The Princess Contract

Chapter Ten

 'In no time' translated into roughly thirty minutes of jarring, gut lurching, off terrain travel on horseback. By the time they reached the main road, Abby was confident she would never ride a horse again. The animal shifted from a canter to a slow walk and Abby found herself finally able to relax.

"How much longer?" she asked, feeling anxious. Her eyes scanned the road for approaching vehicles. She wasn't entirely certain how long it had been since she'd left the house, but she was confident that Vanessa and Jasper were likely beside themselves trying to find her.

"Not far, just around the next bend," her companion assured her. She realized then that she was still gripping him quite tightly and loosened her hold. It may have been her imagination, but she swore she heard him laugh under his breath and could imagine him smiling.

He was a far cry from the boy who had dragged her in through his bedroom window earlier that day and threatened to turn her into the police. What had changed? It was almost as though he was a different person. Was the brooding, bad boy act just for show?

For the next several minutes the two rode in silence. As they drew closer to their destination, Abby cleared her throat and spoke.

"Thank you, for your help," she said at last, feeling awkward, "I wanted to say it now just in case I forget later."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Abby, but don't thank me just yet," he replied. Abby was about to say more when he interrupted her.

"Hold on tight," he ordered.

Before Abby even had a chance to protest, the horse sprang forward and to the left, back into the field they'd just come from. Abby turned to look back at the road and caught sight of a vehicle approaching them. Though it was impossible to tell for certain, she knew it had to be Vanessa and Jasper. He must have suspected it as well considering how quickly he had reacted.

With her arms locked tightly around his waist, Abby once more found herself pressed into his back to keep from flying off the horse. If she was honest with herself, it wasn't an unpleasant situation all things considered. Sebastian was a skilled rider and he seemed to know the area well, maneuvering around trees and other obstacles with practiced ease. The horse obeyed each command, never hesitating, or so it seemed to Abby who could feel the powerful animal moving beneath her.

After several minutes, Sebastian eased the horse into a slow walk before finally bringing him to a stop. Abby lifted her face from his back and looked around. They had stopped on the top of a ridge that overlooked miles of rolling hills, trees, and winding roads. At the bottom of the ridge Abby caught sight of a house with a strikingly familiar back garden.

"You brought me back here?" She asked incredulously as he dismounted.

"Abby-"

"I should have known better than to trust you!" Abby cut him off.

"Just listen to me-"

"No," she growled, her frustration and anger causing her blood to run hot through her veins. She had half a mind to punch him square between the eyes, but she resisted the urge. She didn't need assault charges pressed against her. Instead, she made a grab for the reins, intending to ride off on the horse and make her own escape. The sudden motion startled the animal beneath her causing it to rear back. For a few, heart stopping moments, Abby felt nothing but wind rushing past her as she flew through the air. She hit the ground hard enough to knock the breath from her lungs and for a solid minute she simply lay there coughing, struggling to inhale.

"Jesus, Abby, are you always this damn stubborn?" he asked as he knelt down beside her. "Are you hurt? Is anything broken? Do I need to get help? Do you realize you could have gotten yourself killed?" He sounded genuinely concerned, and a little angry, which surprised Abby. He was the one who had lied to her, what did he have to be so upset about?