The Duke's Bed Warmer

Chapter 183: Fighting For Survival

The moon hung low over the city as Austin and Alina raced through the streets. Behind them, the palace lights faded, but the sound of the riders chasing them only grew louder.

"Faster!" Austin shouted, leaning low over the horse’s neck.

Alina clung to him tightly. They were riding on the same horse, having lost the other during an arrow attack. She wrapped her arms firmly around his waist, feeling the warmth of his blood seeping through his wound again.

"There they are!" one of the riders shouted. "Don’t let them escape!"

Austin turned sharply into a narrow alley between merchant stalls, knocking over a stack of empty crates. The chaos slowed two of the riders but one managed to break through and caught up with them.

He swung his sword towards Austin but he blocked it. Then he turned and struck him with his own sword. Pain flashed on Austin’s face as the impact jarred his injured arm. The rider attacked again. But before Austin could react, Alina grabbed the reins and pulled them to the left. The rider lost his balance and tumbled from his horse.

Arrows flew past them, one of them even grazing Alina’s arm. She gasped and moved closer to Austin.

"Are you hurt?" Austin asked, his voice full of panic.

"Just ride," she said through gritted teeth. "Don’t stop for me."

Soon the city disappeared behind them as they entered the dense forest. Tree branches whipped at their faces as they rode deeper. The sound of the riders chasing them slowly grew weaker.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Austin slowed the horse as they spotted an abandoned hut. Its wooden walls were leaning slightly, and moss covered the roof but it was better than nothing.

"It’ll do," Alina said.

They dismounted quickly. Austin began to set traps with ropes and sticks while Alina gathered firewood. Afterward, they went inside. Alina lit a small fire and Austin pushed old, rusty furniture against the door.

Then Alina sat beside him and carefully unwrapped the bandage on his arm. The wound was bleeding again.

"Please protect yourself like you protect me," she told him.

"Seems impossible under our current circumstances," he smiled faintly.

Alina sighed and cleaned his wound. Then wrapped another piece of her cloak around the wound. Neither of them spoke afterward. They both were too tired to say anything. The silence between them was heavy but comforting.

A little later, Austin pulled out the documents from his cloak.

"Keep them with you," he said, handing the documents to Alina. "’My blood will ruin them."

Alina took them and hid them safely under her cloak. Suddenly they heard the sound of horses coming in their direction. Austin immediately put out the fire, plunging them into darkness.

Austin pulled her against the back wall beside him, his arm gripping her shoulders tightly. The riders were merely a few yards away.

"Search every trail."

"Chancellor Crane wants them before sunrise."

"They couldn’t have gotten far."

Soon their voices faded. Only then did they relax.

"Thank god!" Alina whispered.

"Come," Austin said as he sat against the wall. "You need to rest."

"So do you," Alina replied as she sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.

They closed their eyes, and within minutes, both of them drifted into sleep.

When they opened their eyes, it was already dawn.

"We need to leave immediately!" Austin said.

Austin was saddling the horse when the sound of footsteps made them freeze. They both drew their weapons as five strangers emerged from the trees. They looked different from the riders chasing them but were carrying swords and bows in their hands.

"Who are you?" Austin asked.

Their leader, a tall man with a scarred face, looked at them carefully.

"We could ask you the same thing," he replied. "But I recognize you, Duke of Ravenmoor. And also her." His gaze flickered to Alina. "Crane has put a heavy bounty on you both. He has declared both of you as traitors."

"We’re not traitors," Austin said. "It’s Crane and the king..."

Before he could finish, the five of them began to laugh.

"You should see your facesgot you," the leader said. "Emeric had sent word to us through old channels before... before they got to him."

Austin glanced at Alina.

"Who are you?" Austin asked.

"We are former royal guards who were fired because of Crane’s corruption. We help people like you escape him."

"How can we believe you?" Austin asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

The leader smiled and put out a pouch of medical supplies from his bag. Then he walked towards Austin and replaces his bandage with a proper one. It wasn’t a proof but was enough for now. Soon, a fragile alliance formed between them.

"Crane has a vast network. His men are looking for you both everywhere," the guard leader informed them.

But before they could decide what to do next, the sound of approaching horses echoed through the forest. A dozen riders appeared in front of them within a few seconds.

"Protect the girl!" the guard leader shouted.

A fight broke out immediately. Austin killed the first attacker within a second as he charged towards him. Alina used the hut as cover and shot arrows from the bow she’d taken from one of the guards.

Austin got another cut on his side but kept fighting. Every time someone moved towards Alina, he stepped in front of her protectively.

But more riders kept coming. The guard leader looked worried. They were outnumbered.

"You both need to split up!" he yelled.

"No," Austin snapped immediately.

"Your Grace, listen to me!"

Austin cut down another attacker and moved closer to Alina.

"I’m not sending her anywhere."

"We are clearly outnumbered. We can’t win," the leader argued.

"I can protect her," Austin replied.

Another rider charged towards them. Austin blocked the strike but winced loudly as pain shot through his injured arm again.

"You’re wounded. We won’t be able to hold them off much longer," the leader explained. "Our goal isn’t to win this fight; it’s survival."

Austin looked at Alina, then at the growing number of riders emerging from the trees. The guard was right.

"Damn it!" he cursed as he closed his eyes briefly.

The guard leader immediately signalled for another horse.

"What are you doing?" Alina asked.

"You need to leave," he replied.

"No."

"Alina..."

"No!"

"Listen to me..." he said, gripping her shoulders.

"I’m not leaving you," her voice cracked.

"They’re right. If we want to survive, we..."

"I don’t care," she screamed.

"But I do," he said softly. "If we stay together, they’ll catch both of us."

"Then we can fight together."

"And lose?"

Alina fell silent. Austin rested his forehead briefly against hers despite the chaos around them.

"I need you to trust me," he whispered.

"I do trust you."

"Then leave."

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Austin looked away immediately, seeing her cry made the decision even harder.

"The guards will keep you safe," he murmured.

"And what about you?"

"It’s not that easy to kill me," he replied as a faint smile touched his lips.

"Austin..."

"I’ll find you...no matter where you go."

Then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. He then helped her get onto a horse.

"Go."

Before she could say something, Austin jumped on his own horse and charged towards the riders to distract them from Alina.

Alina kept looking at him as she rode in the opposite direction with three guards. After riding just a few steps, she turned and looked at him again, watching him disappear into the fight.