Page 36 of The Piper's Pursuit

“There is a matter I wish you to help me with. It is more pressing than tracking down a wolf. Put the saddles away.” It was a command, not a request.

Steffan began removing his horse’s accoutrements and Katerina followed suit. Then they silently accompanied Hennek and his men toward the house.

Was Hennek the one who was behind the enslaved children working in the mines? Judging from the drastic change in his manner, he was, and he must also know they were seen in the mine. Would they be able to escape if they simply ran? Surrounded as they were, their chances were very small.

Inside the house, Hennek led them all into his study. The seven of them filled up the room, with Katerina pressing herself against the wall, shrinking away from one of Hennek’s burly men. Her face was pale and her hand, which hung by her side, trembled.

“Get away from that maiden.” Steffan said the words without thinking, stepping toward the guard.

“Dieter, Lord Steffan thinks you’re crowding my stepdaughter,” Hennek said.

The big guard took a tiny step away from Katerina. She had already straightened her spine, her head lifted high, and her cheeks were turning from pale to red, as if she were either embarrassed or angry—or both.

“Now then,” Hennek said, “if one of you has the sheets of parchment that I kept in this box here”—he kicked a box on the floor—“I would greatly appreciate you giving them back to me.”

The hair stood up on the back of Steffan’s neck.God, help me keep Katerina safe.

Eleven

Katerina flinched when the big burly guard’s arm brushed against her, forcing her against the wall. She could feel the blood drain from her face. Steffan ordered the guard away from her. Her face burned, and she was furious at herself for allowing this guard to intimidate her. But a flash of memory had come over her, of the first time one of Hennek’s men had tried to coerce her and frighten her. Did her cheeks burn because these men had seen her shrink away from Dieter? Or at the way Steffan came to her defense? Her heart thumped erratically in her chest and she couldn’t look at him.

But what Hennek said next made her insides go cold again. Her mind went to the rolled-up parchments she had hidden in the tree.

“You have it, don’t you, Katerina?” He stepped toward her.

“Have what?” She forced her mind not to even think about where the map was. “I want nothing that belongs to you.” Suddenly her loathing for this man nearly choked her. Anyone who pretended to be good, who made a show of giving to orphanages but stole children away and enslaved them—and she had no doubt now that that was what he had been doing—was nothing but evil. If only she could end that evil.

“You see what I have to put up with?” Hennek looked sad as he shifted his gaze to Steffan. “I love her mother, but her daughter hates me without cause. I am good to her, I care for her, clothe her, and feed her, and yet she insists on defying me.” He let his shoulders droop as he held out a hand, palm up.

Why was Hennek still trying to fool Steffan? Could it be that he didn’t know she and Steffan had been in the mine? Perhaps he only knew she had stolen his map. Perhaps he was still holding out hope that they didn’t know the atrocities he had been perpetrating.

“Yes, it must be a trial.” Steffan spoke the words, but his voice was flat, cautious.

“It is.” Hennek’s eyes brightened. “It is a very great trial. I treat her with love, while she does things like steal a valuable map and try to turn my wife against me.”

Katerina could call him a liar, could defend herself and her mother. But it hardly mattered what Hennek or his men thought.

“Well, if we are done here, I think I’ll just go and fetch my horse and...”

Would Steffan take his horse and leave? Would he go to Hagenheim without her? Of course that was the wise thing, the best thing to do to save the children. She should not feel hurt. She’d do the same if it were the only way. But... would he be glad to be rid of her? She had never said flattering words to him. She had flinched away from him, treated him with disdain, and proven she didn’t trust him.

Hennek stared hard at him. “It is my wish that you stay.” Hennek’s voice held that cool, dangerous tone.

Hennek could not let the duke’s son go back to tell his father. She had warned Steffan, and now the warning would come true.

Her heart sank to her toes.

“I am at your command, then, Herr Bürgermeister.” Steffan gave a slight bow. Deference and calm smoothed out his expression. Not a trace of fear or mistrust. What a good pretender he was.

“All the better,” Hennek mumbled. Then he boomed, “Let us have a good meal to celebrate you staying another night in Hamlin.”

Hennek started moving toward the dining hall, and the guards glared at Kat and Steffan until they followed, then they came very close behind. She glanced at Steffan out of the corner of her eye. His expression was tense; his jaw twitched and hardened. But when he glanced at her, his face softened and he winked, as if to say, “Don’t worry.”

They went into the dining hall and soon the evening meal was served. Mother did not seem to notice that anything was amiss—or any more amiss than usual. When Kat asked to be excused to go to her bedchamber, Hennek said, “No. I want you to stay.” Then he suddenly became loud and jovial. “We’re having a pleasant evening! Friends and family, enjoying a good meal together! You are a fortunate young maiden. Other women in Hamlin, in the Holy Roman Empire, would love to have the food you see here. But what’s even better, you are spending time with Lord Steffan, the son of the Duke of Hagenheim!”

With that, he laughed raucously, having drunk more wine than she’d ever seen him drink. What was Hennek doing, feeding them and dragging out the evening? She supposed he wanted to enjoy the thought of having the duke’s son in his home, at his mercy, one last time. And whatever he was planning to do next, he probably needed all the wine he was drinking to give him the courage to carry it out.

When the meal was finally over, he dismissed Mother, who glanced worriedly at Kat and left the room.