and offer her the bread and cheese in his saddlebag. A rather plain meal, but ’twould do.
When they neared the dark ruins, Aldwin called out, “Lady L.” Best to alert her to his approach. She’d been uneasy traveling through the woods, and he didn’t want her to mistake him for an undead Roman.
No reply.
Grinning, he shook his head. She didn’t answer because she was furious he’d left her tied. He imagined her standing against the wall, fuming, her chin at that fetching angle that warned him she was in a temper.
“I did not wish to startle you,” he said as the area where he’d left her came into view. “I—” His voice faded to a groan.
After tethering Rom to another part of the wall, he ran to where the rope dangled to the ground. It was still tied to the bonds that had encircled her wrists.
Squatting, he examined the cut rope. Worn through. She’d rubbed it against a stone.
Or someone had cut her loose.
Aldwin shoved to standing, concern and rage boiling inside him. He shouldn’t have left her alone.
She could be in mortal danger.
***
Leona darted into the forest. Beneath the trees, little moonlight reached the ground—excellent for hiding, but not for making a quick escape. Still, she’d rather break both her legs than be tied to the wall and at Aldwin’s mercy.
Wind whistled through the leaves and branches overhead. Moonlight spliced through the shadows to reveal mounds of earth with parts of stone walls thrusting through—evidence of more ancient ruins buried over the centuries by flooding. Some of the trees had fallen, creating a tangle of branches that blocked her path.
The perfect place for a bees’ nest.
Fear clouded her mind. Being summer, there could be hundreds of nests in the forest. If she stumbled upon one in the dark . . .
She wouldn’t. Oh, God, she wouldn’t!
A sickly sweat broke across Leona’s skin, but she picked her way around the trees and pressed on. Flattening against a broad trunk, she snatched a breath and listened for any signs of pursuit. Was she headed toward the road? She hoped so. While she couldn’t see the glimmer of the river any longer, that didn’t mean she was traveling in the right direction.
A rustling noise came from a nearby patch of ferns. She froze, pressing back against a tree, while she strained to hear more. Had Aldwin come looking for her already? Had she been so preoccupied with her escape that she hadn’t heard him stalking her?
She held her breath. The night itself seemed a living entity. Close by, she sensed creatures she couldn’t see.
Animals. Aye. Not Roman ghosts.
Afraid of the night? God’s teeth, Leona! Your will is as soft as pastry dough—just like all the other pale-skinned ladies who don’t have freckles. No warrior worth spit is afraid of a little darkness .
Mentally squashing her unease, she looked down at the ground for some kind of weapon to defend herself. Broken stones. Sticks. Enough to fight with, if need be.
She lowered to a crouch. The rustling grew louder, followed by a scampering sound. A fawn bounded through a slant of light, toward a doe standing watch in the shadows. Leona blew out a sigh. Not Aldwin or . . . a ghostly Roman.
As she continued on, more ruins emerged from the shadows, and then she saw the deer track winding through the woods. The one they’d traveled earlier? Her body warmed with a surge of hope.
She hurried forward. Branches, hidden by layers of rotting leaves, crackled beneath her boots. She paused, her heartbeat pounding. Had Aldwin heard the noise?
Please, nay!
She waited long moments, afraid to even reach up to wipe the sweat from her face. If he’d heard, he wasn’t racing toward her. Daring to continue on, she walked onto the trail.
Aldwin stood leaning against a tree, holding his crossbow. The weapon pointed toward the ground, but was nevertheless cocked.
Their gazes locked in the darkness.
The skin across her breasts tingled. The pendant’s weight brushing her
When they neared the dark ruins, Aldwin called out, “Lady L.” Best to alert her to his approach. She’d been uneasy traveling through the woods, and he didn’t want her to mistake him for an undead Roman.
No reply.
Grinning, he shook his head. She didn’t answer because she was furious he’d left her tied. He imagined her standing against the wall, fuming, her chin at that fetching angle that warned him she was in a temper.
“I did not wish to startle you,” he said as the area where he’d left her came into view. “I—” His voice faded to a groan.
After tethering Rom to another part of the wall, he ran to where the rope dangled to the ground. It was still tied to the bonds that had encircled her wrists.
Squatting, he examined the cut rope. Worn through. She’d rubbed it against a stone.
Or someone had cut her loose.
Aldwin shoved to standing, concern and rage boiling inside him. He shouldn’t have left her alone.
She could be in mortal danger.
***
Leona darted into the forest. Beneath the trees, little moonlight reached the ground—excellent for hiding, but not for making a quick escape. Still, she’d rather break both her legs than be tied to the wall and at Aldwin’s mercy.
Wind whistled through the leaves and branches overhead. Moonlight spliced through the shadows to reveal mounds of earth with parts of stone walls thrusting through—evidence of more ancient ruins buried over the centuries by flooding. Some of the trees had fallen, creating a tangle of branches that blocked her path.
The perfect place for a bees’ nest.
Fear clouded her mind. Being summer, there could be hundreds of nests in the forest. If she stumbled upon one in the dark . . .
She wouldn’t. Oh, God, she wouldn’t!
A sickly sweat broke across Leona’s skin, but she picked her way around the trees and pressed on. Flattening against a broad trunk, she snatched a breath and listened for any signs of pursuit. Was she headed toward the road? She hoped so. While she couldn’t see the glimmer of the river any longer, that didn’t mean she was traveling in the right direction.
A rustling noise came from a nearby patch of ferns. She froze, pressing back against a tree, while she strained to hear more. Had Aldwin come looking for her already? Had she been so preoccupied with her escape that she hadn’t heard him stalking her?
She held her breath. The night itself seemed a living entity. Close by, she sensed creatures she couldn’t see.
Animals. Aye. Not Roman ghosts.
Afraid of the night? God’s teeth, Leona! Your will is as soft as pastry dough—just like all the other pale-skinned ladies who don’t have freckles. No warrior worth spit is afraid of a little darkness .
Mentally squashing her unease, she looked down at the ground for some kind of weapon to defend herself. Broken stones. Sticks. Enough to fight with, if need be.
She lowered to a crouch. The rustling grew louder, followed by a scampering sound. A fawn bounded through a slant of light, toward a doe standing watch in the shadows. Leona blew out a sigh. Not Aldwin or . . . a ghostly Roman.
As she continued on, more ruins emerged from the shadows, and then she saw the deer track winding through the woods. The one they’d traveled earlier? Her body warmed with a surge of hope.
She hurried forward. Branches, hidden by layers of rotting leaves, crackled beneath her boots. She paused, her heartbeat pounding. Had Aldwin heard the noise?
Please, nay!
She waited long moments, afraid to even reach up to wipe the sweat from her face. If he’d heard, he wasn’t racing toward her. Daring to continue on, she walked onto the trail.
Aldwin stood leaning against a tree, holding his crossbow. The weapon pointed toward the ground, but was nevertheless cocked.
Their gazes locked in the darkness.
The skin across her breasts tingled. The pendant’s weight brushing her
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