Page 64 of Hunting for her Heart
They take time to strap a knife to my thigh, hidden under my dress, as well as give me a more accessible one that hangs from a thin leather belt around my waist.
Bo wraps some thick leaves around my feet as makeshift sandals since I told him that I don’t want to be carried this time. I’m too restless for that. Besides, I’m hoping I’ll be able to guide us to Ronan using that tether in my chest.
It hadn’t worked when I’d been taken from them, but I was panicking and running for my life then. I’m hoping this time I can concentrate enough to let it guide me.
“Alright, let's pack everything up, just in case we can’t come back here,” Bo says as the two of them start packing all our possessions in their bags. I attempt to take Ronan’s bag, but Hawk refuses, placing it over his head along with his own.
“It’s going to be okay,” Hawk says, giving my shoulder a squeeze with his free hand, his other wrapped around his spear. “Ronan is tough. We’ll find him.”
All I can do is nod, praying that he’s alive and that wefind him quickly.
When we get out of the cave and down to the forest floor, I take a moment to try to feel the tug in my chest. I can feel it pulling me a little to either side, where Bo and Hawk are standing, but there’s a third there, it’s stronger and tugging me forward.
“That way,” I say, pointing straight ahead. Hawk nods and moves in front of me, his spear at the ready. Bo walks behind me, his eyes constantly scanning our surroundings. They’re more on guard than I’ve ever seen them before.
We don’t move too quickly, afraid to walk into danger, and I tap Hawk’s back whenever we start to veer off course.
After an hour and a half, my worry grows deeper. We don’t have too much daylight left, and we’ve seen no sign of him. Why would he be so far away, unless not by choice? I’m absolutely convinced that he’s been caught or injured, and that fear only makes finding him more difficult, the panic drowning out the tether.
A few times we have to stop and Hawk and Bo hold me in a tight embrace, kissing the top of my head and reassuring me that it will be okay. But they can’t know that. Only the closeness of their bodies pressed to mine helps to calm my panic, allowing me to think clearer and lead us forward.
“If we don’t find him in the next half hour, we’ll have to stop for the night and find somewhere safe to sleep,” Bo says quietly after another hour of trekking through the woods.
“We can’t! What if he’s stuck somewhere and won’t survive the night!”
They stop walking, and Hawk takes a knee in front of me, pulling me close. “Angel, Ronan would kill us if we had you marching through this forest at night. It’s much too dangerous.”
“But—”
He shakes his head, cutting me off. “We can’t help him if we’re hurt or exhausted. We need to have our full strength and wits. Understand?” His voice is firm but gentle, and I find myself nodding in agreement. As much as I don't like it, I understand. I don’t imagine I’ll be able to sleep though, since my feet are sore and in need of a rest.
“Thirty minutes?” I ask, glancing up to where the sun hangs low in the sky, already casting shadows around us. He nods and stands, then takes my hand as we start to move again.
As we start to approach the half hour mark, Hawk suddenly freezes and presses a finger to his lips in the universal sign forquiet.
My ears perk up, straining to hear what’s caught his attention. Then I hear it: the distant crackle of a campfire. Hawk glances back at Bo, who nods and slowly moves past us, both swords drawn as he stalks forward.
We follow him as the sound of the fire gets louder until the low murmur of male voices starts to join it. Hawk squeezes my hand tight as he stops walking. Bo continues forward, and I try to follow, but Hawk shakes his head, holding me back.
I guess Bo is going to check it out. I wait nervously, watching Bo until he disappears into the trees. I practically hold my breath as I wait for him to return.
“Don’t move,” an unfamiliar male voice says loudly from behind, making me jump in fear as we both turn to face the threat. Hawk pulls me behind him and jabs his spear forward, but the other man is ready for him, knocking the spear to the side and spraying something in Hawk’s face that has him dropping to the ground unconscious like a bag of rocks.
“Hawk!” I cry, as I try to drop to my knees beside him. But a second man, one I hadn’t seen, is there, wrapping his arm around my waist and hoisting me back before I can reach him. “No! Let me go! Bo! Help!” I yell, which only makes the first man laugh.
Finally, I look at him. I don’t recognize him. He has short brown hair, styled back, and wears green and brown clothes that blend in perfectly with the forest. He has multiple knives strapped to his sides as well as a rather large sword. But worst of all is the satisfied grin on his face.
“What did you do to him?!” I holler as I struggle to get away.
“He’ll be fine, it’s just a little knock-out potion.”
“Potion?” I ask in confusion as I stop struggling. “Like magic? Isn’t that illegal?”
He shrugs, then steps around Hawk and motions for the man holding me to follow. “You can walk, or I can carry you. Either way, you’re coming,” the second man says, his voice gruff and uncaring.
“I’ll walk,” I tell him, wanting him to touch me as little as possible. He wraps his meaty hand around my wrist and drags me with him. I glance back over my shoulder at Hawk, wondering if he’ll be okay and how long he’ll be out.
It only takes a minute to walk to their camp, my eyes widening when I see Bo, sitting unconscious at the base of a tree, one man holding him up so he doesn’t fall over, and two others wrapping rope around his body and the trunk, securing him in place. “Bo!” I yell in worry as I try to move toward him, but he doesn’t respond.
