Hunted in the Valley (Old Sequoia Valley Book 1)

by C. R. Pugh

  A hand clamped down on my shoulder. “You cannot do this to yourself,” Gunter murmured.

  I could not decide whether I wanted to punch someone or go after Ravyn just to shake some sense into her. Last night I was so sure ...

  “I know what’s going through your thick head,” Gunter scolded. “Don’t even think about it.”

  I ducked my head and sighed. He knew me all too well. The only part of me I had much confidence in was my fighting skills.

  “Did she tell you that she wanted to come back to Peton? Did she give you any indication of her acceptance?”

  I frowned as I thought back on the night before.

  “I do not believe it was you she was rejecting, no matter what you’re telling yourself,” he said more gently. “You would both be miserable if you forced her to do something she didn’t want to do.”

  I lifted my chin and threw back my shoulders. “I do not need a life-mate.”

  Gunter gaped at me. “Saints above! Are you back to that? That’s not what I -”

  “Enough.” Waving away his retort, I turned on my heel with renewed determination and marched to my stallion. There was no sense in speaking of it anymore. If the woman was going to run every time I tried to get close, I did not want any part of it. It was time to go back to Peton; back to what was familiar. The strange things happening here in the Valley would hopefully right themselves before spring. If the General planned to mount an attack on Peton, the Warriors would defend the city and keep its people safe. That was what we were born to do. That alone was my soul purpose in this world. Not chasing after some female.

  My stallion nickered and nipped at me as I checked his bridle and girth. I glared at him. “I will not be lectured by you, either.” The beast took pleasure in snorting and then side-stepped, knocking me off balance.

  “Commander?”

  The hesitant voice of Brock kept me from retaliating against the stubborn animal. Out of respect, I stopped to listen, but I could not face him.

  “Are you going to leave her out there? Do you think she will survive out there on her own?”

  I pressed my lips together and clenched my hands into fists again. Ravyn had made her choice. It was not my problem if she did not survive.

  Without bothering to answer, I returned to checking my saddle bags to make sure they were secure. Brock shifted his weight nervously from foot to foot, but he did not retreat and leave me to my bad humor.

  “I know that I’m in no position to give anyone advice about females.” He laughed timidly. “But my father once told me the story of when he courted my mother. She kept turning him down, again and again. Of course, my father, stubborn man that he is, wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  I stopped working and listened to his story. Brock had never mentioned his family’s history before.

  “He found out later that my grandfather was a drunk and had been beating my Gran. Fortunately, my grandfather died of whiskey consumption. But my father was finally able to understand her hesitancy.” Brock took a step closer to me and said quietly, “Maybe you don’t know all the facts. We agreed yesterday that she must know dangerous secrets about this General. And Archer is right. He will silence her eventually to keep anyone else from finding out. You’ll never know if you return to Peton without her.” Brock paused for a moment and then finally added, “You seemed different when she was in the camp. Happier … for what it’s worth, Commander.” Brock nodded and strode away.

  A groan of frustration rumbled through my chest. In order to find the answers, I had to find her. Did she even want to be found?

  Brock was right about one thing. She did have information that was dangerous.

  The part of me that was still angry at Ravyn wanted to pummel Brock into the ground. Only Gunter had ever spoken so freely with me, but I could not shake the truth of his words. Ravyn had made it perfectly clear that the soldiers would never stop chasing her. Maybe that was her fear. By tracking her, the trail would lead them straight to me and my Warriors and Peton. Was she trying to protect herself, or us? Perhaps it was a bit of both.

  I swore under my breath. My stallion turned to stare at me and nickered his agreement.

  I sought out Gunter by the cart of captives and gave him my decision. “Fine. I am going after her.”

  Gunter’s eyes lit up immediately. When he saw my furious expression, he quickly cleared his throat and put a frown back on his face.

  “I’m glad you have come to your senses,” he said, pretending to be serious.

