“You mean stubborn?” Sage pressed, her grin widening.
“Watch it,” Raven warned as she increased her pace toward the farmhouse, pulling ahead of Sage.
“You mean thick-headed?” Sage called after her.
Raven turned back to face Sage, a teasing glint in her eye. “I can still take you in hand to hand,” Raven replied.
A deep chuckle rose from Sage’s throat as Raven turned away. “Raven!” she shouted.
Raven paused and looked at her over her shoulder.
“Thank you,” Sage said sincerely.
Raven’s eyebrows rose in surprise before her lips spread into a wide grin, and she nodded.
Demory gritted his teeth as he watched the Hawke girls enter the farmhouse from across the river. His hands balled into fists, and a sour taste of bitterness filled his mouth. He was soaked through to the bone and felt the chill of the night air. Despite the pounding rain ceasing, he was forced to remain hidden across the river while they lounged before a warm fire to dry off. He had always hated the Hawkes, especially that arrogant John Hawke.
Why was he even following them? he asked himself. For one reason, he had been promised a handsome reward. And for another, he knew Christian Sterling had been in possession of the book, and he was enticed by the tales he had heard Sterling’s father tell of it.
It was worth finding out if the stories were true. If they weren’t, he could always kill all of them. That thought made him smile.
Chapter Fifteen
The six of them rode alongthe winding riverside. Sage took the lead, guiding Achilles confidently. Behind her, Willow navigated the terrain with impressive surety. Christian trailed behind her. Landyn and Raven silently followed, scanning the surroundings, and Marcus held up the rear. His gaze swept the group. Their positioning told a lot about their relationships.
Christian couldn’t take his eyes off Willow. His focus lingered on her before his attention flickered briefly to his surroundings. But soon, his stare was back on her.
Landyn and Raven rode their horses alongside each other, their eyes constantly examining the horizon for any sign of danger. Despite their lack of interaction, their movements were in perfect tandem, as if an invisible thread attached them. They didn’t seem to be connected, but they moved the same. They did the same things. Watching. Protecting. Anticipating.
Sage. She was exquisite. The sun shone before her, making her brown hair glimmer in the light. Her posture atop the horse was perfect; her spine was straight, and her actions were graceful as she rode. He couldn’t look away—the way her rounded bottom swayed and pushed against the saddle caused an intense longing inside him.
His horse suddenly lost its footing on the wet ground, jarring him from his thoughts.
The air was heavy with humidity and dampened his skin. While no longer dripping, his clothes were still slightly damp and clung to him. But with the warm sun beating down, he knew it wouldn’t be long before everything around them was dry.
Marcus noticed Willow staring down at her hands. She turned something over, and he realized that she was holding something. Curious, he spurred his horse into a canter until he reached her side.
The object in her grasp was worn and brown, but he could only glimpse the top of it and couldn’t make out what she held. “What is that?”
“The boy gave it to me before we left,” she replied, rubbing the item in her hand. “I was just thinking how lucky he was.”
Marcus nodded, staring at the object. “He was lucky you were there. He would have been washed away by the water. You were brave to go into the river.” He squinted, trying to see the item in her hands. “What is that?”
She shrugged nonchalantly and opened her hands. “A cross.”
It was solid gold, browned by years of use, and carved with intricate details. A loop at the top allowed it to be hung on a cord.
“It’s part of a necklace,” Willow said, staring down at it. She grinned. “He said it would protect me.”
“It’s a Templar cross,” Landyn observed, riding up on the opposite side of Willow.
Marcus nodded in agreement. “Where did the boy find it?”
She shrugged. “He said near the river.”
The boy had discovered it near the river? That meant Templar Knights could have been here. Maybe. Tingles danced up Marcus’s spine. Had a Templar made the directions?
Willow rubbed her finger over the cross. “He said it was the reason I came. It was protecting him. He was wearing it.”
