Greta was yanked out of the carriage, her body shoved through the splintered wooden frame. Jagged shards tore at her skirt and scraped her skin. The rip of fabric rang in her ears, followed by the icy slap of night air against her calves, already bleeding from a long gash. She kicked, clawed at anything within reach, but the grip on her wrists was merciless, hot iron crushing bone.
The moment her feet hit the ground, she wasn't given a chance to stand. One of them jammed a knee into the back of hers, forcing her down. Greta's knees slammed into the rocky earth, pain shooting up her spine until her breath came ragged, her vision swimming.
Then she was hauled up like a sack of grain, air ripped from her chest as strong arms locked around her waist. Her shoulder smacked against the man's chest, one arm pinned tight beneath her knees. She couldn't move a thing except her fingers, scratching uselessly at the air.
