Page 22 of The Piper's Pursuit

She glanced at him. He captured her eyes with his, willing her to reveal her thoughts. She did stare back at him, her mouth going slack. But then she quickly glanced away.

“It’s a little tight,” she said, pulling out a knife from her bag and cutting the end of the bandage into a smaller strip; she then tied it around the bandage to keep it in place. “But it will be fine until you can get to the healer’s house in town. It’s on Butcher Street.”

A cracking noise, as when a man steps down on a dry, leafy twig, made them both jerk their heads in the direction of the sound.

A strong breeze sent the leaves in the upper branches of the trees dancing and chattering like the rapid waters of a stream. When the wind died down, they both kept still, listening, but heard nothing but a lone bird singing.

Katerina turned and marched off toward the town.

He trotted after her. “Will you show me the healer’s house?” He wasn’t ready to part from her.

“Very well.”

They entered the town gate. Katerina’s eyes alighted on each guard in turn. Was she searching for a particular guard?

Katerina moved on. She was nearing her stepfather’s house when two large, burly men came out.

Katerina slowed her pace, then halted. Just when she did, the men caught sight of them and hurried toward them. One of the two men was Otto.

By the look on Katerina’s face, she was thinking of running from them. Steffan rested his hand on his sword hilt. But instead, Katerina stayed where she was and faced them.

“The Bürgermeister wishes to see you,” one of the men said, looking from Steffan to Katerina and back. “Both of you.”

Katerina and Steffan continued on with the guards on either side of them.

Soon they entered the mayor’s house and were led into a small room where Hennek stood staring at a large sheet of parchment in his hands. He quickly folded the parchment, shoved it into a wooden box on the table in front of him, and slammed the lid closed.

Hennek’s cheeks were red, and he widened his eyes when he saw them, then quickly coughed and broke into a smile—a smile that looked brittle and forced.

Steffan’s hand went to his sword hilt again.

“Ach!So, you have killed the beast!” Hennek’s voice boomed and his arms went wide, his eyes focused on Steffan. “My men just reported they saw a beast lying dead in the forest and the two of you walking away from it. I suppose I know what your motive was, eh? The reward?” He raised his brows and jerked his head in Katerina’s direction.

“The Beast of Hamlin is indeed dead,” Steffan said, though it was strange that Hennek’s men had seen the dead beast so quickly after they’d killed it. Perhaps Otto had been closer behind them than they’d thought? It pained him a bit, but by the horror and, yes, fear, that flickered over Katerina’s face, he knew what he had to do.

“I did not kill the beast. Katerina did.”

“What did you say?” Hennek stared, openmouthed.

Katerina’s mouth also dropped open, and she turned to face him.

Steffan swallowed a lump—his pride, no doubt—that rose into his throat.

Hennek sputtered, unable to form a coherent word.

“I cannot claim the generous reward, I’m afraid. Katerina slayed the giant wolf with her crossbow bolt.”

The look on Katerina’s face—shock, a softening, gratitude shining in her beautiful eyes—was worth the half-truth and blow to his ego.

He smiled and shrugged. “She is a fearless huntress and slayer of giants.” Then he winked at her.

Winking might have been a bad idea, as her expression suddenly morphed to a scowl.

Hennek blustered a moment more, then narrowed his eyes at Katerina. “Is this true? Did you kill the beast?”

“We both did. That is, Lord Steffan helped.”

“Well, if Lord Steffan struck the fatal blow, he is still entitled to the reward. He deserves your hand in marriage.” He glared at his stepdaughter.