Free Rebel's Cage (Book 4) by Kate Jacoby

the Enclave – but that was the problem: it was only for the most part. There were still, even after all these years, periods when he chafed at the bit, when a burning restlessness surged from within. If it hadn’t been for Fiona and his children, Jenn didn’t doubt that Finnlay would risk capture and leave the Enclave altogether, taking his chances with a life of freedom rather than the prison he was confined to.
    Even after all this time, he hadn’t realised that there were different kinds of prisons and his was the gentlest, the best he could hope for.
    And now he’d had direct word of Robert; he might even be close by, was, even now, working in some way to help the people of Lusara, just as Finnlay had always wanted to do.
    Just as she had once, a long time ago, before the Key had chosen her for Jaibir and her fate had been sealed.
    As had Robert’s.
    Nothing had turned out the way they had expected.
    There was so much of Robert in Finnlay, so much of that deeply embedded need to
do
something constructive. That’s why Finnlay had started the Enclave Combat school in the first place, their very own D’Azzir to match that of the Malachi – and why he had suggested these trips out into the forest.
    Why he was determined to
do
something about Andrew, regardless of the cost.
    Abruptly Finnlay came to a halt, holding up his hand. There was a moment’s pause, then he swung down with a thud.
    ‘What is it?’
    ‘The path,’ he replied quietly, frowning at the ground, then at the trees standing close on their left. ‘It’s gone. Must have been a landslide since I was last here. We’ll have to dismount and walk. The forest sits too close to ride. Get the others ready while I take a quick look around.’
    Jenn passed the word back. As quietly as possible, they all dismounted, then stood waiting, the animals no longer restless but tired. They would have to rest at some point, but not until they were clear of the soldiers.
    ‘Serin’s breath!’ Finnlay’s curse came out resigned and Jenn moved to his side. He was just putting his
ayarn
away and he looked at her. ‘There’s another group of soldiers following us. They must have picked up our tracks.’
    ‘Can we escape them?’
    ‘Not on foot.’ He frowned again, looking up at the sky. The moon was already past the tree-line, giving them more cover. ‘There used to be a path going down to the bottom. It’s not far from here. When we reach it, we’ll set a false trail going down, and cover our tracks up here. That might be enough. Come on, let’s get moving.’
    *
    Where are you, Robert?
    Finnlay tried not to clench his teeth as he sent out the silent query again and again. Of course, it was a futile exercise; he’d never been able to mindspeak his brother; only Jenn. Even so, who was to say that it might not work one day?
    He could already scent the morning on the air. In anotherhour, the sun would begin to peek over the hills. They needed to be out of the forest by then. Out and away.
    Damned stupid idea to come here in the first place. But they’d been doing it for years now and this was the first time they’d had any trouble.
    They’d laid the false trail and it had worked, to a point. The soldiers had gone down into the gorge, but they were still following. It was now a race against time. If they could reach the village of Solmoss before the soldiers came upon them, they would be safe, hidden amongst the population. They were looking for Robert, for a band of raiders, rather than three adults and eight children – but one of those children was a Duke who frequented court, who knew the King. If Andrew were to be recognised – or himself or even Jenn, there would be trouble indeed.
    Robert?
    What was he doing? Leading an ambush? Feeding the people grain stolen by the Guilde? Making a tiny mark here and there when he, above all others, had the power to do so much more?
    Was this all that the Prophecy had left him?
    A cry from behind was quickly