Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Imperial Hunt (3)

The forest was filled with silence until suddenly everything changed.

The air seemed to become heavier and denser. The branches stopped rustling, and even the birds, which had been fluttering invisibly somewhere above, fell silent.

I barely had time to exhale when strange rustling sounds came from the shadows deep in the forest — quiet but persistent, getting closer.

"Who’s there?" I said cautiously, feeling my voice betray me.

My fingers tightened on the reins, and the horse sensed my unease — it snorted and shifted from foot to foot, nervously shaking its head.

There was no answer. Only a shadow moving to the side made me turn around sharply.

And then, as if on an invisible signal, several dark silhouettes burst out from behind the tree trunks. They moved quickly and confidently, surrounding me on all sides. One of them darted forward, another went around to the left, and the third ended up behind me, completely blocking my retreat.

I froze, not believing my eyes. Their faces were hidden under dark hoods, their clothes were simple, without crests or decorations, but every movement they made felt rehearsed. There was no doubt about it — they were mercenaries.

A chill ran down my spine.

I didn’t know how they got here, because the reserve was guarded by the imperial guard. It all seemed impossible. But the fact remained — they were here, right in front of me.

I felt my heart pound loudly in my chest, and my breathing became uneven.

The forest, which had seemed peaceful to me just a moment ago, had suddenly turned into a trap.

I was completely stunned by this turn of events. It all happened too quickly.

I tried to steer the horse to the side, hoping to increase the distance between myself and the attackers, but the animal, sensing the tension, snorted anxiously. Its ears pressed against its head, its muscles tensed, and a wild fear flashed in its eyes.

"Quiet... calm down," I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady, even though my own heart was pounding as if it wanted to burst out of my chest.

But it was too late. The horse shuddered and reared up sharply. Its piercing neigh cut through the air — desperate and hollow, echoing throughout the forest. I clung to the reins, but my strength was not enough: the animal jerked its head, and in an instant I felt my world turn upside down.

The fall was sharp. The ground met me mercilessly — I hit my side, and a hoarse gasp escaped from my chest.

I lay there for a few seconds, stunned, feeling a sharp pain creeping up my arm and my ears ringing from the impact.

The horse, panicked, galloped away, disappearing among the trees.

I tried to get up, but my legs were shaking.

And then I saw them — mercenaries slowly approaching me. Their eyes, barely visible under their hoods, gleamed with a predatory glint. One of them gripped the hilt of his sword, another took a step forward, tilting his head as if assessing his prey.

"No..." I whispered, feeling a shiver run through my body. "No!"

My voice sounded hollow, barely audible, but it contained everything — fear, despair, and incomprehension as to how I had ended up in such a situation.

Fear paralyzed me, and I realized that I couldn’t handle this on my own.

My heart was pounding, blood was throbbing in my temples, and my fingers were shaking so badly that I could barely keep my balance, pressing my palm against the damp ground.

I couldn’t believe that I could really die here — in this place, at the hands of some unknown killers! It all seemed so absurd, so impossible, that my mind refused to accept it.

Who would have thought that a routine imperial hunt, intended as a solemn and noble pastime, could turn into a deadly trap for me?

How the hell could this have happened?!...

Hundreds of thoughts raced through my head, each one crazier than the last. I tried to understand how mercenaries could have gotten into the guarded royal reserve in the first place.

Maybe it was an assassination attempt? But on whom? Me? Or had someone from the nobility decided to use the hunt as a cover for much darker deeds?

In any case, it seemed that it no longer mattered.

Now that I found myself in this hopeless situation, I realized that my chances of survival were probably zero.

I felt the coldness of fear rising from my chest to my throat, preventing me from breathing. Everything inside me tightened, and my body felt numb.

I closed my eyes, anticipating imminent pain and knowing that it was inevitable...

But just at that moment, when I had already resigned myself to my fate, there was a sharp sound.

A horse’s neigh, a loud and commanding shout, and then the clang of steel.

"Lady Weinstein, be careful!"

I opened my eyes wide.

From the depths of the forest, as if emerging from the shadows themselves, a horseman rode out into the illuminated clearing. His silhouette was unclear at first due to the sun’s glare shining through the treetops, but with each passing moment, his features became clearer.

A white horse, a gleaming white uniform, golden locks shimmering in the sun.

Prince Richard de Stone.

He appeared so suddenly that for a moment I thought it was just an illusion. But no, it was him — the real thing.

He held a sword, its blade reflecting the sunlight, and his gaze was focused and cold.

The same man I had first met this morning during the preparations for the imperial hunt now appeared before me like salvation incarnate in a single moment.

I didn’t know how Richard had gotten here, but at that moment it seemed to me that the forest itself had receded before him, letting him pass through its shadows.

Leaping from his horse with the agility of an experienced fighter, Richard de Stone instantly drew his sword and rushed forward — right into the thick of the enemy. His movements were quick and precise.

The forest around us was filled with the sounds of metal and falling bodies, the cries of mercenaries interspersed with the prince’s ragged breathing.

I stood motionless, feeling my heart beating wildly in my chest, as if trying to break free. I couldn’t breathe, and my breathing was uneven.

I had no idea where Richard could have come from. Wasn’t he supposed to stay with the main group of hunters? Why was he here, at this very moment?

Barely managing to get to my feet, I froze, unable to move. Everything that was happening seemed almost unreal.

I watched as Richard knocked one of the mercenaries down with a single blow, then turned and delivered a precise and merciless strike to another.

His cloak fluttered in the air, and his face remained calm and focused, as if there was no fear in his eyes — only cold determination.

"Lady Weinstein, run!" he shouted without turning around.

But I couldn’t move.

My feet seemed to be glued to the ground, my body wouldn’t obey me. Fear held me in a death grip, like an invisible chain, and even the prince’s voice couldn’t break this paralysis.

I just stood there and watched as he fought alone against everyone, protecting me at the cost of his own safety.

"Run!" the prince shouted again, parrying a blow and colliding with another mercenary.

His voice sounded sharp, almost commanding, as if giving an order that could not be disobeyed.

I blinked in confusion and seemed to come to my senses.

This time I really tried to do something and step back, but I didn’t have time to do so.

One of the attackers, noticing my movement, abruptly changed direction and lunged toward me. A short blade flashed in his hands.

I didn’t even have time to scream. All I could do was instinctively recoil, but it was too late.

Prince Richard rushed forward, intercepting the blow intended for me.

There was a short, sharp sound. For a split second, everything around me froze.

I saw the enemy’s blade graze him, the fabric of his snow-white uniform tear, and scarlet blood immediately appear on it.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Damn it!" Richard hissed through clenched teeth, grabbing the sword with both hands and throwing the attacker aside with a powerful blow.

I saw his shoulder jerk with pain, but he didn’t allow himself a moment of weakness. His eyes remained cold and focused, as if the wound were nothing more than an annoying nuisance.

Despite the blood running down his sleeve, the prince continued to fight.

His movements became slightly slower, but remained precise and confident.

Steel clanged, and the air was thick with the smell of blood. A few moments later, it was finally over.

Richard had finally managed to knock all of his attackers to the ground. They lay there — some moaning, some barely moving, and a few showing no signs of life.

This was our only chance to escape.

Richard instantly seized the moment. He turned to me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me away from the scene of the fight. His grip was strong, almost painful, but at that moment I didn’t feel it at all.

"Hurry!" he ordered, his breathing uneven. "We have to get out of here before they recover."

I blinked, as if waking from a stupor, and only then realized how much my hands were shaking. Nodding, I hurried after him, trying not to fall behind.