#Chapter 32: A Good Horse

Neil & Raven Neil My horse’s hooves pounded against the ground beneath us as I pushed him harder, faster, the wind stinging my face and tearing at my cloak. My muscles burned and my bones ached from riding nonstop for hours, but I did not slow down. As the first light of dawn filtered through the trees, the remnants of Serena’s caravan came into view. The first thing I saw was smoke rising from an overturned carriage. After that came the scent of burnt flesh and death. I pulled back on the reins, bringing my horse to a halt, and dismounted. My boots sank into the blood-soaked earth with a sickening squelch. I had seen death before plenty of times, but not like this. The bodies were strewn across the ground like discarded toys, limbs twisted unnaturally, skin burnt off the bones. Whatever valuables they had had were long gone, likely pilfered by the rogues. But I did not care about the items. With each female body that I turned over, I was relieved to fin