The Fairest Beauty

Last night, he had found a perfect place for them to sleep, and prayed they’d find another place just as perfectly situated. He moved through the trees, searching for a sheltered spot.

 

Gingerbread stumbled on a rock, and Gabe instinctively wrapped his arm around Sophie’s middle to keep her from falling. She woke up and glanced around.

 

“You’re just in time to help find a place to stop for the night. It looks like we could all use the rest,” Gabe said.

 

She mumbled her agreement and rubbed her cheek, pulling away from him a bit.

 

This area wasn’t nearly as rocky as the surrounding terrain, so it looked as if the best shelter they would get was in the midst of trees and bushes.

 

But then Gabe came upon a small stream that fed into the river. The stream trickled down a hill. On a hunch, he followed it a short way and, on the other side of the hill, found a sheer rock floor that was sheltered on two sides by trees.

 

They both dismounted. When his feet touched the ground, Gabe’s knees buckled and he almost went down. Sleeping lightly and traveling hard was taking a toll.

 

Sophie walked to the stream while he finished seeing to Gingerbread. The moon glowed just enough so that he could keep a subtle eye on her, and see the area around them. Sophie came back and together they spread out the blanket in the sheltered spot.

 

“You sleep here,” Gabe said. His voice sounded stilted, even to his ears. “I’ll sleep over there, by one of the trees.”

 

Sophie scrunched her eyes at him, as if confused.

 

It didn’t matter if she was confused. Even if he hurt her feelings, he felt the need to keep his distance.

 

Gabe heard the crack of a breaking tree limb and looked up. Across the river, fifty feet away, a man was aiming an arrow straight at Sophie.

 

Gabe didn’t have time to grab his crossbow. Instead, he leaped in front of Sophie, putting his body between her and the man.

 

The next instant, he felt a sharp, searing pain. A glance to his left revealed an arrow shaft sticking out of his shoulder.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 13

 

 

He dropped to his knees as Sophie screamed.

 

“Get down! Behind me,” Gabe yelled. He grabbed the crossbow still at his feet, but because of the arrow in his shoulder, had a hard time lifting it up high enough to aim it. The man across the river was setting another arrow to his longbow.

 

“No!” Sophie screamed again.

 

Gabe heard the faint whoosh of an arrow, but the man across the river was still aiming in their direction. He seemed frozen. Then, slowly, he fell face forward into the river, an arrow sticking out of his back.

 

A big, barrel-shaped man emerged from the forest behind the fallen archer.

 

Sophie turned to Gabe and threw her arms around him just as he sank to his side on the ground.

 

Sophie fell to the ground beside Gabe. She recognized the big man who had shot and killed the archer trying to ambush them. Walther. Thank you, God.

 

Convinced they were now safe, she turned all her focus on Gabe. The hideous sight of the arrow sticking out of his shoulder, its head sticking out his back, made her shake her head in disbelief. Why did he do it? He’d deliberately stepped in front of her so the arrow would strike him and not her. Why? He was only rescuing her to irritate his brother. She felt so sick, she wondered if she was about to throw up.

 

She had to help Gabe. He was shot … with an arrow … an arrow that was meant for her.

 

His face was contorted in pain, his eyes closed.

 

“Oh, why did you have to get yourself shot?” She examined where the arrow had gone in. “Don’t worry,” she tried to reassure Gabe, who was gasping in pain. “You’ll be all right. I’ll take care of you.” Please, God, help me know what to do. Don’t let him die.

 

The arrow should have pierced her heart. It was meant for her, not Gabe. She stared at the shaft, dripping with blood where it met his body. She would have to break it off and then pull it out. It should be done quickly, before she had time to get squeamish about it. She braced herself and, with both hands, grasped the end of the arrow sticking out the front of his shoulder. Without allowing herself time to think, she broke it.

 

Gabe let out a howl of pain.

 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Sophie touched his face, laying her palm against his cheek.

 

“It’s all right,” he said through clenched teeth. “Just pull it out.”

 

She looked at the metal head of the arrow sticking out the back of his shoulder. It was covered in blood. Sophie had seen blood before, had never been bothered by it in the past, but this was Gabe’s blood. A wave of weakness came over her. The thought of pulling that arrow the rest of the way through his flesh … she wasn’t sure she could do it.

 

I have to do it. For Gabe.

 

Suddenly, a huge man was towering over them.

 

“Walther. I thank God you’re here.”

 

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