“Boucher’s men surrounded us,” the man uttered.
Willow sniffled. Her mind wouldn’t accept that her father was dead. She looked up at Christian, his handsome face blurred by her tears. He pulled her into a warm embrace. His strength engulfed her and soothed her. But she couldn’t escape the fact that her father was gone. He had left her, just like her mother. A sob escaped her lips, and she pressed her face into Christian’s shoulder.
“Where is this Boucher now?” Sage demanded.
“Dead,” the man said, his voice low and thick. “I killed him.”
Crickets chirped in the distance. The sound of a thousand small insects floated on a breeze.
“Where is Father’s body?” Willow asked into Christian’s tunic.
“The Templars at le Bezu buried him. He is resting at the chateau,” Raven said softly, her voice shaking. “I’m so sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Sage whispered, her posture stooped. Marcus brushed a strand of brown hair from her cheek.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Christian said to the sisters, rubbing Willow’s back. “All of us will greatly miss John. But I want to know what happened with the book.” He scowled at Marcus over Willow’s shoulder. “And why you killed Brother Nicolas. And why there is a burned body in Les Labadous that looks exactly like you.”
“You said you didn’t kill Brother Nicolas,” the man with dark hair accused, his eyes narrowing.
Sage nodded. “I’ll explain everything.”
“After we leave,” the man with dark hair said.
“Leave?” Willow asked, turning to the group. “To go where?”
“Who are you?” Christian wondered, studying the dark-haired man.
“This is Sir Landyn of Winchester.” Raven introduced him, taking his hand into her own. “He saved me.”
Willow’s eyebrows shot up. She inspected Raven and Landyn’s clasped hands with amusement and a touch of sadness. Raven and Sage had found men they loved. Her heart swelled with joy for them but also ached. Everything had changed so much since she had last seen them. The only thing that had stayed the same was that they would always be there for each other.
Landyn eyed Christian. “I’ve seen you at le Bezu. I don’t know how much you know.”
“About what?” Christian asked.
Landyn licked his lips thoughtfully. He glanced from Christian to Marcus. “I think you should take my word that we need to go. Especially if you are associated with the Templar Knights.”
“Landyn believes tomorrow will be a dangerous day to be on the roads or in any Templar holding,” Raven explained. “We were all going to leave to keep Sybil and her family safe.”
Willow turned to Sybil’s cottage. Keep them safe? “From what?”
“What’s going on?” Christian demanded, staring hard at Landyn.
Landyn exchanged a glance with Raven.
“We have to go,” Raven insisted evasively.
“We were departing when we heard you coming,” Sage added. “We have all the horses ready and all the supplies we will need.”
“Where are you going?” Willow asked.
“Remember the cave in Gramat?” Sage wondered.
“No,” Christian stated firmly. “Not there.”
“Why not?” Landyn asked.
Christian inhaled deeply. “My father knows about it. He knows about Sybil’s farm. I have to assume he knows everything I know.”
