Page 63 of Castle of Refuge

He picked up the ribbon and noticed a brown stain in the shape of a thumbprint. Was that blood? Was Audrey bleeding?Had they wounded her the way they’d wounded his guard? But no, she must be conscious if she was leaving him clues, signs of their trail so he could track them.

But the stain made his head hot, and he prayed out loud, “God, protect her. Help me find her. Jesus, give us a miracle and I will give You the glory and tell everyone that You helped me.”

He didn’t like to admit it, even to himself, but he had been angry at God for all He had allowed to happen to him, for the injustices done to him by his stepmother—that evil woman Parnella—and Baldric, the uncle of Delia’s husband. But he was wrong to have felt that way. God did not do evil, people did. And sometimes God had purposes and reasons for the bad things that happened that were beyond the knowledge of mortals. Where was his faith if he blamed God for every bad thing? Should he not follow the example of Daniel’s three friends who vowed to trust in God even if He chose not to save them? If God saved every Christian, there would be no martyrs to inspire the faith of others.

He squeezed his hand into a fist and got down on his knees.

“Forgive me, God, for my bitterness, unforgiving spirit, and lack of faith. But I beg You now to help me find Audrey. I am not trusting in horses or chariots, not running to Egypt for help. I am looking to You, Lord God, from whence my help comes.”

He opened his eyes, half expecting to see Audrey standing in the distance. But she was not there.

“Very well, God, but lead me to her. I have faith that You will.”

He stood and continued to walk. While he was among thedense trees, he was actually able to see more signs of their trail now that he was on the ground and not on horseback. But once he came into a clearing, there were fewer ways for them to leave a trail.

In the distance a flash of color—dark green—disappeared into a small copse of trees on the other side of the grassy hillside he was standing on.

Edwin hurried toward it, careful to watch the ground for rocks so that he would not stumble and fall. He made his way through the tall grass and plunged into the cover of the trees.

Just ahead was a horse tied to a tree. Edwin looked carefully, squatting to give himself a smaller profile. Two more horses, both standing still and grazing. He started walking carefully toward them, trying to make sure his footfalls were quiet.

As he drew near, he heard muffled voices. He crept closer but made a wide path around the horses lest he spook them, causing them to announce his presence.

The giant—he was indeed quite large—was making a fire in a small pit dug out in the earth. Maris was standing over Audrey, whose mouth was covered by a cloth tied around her head. Her wrists were tied together in front of her.

Heat rose into his head again. But he forced his emotions to go cold. He had to save Audrey, and it would be much easier if he did not let anger scramble his thoughts. He needed his head clear to think and plan.

He moved over so that he was squatting behind a large tree trunk. The late-day sun was shining through the trees to his right, and Audrey was sitting very still. Maris bent down andyanked the cloth down away from her mouth. The blonde woman turned to her giant.

“What do you think I should do with her?”

“I can snap her neck. It would be easy,” Umfrey said.

Maris turned to Audrey. “What do you think, dear sister? It would be a quick and painless way to die, I would imagine.”

He saw the flicker of sadness, rather than fear, that passed over Audrey’s features.

“What makes you treat me this way?” Audrey rasped. “You are my sister.”

Maris turned to walk away, but then she whipped her body around and shook her finger in Audrey’s face. “You ruined my life!”

The woman was clearly mad.

If Edwin did not do something to get Audrey away from her sister, and very soon, it might be too late.

Sixteen

Audrey sat listening to her sister, who sounded increasingly agitated, ramble and rant while Audrey studied the bonds constraining her hands, examining the knot. If they tied her ankles together tonight, as she anticipated they would, perhaps she could figure out how to untie it.

She’d tried to leave little bits of evidence so Lord Dericott and his men could follow her trail and find her. But they had gone so far and no one had found them yet, so it seemed unlikely that she would be rescued. No, she had to escape. Tonight she would do whatever she had to do to get away. In the meantime she had to survive.

Was this how Edwin felt when he was a prisoner at the Tower of London? Falsely accused. She could imagine how that felt, as Maris constantly accused her of things she had not done.

“Are you listening to me?” Maris fairly screamed.

Keep screaming, Maris. Maybe Lord Dericott’s men will hear you.

“I’m listening.”