  Rolling my eyes at him, I began arming myself with lightweight weapons. I could feel the stares of the other Warriors, especially the suspicious eyes of Pierce. I did not owe them an explanation.

  I carried five daggers and two pistols on my body. I thought about adding a rifle but it would do me no good at short range. I was prepared for anything, whether it was beasts, barbarians, soldiers, or even an enraged Ravyn.

  My lips twitched when I thought of the look on her face when I caught up to her. I had been tracking since I was a boy. There was not much in the world that could hide from me if I put my mind to it.

  Gunter handed me a small pack full of food and water and then I turned and faced the other Warriors. Gunter was still struggling to suppress his grin over my decision. Brock was not smiling, but he looked satisfied. Archer and Max did not seem to have an opinion about it. Pierce’s rigid stance and stone-cold glare made his feelings obvious.

  Dismissing his contempt for now, I announced, “Start back toward Peton. Set up camp just before sundown. I will join you before dawn.”

  Pierce’s lip curled in disdain at the order. I expected a challenge for my position here and now, but Gunter came to the rescue by backing me up. “Alright, you heard the commander. Let’s move out!”

  When the Warriors hastened to obey, Gunter turned back with a troubled look.

  “I will give you until dawn, and then Brock and I …”

  “Do not worry about me, Gunter,” I interrupted. “Just keep the Warriors headed in the right direction. I’ll catch up soon and I won’t be alone.”

  “You’re certain of that?” he grinned.

  I snorted. “Even if I must carry her over my shoulder.”

  Gunter rolled his eyes this time. “An excellent start to the union.”

  Chuckling over the image, we pounded each other on the shoulder in farewell. Then I turned back to the dark forest. Ravyn had a few hours head start so I would have to move quickly.

  Whether she wanted to be found or not, a new hunt was on.

  ***

  Following Ravyn was not as easy as I had planned. Hardly any of my Warriors could move this stealthily through a wooded area, but my well-trained eyes could still see traces of her path. The corner of a boot here. The bend of a blade of grass there. She stepped so lightly that her tread was easy to overlook.

  If it were me, I would be heading toward the next good water source. Hawke had brought me out for a trek through the Valley before I had taken my place as commander, and I recalled the river that meandered through this area. Hawke warned me that it was not a good place to camp for the hunt because the Sabers and Howlers tended to stick close to larger bodies of water. Between the rapids and the beasts, I typically stayed away from it, but there were some deeper waters that would be good for bathing. I would bet anything that Ravyn was there, possibly following it to the ocean.

  I had been tracking her for a little over an hour when I began to hear something tearing through the forest in my direction. The snapping of branches and rustling of the shrubs was loud. It could be a barbarian or exile. They were notoriously stupid and noisy. The approach did not sound like an animal. Even a Saber would move stealthily as it stalked its prey.

  There was no time for a battle. Every time I paused, I wasted precious time and energy in my search for Ravyn. I sunk into the shadows of the tree trunk beside me and waited. The footsteps grew louder, moving quickly through the undergrowth of the forest. The person r
an as if they were being chased by the devil himself.

  As he moved closer, I readied my dagger. Bringing down one lone person was easily done. If it was a soldier, it would better the odds for Ravyn. If it was a barbarian, then the loss would not be great. My blade would end things quietly.

  Just as he ran by, I pounced. Everything was a blur. I heard a muffled grunt as the person hit the ground beneath me and my momentum sent me crashing down on top of him.

  The person beneath me coughed and struggled to take in air, having had the wind knocked out of him, but he did not fight back. With my knife still in hand, I rose to my feet, and I found myself staring down into livid, turquoise eyes.

  23

  Ravyn

  “What are you doing, Thorne?” I shouted, a sharp pain surging through my torso.

  “Me?” he bellowed right back. “I should be asking you the same question, woman! I could have killed you! Do you have a death wish or do you secretly enjoy getting injured?”

