When he spotted them, he started their way. Edward scooted closer to her.
“They are, aren’t they?” He kept his voice low.
“I fear they are.” She dropped her gaze to her hands in her lap.
The soldier stopped at their table, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Rosamund stole a glance upward to see him scrutinizing both of them. He was not one of the guards she knew. For that, she was grateful. Edward, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair as though the sight of the man didn’t bother him at all.
“We’re looking for a woman. Tall with blonde hair and green eyes,” the soldier said.
“I’m looking for a woman, too,” he snapped back. “Though I confess I haven’t found one worthy.”
The man scowled at him, then looked at Rosamund. “Perhaps you’ve seen her.” It was a question directed to her. “She would have left Myst a few days ago.”
Edward threw his arm around the back of her chair. “My sister and I are traveling through town. We haven’t seen anyone. Especially someone from Myst.”
The guard’s eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Only that those of us from Woodhaven prefer not to fraternize with those from Myst.”
Rosamund shifted in her seat as she cut him a glance. He continued to look at the soldier with guarded eyes and she understood then it was all a ruse. The guard’s eyes landed on her then.
“This is your sister, eh?” He sounded unconvinced. “What’s your name, girl?”
“I’m afraid she can’t answer you. She’s mute,” Edward said.
It took everything in her to remain perfectly still and not snap her head in his direction. The guard bent down to give her a closer inspection. She stared back, keeping her gaze strong and sure as he peered at her with black suspicious eyes.
“You have green eyes,” the man said.
“A gift from my mother,” Edward said, sounding jovial. “I can assure you this girl isn’t the one you seek. We traveled together down from Dundeen. She hasn’t left my sight.”
The soldier straightened, his hand still on the hilt of his sword. He did not appear to believe Edward’s story. He lingered there a moment longer, glancing between the two of them, and then turned and headed back to the front of the tavern.
The other three had fanned out through the crowd, asking questions and looking for her. When they finally all left, she blew out a breath. Edward dropped his arm and scooted back to his previous position.
“Perhaps, Rose, you tell me why a soldier of Myst Hall was looking for you.” He turned to face her, his eyes piercing through her. “And who you really are.”
Chapter 13
Phillipthrewcoinsonthe table to pay for their meal and then rose, his chair scraping back with a loud screech. The fear on Rose’s face told him everything he needed to know. She was the girl the soldiers from Myst Hall were looking for. Likely the ones who were in the forest not far behind them and why she insisted on galloping away from them.
But who was she and why would she be running from them?
Her face had drained of color as she rose from the chair. She followed him out of the tavern and into the late afternoon sunshine where he turned to her and gripped her by the elbow.
“Who are you?” he repeated. “Are you a thief?”
Her eyes flew open. “No!”
“Then what did you do to garner the attention of four soldiers from Myst Hall?” His voice was demanding, terse.
“How do you know they were from Myst Hall?”
She blinked owlish eyes. He thought for certain he saw the palpitation of her pulse in the long column of her neck. He gave her a deadpan look.
“I recognized the sigil on his cloak.”
A look of discomfort flickered over her face, as though she, too, had noticed the sigil from Myst Hall. She shifted her weight from one foot the other and tried to dislodge her arm from his grip, but he held fast. It confirmed his thoughts that she was the one they were looking for. Yet he was compelled to lie to them. Why, he did not know.
