“Go, find him!” she screamed.
The knight stood, immobile. He looked around, unsure.
“M’lady!” a voice sounded from behind her.
She whirled, tears rising in her eyes. The captain of the guard strolled toward her. He was a tall, imposing figure, a man she had come to rely on. In that moment, she couldn’t even remember his name. “Tell him! Order him to find Luke!”
“M’lady, Sir Peter has ridden long and hard.”
“I don’t care! Send him!”
The captain signaled for someone else with a wave of his hand.
“Do you hear me?” Mel shouted.
“M’lady,” a kind voice called.
She turned to see the handsome knight, Sir Gregory, standing before her. She could only stare, appalled that the captain thought he could just brush her into the arms of another knight.
“You are distraught. I’m sure Sir Luke is fine and we shall find him and your sister.”
His words were soothing, even though her mind was screaming at her that they were lies. Only when he gently touched her elbow to offer support did she collapse into his arms, sobbing, giving vent to all her fears. His hands went around her, sheltering her, and she finally felt her fears abate. Luke. Oh, Luke.
When Nessa opened her eyes, the sky was dark and the branches of the willow tree waved softly above her. She stretched and sat up.
“I brought you some berries.”
Luke was near the bank of the river where the tips of the willow tree branches touched the water. He had removed his plate and chainmail armor and sat in his gambeson, comfortably on the ground with his legs crossed. He picked a berry from his cupped hand and ate it.
Nessa’s mouth watered. She was famished! She took a couple of berries from the pile on the ground near her feet and put them into her mouth. Sweetness erupted across her tongue and she closed her eyes, groaning softly in enjoyment. She ate more. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“I thought we’d have more luck if we traveled at night. We must cross that bridge. Besides, you needed the sleep.”
Nessa nodded as she ate more berries. She stopped suddenly. “You ate, didn’t you?”
Luke nodded with that crooked grin. “Eat what you want. When you’re done, we’ll move on.” He watched her eat for a moment. “Didn’t Urien feed you?”
“A little,” she agreed, watching his grin. Her heart ached. She had missed him. It was amazing how much better food tasted when you weren’t a prisoner! When she had finished, they continued on.
They skirted the river, looking for another way to cross. It was when the sun was rising that they found a spot where the river was shallow enough for boulders to stick out of the water. After sitting still for a long time, Luke announced, “I’ll go first. I’ll lead you across.”
Nessa cocked her head, insulted he thought she was so inept. “I can do it.”
Luke looked at her, startled. His gaze moved over her face. A slow smile started at the corner of his lips and spread across his entire face.
Nessa’s heart swelled. He was gorgeous. His warm blue eyes, his rugged face. She had never seen a man more handsome.
“Forgive me. I meant no insult.”
Nessa dipped her head, partly to keep him from seeing the blush creeping across her skin, partly embarrassed at the way he was looking at her.
“I forgot how independent you are.”
She looked up at him, but he was already starting toward the river. Was that a compliment or not? Nessa wasn’t sure. She followed him to the river’s edge.
“It looks like there are rocks all the way across.” Luke pointed at an imaginary line from boulder to boulder across to the opposite shore.
Nessa wasn’t going to wait. She wanted to prove she could do it. She wanted to prove to him that she wasn’t useless. She picked up her skirts and hopped onto one of the boulders. She spotted another rock and jumped forward. She was on the third rock when she looked back. Luke was right behind her, holding his armor over his shoulder. The setting sun washed across his shoulders with a red hue, highlighting his dark hair. Nessa turned quickly away before she got distracted and jumped to the next boulder. Her foot skidded on the slick surface and she wobbled.
