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“They knew which tree was yours?” Tuck muttered as he and Einri shared a loaded glance. “We have a traitor in Greenwood.”
“What does the missive say?” I interrupt.
“The people of Greenwood are to be taken before King Graeme to be judged as traitors to the crown and executed.” He summarized in a growl.
“Executed?” I gasped. Tuck and Little John turned pale as I glanced around at them. “Does it say when?”
Einri shook his head. “No, so we need to hurry if we intend to save them.” He turned to me. “Can I still count on you to uphold your end of the bargain?”
I tried to not let his disbelief get to me. “I gave my word.” I growled back.
He nodded and turned to Little John. “If you are well enough to travel with us, I would be grateful for the extra pair of hands.”
It didn’t escape my notice the difference between his words to me and his words to Little John. I tucked the knowledge away, to be addressed later.
Little John nodded solemnly. “Aye. I can travel.”
Einri glanced at Tuck, who gave a barely perceptible nod.
“See if you can gather as much food as you can find. The less we have to hunt on the road, the faster we can get there,” Einri ordered, and we all scattered in various directions, getting ready to head back onto the road.
“How do you feel about seeing Castle Hill again?” Will asked me later that evening as we traveled through the forest on our way back to the castle. I glanced at him sharply, hearing something in his voice I couldn’t identify.
I shrugged, trying to seem casual. “I never truly felt at home in Castle Hill, so I don’t expect to feel much different,” I reasoned. “What about you?”
Will avoided my eyes, and my internal warning system was going haywire. “A lot has changed since we left,” he finally said.
My heart broke for him, and I vowed anew that I would kill Captain Rekker for the pain he caused my cousin. I gently grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Who you are hasn’t changed. And I’m not leaving you, so that’s one less thing you have to worry about.”
He threw a small smile my way and returned my squeeze briefly before extracting his hand from mine. I couldn’t help but feel the action was symbolic somehow. “I’m worried we won’t make it back in time.”
“They can’t move a large company of people as fast as just five can travel through the forest, so there’s a good chance we’ll make it in time. I’m sure Brex already has her ear to the ground, so once we meet with her, we will have a better idea of how to proceed.” I reasoned.
“Brex is a force to be reckoned with.” Will barked a laugh.
I grinned at him. “I don’t see how we could have made it at Castle Hill without her help.” I agreed. “Do you remember the time when Winifred started a rumor that I was cheating at rummy? Brex retaliated by starting a rumor that she never pays her debts, and then no one would play with her after that.”
I joined in his boisterous laughter, grateful to see a peek at the old Will. There will still shadows in his eyes, but I appreciated his attempt to be more like himself. Truth be known, I wasn’t sure I would ever hear his laugh again, even as strained as it was.
“We’re making good time; we’ll camp here for the night and make it to Castle Hill by tomorrow evening if we ride hard.” Einri called back to us.
We made camp in companionable silence, each lost in our own thoughts. I gazed over the fire at my companions thinking over my time since I had left Castle Hill. Little John was roasting a brace of rabbits over the fire, and Einri was looking off into the distance with a thoughtful face. Tuck was on guard duty just off in the distance, and Will was close to my side. He hadn’t strayed far from either me, or irritatingly, Einri since we rescued him from the Bruralian camp.
I studied the irritating man from across the fire, mulling over his contradictions. A bastard son of a warring king who was betrayed by his brother and first love yet strove to keep his people safe at his own expense. Yet almost every interaction with me was filled with annoyance and suspicion. Was it because I was a woman, or because I was a stranger?
I wasn’t a stranger to narrow minded men thinking I was less because I was a woman, but for Einri to feel that way... I had to know, especially if I was to fight beside him and potentially put my life in his hands in the upcoming confrontation at Castle Hill.
“Why do you treat me differently from everyone else?” I decided on a direct approach. We didn’t have time to gaffe about.
He turned his face to me, a single eyebrow raised. “You want to get into that now?”
I set my jaw. “Yes.”
“Very well.” He turned to me fully. “I don’t trust you.”
I spread my hands, exasperated. “Why not? You seem to trust Little John, and even Will more than you do me.” I wondered if he would come out and say it.
“Little John and I don’t always see eye to eye, but I have fought alongside him and know him to be a good man. And since Will’s change, as his alpha there is a bond there that breeds trust. You, maiden, have no such redeeming qualities. You have neither been proved in battle, nor is there an oath holding you to not betray me beyond aiding my people. In my experience, everyone is after something. So, what is it you are after?”