  I’d recognized him as soon as he had popped out from behind the tree. His white-blonde hair was so unique and it stood out brightly in the shadows of the Valley. Overwhelming joy had exploded in my chest at seeing him. Of course, I was not expecting him to slam into me so hard. My body felt bruised all over, like I’d hurled myself into a stone wall. I made no effort to move. I breathed as deeply as I could, but my chest was too tender to do much more than inhale in short, painful gasps.

  “I think you might’ve done less damage if you’d just shot me,” I grumbled.

  Thorne raised an eyebrow at my overly dramatic remark. I fought the urge to laugh because it would’ve been too painful.

  “Are you alright?”

  “No, I am not alright!” I croaked. “I was just flattened by a giant, stubborn, brute of a man!”

  “I would never have thought it was you making so much noise. I thought you had better skills than this, especially when you snuck away so silently in the night.”

  I winced at his sarcastic retort, and then muttered, “Oh, shut up. I think my ribs are cracked.”

  Thorne knelt down beside me. My gaze traveled over his face, wondering how on earth he could be here. I never thought he’d lower his towering pride and come looking for me. The thought had me feeling fluttery all over.

  After I was certain my body had healed, I held out my hand and let Thorne assist me to rise. His touch was gentle, despite the tightness of his eyes. Once I was on my feet, Thorne kept me snug against his chest, his hands gripping my shoulders possessively.

  “I agree it was careless, but I was in a hurry.”

  His voice was gruff with emotion. “How do you expect to stay alive out here making such a racket? The soldiers …”

  I reached up and cupped his scarred cheek with my hand, effectively halting his rant. “The soldiers aren’t after me right now. They are after you and your men, which is why I wasn’t taking care.” Thorne’s eyes darkened into dangerous storm clouds. “Two almost found me by the river. He had another man with him, one who is gifted like me. He was using my scent to hunt for me. Luckily, they didn’t find me, but I overheard Two saying he was going to gather more soldiers and go after you.”

  “You’re certain?”

  “Yes,” I said regretfully. “He also mentioned that there was an informant among you.”

  “An informant?” He ran his fingers through his unruly curls. “Then I must go …”

  Before he could say another word, I swiftly pressed my mouth to his. It was absolutely the wrong time and place for it. Kieron would have laughed at my impulsivity but then would also agree that the timing suited me: right in the middle of a crisis. But I wanted to kiss him right then, just one time. I wanted to taste his lips before something happened to one of us and it was too late.

  When I broke away, I covered my tingling lips with my fingers. Thorne gaped at me, stunned speechless by my impulsive act.

  “Well … sorry,” I stuttered.

  He widened his eyes and gave me a lopsided grin. “You’re sorry?”

  “Yes. No! The soldiers. We should go.” I ducked my head to hide my heated face and started running again before he could say anything more.

  ***

  I allowed Thorne to lead the way back toward the camp. As we ran, I couldn’t help but admire his form. He had trained his body, not just for strength, but for speed and endurance as well. It took him little effort to leap over fallen limbs and veer through the shrubs that blocked our path.

  He peered over his shoulder several times to make sure he hadn’t lost me, but I was with him step-for-step. I had trained my body well, too.

  Thorne’s pace finally slowed and then halted. I recognized our surroundings. The tripwire used to stretch through the trees here. Stepping up beside him, I grazed my shoulder against his without flinching.

  “Do you see anything?” I whispered.

  He shook his head. “The men have already begun the journey back. They will be on the road now.”

  “Are they prepared for an ambush?”

  “They were trained by the best,” he said, grinning with that familiar arrogance. “They are prepared for anything.”

  I snorted at his boast, but I knew I wouldn’t have him any other way.

  “I’ll take your lead on this one,” I told him in a hushed voice. “You know this area better than I do.”

  “We will circle around and meet them ahead on the road. If there is an ambush waiting, we will be there to stop them.”

  We ran slower than before, still hoping to catch up while moving silently. With any luck, we could deplete the General’s numbers enough that he would be forced to give up his pursuit of me. Then I’d be free to go to anywhere. I could even go to Peton.

