Abducted [W&W Book 3]

Chapter 8

"Ildri of Wildwood, wake up."

Ildri rolled over and ignored the order.  She was too tired to get up yet.

"Wake up."  Ildri pretended that she could not hear.

"Ildri of Wildwood!  Wake up or so help me I will throw you on the horse still sleeping."

Only one person could be so domineering without just cause.  Ildri opened one eye to see Ty standing over her.  The sky behind him was barely bright enough to be called morning.  She wanted to go back to sleep.  "Just a few more minutes."

"Get up this instant."  Ildri was pleased to note that he sounded annoyed with her.  She kept her eyes tightly shut.  Sleeping for a few more minutes would hardly change anything.

And then a horrible splash of cold water hit her face and she jumped up sputtering.  "What do you think you're doing, you beast!?"

Ty looked annoyingly pleased with himself.  "Helping you wake up, but no need to thank me."

Ildri gritted her teeth together as she wiped the water off her face with the blanket.  "You're awful."

"I could have just left you here and let me tell you, I was heartedly tempted."

Ildri felt a hollow of anxiety at his words.  She did not want to be left behind.  If he did, what would she do?  She could probably find her way back to Wildwood, but the thought of the journey alone was frankly terrifying now that she was quite certain Ty was not going to hurt her.

Ty had swung around.  "I'm going to fill up my flask again at the stream.  Make yourself ready to leave," he ordered abruptly as he walked off.

Ildri frowned.  His true appearance might not be as knarred and lined as she had first thought, but it hardly made him less of a brute.  She quickly did as he had said although she resented him the entire time.

When Ty returned they set off again quickly.

They rode in silence for a few minutes.  Then Ildri asked, "When will we get to Valence?"

"Within two hours."

"Why didn't we just go there last night?" she asked.

"The horse needed a rest.  Like I said.  There is still a long way to go," he explained briskly.

Ildri sighed.  Her body hurt and she was stuck with a monster, which is what he was, even if he did not seem all that monstrous all the time.  She just wanted their journey to be over so that she could go home.

* * * * *

It turned out that Ty was correct.  They arrived at the edge of Valence after about another hour of riding.  Ildri looked ahead anxiously.  Even though she did not want to be out of Wildwood, she was a bit excited to see another town.  She had heard of Valence a few times.  It was a small town, but because it was on a main road there were sometimes travelling merchants within in its bounds.

Ty stopped the horse abruptly.  Ildri glanced back at him as he jumped down from the horse.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"We need to hide the horse off the road.  The people will remark his size and trappings.  He's obviously a warhorse, and he might be recognized if we chance upon the soldiers."

"I see," she agreed.  At least he was taking some precautions against those horrible men finding them.

Ildri followed him as he led the horse into the thickening forest.  They reached a stream, and Ty tied the horse with enough leeway that it could drink its fill.  He then moved deeper into the forest.  Why were they not heading back to Valence?  "Are you looking for something?" she asked, feeling moody.