“When we stop,” the girl whispered, her dark, tangled hair falling in her face. “They’re talking about stopping soon. Come to this side, and we’ll make a distraction.”
Cas hesitated. If he got caught, they’d kill him no matter who he was. But if he stayed, someone else would surely recognize him. If not on the road, then when they arrived.
The staff started making a path for him to crawl through.
“I shouldn’t leave you,” he said. “I don’t know where they’re taking you.”
Daniela shook her head. “You can’t stay. The king is dead. If they kill you too, what will happen to Lera? They will have won.”
Cas swallowed. He knew she was right, though guilt still nagged at him.
“Only if it seems safe,” he said, scooting forward. “If I get caught, they’ll know you distracted them so I could escape.” He wasn’t letting anyone else die for him today.
“I think you might get a few splinters in odd places,” the girl said as she squeezed next to him. She squinted at the small area he’d have to wedge himself through, then glanced over at him. She seemed to immediately remember to whom she was speaking, and her whole face flushed.
He laughed softly. She smiled through her embarrassment and ducked her head.
“What’s your name?” he asked quietly.
“Violet,” she said.
“Thank you, Violet.”
They rolled to a stop a few minutes later, a blast of fresh air blowing through the wagon as a warrior opened the door.
Daniela lurched forward, falling on a few people in the process.
“Sir?” she croaked, reaching for the warrior at the door. “I’m going to vomit.”
The warrior jumped back as she tumbled out of the wagon. Retching noises filled the air as she hit the ground. Another girl poured herself onto the ground and did the same.
Cas leaned forward, watching through a crack in the wood as two warriors dismounted their horses and walked to the back of the wagon to see what was going on. The left side of the wagon was totally clear, from what he could see.
“They need water,” one of the warriors said. Cas glanced over to see a big clump of them standing at the door. The staff members in front of him were sitting as tall as possible, hiding him from view in the back corner.
He nodded at Violet, and she slowly moved her hand, letting the wood fall away from the wagon. She gently lowered it to the floor of the wagon.
The narrow opening was only barely big enough. He eased his leg through first. Seemed preferable to getting his head stuck. He slipped the other foot through.
His feet found the ground, and he took a quick glance back to see the staff divided between watching him and keeping an eye on the warriors at the wagon door. The warriors’ attention was still on the women, but they started to turn back to the wagon.
“Come on, come on out,” one of the warriors said, waving his hand impatiently.
A man in front made a sound like a scream or a cry, causing every head to turn in his direction.
Last chance. Cas braced his hands against the wood, arching his back as he let his torso through. His feet slipped, the wood scraping against his stomach as he began to fall. Definitely a few splinters in weird places.
He hit the ground on his butt with a soft thud.
He was out.
“Come on, everyone out!” a warrior called impatiently.
Cas gingerly moved into a crouch, scooting behind the front wheel of the wagon. A warrior atop a horse was only a few paces in front of him, but he was facing forward, away from Cas.
“What’s going on back there?” a voice yelled from ahead. The warrior near Cas started to turn.
Cas scrambled beneath the wagon, rolling onto his back directly in the center, away from the wheels. He held his arms against his chest, willing himself not to breathe.
“They’re getting sick from the heat,” a warrior replied.
Boots hit the ground, spraying dirt across Cas’s right arm. “Get them some water,” a female voice said.
The boots disappeared, and Cas lifted his head to see them headed for the back of the wagon. His left looked clear, though it was hard to tell from underneath the wagon. He’d have to risk it, because he had to get out from under the carriage before they started moving again.
Cas eased himself to the left and slowly rolled over onto his stomach. He scooted forward, barely peeking his head out.
The horse at the front of the line was unmanned now.
He looked at the rear of the wagon. He could see the side of one warrior and the back of another. If they turned this way suddenly, he’d be done for. He ducked his head, peering out the other side of the wagon. A line of shoes walked away from him. The staff was all headed to the other side, so hopefully the warriors would stay there with them.
He moved his forearms against the ground, wiggling forward on his stomach until his body was halfway out from underneath the wagon. He didn’t dare stand, as one of the warriors might catch the movement out of the corner of his eye.