The carriage rolled along the soft riverbank soil, the wheels sinking slightly, making for a deceptively smooth ride.
Inside, Eric sat in the cramped darkness, his limbs painfully bound in heavy chains, forcing him into an awkward crouch.
His only connection to the outside world was a small, square-shaped window just big enough for his nose to poke through.
Gritting his teeth, he pressed his face against the opening, catching glimpses of the world beyond—the slow gallop of horses, the glint of armor in the sunlight, the river flowing beside them. And then, there was him.
Ryan rode alongside the carriage, his posture effortless, his expression unreadable. The way he sat on that horse, like he had all the time in the world, made Eric's blood boil. His gaze burned holes into the man's profile, but Ryan, infuriatingly, didn't even glance his way.
