Free Allegra's Dream (Avador Book 4, a Books We Love Fantasy Romance) by Shirley Martin

inside, and her heart throbbed with happiness. How she wanted to rush into his arms, kiss him and hold him, tell him never to leave her again. Words stuck in her throat. “Rowan,” was all she could say.
    “Bad news, my lady! Just returned from the Minister of State, who informed me that the war faction has sent assassins after you. They’ve discovered that you reside here. We must hurry and leave, go somewhere else!”
    “How does the Minister of State know this?”
    “We have our spies in Fomoria.. Please hurry, we must leave.”
    “Again!”
    “I’m afraid so. Pack only what you need for the next day or so.” He turned and addressed the maid. “Elsa, we will come for you later. In the meantime, pack the princess’s possessions, and we will fetch you and them soon.
    “Elsa!” she cried. “What about her? What if someone comes after her?”
    “I’ve already thought of that. I hired more guards, heavily armed. They’re on their way.”
    “Good!” Recognizing the need for haste, Allegra hurried to her bedchamber and returned within minutes, a velvet bag in her hand. She had to know. “The letters?”
    “Delivered. We will talk later.”
    He took the bag from her. “We’ll leave now. I have a horse bridled and saddled for you.”
    Soon they were on their way, after she bade Elsa a hurried and tearful goodbye. They started at a canter but soon galloped, making talk difficult. Still, she had to know. “Where are we going?”
    “To my apartment, for now.” He said no more, and she left the question in abeyance.
    Time for more questions later.
    They rode as fast as possible, villages and farmland passing by in a blur.
    She wanted to ask him about her country and what he’d seen, but--
    Zing! An arrow whizzed past her, then another.
    “My lady! We must get out of here!”
    She glanced behind her and saw several horsemen, all of them notching an arrow. Her heart pounded, her skin ice cold. “Ah, no!”
    “Hurry, my lady!”
    “We’ll get you, Princess,” she heard a man call behind her. “ You can’t get away from us!” Shivers raced down her arms.
    They spurred their horses faster, soon reaching the East-West Road. Arrows fell harmlessly beside her, but too close, too close!
    “Take a side road!” Rowan indicated a small dirt track, and they veered in that direction.
    “Moytura!” he shouted. “I know the city by heart. We’ll lose ‘em there.”
    But would they make it to the city in time? She looked behind her and saw the horsemen still in pursuit.
    She rode like she’d never ridden before, no, not even when she had left Elegia. Turning around one more time, she saw the horsemen gaining on them. They’d never make it to the city. Nausea rose in her stomach; she swallowed spasmodically.
    Up ahead, a farmer approached the road from one of the fields, leading a flock of sheep. If only they could ride past before the sheep crossed the road. . . !
    Yes, they made it! She breathed a long sigh of relief as the sheep started across after them, blocking the road. Still, they galloped on. They couldn’t stop now. She looked behind her one more time and saw the horsemen far back, unable to pass the flock, unable to ride around.
    Reaching the city from the west, they skirted the warehouses until they came to the main section of Moytura.
    Now that danger was past–she hoped–they slowed their horses and Rowan spoke in quieter tones. “The city was built with winding, convoluted streets to hinder foreign invaders.” And indeed, they rode in a circuitous manner, often seeming to backtrack. They walked their horses as they came to the populous section of the city with its many shops.
    Once more, she looked behind her but saw no sign of the horsemen. Still, she feared they weren’t clear of danger. She turned her head toward Rowan. “Now where are we going?”
    “To my apartment. I had thought to take you to a vacant apartment, but with these men in pursuit, I must change plans. From there . .