Landyn followed. “We’ll find them,” he reassured. If they weren’t in the chateau, perchance they had left the chateau on foot. “Where did you last see them?”
“Sage was with Brother Nicolas. Willow was following me. And then she wasn’t.”
“Perchance she saw something of interest or someone she knew,” Landyn suggested, leading her back to the keep.
“Willow doesn’t know anyone here,” Raven stated and sighed. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Landyn agreed. It was strange no one had seen them.
A monk hurried toward them as they entered through the large doors of the keep. “The women are not in the chateau. We’ve checked everywhere,” the thin monk insisted. “Everyone has been searching. Everywhere has been searched. No one has seen them.”
Raven locked eyes with Landyn. It was the most distressed look he had ever seen.
His heart twisted but he turned to the monk. “Any sign of a struggle?”
“No,” the monk replied. “No struggle. Nothing out of place. They must have left.”
Raven shook her head. “Their horses are still here. And they would not have left the chateau without me.”
“Keep searching,” Landyn ordered the monk.
The monk’s shoulders drooped. “Yes, sir.”
Landyn watched him walk past them down the hallway. He knew the sisters were not here. The monks would have found them by now. Had they departed on foot? Run? Were they being chased? Still, someone should have seen them. Unless. He paused. Unless they had not escaped Brother Nicolas’s murderer. Sage had been with the monk. Had she been harmed? Killed? If that were the case, where was her body? And what of the other sister? He hoped the sisters were alive, perhaps hiding somewhere in fear. But if Raven were any inclination of the natures of her sisters, they would never cower in fear.
As the monk moved away from them, Landyn saw three armored men cross the hallway at an intersection. One man wore black armor. Prickles raced along the nape of Landyn’s neck. While it wasn’t uncommon for knights to rest at the chateau, something about these three men set off alarms. He started to go after them.
“Perhaps they are not here,” Raven whispered.
Landyn looked at her and then glanced toward the intersection. The men were gone. While his instincts told him they were a danger, he had another mission to accomplish. Raven. What was he going to do with her if they couldn’t find her sisters? Where would she be safe? He had to get back to John. But he couldn’t leave her at the chateau.
“Maybe they searched for me, couldn’t find me, and left together for Sybil’s farm. We’re supposed to meet there if we get separated.” She sighed and shook her head. “No. They would have taken their horses.”
She knew as well as he did that something was not right. Everyone was suspect. No one was trustworthy. John and he agreed King Philip was after the Templar treasure. They were certain the chateau was being watched by spies for Philip. The chateau itself was not safe and, in fact, could have already been infiltrated by Philip’s men. The Templars were trying to relocate the treasure safely and secretly. It was imperative that he help John.
Landyn considered his options. The sisters couldn’t be found, but he couldn’t abandon Raven at the chateau. The safest place for her was with him.
It was settled then. He knew what to do. “We will leave a missive for your sisters in case they are found. We will join your father.”
Raven didn’t like leaving the chateau. But she didn’t know what else to do.
She and Landyn rode down the road, their horses kicking up clumps of mud as they galloped. She and Landyn had trotted their horses through a torrential downpour, passing farmers’ fields and forests. The rain had slowed them, but they didn’t stop.
Why would her sisters have left her? There was only one reason. They would have left—if they were forced to.
Landyn suddenly stopped, holding out his hand to halt.
Raven brought her horse to a standstill beside him. She looked around. They were approaching what appeared to be a woodland on one side of the road, tall trees stretching above their heads. On the other side of the road, a long grassy meadow blanketed the landscape. Only crickets’ chirps and breaths from the horses could be heard. She waited.
His horse was as still as he was. The ends of his damp black hair curled at his shoulders. His gaze scanned the line of trees ahead. Finally, he relaxed and urged his horse on.
“What are you looking for?” Raven asked, spurring her horse to walk beside his.
He persisted in examining the surrounding trees. “Robbers.” He shrugged. “Anyone who might attack us.”
She narrowed her eyes. She didn’t believe that for an instant. He was looking for something or someone specific. “You needn’t be frightened.” She smiled sarcastically. “I’ll protect you.” She urged Thunder into a trot.
The rain had turned the road into mud, making it easy to see the lines from multiple carts and many horse hooves.
