- Help! Help! Help!
The scream caught both their attention. They stopped and one of the women headed towards the trees, while the others came towards me. They seemed determined, so I kept running.
- Annabel, you bastard! - Morvan screamed behind me. - I'm gonna kill her, that's why!
Ignoring Morvan, I kept running and screaming. Suddenly I realized that, because of desperation, I did not think that both could be men of Morvan or mercenaries sent by my mother. I stopped to be frightened to see that possibility. This gave Morvan time to approach me and brutally he grabbed my arm, causing me to turn to him. The slap of his hand hurt more than I imagined when he hit my face with a slap. Because of the blow, I fell to the ground crying.
- Miserable! - he screamed. Grabbing my hair, Morvan pulled the dagger. - I don't care about the damn reward anymore! You're gonna pay for what you did to me. Starting with that beautiful face.
I was terrified and dizzy from the pain in my head. Morvan grabbed my throat and passed the dagger through my face while laughing. Sticking his fingernails in his fist, I got him to let me go, but Morvan hit another blow to my face and I fell again. I crawled back away from him. When he grabbed my wrist to lift me up again, the unexpected happened. An arrow hit Morvan's back, who screamed with a dagger. He fell to his knees looking in the direction of where the arrow had come from. His expression was frightened, but he smiled incredulously.
Franzi's forehead looking at the two riders who were riding two black stallions. One was dressed in black and the other was a woman. Even with the view blurred by the tears, I could recognize the man. It was Alec, Alistair's younger brother. The woman was carrying a bow and I soon realized that she was the one who threw it. She was redheaded and much taller than me. She looked like Aideen and it made me frown because I thought I was having a hallucination.
- It can't be! - I whispered wiping my eyes and blinked.
Alec came down from the horse with a pair of swords in his hand and came walking towards us.
- Morvan! - Alec said as he approached. - How timely to meet you here! I've been dreaming about this moment since Cora's death.
- You got me! - Morvan smiled kneeling and closed his eyes.
Alec crossed both swords, cutting Morvan's head off with a dry blow. I stared, in shock, at the redhead who approached us.
- Annabel? - said Alec lowering in front of me. - Are you hurt?
- I... She... - I whispered. - No... It can't be!
My voice came out choking, so I was taken by surprise when I recognized the redhead. She was dressed in a silver dress with a bustier made of mesh. Leather bracelets adorned his forearm. He carried a dagger and a small beast, attached to the wide belt that adorned his waist. There was a hem attached to his back with a huge sword, which I recognized by the handle. His face was no longer the same and there were some scars. Small, but visible.
- Annabel, stay calm! - he said looking at the woman who stopped by his side. - We'll get you back to Dunhill safely and Bree will explain everything to you.
- Bree? What do you mean, Bree? - said trying to stay calm. - What's going on? It can't be! You're dead! Ravenna said she was dead!
My voice came out desperate and I didn't know if it was because of the pain or the fact that I was seeing my sister standing in front of me after months of thinking she was dead.
- Annabel, don't look at me like that, because I'm not a ghost! - she said as she approached and reached out. - Ravenna lied, but it was my fault. I'm not, and I've never been, dead, even though I've come very close several times.
I stared at her hand for a few seconds, trying to decide whether to accept her help or not. I stretched out my hand with great fear and slowly took her towards hers. When my fingers touched his hand, a shock went through my body and I held my breath. Tears of joy invaded my eyes and began to roll down my face. She held my hand firmly and pulled me against her body for a hug.
- Aila!
- Annabel!
Chapter 22
Bruce
Two days later...
I hugged Annabel even harder when she mumbled again. She was in a deep sleep since I found her in Alec's arms in the lobby. Even though he calculated very well the possible routes that Morvan would take, he was just the way we thought he would not go. Luckily, Alec was
