Chapter 51

Elwin urged his mount to a furious gallop.

The mountain bypass linking the count’s estate to the railway station was treacherous even under ideal conditions, but today the elements had rendered it nearly impassable. Fallen branches littered the center of the path, catching the horse’s hooves, while slippery, loose clay had been deliberately scattered across every hairpin turn.

At first, Elwin assumed his own mounting desperation was making the journey feel unusually difficult. Yet as these obstacles appeared with systematic regularity, he realized they were no accident.

They were deliberate.

Even in his own panicked flight, Dwight had spared no effort to sabotage any potential pursuer. The tactics were petty, yet undeniably effective. Having bolted from the stables without even taking the time to throw a saddle over the stallion’s back, Elwin jolted violently each time he was forced to haul the animal to a sudden halt.

“Haa…”

Once again, Elwin wrenched the reins, narrowly preventing the stallion from losing its footing on a patch of slick earth.

The sun dipped low on the horizon, filtering through the dense canopy in dizzying shafts of amber light.

Swallowing a ragged breath, he wore an expression of stubborn, unyielding fury. No matter what blockades were laid before him, he could not afford to stop. To falter now was to grant Dwight exactly what the man desired.

Steel of will, Elwin steadied his rapid breathing and tightened his grip on the leather straps.

Ahead lay the steep, precipitous descent. It was the very stretch of trail where Selena had nearly tumbled to her death, yet Elwin navigated it without hesitation. Perhaps because Dwight had been too preoccupied with surviving the downward sprint to set traps, the fallen branches and mounds of dirt finally ceased. Nothing stood in Elwin’s path.

Halfway down the slope, Elwin held his breath and listened. Through the rustling foliage, a faint sound echoed from below—the heavy, uneven thuds of galloping hooves and ragged breathing.

I’m almost there!

He pushed the stallion down the steep gradient.

Before long, Dwight’s retreating figure emerged through the sparse treeline just ahead. Attempting to keep his approach a secret for as long as possible, Elwin tried to ride silently, but the noise was unavoidable. Dwight stole a glance over his shoulder. Caught off guard by the sudden proximity of his pursuer, Dwight lost his balance, swaying wildly in his stirrups as he shrieked in irritation.

“Ugh!”

Elwin did not waver. Deftly leaping his horse over a mound of loose stones, he closed the gap until the dirt kicked up by Dwight’s mount pelted his face.

“Mr. Dwight!” Elwin commanded, his voice ringing with authority. “Stop!”

Dwight sneered, his eyes wild with malice. “You’re the one who should stop—unless you want to get badly hurt.”

It was no empty threat.

As Elwin pulled his reins to draw closer, Dwight’s hand plunged deep into his coat pocket. The two rode neck-and-neck along the narrow, winding ledge. The trees along the cliffside grew sparse, and the crimson glow of the setting sun saturated Elwin’s vision. Suddenly, Dwight whipped his hand out of his pocket and flung something backward.

A flash of sharp silver sliced through the air.

Reflexively, Elwin jerked his horse’s head aside, but redirecting the massive charger in an instant was impossible.

The projectile grazed the beast’s shoulder.

“Ah…!”

The horse’s hide tore, spraying crimson blood.

Starled by the sudden pain, the animal reared violently, its front hooves flailing in the air. On the steep, unstable slope, the sudden upheaval sent Elwin sliding backward off the horse’s bare back. He fought to maintain his grip, wrapping the leather reins around his palms, but both rider and beast stumbled toward the crumbling edge of the cliff.

They were on the verge of plunging into the abyss.

“Sir Elwin!”

The thunder of approaching hooves sounded from behind, accompanied by a desperately familiar voice. Leon surged forward, wrapping a powerful arm around Elwin’s waist to steady him. With his other hand, Leon reached over Elwin’s white-knuckled grip, seizing the reins and pulling them down.

“Whoa, easy now. Whoa.”

Guided by Leon’s calm, practiced commands, the terrified charger managed to plant its hooves, regaining its footing on the very lip of the precipice.

“Mr. Leon…!” Elwin gasped, his heart hammering against his ribs.

