Chapter 123. The Wrong Way

Ainslee

I am on the last frayed string of my rope as we ride along, my chest heaving in pain.

At night, I think I hear Rafe. I reach out for him, but then his voice fades into the haze that keeps me asleep.

‘north…’ he keeps saying.

I don’t understand. Unless he’s trying to give me directions to the castle, which we were skillfully misguided on.

We don’t trust anyone on the road. Riley must have informed people far and wide that we were coming and concocted an elaborate plan to throw us off the path. Hence, we are riding in circles.

When I find her, I am going to rip out her throat with my teeth.

On the third day, when we enter Mighty Jaw again, I send a guard south to collect the stableboy. He is the only person in Rallegrad I trust to tell us the truth.

The rest of us stumble tiredly into one of the town’s three inns. Upon us entering, the entire pub level breaks into raucous laughter.

I ignore them and go to t