“Will any place be safe?” she asked against his chest.
He wanted to promise her they would find a haven for them and a place to start their own family, but the constant fear of the king’s men arresting Templar Knights and the threat of his father’s return seemed to hang heavily in the air. He pressed his cheek against her head and breathed his love into her hair. “We will get through this,” he vowed, although his words lacked the courage and conviction that he wished they had.
When Marcus returned, Christian observed him stop to speak to one of the knights before moving on.
“Where’s Landyn?” Raven demanded.
“He’s watching the hatch,” Marcus replied.
“You left him alone?” A deep scowl crossed Raven’s brow, and she marched quickly towards the exit.
“He’s waiting for us!” Marcus called. “Our horses are being brought.”
Christian hesitated, his instincts urging him to go the other way, away from the hatch as Marcus had instructed them. But Raven didn’t pause and walked down the tunnel. Willow followed, and Christian had no choice but to trail behind. He sighed softly, pausing to glance back into the room. Sage was gathering the parchment and placing it into her boot. Marcus waited for her.
Christian turned back down the corridor. Raven disappeared into the hall’s shadows, and Willow stopped to speak to Pons.
The Templar Knight Marcus had talked with emerged from the room and headed toward the inn. Christian furrowed his brow in confusion. Why was he heading that way? What had Marcus told him?
“We’re leaving,” Willow informed Pons as Christian caught up to her. “You should, too.”
There was no urgency in her voice, nor the haste Christian felt.
Pons stared at her sympathetically. “Where would I go? This is my home.”
She sighed softly. “Don’t be a hero.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his wrinkled cheek.
Christian knew she kissed the old warrior as a goodbye, but he couldn’t ignore the moment of jealousy that rose in his heart. He wanted to be the only one she kissed.
Marcus and Sage joined them. Christian felt relief knowing Sage was going the same way they were. Marcus would not endanger her. He stepped aside, allowing them to take the lead. His keen ears were alert for any danger, but all he heard was the sound of their breathing and the scrape of a pebble beneath his foot.
“What happened out there?” he asked Marcus, his voice echoing through the tunnel. “What did you see?”
Marcus replied, “There were a couple of men Jo didn’t recognize. Enough for us to think it was time to leave.”
“Where they scouts?”
“No,” Marcus said, shaking his head. “Jo has some men keeping an eye out for soldiers scouting the inn. She said her concern rested with the one man asking about the women.”
“The man with the scar,” Christian recalled, his jaw tensing.
Marcus nodded.
“Did you see him? Was he still at the inn?” When Marcus nodded, Christian continued, “Do you know who he is? Have you seen him before?”
“No. Neither has Jo.”
Christian’s mind raced, and a strong feeling of dread pulled at him as they came to the steps of the hatch. He had seen the man with the scar before but couldn’t remember where. It was frustrating not being able to figure it out.
“Where’s Raven?” Willow asked Sage.
“She must have gone out to find Landyn,” Sage answered, reaching for the hatch.
“Wait,” Christian said, halting her movement. He grasped the hatch’s latch and slowly opened it, peering into the forest. He scanned the woods for any sign of danger and spotted Raven standing beside Landyn and a Templar knight. Their horses stood around them. Christian threw the hatch open and stepped out, followed by Willow, Sage, and Marcus.
Landyn grasped the knight’s forearm in the typical warrior fashion. “Be careful,” he said.
The knight nodded and climbed onto his horse, riding into the forest.
