Chapter 22
Sage watched until Marcus disappearedinto the crowd of people. She waited until she could no longer see him, and then she waited for one moment more. She took a deep, determined breath and spurred her horse into a slow walk. She wasn’t going to sit outside and wait until he returned. She had to be there in case he needed her. In case something went wrong. She hoped nothing did. But, as her father always said, it never hurt to have a second plan.
Once inside, she was engulfed in a sea of merchants and farmers moving about their daily business. She didn’t like the crowd and quickly veered off to a side street, steering her steed around the cottages to the empty fields behind them. Many fields had already been harvested.
She knew Marcus was heading to the inn on the outskirts of the town. She rode on slowly. The farther she went, the more cautious she became. She saw farmers working in the field as she passed. One stopped to look at her as he wiped his brow.
She rode closer to him. “Excuse me. Can you tell me where the inn is?”
The farmer pointed east and closer to the main road.
Sage nodded her thanks. “Be careful. You don’t want your skin to blister from the sun.”
He grunted. “And you be careful. There’s an empty barn down there.” He indicated the direction she was traveling. “It’s haunted.”
Sage grinned and urged her horse on. She didn’t believe in ghosts. But she did believe a barn said to be haunted would make a perfect hiding place for an assassin. She looked for the structure as she rode, scanning the fields and forest edge.
As she continued riding, she heard a distant name called. She looked toward the voice. A woman stood in one of the fields, yelling to a farmer. Birds chirped from the forest.
Sage moved around the fields, careful not to let her horse trample what little crops remained. She urged the horse into a canter. She felt a growing urgency to find Marcus.
She saw the barn to her left. It appeared to be a dilapidated wooden structure. Maybe it was once used to house animals, or as a place to store crops. Part of the roof was collapsed, and weeds grew wild around it. She wished she had time to search it, but she wanted to make sure Marcus was safe.
She continued by toward the direction the farmer had directed until she saw the inn.
“Marcus,” Guillume greeted. “Where have you been? You are late.”
“Assassins attacked me,” Marcus replied. He was happy to see Guillume. Relief swept through him. No more assassins. No more book. He held his hand out to greet his cousin. “Good to see you, cousin.”
Guillume’s eyes swept Marcus, lingering hungrily on the book for a moment, and then he clasped his arm warmly. “Apparently, the assassins were not too good.”
Marcus lifted his chin. “Or I’ve improved.”
Guillume chuckled. “Against four assassins? I don’t think you are that skilled.” He stepped into the yard, placing an arm about Marcus’s shoulders.
Anxiety shot through Marcus. How had Guillume known there were four assassins?
Two men exited the inn, walking past them toward the stables.
Marcus turned to watch them cross the yard.
“I see you have acquired the book,” Guillume said, drawing Marcus’s attention. “Well done.”
“It’s in code,” Marcus explained. “What is in the book?”
Guillume shrugged. “I won’t know until it is decoded.”
Marcus scowled. “Then why send me after it? How did you know it was important?”
Guillume slapped Marcus on the shoulder. “You always had too many questions for your own good. It is better you do not know.” He held his hand out palm up for the book. “Just know that it is important.”
Marcus looked at his cousin’s open hand and gave him the book without hesitation.
Guillume’s fingers wrapped around the leather cover, and he stroked it victoriously.
Marcus glanced at the stables to see two others had joined the two men who had passed them. Where had these men come from? Were they hiding in the stables as he had presumed?
“Marcus,” Guillume said, opening the book and perusing the pages. “I am grateful you found this. When I received word you had found it, my joy was unequaled.”
