Even as her stomach plummeted in hopelessness, Nessa nodded. Good heavens! She knew she had to escape now. He was a madman. She was very curious as to why Mel would have even spoken to him, let alone told him the legend?

He reached out to her and touched her hand. “I knew Luke was coming to marry you. I had to get to you before he returned.”

She tried not to quiver in repulsion as his greasy fingers trailed along her hand. How would anyone find her? They would think Urien would take her to Kernwith Castle. That was where she thought he was taking her. That would be where they would look. She had to leave some trail. Something. She took another bite of the rabbit.

He stood to tower over her. “You are a guest in my camp. Anything you want is yours.”

She swallowed the rabbit, hard. Then, she forced a grin to her lips.

Urien returned to camp.

As Nessa watched him move away, despair swept through her. Her sister must have sent guards after her. Maybe they would find her. How could she sit and wait for a rescue that might never come? She had to be alert. She finished eating the rabbit. Only the bone remained. She stared at it for a long moment. Maybe it was something she could use. She eased her dress up to her ankle and glanced around, making sure none of the mercenaries were watching. She put the bone into her boot.

She had to look for a way out. She had to escape before Urien found out she wasn’t Mel.