intruder.

Run.

My plodding through the storm only scared them.

“Yes, yes. I know,” I muttered. “I’m the intruder.” I sneezed and stumbled in the dark, landing in a puddle. “Oh, just great.” Here I was, a fearsome sorceress—sitting in a puddle. I was so wrapped up in my own woes that I didn’t hear the approaching horses.

“Well, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes,” a gravelly voice called out. “I think I found a mud swallow.” A lantern swung my way, and I blinked, blinded by the light. When my eyes adjusted, I saw that I had stumbled close to a road, and a transport had pulled up. The driver, a man with a graying beard and kind eyes, held up his lantern to illuminate the area. I glanced at the banner hung under the door and lit up in delight when I saw Candor.

“Are you going to Candor?” I asked. If I made it there, I would at least get some clothes from my sister.

“That’s what it says.” The driver tossed his thumb toward the banner. “But do you have fare?”

I reached for my purse and remembered I had nothing except my night dress. Heat rose to my cheeks.

“I don’t at the moment. But I can pay you once we reach my relatives in the capital city of Thressia.”

He rubbed his chin and looked me over, and I studied him warily.

Sheesh, she probably doesn’t have any money. But the missus would throttle me if she heard I left a poor child out in the rain.

He was on the fence, so I put on the most pathetic face I could. “I swear, that misfortune has only set me back at the moment. I can and will pay for my fare.”

“Oh, come on.” The driver hopped down from his box and helped me up into his transport wagon. I did the best I could to wring out my nightdress, but it was all but ruined. I wasn’t sure how I was going to present myself at the palace. Would they even let me in the front door, or would they turn me away?

It felt good to be out of the rain, and I leaned my head against the sideboard. I heard the snap of the reins as the transport moved forward.

“Halt!” a loud voice shouted, and the horses came to a stop. The sudden stop forced me off the bench and I slid onto the floor.

“What is going on?” I shouted out at the driver.

“Another passenger.”

“But we didn’t go anywhere.”

The door opened, and a dark figure jumped into the transport. Liam turned to me, his face wide-eyed with worry. When he saw me sitting on the bench, I caught his look of relief. He leaned out the door and spoke to the driver. “I’ll pay for our fare as long as we are going north.”

“As you wish. Can we go, or are more of you going to pop out of the woods?”

“No, you may proceed.” Liam slammed the door and moved to the bench across from me. His long legs bumped mine, and I shuffled to adjust my