Sage nodded, casting a glance at Willow. “I think so.”
“Fontaine has given us some supplies, but when we get out of Maldon, we should restock,” Landyn advised.
When they led their horses onto the ship’s deck, Willow gazed out over the water. There was no fear, only victorious triumph filling her and, strangely, respect for the vast blue water. For it had seen them safely across the Channel, and for that, she was grateful.
Raven stopped beside her. “This is a new part of our journey. Who would have thought this book would be so much trouble?”
Chapter Ten
As they walked their horses downthe ship’s plank to the dock, Sage was still dumbfounded at how Raven saw the book as a burden. The book wasn’t the source of trouble; Christian’s father, King Philip, and all the men following them were. Raven didn’t see the incredible journey the book was leading them on. Already, they had experienced so many new experiences. Willow had learned to swim! She had crossed the English Channel. They hadallcrossed the Channel. It was something Sage never dreamt of doing. And now they were in England.
Landyn and Raven led the way through the throng of people in the busy town of Maldon, guiding their horses down the dirt roads. The smell of damp soil mixed with the savory scent of fresh bread. Birds chirped from the shop roofs lining the sides of the street, and children chased each other in circles around their parents’ feet.
A woman called to them, offering scones, and the odor of burnt wheat rose in the air. The sound of a hammer on metal throbbed through the buildings. A short, pudgy man carrying a basket stepped out of their way as they walked down the street and almost bumped into a cart loaded with vegetables on the opposite side of the road. One woman approached Landyn and reached out to him, her hand hovering inches from his arm. A hard glance from Raven caused her to retreat and head down the road.
Sage glanced over her shoulder at Willow. She spoke with a small girl with a mass of brown ringlets who skipped beside them. Sage knew Willow was relieved to be on solid ground again; she had handled herself admirably, just as her father had taught them. She should be proud.
Behind them, Sage noticed Demory two shops away. She met his eye, and he quickly looked away, stopping to inspect the candles at a nearby shop. Sage glanced at Raven, who had noticed him, too. He was trailing them, but they could outrun him easily on horseback—after all, he had no mount. They only had to ride out of Maldon, and he would be left in their dust.
Hertford. Her heartbeat increased. That town was where the directions began. Willow had figured it out. Sage was slightly annoyed that she hadn’t solved it first, but it didn’t matter in the end. They knew where to start the journey. But where did the directions lead after that?
It shouldn’t take them long to get to Hertford, perhaps a day. Her fingers itched to withdraw the directions from her boot and make sure her calculations were correct. Everyone was counting on her. One mistake could mean disaster.
The little girl Willow had been speaking with scurried ahead of them.
Landyn led them through the streets to the outskirts of the town.
Sage assumed he had gotten directions to Hertford from the captain. It seemed Raven and Landyn had taken up John’s leadership role, allowing Sage to focus on the directions. Her blood thrummed through her veins as she envisioned the possibilities of what awaited them in Hertford.
Sage’s boots crunched over the grass as they left the city and entered vast, rolling fields. Landyn glanced back before mounting his horse. Everyone followed his lead.
Sage caught a glimpse of Demory standing near one of the wattle and daub houses. He was silhouetted against the sun, his face shadowed, but his purpose seemed unclear. She narrowed her eyes slightly, a stirring of annoyance and curiosity within her. She took a deep breath. She had a bigger mystery to solve.
She dug her heels into the flank of her steed, galloping down the road.
As the sun rose high and the day heated up, they guided their horses to a slow-moving stream. The animals bent their necks to drink the cool, clear water.
Sage sat in a shaded, grassy area and removed the directions from her boot. She spread the parchment on the ground in front of her, the edges curling in the heat of the afternoon sun.
Marcus sat beside her, offering her some bread.
She shook her head and slid the book of maps from her armor to lay beside the parchment.
Take main road east to first crossroad. Go north.
She eagerly scanned the map of Hertford. Main road. A single, slender road weaved across the town like a ribbon. That must be the main road, she thought. Her fingertip traced the roadway to the first intersection.
“What does it say?” Landyn asked, looking over her shoulder.
“We are to go down the main road and turn here,” Sage explained, her finger at the junction.
“And then what?”
She hesitated, knowing what his reaction would be. She finally added, “Until we see a dragon.”
“A dragon?” Landyn scoffed. “Dragons are not real.”
She shrugged. “It could mean anything. An inn, a sign. We’ll find out when we get there.”
