Astin pressed himself against the wall as footsteps drew closer. His hand rested on his weapon.
That was no farmer. That was a soldier.
The problem was he was not one of theirs.
He struggled to figure out how there was an English soldier inside the borough and yet no one else seemed aware of the fact.
There was only one way to get answers.
Grabbing hold of the top of the window, Astin swung his legs through and dropped into the room, drawing his sword as he landed. He pointed it at the English soldier as he turned.
‘Someone start talking.’
His mother rose from her chair, gripping tightly to her sewing. Presley moved to stand in front of Rose.
‘No one says a word,’ the soldier said, his weapon only half drawn.
Presley looked from the guard to Astin. ‘They’re already in the borough, hundreds of them.’
When the soldier turned his head to look at her, Astin pressed the tip of his sword to the man’s neck. ‘Eyes on me.’
The balding man looked back at Astin.
‘There’s an entrance on the east wall,’ Presley said. ‘I doubt even the warden knows of it. The king had it built to get the livestock out—’ She swallowed nervously. ‘—and now Cooper’s using it to get the enemy in.’
Astin’s eyes were fixed on the soldier. ‘And now a question for you. What are you doing in my family’s home?’
The man’s face hardened. ‘That’s not your business.’
‘Wrong answer.’ Astin lunged forwards, cutting the man’s throat before he had a chance to get his sword the rest of the way out. He caught the soldier, dragging him to the door and throwing him outside to save the floors.
His mother watched the dying man through the open door while Rose clung to a pale-faced Presley.
‘There will be more of them,’ Presley said.
Astin had to get his family out of the borough—fast. ‘Saddle the horses. Let’s move.’
‘Cooper said they wouldn’t hurt us if we cooperated,’ his mother said, not moving.
Astin blinked slowly. ‘I’d hoped you might have realised by now that you can’t believe a thing that comes out of that man’s mouth.’
‘If he comes back and we’re gone—’
‘Mother,’ Presley said, tone firm. ‘The borough will soon be overrun by soldiers. We’re going with Astin.’
Lari placed her sewing on the chair behind her and nodded. ‘All right.’
The moment Astin stepped outside, he stopped, lifting a hand to his family behind him. Everyone froze, ears straining as they listened.
‘Horses coming our way,’ Presley said.
They were moving at a gallop. He guessed around six of them.
‘Stay inside,’ he instructed. He loaded his bow and swung it in the direction of the horses as they came into sight. There was Cooper flanked by English soldiers in helmets, chain mail, and steel chest plates. Astin took aim at his stepfather.
‘I wouldn’t do that,’ Cooper called, gesturing past him.
Astin’s eyes flicked over his shoulder as another horse appeared from behind the house, an arrow trained on him. He was tempted to shoot his stepfather anyway, but he was not sure how the soldiers would react, and he could not protect his family if he was dead.
