Broken Forest: Book One of the Daath Chronicles by Eliza Tilton Page A

smirked. I ducked as his blade swished above me, slicing air. I belted him in the gut. The punch rocked him back a step. Grabbing his wrist, I squeezed a pressure point, forcing the weapon to drop. I now had full control of the fight. I stepped around him, twisting the arm I held. The kidnapper grunted and tried to dislodge me by elbowing my stomach, but I was too quick. I avoided the elbow and brought the man to his knees.
    I pulled the dagger from its sheath and held it to his throat. It seemed fitting to finish him off with my family’s weapon. I pushed the dagger into his skin and he started praying. That only angered me more.
    Rudy came up behind me. “Leave that one alive!”
    Rudy’s brows narrowed. I must have looked like a wild beast. “We’ll need to be asking him questions. Everyone else is either dead or has run away.”
    “This is the man who kidnapped my sister, and you want me to keep him alive?”
    Rudy furrowed his brow. “Aye.”
    Shaking my head, I pressed the blade deeper, drawing a thin line of blood. “No.”
    Rudy propped his axe on his shoulder. “Kill him after he talks.”
    “What do we need him for? The fight is over!”
    “We need to know who these men be working for.”
    I stood over the man, debating his death.
    I should kill him. Father would want it.
    I waited for Jeslyn’s kidnapper to beg, but he didn’t. Slowly, my anger faded. Nauseous guilt crept in. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill a defenseless man. And Rudy was right. These men had to be reporting to someone — and that was the person I needed to kill.

Shouts and slamming hooves boomed outside. Were we being rescued? If not, I figured I could use the distraction to escape. The guards would be too busy to notice me. I hoped.
    I slid my shaking hand between the bars of the wagon door, trying to reach the lock. The tip of my fingers touched the top. It was too low. I pulled at the fabric covering the window. After numerous tries, it ripped from above, hurling me back.
    Carnage covered every inch of the ground. Bile rose in my throat and I held it back. I watched a giant sword impale through a man’s chest. I screamed when the attacker looked up.
    “Derrick!” I waved my hand, hoping he could see or hear me.
    He did.
    He slashed his way towards me, chopping down anyone in his path. He screamed my name and tears slid down my cheeks. I was safe.
    He stepped onto the wheel, taking my hand and kissing it feverishly. “You’re alive.”
    “Get me
out
of here,” I cried.
    “Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be fine. Are you hurt?”
    I shook my head. “I’m scared, Derrick.”
    “Nothing is going to happen to you. Okay?”
    “Where’s Calli?” I said, praying she had made it home to our father.
    “Safe.”
    Derrick would protect me. This nightmare would finally end.
    “I love you,” I said.
    “I love you too.” He winked and jumped down. “I might be able to break the lock with my sword. Stand back.”
    I scooted away from the door and waited. I heard a loud thump, then silence. “Derrick?” When he didn’t answer, I panicked. “Derrick!”
    The door opened, and the captain stood there, grinning.
    “You! What have you done?”
    “Lord Lucino will be very unhappy if I come back empty handed, but you pretty thing, might compensate for our losses.”
    I kicked and screamed. The girl with me clawed at him. He punched her in the face and she slumped to the floor.
    “I’ll do the same to you if you don’t shut up. We can do this the nice way, or the hard way.”
    I spit in his face.
    “Okay, guess it’s the hard way.” He drew back. I tried to avoid the incoming blow, but there was no escape.

“Jess!” Derrick opened his eyes and tried to sit up. I grabbed his shoulder, steadying him.
    “Careful,” I said. “You were hit pretty hard.”
    “Where’s Jess? Is she okay?”
    I helped him to his feet. “She’s not here. I searched everywhere.”
    Derrick’s eyes widened. He spun around,