Bandits, to be sure.
Dragon’s blood!
“Paupers then,” the one called Dravon laughed. “In the Blood Woods? Didn’t they tell you to come ready to pay the toll? Passage through our land is not free, lass. You either pay with gold or you pay with your life. We require one or the other.”
“Or both,” his companion laughed.
I twisted again, ignoring the pain in my ankles from where the rope dug into my skin. I could see them more clearly and was surprised to find how young they were.
I had expected men like the ones we met in the tavern last night, bearded, bulky, and boorish. But these were young men, only a few years older than Oliver and I, well-muscled with cleanly shaven faces.
“You can have neither,” I told them. “Cut us down so that we may be on our way.”
They laughed at my brashness. I couldn’t blame them, but I figured it was better to be bold than afraid.
Something cold and distinctly metal brushed over the bare skin of my calf. A sword. “The lady has asked us to cut her free, Eret.”
“I did not ask,” I clarified. “I commanded.”
Oliver muttered a warning under his breath, but my heart tripped as I tried not to stare at my satchel sitting just out of reach.
“Unfortunately for you, my lady,” the one called Eret snarled. “We have forsaken both king and crown so that we can live freely, meaningfree fromcommands. Even from lost paupers wandering through our woods.”
I tried to hide my gasp of surprise. “Rebels.”
They snickered. “Who else did you suppose claimed the Blood Woods?” Dravon asked.
I had not known the Blood Woods had been claimed. Nor did I know that the rebels had infiltrated this much of Tenovia. The information we’d built our plans around had been dated. Not much news traveled as far east as Father Garius’s monastery.
This, specifically, would have been noteworthy.
Despite my surprise I squared my upside-down shoulders. “I didn’t suppose anyone claimed the Blood Woods. I supposed they were as wild and uninhabited as always, left to the ghosts and savage beasts that have always occupied this corner of Denamon.”
“Desperate times, m’lady,” Eret sneered. “The rebel army has made allies with the ghosts of the Blood Woods. We live in peaceful harmony among the vicious beasts and reclusive pagans. Some might even say we’re fighting the same war.”
“And what war would that be?” My voice did not waver despite my panic. “As far as I know the realm is at peace.”
“Then you do not know much, trespasser.” The man leaned toward me. “Where are you from that you don’t know of the whispers of war and conquests of the Rebel Army?”
I clamped my mouth shut and shot him my most defiant glare.
“And what have we here?” A new voice boomed.
“Arrick,” the two men said at once. Eret moved back several steps and bowed his head low out of respect.
I turned and shared a look with Oliver while the rope creaked from the branches above. The new man walked around us slowly. Until he hovered over me, watching intently.
I felt Oliver start praying next to me. His low mumbles turned into familiar chants. Oliver only started his incantations when he was in particular trouble.
“They claim to have no money,” Eret announced for us. “And that they did not know there was to be a toll expected of them.”
“Is that so?” The new man, Arrick, murmured. He leaned down so that he could take stock of my face even while his remained hidden behind a hood.
I closed my eyes for a moment, desperately searching for courage. When I opened them, I found myself staring into startling bright blue eyes framed by thick lashes. He pulled back at once and his face was covered in shadow again. “But alas,” his hand swept over my forehead, pulling at something dangling there, “I’ve found something after all.”
He yanked and the chain around my neck snapped free. He’d taken the necklace I’d been wearing ever since Father Garius had returned it to me.
White hot fury blinded me. “Give it back,” I demanded.
