He shrugged in agreement. “Probably.” He held his hand out for the book.
“Your daughter is lucky to be with someone else, someone who doesn’t blatantly break their promises,” she said harshly.
Her words were barbed and hit home. They were a repeat of his own opinions that had echoed in his mind. He knew she only said it to hurt him. And it did. He thrust his hand out to her, demanding the book.
“I thought you wanted to decode this book. I thought you wanted to know what it said, why your cousin wanted it so badly.”
She was right. He did. But she couldn’t do it.
“I do,” he admitted. “But that doesn’t change anything.”
“Then let me finish. Let me work on it. Give me a couple of days,” she pleaded.
He shook his head and held his hand out firmly.
Her shoulders sagged. She reluctantly handed him the book.
He took it and a stab of regret sliced through him. Ridiculous regret. He knew he was right in this matter.
“Why?” she demanded. “Why are you doing this?”
She deserved to know the truth. He couldn’t give her the entire truth. It would be insulting to her if he told her he was doing it to keep her safe. She was a Hawke. She didn’t need protecting. “I saw real Templars in the last village,” he admitted.
“Templar knights?” she repeated. Her gaze traveled over his face.
“They are searching for me, for the book. If I am caught, I don’t want you punished for my actions.”
She chuckled. “I wouldn’t be.” She crossed her arms. “Remember, you were the one who kidnapped me. You were the one who killed Brother Nicolas. Don’t worry. I’ll tell them the truth.”
He sighed softly. “Your family is also tracking us.”
Sage turned and glanced over her shoulder as if she expected them to appear from the forest. “How do you know?”
He gazed at her in disbelief. She knew they were. Why deny it?
She shifted uneasily.
There was something suspicious in her movement. He stared at her warily for a moment. “You know they are.”
She nodded. “Probably.”
“Definitely.”
She reluctantly nodded again. “I’m surprised they haven’t found us already.”
“What do you think they will do when they find us?”
A grin spawned over her lovely lips. “Skin you alive.”
“Another reason for me to free you.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Are you afraid of them?”
“Not afraid,” he insisted. “Just hesitant to meet them.”
Sage’s amusement faded, and she stared at him in anguish. “You promised to teach me to read.”
There was agony and desperation in her words. But he could not give in. “That was before I knew you couldn’t decode.” He nodded and turned toward the horse, placing the book in one of the saddlebags.
