Chapter 14
Josef cursed the storm for the hundredth time, chafing at how it slowed their progress. The path was full of puddles which could hide holes anywhere from a finger’s width deep to shin high. Difficult enough for a person to navigate, potentially deadly for a horse. He and the guards were all dismounted, leading their horses, and if anything they were moving slower than a normal walking pace. Instead of catching the girl they chased they were probably falling behind.
They should have easily reached the next village, Muddy Creek, by nightfall. At their earlier pace they would have reached it late afternoon or sooner. It was looking highly likely that they wouldn’t reach it at all that day. The light was fading fast, much earlier than normal due to the heavy storm clouds, a
