Lovers in the Woods Read Online Free PDF

bushes and branches.
She had heard of predators larger than their B-horses. There was no
way to stay on alert throughout the day. She had to nourish the
hope that any beast would prefer evading them over searching them
out. Unless
they need prey. Rayenne took a deep breath and tried to think of something
else.
    Based on the information police HQ had
provided, Sajitar had spent more than a moon phase in Emerald
Green, though there was no exact time available. From her point of
view, he appeared to be less frightened by the permanent dusk than
she was. The fact made her calmer and, yet, more alert. Whenever
she glanced at him, he was studying the trunks and tree-tops for
reasons she did not understand and dared not ask. It felt odd and
oppressing to ride through a wood that was more alien than any
other she had crossed. In her younger years, when she had still
worked for her father, she had ventured everywhere a space cruiser
had taken her, polishing her family’s reputation and living happily
in the wilderness. Yet that wide-ranging experience had not
prepared her for Belthraine and the thick woods that seemed to tell
visitors to stay away. She got the impression of being watched
permanently. Fear constricted her throat and she wished her partner
were with her.
    When at first Felberi had come
up with the idea of a shortcut through the woods she had been
skeptical, but he had sounded so experienced and had described the
trip as easy and their equipment sufficient. She wondered how much
of his talk had been bragging. Had he wanted to impress me? Had he thought that
being with one of the Whiteclaw family members would make him look
small if he did not dare ride through Emerald Green? She could not ask
him anymore, and suddenly sadness overflowed her.
    I wish I had had a choice.

Chapter
Two
     
     
    They rode slowly to find the
best path between low hanging branches that tried to claim and pull
them down. Not for the first time, Sajitar thought that all parts
of the woods were living beings that communicated with each other
and told every next standing tree about the strangers, like Chinese
whispers. He would not have been astonished if the branches had
linked like hands to hamper their progress. He wondered where he
got the idea. There were few men he knew who considered all parts
of the woods sentient. Most of them only saw trees, branches and leaves
that changed color with the season. They looked for money to be
made, but never for the beauty and the vivacity of their
surroundings.
    The further they moved, the harder it was
to ride, and finally they had to lead the horses through dense
vegetation. Here, four hours into the heart of Emerald Green, men
rarely ventured, and if they did they came in search of promising
trees to cut. But if men had once been here, all signs of them had
vanished. He did not even see stumps or splintered wood. However,
Sajitar did not feel like a pioneer, but more like an invader in a
domain the beasts would have prohibited entry, if they
could.
    “ Let’s head back closer to the road,” he
proposed, urged by sudden unease. “You have to contact HQ, you
said.”
    She frowned. “That was before the second
attack. I’m not so sure anymore that there were only four men
around.” She looked down at her gloved hands. “Sanjongy will know
about the stations that possess overhead transmission lines to
Belson Park. If I can avoid running into them again, I will.” And
when he did not answer, she added, “I’m not afraid, just cautious.
My job’s to bring you safely to court to hear your testimony.
There’s only one way to bring Wang down, and that's with as many
witnesses as we can get. Do you understand that?”
    “ The choices aren’t great, then. We could
get killed here.”
    Rayenne put out her chin, bravery in her
voice. “Or not. After all, it’s just woodland.”
    He grinned. “I admit you’re one
tough policeman —ah, woman. But these woods are not like any other you’ve
ever