“Then he’s keeping ye here against yer will?”
“Yes. He hinted that he would hurt Rory if I didn’t do as he wanted.”
Something flashed in Deryn’s eyes, something dangerous. He seemed different. Gone was the quiet farmer. This man was someone else entirely. The way he moved, the intense expression on his face, the air of quiet authority about him.
What had Rodric called him? Deryn the Destroyer? What did that mean?
“Do ye wish to leave? I can get ye and the boy out of here, but I need ye to think carefully, lass. It will be dangerous and there is the chance that Rodric MacKay will come after us. I can get ye toa place he canna find ye but it will be a hard place, with little in the way of comfort.”
“Comfort?” she said. “I don’t give a damn about any of that. All I want to know is that Rory will be safe there?”
“Aye,” he replied with a nod. “He will. But I will need ye to trust me if we are to do this. What say ye?”
His blue-eyed stare was intense. He was asking her to trust him when she knew next to nothing about him. What if he was as bad as Rodric? What if he was worse? If she went with him, would she be taking Rory into even greater danger?
But she had asked for his help, and he’d come. She didn’t know him at all and yet she knew the kind of man he was. He was the kind of man who would risk his life in a storm to save a sheep. He was the kind of man who would rescue a strange woman and then escort her to safety without thought of reward. He was the kind of man who would return the next day to check that strange woman was all right and then come to her aid when he discovered she wasn’t. Yes, she already trusted Deryn Stewart.
“Yes,” she breathed. “Take us out of here. Please.”
He nodded once and then spun into motion. He strode over to the guard that Maddy had kicked who was still rolling around holding his groin, and deftly elbowed him in the temple, laying him out cold. Now that both guards were unconscious, he grabbed a carry-sack that lay on the ground, opened it and emptied the contents. A bundle of clothing fell out. He handed her a hessian smock for herself and a smaller one for Rory.
“Put these on,” he instructed. “They will help us blend into the crowd.”
Maddy quickly pulled the smock on over the expensive dress Rodric had insisted she wear and then tied it with the rope belt around the waist. It was shapeless and the rough weave scratched against her skin, but if it helped her get out ofhere, Maddy would happily wear a sack. Once she was dressed, she turned to Rory who was hiding behind her, frightened by everything that had happened.
She crouched in front of him. “We’re going to play a game, sweetie,” she said in a cheerful voice. “Dressing up. Do you like my costume? I’m a baker. Would you like to dress up as a baker too?”
Rory peered at her, wide-eyed, and then nodded.
“Good boy. Here then, let’s get you dressed up.”
She took the smaller smock and instructed Rory to hold his arms over his head whilst she put it on him.
“There,” she said, pulling it down so it covered his little body. “Now you’re a baker’s apprentice! We are going to go with this nice man here who’s going to take us to see the market outside. That will be fun, won’t it? But you have to do exactly as mummy says or the game won’t work. Can you do that?”
Rory looked up at Deryn towering over him and backed up a step, clearly frightened.
To her surprise, Deryn crouched next to him and spoke gently in his deep, rumbling voice. “My sheepdog, Mara, is waiting outside the gates for us. I know she’s looking forward to meeting ye, Rory. Would ye like to go and meet her?”
Rory nodded. Deryn smiled and ruffled his hair. “Good lad. Let’s go then.”
Deryn straightened, pulled the hood of his cloak over his head to hide the distinctive white stripe in his auburn hair, and handed two shapeless hats to Maddy.
“Wear these. We dinna want any of the guards to recognize ye and the boy. From now on we are Malcom the weaver and family, come to sell our wares at the market.”
Maddy nodded, her heart hammering in her chest and nerves writhing in her belly like snakes. “But how will we get past the guards?”
He grinned suddenly, showing a row of sparkling white teeth. “People see what they expect to see. The trick to being invisible is to show them exactly what they want. Follow my lead and we might just get out of here. Ready?”
No. She wasn’t ready, not in the least. She was frightened and wary, and just about at her wits end. But she let none of this show. Instead, she took Rory’s hand and nodded.
“Then let’s go.”
Deryn set off and Maddy kept pace with him, her and Rory walking by his side as if they really were a family come to market day. They crossed the little garden, leaving the unconscious guards behind and exited through the gate that led into the courtyard fronting the main keep. Maddy tensed as they entered, expecting to see Rodric waiting for them with a host of guards, but there was no sign of the lord of the keep. There were guards about but with the general busyness of the place, they took no notice of the three roughly-dressed peasants going about their business.
But as they approached the main gates, Maddy felt her pulse beginning to race and her hand tightened instinctively around Rory’s hand. She forced herself to give him an encouraging smile, pretending this was all part of the game, even though she felt sick with dread. They were going to be recognized. The guards would drag them back to Rodric, she would be locked up, and Heaven-alone knew what would happen to Deryn for trying to help her.
As if sensing her turmoil, Deryn reached out and took her hand. From the shadows of his hood, she saw him smile at her.
