He shot a quick look at Amber. He’d only known her a little while, but he felt like heknewher. He glanced down at Kayla beside him. If they became friends, maybe Amber’s sweetness would rub off on his sister. Maybe she’d regain a bit of the innocence she’d lost along the way. Worth a try, at least.
“Kayla, this is Amber and Yasmin. Ladies, my sister Kayla.”
Kayla lost some of her rigidness and offered a small smile. “Nice to meet you.”
“I hate to run off, but Mila is waving me over.” Yasmin pointed to the hall. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Kayla.”
“Seth, why didn’t you tell me your sister was coming?” Amber shook her head at him and smiled at Kayla. “Brothers.” She rolled her eyes. “So, are you here to volunteer too?”
“Something like that.”
“With your brother? You probably know more about soccer than I do. I’m sure Mila and Ben can find another place—”
“No!”
Both women’s heads swiveled to stare at him. Amber’s brow wrinkled with confusion while Kayla gave him a knowing look.
“What I meant to say was that Kayla has no interest in football, and you and I are getting into a rhythm now, Amber.”
“I bet you are,” Kayla muttered under her breath.
He glared at her. “Besides, Kayla can’t wait to get started in the art department, isn’t that right?”
“I’m practically humming with excitement,” she said in a monotone.
Amber looked between the siblings, perplexed. “All right then.” She pointed behind her. “There’s someone I need to talk to, but I’ll see you guys later. Nice to meet you, Kayla.”
Seth watched her go, his gaze trailing after her. Gagging sounds brought his attention back around.
“What’s wrong with you? Since when do you see a girl you want and not take her? You’re just standing there like a lost puppy who’s been commanded to stay. Or did you start syphoning off your testosterone when you became Monk Marshall?”
“First of all, don’t talk like that. It’s crude. And second, did I start treating women with more respect when I gave my life to Jesus? The answer is yes.”
She opened her mouth like she was going to say something more, but then she seamed her lips shut tight.
He sighed, all of a sudden feeling very exhausted. He put his arm around Kayla’s shoulders and hugged her to his side. “Come on. Let’s go home, baby sister.”
Chapter Sixteen
Holy Roman Empire, 1527
“Is it your habit, princess, to wake before the sun and depart your bedchamber to…where precisely?”
Christyne swallowed back a scream as her blood froze in her veins. The door had barely closed behind her before the voice in the shadows spoke.
That shadow turned, the silhouette small and lithe.
A woman.
She should have known the speaker from the soft pitch of her voice, but fear blocked all thought. Woman or no, danger still presented itself. Sat on her bed. Beckoned with a hand.
“Come. My curiosity has plagued me these past minutes. The garderobe is there, and your mannerisms around the landsknechte the day past leads me to believe you did not depart your rooms for a dalliance with one of those men.”
Christyne stepped to the center of her chambers but stopped short of joining her father’s intended atop the bed.
Clare picked at the woven bedclothes, her light hair swept to the side, braid trailing one shoulder. What little illumination the predawn brought sought out the golden threads of her mane. She looked up and captured Christyne’s gaze with her own.
“Was it for the dissenter you risked leaving your chambers in the dark of night? Are you aiding the man?” An earnestness coated her words and a spark lit her eye. A spark of hope.
