We didn't get far before trouble found us again. The forest road curved around a rocky hillside, and when we stepped onto it, a group of riders appeared through the trees ahead. Six of them. All wearing royal armor. Of course they were.
The man at the front removed his helmet. Captain Rod. The same officer who had arrested me in the cathedral.
"Well," he said slowly. "Look who escaped."
My stomach tightened. "Hello, Captain."
His eyes narrowed. "You should be in chains."
"I disagree."
His gaze shifted toward Mal. "And who exactly is this?"
Mal answered before I could. "A friend."
Roderick frowned. "Friends of traitors tend to become traitors themselves."
I sighed. "Captain, I promise you I did not try to assassinate the king."
"Save it for the executioner." The soldiers behind him began spreading out. Forming a half circle around us.
Mal glanced at me. "You may want to step back."
I didn't argue, I just did as he said.
The fight lasted less than a minute. That was generous, In reality it was probably closer to thirty seconds. The first soldier charged. Mal stepped aside and knocked him unconscious with one casual movement. The second soldier tried to attack from behind. Mal caught him by the collar and threw him into a tree. The remaining four hesitated. Which was the smartest decision they made all night. Unfortunately for them it didn't save them.
When it was over, six armored soldiers lay scattered across the forest road. None of them dead. Just unconscious. I stepped carefully around one of them. "Remind me never to fight you." I muttered under my breath. Mal just shrugged. "Sensible."
I leaned against a tree and exhaled slowly. "This is going to keep happening, isn't it?"
"Yes." His curt answers where starting to frustrate me.
"They're going to keep hunting me." I paused a moment "And eventually someone stronger will come."
Mal just nodded in agreement.
I rubbed my face. "This is exhausting."
Mal watched me thoughtfully. "You could run."
"And spend the rest of my life hiding?" I scoffed at his idea.
"Yes."
I shook my head. "No." A life in hiding wouldn't be worth living for me.
His eyes narrowed slightly. "No?" He questioned me.
"No." Something cold and determined settled in my chest. "They ruined my life." I thought about the night I just had as anger bubbled inside me. "They framed me."
Mal watched me talk with a small smile forming at the corners of his mouth. His dark eyes somehow starting to clean with what looked like excitement?
"They tried to execute me." I started trailing off.
"And they wanted to burn you..." he added with the flick of his hand…
I straightened slowly. With a deep breath I decided "So I'm not running."
Mal's expression shifted. "What are you doing instead?"
I met his black eyes. "I'm going back."
"Back where?"
"To the capital."
His smile slowly returned. "Of course." He shrugged his shoulders like he expected me to say that all along.
"And this time," I said calmly, "I'm going to ruin them back."
Mal chuckled softly. "That," he said, "sounds far more entertaining than going into hiding to live like a rat."