Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“When did you befriend her?” he asked.
“When Autumn was about seven years.” Mave smiled broadly. “That lass was too curious for her own good. Always asking questions and not stopping until she got the answers. She’d sneak around listening to people talk and learn from their conversations. And she defended the helpless.”
She smiled, recalling a memory. “One day a young lad, only a few years younger than her ten years, stole bread from a merchant on market day. Lord Randall’s warriors were there since he was visiting Cerise, the reason Autumn was at the market. One of the warriors hit the small lad so hard, he split his lip. The lad begged for mercy, begged for food he was so hungry. The warrior laughed and went to hit him again and Autumn threw two apples at him, hitting him in the head. He turned and when he did the small lad grabbed the two apples and ran.” She chuckled. “That infuriated the warrior. He went for her, and she caught him in the nose with another apple and blood poured from it. He chased her around the market, villagers cheering secretly for Autumn. Then he caught her.”
Mave paused too long for Knox. “What happened?”
“He was about to give her a good beating when another warrior yelled, ‘She’s Lord Randall’s bastard child.’” Mave grinned. “He let go of her fast enough.”
“What happened when Lord Randall found out about it?”
Mave scoffed. “They weren’t foolish enough to tell him.”
“That lad must feel indebted to her.”
“Owen was one of many villagers who Autumn helped one way or another.”
Knox caught the familiar name. He would need to go talk with Owen and find out what secrets he was keeping about Autumn.
“So, she’s a kind and generous woman,” he said.
“True enough,” Mave said.
“Do you have any idea where I can find Autumn?” he asked, though didn’t expect much from the healer. It was obvious that she did her best to protect Autumn.
“Aye, I do?”
Knox was skeptical at how easily the healer offered that information. “Where?”
“In the woods.”
“You believe like the villagers that the shadows got her?”
“Don’t know about shadows but I do know death got her. Autumn died three days after her mum was buried.”
CHAPTER 16
Dru stretched herself awake and turned, seeking her husband’s warmth. Her eyes flew open when she felt the spot next to her in bed empty. Knox was there during the night. She had curled against him and his arms had welcomed her. She shouldn’t enjoy it so much—sleeping in his arms—but she did. What Mave said about her staying in the marriage got her thinking. Would it be possible? Could she truly have a life with Knox?
She turned on her back, stretching her arms above her head and stretching her thoughts as well to possibly accept the impossible. She sighed. It would be selfish of her to even consider it since it would place Knox in danger. Mave had to be wrong. There was no future for her and Knox as husband and wife.
She had no excuse to linger in bed since she was feeling better. Besides, a delicious scent filled the air, and her stomach grumbled. She was hungry and she was also worried about how Knox and Mave were getting along. She slipped out of bed and into her boots. Then she went to the hearth and dislodged one of the stones to reach into the hole and pull out a cloth—in it— a bone comb.
It had belonged to her mum, and she had hidden it after her mum had died in case, she ever got a chance to return and retrieve it. Running it through her own hair, only to get it tangled, reminded her of when she was young, and her mum would comb her hair almost nightly.
After running the comb through her hair until not one tangle was left, she gathered the silky strands up with a twist and shoved the comb into the mess of curls and waves to hold it in place. It caught most strands leaving others to escape and fall around her face and neck.
She hurried to the door and as she reached out to open it, it flew open, and she toppled forward against her husband’s hard chest.
Knox’s arm circled her, holding her close against him.
Dru lifted her head, feeling her cheeks blush slightly. What was wrong with her? She never blushed. Well, almost never.
“Feeling better?” Knox asked, though her pink cheeks let him know she was doing well.
“Much,” she said.
“Mave left a brew for you to drink and a broth as well. She advised that you drink both and see how your stomach reacts before putting any solid food in it.”
She frowned. “I’m starving.”
“Mave said you would complain. Claims you are stubborn,” he said. “For only meeting you, she seems to know you well.”