Page 21 of The Piper's Pursuit

“Yes, but she was found innocent.”

Steffan suddenly seemed thoughtful and fell silent. She glanced over her shoulder and saw he was staring at the ground, his brows drawn together.

She shouldn’t ask him about it. A lack of curiosity was a safeguard against trouble. But she asked anyway. “This was your brother’s mother-in-law who created this healing salve? She is still alive?”

He drew in a slow breath before answering. “She was alive when I left them nearly a year ago.”

“Where did you leave them?”

“On the border of Poland and Germany, near Thornbeck. My brother was awarded a castle and lands by Duke Konrad of Poland. Wolfgang and his wife, Mulan, live there with Mulan’s mother, who is a healer.”

“I have heard of this Mulan. She was a warrior.”Like me.

“Yes. She was a soldier and a captain of the duke’s guard. You remind me of her.”

Her heart lifted at the compliment.

“But she is rather more...”

“More what?” Again foolish curiosity got the better of her.

“Well, she was fierce in battle, but kinder and more sweetly mannered.”

How dare he say that to me!But no doubt it was true. Kindness, at least toward men, was not something she had ever been able to afford. Her father had left them with nothing when he died, and her mother... Well, she had been young and foolish and had not protected either herself or Kat very well. Kat learned very early that protecting herself and her mother was more important than being kind. When had men been kind to her? Men could not be trusted. She had learned this lesson well.

Steffan touched her shoulder. She flinched and spun to face him.

He stared into her eyes. “A man hurt one of my sisters. After that she was different. Quieter and easily startled. There was a look in her eyes, just like the look I sometimes see in yours.”

What did he mean by saying that? He had no right to assume...

She was a little angry, but at the same time, the look in his eyes made her want to lean in, to trust him, the same feeling she’d had when she nearly threw her arms around him after he protected her from the wolf.

She was being foolish. “You know nothing about me.” She barely recognized her own voice, as hoarse and gruff as it was.

She turned away from him and continued walking, even faster this time. She had to get away from this man. He unsettled her. One moment she was annoyed, and the next she felt soft and warm inside, something she’d never felt around a man before. Only her horse made her feel similarly, when he nudged her and snuffled against her shoulder.

But one thing was certain—she could trust her horse, but she didn’t trust Steffan.

***

Someone had hurt Katerina. An animal was only acting on its natural instincts when it attacked and harmed someone. But what kind of human being could harm Katerina? Steffan imagined putting some fear in that person if he ever dared harm her again.

His arm, which had been almost numb since he was injured, was starting to send sharp pains shooting up to his shoulder. Now his whole forearm throbbed. Blood still dripped off his arm, but it wasn’t bleeding quite as much as before.

When they reached the bottom of the hill, Katerina stopped and pointed at him. “Wait here.” Then she turned and disappeared around the side of an enormous tree. He heard a sound like wood scraping against wood, then she reappeared with a cloth bag in her hand. She set it on the ground, rummaged around inside, and pulled out a roll of bandages.

“We need to wrap that arm.” Her face seemed to be made of stone, her eyes never lifting above the height of his injury. She stepped forward. He held out his arm and she began wrapping it, rather tightly, somehow managing not to touch his skin even once.

“Do you have supplies stored away behind every tree?”

“Not behind every tree.” Her expression didn’t change and she didn’t look up, so he was able to study her face.

Her lips and chin were delicate and perfectly shaped. The curve of her cheek was feminine, her skin pale, her eyes mysterious, and her lashes dark. One would never imagine she could stab a giant, raging wolf with a crossbow bolt and then a mere half an hour later wrap a wound with steady hands.

He’d felt a strange tension from her ever since they’d killed the beast. At one moment he thought she might throw her arms around him. The next, she was coldly turning away, refusing to look at him. He wished he could see inside her mind.

“Thank you.” He bent his head, trying to get her to look at him. “For bandaging my arm.”