Page 80 of The Noble Servant

After bragging about all he had learned since his selfish days as a spoiled duke, he did not want to look like a selfish, spoiled duke now. Of course she was glad that this discovery would help her people.

“Tell me more about what you learned.”

“What?” His eyes popped open.

“At the university. You said you learned about mining and iron ore and a new way of melting it.”

“Oh. Of course.”

While the old Steffan wanted to be angry with her for not wishing to marry him, and the old Steffan might have even been gruff with her, how would the new, less selfish, less spoiled Steffan respond? It was sad that he had to think this hard about it. But the way she was staring at him, with that sweet smile of hers lifting her perfect lips ... he wanted to be better than the old Steffan.

He started telling her about mining iron ore, about the process of melting it and turning it into iron tools and weapons. While he talked about things other young women might find dull and tiresome, she nodded or asked a question every so often. Her green eyes sparkled with such interest. Perhaps she was interested in more than just mining. Perhaps she was also interested in him.

But that was only the arrogant Steffan rearing his head.

“It’s quite dark now,” Magdalen said. “The rain has lessened too.”

“We’d better try to sleep. But before we do that we should move deeper into the mine so Lord Hazen and his men can’t see us if they pass by with a torch.” His stomach sank even as he said the words. The last thing he wanted to do was move farther into a darkmine. But he also didn’t want to die at his uncle’s hands and cause the death of this innocent lady.

“I am very tired.” She yawned and covered her mouth. “But first I have to ... go out and take care of something.”

“Of course. Don’t go far, and keep an eye out for Lord Hazen and his men.”

She nodded, left her blanket on the floor, and hurried out the opening. She stepped over the fallen tree and disappeared into the darkness. Overhead the clouds were dissipating, but there was very little light.

He set about gathering blankets for their makeshift beds, trying to think how he might make Magdalen’s sleeping spot as comfortable as possible.

Where was she? She was taking a long time. It was still raining a bit so he would have thought she’d be quick.

He dropped the blankets and raced to the entrance. He stepped over the fallen tree trunk and looked all around. All kinds of man-eating animals resided in the forests of these regions of the Holy Roman Empire. Bears, wolves, wild cats—all were known to attack people. In addition, Lord Hazen and his men were probably nearby.

“Magdalen?” he whispered as loudly as he dared. No answer.

He went back into the mine and retrieved the sword he had brought with him. Then he came out with his sword drawn, his jaw clenched, ready to defend her.

Magdalen moved to find some bushes to squat between, far enough away from the entrance of the mine. Leaves and limbspulled at the tunic and hose she was wearing, though she tried to avoid them as best she could to keep from getting her dry clothes wet.

Just as she finished taking care of her needs, she realized she was near theHünengräber, or giant’s tomb, which was in a small clearing in the forest that she had often visited when she was growing up. In the waning light, she could just make out the large boulders set up like a tomb in the middle of the forest.

TheHünengräberhad been there since before anyone could remember. Hegatha had always warned her never to disturb it or even go near it. Magdalen asked her, “Why not?”

“It’s where the giants left their treasure, and now it’s guarded by fairies and trolls. I was told when I was a child, and now I’m telling you—nothing good comes of disturbing a giant’s tomb.”

Magdalen obeyed, for she never liked to incite her nurse’s displeasure.

“But what a superstitious notion that is,” she whispered now as she looked at it, a superstition left over from the ancient country’s heathen ways.

She drew nearer to where the huge stones were stacked and placed so as to create a little aboveground tunnel leading under the largest stone, which lay across the tops of the long, upright boulders that stood on either side.

As she left the path and went around to the back side of the giant’s tomb, an opening led underground, with smaller flat stones holding back the earth, as it were, leaving a space large enough for someone to walk into if they stooped. The ground at the mouth of it was covered in leaves and weeds, but the interior was too dark to tell what lay inside.

Magdalen had no time to go exploring a giant’s tomb, withSteffan waiting for her and a misting rain falling. She turned to head back to the mine when something growled.

A long, white-striped head poked out of the giant’s tomb. Magdalen jumped back. “Don’t worry, Mr. Badger,” she said as soothingly as she could as she backed away from him. “I am going. Moving away ... See?”

The badger made another sound, slightly less threatening than his growl, then waddled away.

Magdalen moved back up the little mound to the trail. The badger had probably been foraging for earthworms in the cool, damp earth.