She frowned at his sarcastic tone, but swung her bag up and then clambered up into the seat. Oskar climbed up after her, taking the reins in his hands.
Lord Eberwyn came to stand at the cart’s side. “God speed to ye,” he said. “I’ll send word to Dun Saith, tell them what’s happened, although I doubt any messenger will reach them before ye get to the capital. I dinna need to tell ye to be careful.”
“Aye,” Oskar replied. “We’ll watch our backs. Ye have our thanks, Lord Eberwyn. I dinna know when we’ll get yer cart back to ye.”
Eberwyn waved a hand. “Ye owe me naught and dinna worry about the cart. I’m just glad I can still be of service to the Order. Get this man to trial and that will be all the thanks I need.”
Oskar nodded. He clicked his tongue, urging the horses forward. They snorted, shook their shaggy manes, then began to walk.
The cart jolted into motion, the wheels rattling against the uneven ground. Lily glanced back at Alfred, who was lying spread-eagled in the back of the wagon. His face was pale and beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.
As they made their way along the winding track, Lily looked around. The landscape seemed unfamiliar, almost otherworldly. The trees were stunted and twisted, casting eerie shadows that danced across their path. A chill wind rustled through the branches with no sign of the spring bloom that had been in evidence in the park today. Up here, the trees were bare, the air was cold, and winter clearly hadn’t quite relinquished its grip on the land just yet. She shivered, pulling her coat tight.
She glanced over at Oskar, who was focused on navigating the horses through the uneven terrain. His stern expression was mirrored by Magnus and Emeric in the back of the cart, who remained silent as they kept a watchful eye on Alfred. Lilycouldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about this whole situation.
Getting to Edinburgh couldn’t come soon enough.
Chapter 4
Oskar scanned the landscape as they traveled. He felt wary and tense, as though eyes were watching him.
He glanced over his shoulder at Alfred Brewer. The bastard was lying back in the cart like a king, allowing everyone else to do the hard work. They should have made him ride, broken leg or not. He’d made his choice to become an outlaw and he had to deal with the consequences.
Like you did, you mean?a voice spoke in his head.You were given a second chance. Why not this man?
He tugged on the reins irritably and the horses snorted. That was different. He’d spent his life trying to make amends for what he’d once been. But men like Alfred Brewer? They were rotten to the core.
“Where are we?” the lass said suddenly by his side.
“On our way to Edinburgh,” he grunted. “Where else?”
She fixed him with a stare. She had quite the stare on her, this healer from Abbotsfield. “I know that. I mean where are weexactly?” She gestured at the rolling hills around them stretching as far as the eye could see. “It shouldn’t be like this. I know Edinburgh and its surrounds pretty well—I had to travel all over during my training—but I don’t recognize this place at all. In fact, I don’t remember a stretch of wilderness like this so close to the city.”
What was she going on about? This wasn’t wilderness. There was a village not three miles from here.
Oskar glanced at her. Her hair was tangled and messy, coming free of its braid, but it framed her face perfectly, highlighting her porcelain skin and those striking dark eyes that seemed to burn with annoyance whenever she looked at him. Her lips were full and inviting, slightly chapped from the dry wind that had put a rosy glow into her cheeks.
Aye, she was a fine-looking lass all right, even if she was a little strange and irritating. She wore odd clothes, spoke with an unfamiliar accent, and carried supplies in that bag of hers he’d never seen the like of before.
“What should it be like then?” he asked her, raising an eyebrow.
She bit her lip, looking around. “There should be roads and cars at least. The A9 runs this way doesn’t it? So where is it?”
He shrugged. “I dinna have a clue.” Nor did he know what she was talking about. Aye, she was definitely strange.
