The horses strode softly at the same pace, side by side, while the riders enjoyed the calm scenery around them. They moved farther away from the mansion and into the woods.
Annette turned to him. "Shall we race? I would love to beat you."
A small smile appeared on his lips. "I'm afraid we can't do that. I don't know how good your riding skills are. Gods forbid you fall or twist your neck—the Viscount would not take kindly to that."
"You don't have to worry about that. I am an excellent rider," she replied.
"I still can't allow that until I can confirm it for myself."
"How can you confirm that if you won't let me race with you?"
"You can always race without me, Annette. So if you fall and break your neck, I would have no part in it."
The realization dawned on her. "How wicked! Here I thought you cared about my well-being, when it is only yourself you care about. I thought we were becoming good friends." She sighed, feigning sadness.
He chuckled again. "You do not care about my friendship."
"I do. I would like us to put the past behind us and start over—on a better note this time."
Gabe studied her for a few seconds before looking away. "Very well. Why don't we begin with more openness? Who truly are you?"
Annette blinked a few times. "You already know who I am, Gabriel. I am Annette—just a girl who lost everything and is deeply alone." She chortled lightly, trying to soften the weight of her words.
"What do you mean by 'lost everything'?" His eyes were back on her, watching her mask her emotions so well that they were impossible to read.
"I have no mother, father, brother, or sister. No friends or allies. I only have myself."
He couldn't tell if she was telling the truth or not. Gabe knew how skilled she was at acting, but if she was telling the truth, he almost felt pity for her situation. He couldn't imagine not having a family.
Annette was quick to catch the glimpse of pity in his eyes. "Please don't pity me. I have had enough to last me a lifetime."
Not wanting to press further, he steered the conversation in another direction. "At the night of the ball, why did you attack the Viscount?"
Letting out a sigh, she brushed her fingers against Lin's neck. She had been expecting this question. "I was angry—at the council and everyone around it. I knew I couldn't get to them, so I took it out on the Viscount."
Her response wasn't a complete lie, though.
"Hmmm. I'm now convinced that you do not know anything about the Viscount. To think it was smarter to attack him than the council is utterly stupid, Annette. He would have killed you in an instant."
She smiled. "He would have—but he didn't. I don't know why he kept me alive, but I plan on keeping it that way, for I am slowly finding a reason to live again."
She watched him absorb and think over her words. Her smile slowly broadened—this was good. She was gradually breaking his resolve. With a few more sad and pitiful words, she would be able to reach him.
Annette almost gave herself a pat on the back.
"I must warn you to be careful. The Viscount is not one to toy with. You will never know what to expect from him."
Not when I finally drive a sword into his black heart and end it all.
"I shall keep that in mind, Gabriel."
Annette wanted to press further about the Viscount but held herself back. One step at a time.
"I'm giving her a short run. Can you keep up?"
She smirked. "Of course. After you, sir."
Gabriel scoffed, whipping the reins as his horse galloped down the path, its hooves striking the ground hard.
Annette followed suit, keeping a good distance between them. The wind hitting her face, the blood pumping through her veins, the steady rhythm of Lin's hooves—it all felt good.
Lin began to slow down after a few minutes. It was obvious she wasn't used to long runs. Not wanting to exhaust her, Annette guided the mare into a more comfortable pace. Her eyes drifted ahead to where Gabriel was already disappearing around a curve.
"Good girl. You did well," she whispered, stroking the horse.
Annette reached up to push strands of hair away from her face but stilled at the sudden chill that washed over her. It felt as though she had stepped into a winter storm.
Her heart dropped as her eyes scanned the surroundings. Something was off, and she could feel it deep in her bones. The eerie silence did not help either—even Lin shifted uncomfortably. She felt it too.
Letting out a shaky breath, Annette surveyed the area carefully. An audible gasp escaped her lips, her eyes widening at the sight before her.
Standing about twenty feet away was a woman, partially concealed behind a tree, draped in all black—her dress, her silky hair, and a thin scarf covering her face.
Even with her face veiled, Annette could feel the woman's burning gaze fixed on her. There was something deeply unsettling and unnatural about her.
Annette swallowed, unable to look away despite the warning bells ringing loudly in her head. Everything around her slowed—the wind, the sounds, even time itself. It was as if the world had come to a halt. Even Lin stood unnaturally still.
"You. Are. Going. To. Die."
The slow, hoarse voice echoed around Annette, nearly knocking her off her horse.
Even from a distance, she could see the woman's lips moving forming the exact same words she had just heard.
Fear seeped deep into her bones as Annette tried to urge Lin forward, but the horse remained frozen, rigid, unmoving, as though rooted to the ground.
Her hands trembled as the woman drew closer.
She wasn't walking… and yet she was getting nearer.
Every time Annette blinked, the distance between them shrank.
Fuck this, she hissed inwardly.
She wasn't going to stand there and wait.
Annette jumped down from the horse, turning to run when a hand suddenly grabbed her arm.
A scream tore up her throat, ready to fight to the death for her freedom—
"What is wrong with you?"
A voice snapped her back.
Confusion flooded her features as she stared at Gabriel, unable to comprehend how he was suddenly standing in front of her.
The woman…
Where was she?
Annette's eyes darted around wildly, searching but there was nothing.
There was no figure, movement or trace. She was gone.
As if she had never been there at all.
Gabriel's suspicion slowly shifted into concern. "Annette… you're shaking. Are you alright?"
Only after confirming the woman was truly gone did Annette manage to breathe again.
She pulled her hand from his grip, forcing a small smile onto her lips. "I'm fine," she said lightly, letting out a faint, unsteady laugh.