Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
“No. We can’t. You are a prize we have fought long and hard to claim. You belong to us now,” explained the third man.
My brow wrinkled at his words. “You’re not here to kill me?”
A bark of laughter came from all three men.
The first one answered for the group. “You may trust us in this, lass. The very last thing we plan to do is kill you.”
“Enough talk,” ground out the second grumpily. “The others are waiting below.”
He stepped before me. Laying a hand on my chest, he pushed.
Flailing, my outstretched hands scrambled for some kind of purchase but only met with air. The sound of rushing wind tormented me as I fell backward into nothingness. My scream lost in the void. What was only an instant felt like an eternity.
Then…instead of the cold embrace of death, I felt warmth.
I was held in a pair of strong arms. The feel of soft fur caressed my cheek. He smelled of pine and whiskey. I looked up into his bearded face, surprised when he gave me a wink.
“Well, men. It looks like I have caught some falling Snow.”
I was surrounded by hearty laughter.
With a start, I craned my neck around. Three large burly men stared back at me with interest. Another four men.
Seven in total.
With a screech, I twisted and turned my body, trying to break free. The man who held me easily tossed me over his shoulder. I felt the heat of his large hand on the undercurve of my ass.
“You bastard!” I yelled. “Get your hands off me!”
I had a brief moment of satisfaction when I felt his hand move away. Then there was a burst of raw pain. His open palm had struck my right buttock. The thin fabric of my gown did not keep the prickling hot needles from racing over my chilled skin.
Shock kept me immobile.
One of the other men circled round my captor’s back. Grabbing my dark, ebony hair, he forced my head up. I winced at the twinge of pain.
Addressing the assembled men, he said, “Let’s get our new prize home so we can really begin her punishment.”
I opened my mouth to scream, but he shoved a gag between my red lips, tying it tightly behind my head.
Once upon a time, I was a princess named Snow White…Now, I am the captive prize of seven huntsmen.
CHAPTER 2
Seven men. Seven men. Seven men.
My heart beat out a frenetic cadence as all I could think was seven men. How was I to escape from seven men?
The woods.
They were my only hope. Stealing furtive glances at them from beneath my cascade of hair, I waited for my moment. They were carrying me to a small clearing just on the other side of the castle walls.
Where were the guards?
Why was no one raising the alarm?
As we neared their horses, I could feel the muscles in my body tense, primed for action. The very moment my bare feet touched the ground, I bolted.
Hearing their outraged shouts and cries only spurred me on.
Straining to see in the moonlight dimmed by the forest, I dodged and weaved through the dark, towering trees. Sinking deep into the icy cold slush, my feet felt cold and bruised. My palms were scraped raw as I braced myself against the rough bark of the trees to keep from slipping.
I could hear their howls of frustration as they searched the forest for me. Their large bodies crashed through the underbrush like wild beasts who had picked up the scent of vulnerable prey nearby.
Placing my back against the harsh surface of one tree, I clawed at the knot behind my head holding the gag in place. The moment the dingy fabric dropped from my lips, I sucked in a desperate breath. The frigid air stabbed at my lungs. My usually pale skin glowed a raw red as the bitter cold chafed. With nothing more than my thin silk nightgown and no protection for my feet, I would not last long exposed to the unforgiving elements.
The village was too far away, and there was no guarantee I would find shelter and help. My only hope was to hide from the huntsmen long enough to double back to the castle. The possibility that it was my very own stepmother who had sent them after me crossed my mind. The castle would not be safe for long, but it was a massive structure with plenty of places to hide. Perhaps I could find a servant still loyal to me or my father. It was a risk I was willing to take.
Straining to hear, I was alarmed at the sudden stillness.
Something was wrong.
I could no longer hear the tread of the huntsmen’s booted feet on the forest floor, or the snap of brittle tree branches as their tall frames passed. They were no longer shouting to one another or cursing my flight.