The path curved and in front of them was a large fallen tree. The bushes on either side of the path were too thick to fight their way through, so Horland scrambled over the tree trunk and once on the other side, helped the little girl over. He held his hand out to Briana, but she waved him away.
“I’m fine.”
She climbed up and stood on the top of the trunk. “I can see the road from here.” She gazed down at Horland. “It doesn’t look very busy. In fact, I can’t see anyone or anything.”
“That road isn’t as well used as the other, but there will be travelers during the day.”
“I hope you’re right.” She stepped down, misjudging the strength of a branch as she did so. It snapped under her boot and she fell forward.
Horland instinctively caught her and the scent of berries wafted from her hair. He breathed in deeply. She stepped back and a blush of pink filled her cheeks. She glanced away then back again. Horland was so entranced by her he couldn’t wrest his gaze away. They were so close, his eyes flicked to her lips. The pink in her cheeks deepened and she quickly looked down. Lifting her leg, she held her ankle.
Horland cursed himself for not realizing she might have been hurt. “Are you injured?”
She rubbed her lower leg and shook her head. “No. I was just worried I’d sprained my ankle, but it’s all good.”
She put her foot down and leaned her weight on it. “See? Good as new.”
Horland tightened his lips at her words. The way she talked reminded him more and more of Patricia and Dianne. He didn’t know what country the twins and Mark came from, but now he wondered if it might not be the same as Briana.
He continued down the path and as Briana joined him, he asked, “Is America a big country?”
“Um, yeah. Yes, it is.”
“Oh.”
Once they reached the road, Horland stopped and looked toward Frother to the east. From that distance he could just make out the castle tower rising from the trees.
“See there?” He pointed. “That is Frother. You can just see the tip of Pradwick Castle’s Southern Tower.”
Briana peered in the direction he pointed. “I see it. It looks like it’s a long way. How long would it take to walk there?”
“One, maybe two days with the child.”
She held out her hand and Horland stared at her long fingers. Her short but nicely shaped nails were clean for someone who had been caged and walking and sleeping in the forest. At first, he thought she meant him to kiss her hand,but the way she held it sideways had him wondering what he was supposed to do.
She took his hand and shook it up and down. He frowned. That was something Mark liked to do when he first met people.
She let go and smiled. “I’m sorry you’re not going to do the knightly thing and take us to the castle, but I guess I should thank you for getting us this far.” She took the girl’s hand. “We’d better get started.”
The child pulled her hand back and sat down on the grassy edge of the road.
Briana tipped her head at the child. “You’re tired, huh? Okay, we’ll rest for a bit.”
Horland looked from the child to Briana. “I think it would be best if you waited for a wagon. The outlying farmers should be coming through soon to take their produce to market in Frother.”
Briana gazed at him. “Can you at least stay with us then? Your farmers will be much more willing to help us if you ask. After all, you are a knight and all.”
“I must continue my mission to find Sir Garlain.”
Her eyes widened and something crossed her face that Horland was sure was recognition. She snapped her head around and gazed down the road. “Did you hear that?”
Ah, so recognition of something she thought she heard. “I heard nothing.”
“I thought I heard the sound of wheels.”
Less than a minute later, a wagon rolled down the road in the direction of Frother. Horland raised his brows at Briana and she smiled. Had she heard the wagon from such a distance? He held up his hand and the driver pulled up his horses.
The driver bowed his head. “Greetings, Sir Knight. Are you in need of aid?”
