Chapter 25 : Captured

Ayda's POV

"Now hear me out, as a friend—as a very concerned and worried friend who has just seen a whole bunch of people get killed in various horrifying ways—maybe it isn't the best idea in the world to go back to the place that has all the people who want to kill you in it. Just a thought."

Nicolette had her two index fingers pressed together, the point resting under her thick bottom lip. Pelham eyed us wearily, awkwardly holding the yoke in his hands, shifting his focus from the grazing cattle to our standoff. We were still about half a day's journey to the nearest settlement, but to go any further would risk the cattle to a tragic death by exhaustion.

Pelham had felt that we'd covered enough ground that should anyone learn of Nicolette's and my departure from the castle, they'd be pressed to figure out which path we choose.

Even if it was common knowledge that we both could shift, we still needed to rest, which meant there would be long stretches of time wher