So heavy he never heard her leave.
When he saw the empty place by the hearth, he roused as if he’d been slapped awake.
Where was she?
He sprang up, running frantic fingers through his hair and blinking the sleep from his eyes.
Had she left him?
It was a mad thought.She didn’t belong to him, after all.Yet the feeling persisted.
Where had she gone?
He tried to calm himself as he dressed in haste.But his heart pounded as if he’d been called to battle.He shoved his arms through his surcoat and buckled his belt with shaking fingers.
Then, as he pulled on his boots, his eye caught on something slouched against the hearth.It was Aillenn’s satchel.
Relief hissed out of his lungs.He’d been a panicking fool.
She wouldn’t have left without her satchel.
Perhaps she’d only gone to the privy.
Or maybe she was downstairs, breaking her fast.
Catching his breath and trying to smooth his hair and his nerves into some semblance of order, he snatched open the door and resisted the urge to careen down the stairs.
Though he scoured the inn from top to bottom, upstairs and down, Aillenn was nowhere to be found.
The innkeeper knew nothing.And the lodgers gathered before the fire, who hadn’t seen the young lady, were only growing more curious and suspicious of him as he continued his relentless questioning.
His pulse began to throb again.
Could she have been abducted?That might explain why she’d left her satchel behind.
But how could that happen under his watchful…
That was just it.He hadn’t been watchful.He’d fallen into a deep sleep, not even noticing when she went missing.
Cursing himself for a fool, he returned to the bedchamber.
Time was wasting.He had no idea how long she’d been gone, or even in what direction she was headed.But he’d pursue her to the ends of the earth, if need be.
Shouldering her satchel, he perused the room for his.
It was gone.
Eve set out from The Red Lion on foot in the dim light before dawn, shivering.
Not from fear.Traveling alone was almost always safe in a nun’s habit.
Not from cold either.The wool was heavy and warm.
She shivered from the burden of what she was doing.
She’d made a difficult choice, and she still wasn’t sure it was the right one.
Prithee do not follow me ~ Lady Aillenn
