Page 62 of Castle of Refuge

“Did you see anyone outside the church after Mistress Audrey’s lessons?” Edwin tried to make sure he didn’t frighten the child and kept his tone light.

“The guard. He was lying down with his eyes closed.”

“Did you see anyone else?”

The girl shook her head.

The girl’s mother took hold of her shoulder. “Go and ask the other girls if they saw anyone.” Then she gave her a tiny shove.

“Yes, Mother.” The girl turned and ran.

While they waited for her to return, Edwin talked with the other men and women standing about. A few of them had seen Maris and her large henchman in the village earlier, but they had not seen them in the last hour.

Edwin’s guards came tearing down the road on their steeds, and the ones in the lead reined them in near Edwin.

“The woman Maris and her giant, Umfrey, have apparently taken Audrey from the church by force,” Edwin told them. “Since no one saw them leaving, they may have gone through the forest. Six of you go search the forest. The rest spread out and search everywhere here in the village. We must find them. Quickly.”

The men set out, urging their horses into a gallop.

Another guard came down the hill, too late to have heard the instructions. Edwin turned to one of the villagers who had been helpful.

“Fill this new guard in on what is happening.” Then he said to the guard, “Give me your horse. You can go back and get another.”

The guard’s mouth fell open, but he only hesitated a moment before dismounting and handing Edwin the reins.

Edwin mounted the unfamiliar horse and set off at a fast trot toward the forest.

***

Edwin’s horse bounded through the trees, crashing through the underbrush almost as fast as his own horse would have done. Branches slapped Edwin’s arms and shoulders, and one even scraped his forehead, but he barely felt it. He focused on staying in the saddle and moving as fast as he could.

How dare they take Audrey? She was under his protection.He had promised her she was safe. He’d sent his guard to protect her, and now his guard lay unconscious, possibly even fatally wounded.

Audrey had been so afraid of her sister. How could he not have taken her fear more seriously? Why had he not sent more guards to watch over her? If only he could find her before her sister and that man did something to hurt her.

He slowed his horse to a halt and listened. He heard the sounds of rustling and crackling leaves and twigs, like several horses moving through the trees and underbrush, then he heard men’s voices, including the distinct sound of his captain’s voice ordering the guards to spread out. It was coming from the southeast, so he turned his horse toward the northwest.

He rode a few minutes, then caught sight of something white in the distance, reflecting the light that filtered in through the forest canopy. He headed toward it.

As he got closer, he realized the white strip was a ribbon he’d once seen in Audrey’s hair.

His heart pounded hard against his chest. He pushed his horse to go faster, and he began to notice signs that other horses and riders had been that way. A broken twig here and there, a crushed leaf or bush. Did Maris and Umfrey have horses? He should have asked that question, for then he would know if they could have made it this far.

If they were on foot, he could be close. But there seemed to be too many signs that they were on horses. Which meant it could be a long time before he caught up to them.

He kept going, every so often seeing a small piece of parchment that looked as if it had been placed deliberately into a bush where someone might see it.Well done, Audrey.

After riding for more than hour, he came to a slight rise. Edwin had not often been in this part of the forest. He pushed his horse to the top where there seemed to be a small clearing.

The top was rocky, more so than Edwin had expected. Before he could rein in the horse, it plunged down the other side, lost its footing, and fell forward onto its knees. Edwin went flying, clearing the horse’s neck and head, and hit the ground before he could break his fall.

He turned and grabbed for the reins, but his hand missed and he fell forward onto his shoulder. The horse scrambled to its feet and darted away from him, whinnying.

Edwin pushed himself up onto his knees, but it was taking too long to get to his feet. By the time he was fully upright, the horse was running down the hill away from him.

He needed to catch the horse. He called it. He ran after it. He whistled for it and made clicking noises with his tongue against his teeth, but nothing worked. The beast did not know Edwin as his master and would not let Edwin get close enough to grab the reins.

Heaviness weighing him down, Edwin went back up the hill to the place where he had fallen. He looked for a sign of where Audrey and her captors had gone. Then he saw another white ribbon shining several feet away, lying on a bush. He hurried toward it.