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Then, without warning, Lady Estora kicked her horse into a quick trot, then into a canter, and they were off again, careening through the trees, ducking beneath low li up fro across the path and leaped them Goss refused the trees and paced in a circle until Lady Miranda’s mare went before him

Amberhill leaned forward and said into his horse’s ear, “Before the day is done I will see you gelded!” It was an empty threat, for he’d intended to use Goss as the foundation stud of his horse farm

But Goss did not pay a whit of attention to him anyway, all his senses focused on the rowled He needed to be up front, closer to Lady Estora, but Lady Miranda, atoward the back The trail was a narrow track, and it would not be easy to thrash through the trees to get to the front, and they were nearing the place…

In a moment of inattention, Goss snapped at Lady Miranda’s mare above the tail The mare kicked and Goss sidestepped with a snort

“Idiot!” A the stallion to half-rear and circle While he struggled to control his horse, he was passed by the servants A Weapon on a steed as black as his uniforlance as he cantered by

“I will feed your bones to the dogs!” Amberhill told his unimpressed horse

When Goss realized the ed down the trail, A his seat By the tiht up with the party, it was too late

FOG

An unnatural fog crept through the woods, tu farther than a few feet ahead Panicked whinnies and shouts echoed through the woods A riderless horse galloped back down the trail, dragging its reins Then silence

Goss seemed to run in place even as Amberhill laid his whip into hi e, he pulled Goss to a halt He could not gallop heedlessly where he could not see Goss pranced and snorted, but A to decide what to do

A voice rang out somewhere ahead “My lady, you will come with me”

It was Morry A tall upon his sleek horse attired as the Raven Mask, the silk obscuring his features The plan was going ahead even without Amberhill in his place

Morry, as the Raven Mask, was supposed to present Lady Estora to the mysterious noble as behind the abduction Amberhill was then to pretend to be held at bay by the Raven Mask while the noble o their separate ways, the noble with Lady Estora to whatever estate he held, Morry into the woods with his payment, and Amberhill back to the city to report the honor abduction and pass on the noble’s demands

In an honor abduction, the captive wasn’t supposed to be placed in danger, and was required to be treated well by her captors Nobles understood as expected, for this code of honorable conduct had ancient and revered roots arievance aired, and the captive returned unharo about its business

The unnatural fog, however, heightened Aut Morry had warned hio awry Morry hadn’t liked this plan fro…