Nena by Ann Boelter (digital book reader txt) 📕

The thought pained her almost as much as the vision of him and Altene together.

Even if that were true, he’d only be coming to recover a prized possession—just as he would if someone had stolen his stallion or the tiger hide. If he does, in fact, follow you, it is only because you are a valuable slave.

Her inner voices had waged this war for control of her heart many times, but no matter which one was victorious, she always ended up in the same place—as Jarl’s slave.

THUNDER CRACKED ABOVE them, so close and so loud, it seemed as if the clouds were being ripped apart over their heads. Nena felt Exanthia flinch behind her and wondered if she had done the same. The storm had threatened them for hours, blasting them with wind and shocking them with lightning, but so far the rain had held off. It wouldn’t be long now, though. Nena could smell it.

When the first scattered drops hit them, Nena looked ahead and saw the main body of the storm for the first time—a black wall of water bearing down on them from the south. They were headed straight into it and had maybe a few minutes before the deluge reached them. She glanced around one last time for any cover in the near vicinity, but none was to be had—as she had known there wouldn’t be. She regretted her earlier decision to not detour and seek shelter in the forest to the west. At the time, without knowing if Jarl pursued them or not, she’d felt she could not afford to take the risk and add the extra miles to their trip. But she’d had no idea then of the size of the approaching storm.

Nothing could be done about it now, other than to keep pushing forward toward the Bloodcliffs of the mountain. It would be miserable travel, but there would be plenty of time later for rest and comfort. Nena halted the mare and pulled Exanthia’s horse up alongside. Without dismounting, she untied the travel hide from the girl’s saddle and shook it open.

“It’s about to get very wet,” she said over her shoulder to Exanthia, her voice raised to be heard above the wind, even though the girl sat right behind her. “There is nowhere to stop here that will provide any protection for the horses, so we’ll keep going. This should keep us dry for the most part.” She pulled the hide over the two of them. Meant to be used as a tent, the hide was soft and pliable. It draped down over the legs of both riders on the sides, and half of the mare’s hindquarters in the back. Nena tucked the front lower edges, where they split at the mare’s withers, under each of her thighs, pinning them against the horse with her legs.

She gave the hide a gentle test tug. It held. It should work as long as the wind continued to blow from the front. If it changed direction and came from the rear, they would have to roll the back under Exanthia for her to sit on. Satisfied, Nena gathered the two sides of the hide together under her chin with one hand, leaving only a small hole for her face. She held the horse’s rein and the edges of hide together with her other hand, midway down her stomach. She was ready.

The first soaking blast of water temporarily blinded her. She blinked hard and tightened her grip on the hide. The mare balked and tried to turn around, not wanting to face the onslaught. Nena pushed her forward. Water squeezed between the hide and her face, running down her neck and arms. Soon her entire front was soaked. She could still feel Exanthia’s warmth pressed up against her back.

“Are you dry?” Nena twisted her head inside the hide and yelled.

“Yes, I am fine,” came the girl’s muffled reply.

As the wind and rain whipped around them, the few scattered landmarks quickly became invisible. Nena lost her bearings and stopped, unsure of what to do. She could continue to head into the wind and hope it remained coming out of the south, but if it shifted in the darkness, she could end up going the wrong way. She had to think. The river! The shallow river flowed almost all the way to the Bloodcliff Gates and, though she could no longer see it, she knew it was still somewhere to her left. If she rode along the water’s edge, it would keep her heading in the right direction.

She turned the mare and strained her eyes to see ahead, but saw nothing of the river until the mare’s hooves splashed into deeper water. She steered the horse back to the soggy bank and continued south. Battered by the storm and using only the river to guide them, they rode for hours. Even with the wet and cold, Nena felt her eyes closing. She had pushed her body to the point where it would no longer obey. The short catnaps she had managed to take along the way were no longer enough to keep it going. Her body demanded sleep—real sleep, but she could not stop now. Nena reached for the pouch at her waist and pulled out the root.

She hesitated.

Her head nodded forward. She jerked it back upright and lifted the root to her lips. She bit off a small piece and felt her lips and tongue go instantly numb.

“It’s about to rain like a cow pissin’ on a flat rock.” Tryggr shouted his warning to be heard above the wind. “We should set up the tents now and let this storm pass before it’s too late.”

Jarl stretched his neck from side to side and glared at the dark clouds bearing down on them.

Tryggr rode up next to him, but still had to yell. “Come on, Jarl. You know it has to