  Suddenly, I felt it. The tattoo on my neck came alive with that predictable tingling sensation, warning me of danger.

  And then I heard it. The familiar booming of rifles reverberating through the trees.

  When I picked up my pace, so did Thorne. There was no need to move quietly any longer. Pure instinct kicked in. I sensed Thorne running at my side and shouting something, but I didn’t hear his words of caution. All I felt in that moment was adrenaline and the desire to fight and win.

  I knew what I must do. The soldiers’ orders had always been to bring me back alive, so they would hesitate to fire their weapons at me. That gave me a distinct advantage.

  When we finally saw the Warriors ahead, we both stopped in our tracks. They’d taken cover behind the trees. Two horses lay dead on the road, and the captive’s cart had been driven off the path into the trees to protect them from the crossfire. I grabbed a couple of spare magazines from my satchel, slid them into my pockets, and hid my bag in the brush at my feet. I’d have to come back for it later.

  Sweat was trickling down my face and back. Thorne was behind me, perspiration glistening on his forehead, but he didn’t seem out of breath at all from our sprint back to find his Warriors. I didn’t bother asking if he was ready. He was a Warrior. The man would probably give me that cocky smirk and tell me that he was always ready. The thought made me grin.

  I was about to rush into the foray when I felt Thorne’s hand grip my upper arm.

  “What are you planning, woman? Just going to run in recklessly, guns blazing?” He asked angrily.

  I mentally kicked myself for my blunder. “I’ll go in first and draw them off. Once they see me, they’ll lose interest in your Warriors.”

  Thorne clutched both of my shoulders in a painful grip and glowered down at me. “So you are planning to sacrifice yourself … again. Just like you did at the village.”

  I was puzzled by Thorne’s expression. There was panic in his eyes. Fear.

  “I don’t need your protection. It seems reckless to you, but I’ll be alright,” I reassured him, placing a hand on his heart. “Their orders have never been to kill me. Once they see me, they’ll be so distracted chasing me down that it’ll be easy for you and your Warriors to take care of the rest of
them. Trust me.”

  Thorne grazed his fingertips lightly over my hand and reluctantly nodded. “I will rally my Warriors and follow behind. Do not be careless.”

  I quickly nodded my promise and then raced into the trees. There was a moment I worried that Thorne might try to follow me, but I couldn’t look back. I had to trust him to follow through, just as I’d told him to trust me.

  I saw a few of the other Warriors out of the corner of my eye. At least fifteen soldiers were across the path, slightly uphill from where the Warriors were hunkered down. The Warriors were overwhelmingly outnumbered. I ignored the Warriors’ wide eyes as I ran across the path toward the line of soldiers on the hill. They would surely believe I was the demon I’d been rumored to be after this.

  As I broke through the trees on the opposite side, a soldier locked eyes on me and began shouting orders to the others.

  A near-hysterical giggle burst from my lips. My plan had worked perfectly. The shooting stopped so suddenly I felt like I’d gone deaf. The soldiers were now fixated on me, just as I’d anticipated.

  I fired off a few rounds in their general direction. One might’ve been a hit, but it didn’t matter. The game was on, leading them through the trees like a cat playing with a mouse. They might think I’m the prey, but I had no intention of being caught.

  At least six soldiers were following me. Their shots hit the trunks of the sequoias around me, but I was weaving through the forest so swiftly it was a waste of bullets. After a quarter of a mile, I hid and prepared to go on the offensive.

  My heart raced with excitement. I gripped my pistol tightly as I waited, tucked away behind a tree. The soldiers made no effort to be stealthy. Six against one should be easy but these soldiers did not think or strategize well on their feet.

  The first one found me before he realized I was there. I kicked his rifle out of his clumsy hands and put two bullets into his chest before he could blink. I used his slumped body like a shield as I fired my pistol at the remaining soldiers. Three more went down before I ran out of bullets.