He was overwhelmed by a mixture of intense relief and profound bewilderment. Leon had gone to town earlier; how could he possibly be here? Even if he had returned to the estate and immediately set out after Elwin, navigating this treacherous mountain road at such speed was nothing short of miraculous.

“Sir Elwin,” Leon asked, his voice tight. “Are you all right?”

“I am. But…” Elwin trailed off, checking the bleeding gash beneath the stallion’s mane. The wound was fortunately superficial, but he wondered what weapon Dwight could have wielded to slice so easily through a horse’s tough hide.

Looking back toward the trail, Elwin spotted a glinting silver object resting near the cliff’s edge. Recognition struck him like a physical blow, and a cold shiver ran down his spine. It was the silver fruit knife Dwight had held to Alfred’s throat earlier. Small as it was, a blade was still a blade. Had that weapon been aimed at his chest instead of the horse’s flank, he might have been gravely wounded—or worse.

“How dare he…” Leon muttered, his voice trembling with a mixture of fury and shock. He seemed far more shaken by Elwin’s near brush with death than Elwin himself.

But they could not afford to tarry in their shock. Quickly regaining his composure, Elwin looked down the mountain path. “We don’t have time, Mr. Leon! We must…!”

“Yes,” Leon agreed, his jaw tightening. “We must catch him.”

Fortunately, though still trembling with adrenaline, the stallion’s wound was minor, and with gentle encouragement, it was fit to run. Leon adjusted his grip, and the two resumed their breakneck descent.

Dwight’s final, desperate gamble had paid off handsomely. In the precious minutes spent recovering from the near fall, the rogue had managed to widen the gap. By the time they reached the base of the hill and the train station square came into view, Dwight was nowhere to be seen. Instead, what met their eyes was…

“Ha.”

A massive crowd had gathered in front of the station, waiting for the weekly express train to the capital. In the midst of the bustling, dense throng, a wide circle had cleared, with the townsfolk keeping a cautious distance from a single, riderless horse. The beast stood alone, looking utterly bewildered and stamping its hooves.

Elwin recognized the stallion instantly. It was one of the finest thoroughbreds from the count’s stables. Commandeering another man’s prized mount and abandoning it to run wild in a public square was an act of sheer, shameless desperation. Dwight had not even taken the time to tether it.

The train is about to depart, Elwin realized, checking the large clock tower looming over the square. Can I still make it?

White steam billowed from behind the station house, signaling an imminent departure. The agonizing pressure in his chest left no room for hesitation. The moment his horse came to a halt in the square, Elwin leaped from its back.

Anticipating his next move, Leon called out, “Go, Sir Elwin! I’ll handle the horses!”

Leon had already seized the reins of the abandoned stallion. Elwin could offer no more than a silent nod of gratitude before sprinting toward the station entrance. A loud, piercing whistle echoed, announcing the train’s departure.

The interior of the station was a chaotic sea of passengers, families bidding farewell, and travelers waiting for later transits. Elwin threw his weight against the crowd, forcing his way through the dense throng. By the time he broke through to the platform, the iron wheels of the locomotive were already beginning to turn with a deafening metallic clatter.

Amidst the low rumble and the cloud of rising steam, Elwin stared at the massive, black iron carcass of the departing train with mounting despair. Then, far down the platform, he spotted Dwight boarding the steps of the lead passenger carriage.

“Stop right there!” Elwin screamed.

Even over the din of the engine, Dwight must have heard him. He turned, locking eyes with Elwin, and flashed a vile, triumphant sneer.

The train began to gather momentum. Elwin’s mind went blank. He bolted down the platform, sprinting blindly toward the rear guard car.

It’s not moving fast yet. If I jump now, I can catch the handrail. If I can just get on board…

A railway clerk standing on the platform gasped in shock as Elwin sprinted dangerously close to the tracks. But Elwin was blind to everything except his target.

Just a little further.

His lungs burned, his heart hammered against his ribs, and as he stretched his hand desperately toward the iron railing of the rear carriage—

“Sir Elwin!”

A pair of powerful arms wrapped around his torso, dragging him backward. Elwin, who had been inches from the edge of the platform, was hauled to a sudden, stumbling halt by the immense force.