“My father’s death.”
Landyn froze for a moment. Then he slowly turned to her.
“You couldn’t have known what Boucher would do in the future. It’s not your fault.”
“It feels as if it is,” he admitted.
Raven shrugged slightly. “My father always told us not to dwell on the past. You can’t change it.”
Landyn grinned. “That sounds like John.” He lifted his dark eyes to her. “Why did you kiss me?”
Raven’s cheeks burned, and it was her turn to glance away. She really had no idea. She had been angry with him. She had wanted to comfort him. But none of those reasons were the truth. She had wanted to connect with him again, wanted to feel his touch and caress.
He closed the distance between them and curved a finger beneath her chin, lifting her stare to meet his. “You know I’m planning to take a vow to the Templars. Nothing can happen between us.”
Raven nodded. “I know.” And yet, there was a stinging in her heart, and sadness fell over her like rain. What did she expect? That he would profess his eternal love for her? She mentally scoffed. She was not living a fantasy.
Landyn pivoted away.
She took a step after him. “Don’t think that kiss meant forgiveness for leaving me. You’re still in trouble for that.”
He grinned. “I would expect no less.”
She poked a finger into his chest. “Don’t do it again.”
He shrugged. “You’ll just track me down. It’s useless.”
She agreed, satisfied. “A shame you didn’t know that before you left me.”
“Howdidyou find me?”
She shrugged. “A farmer gave us a ride, and then we walked the rest of the way… It wasn’t difficult.”
The man tied to the tree grunted through the gag.
Raven and Landyn turned to him. Raven’s gaze surveyed him. He was nothing but trouble, but her morals would not let her kill an unarmed man.
“What are you going to do with him?” Landyn asked.
She stared at the toothless man in contemplation for a moment. Cutting out his tongue for his disparaging remarks on the journey is what she wanted to do, but it would accomplish nothing. She couldn’t set him free. He would return to Boucher and warn him.
The man grunted and struggled against his bonds.
Raven rolled her eyes. “I suppose, give him some ale. It was a long trip.”
Landyn nodded. He removed the flask from his horse and walked to the man. He knelt beside him, slowly lowered his gag, and pressed the mouth of the flask to his lips, allowing him to drink. Then he lowered the flask and grabbed the gag to move it back into position.
“Wait!” the man pleaded, shifting his head so Landyn couldn’t put the gag on. “I can help you. I have no loyalty to Boucher.”
Raven crossed her arms, unsure if she believed him. Mercenaries had loyalty only to coin. But Raven and Landyn certainly didn’t have enough coin to pay more than Boucher.
Landyn yanked the gag over the man’s mouth as the man protested, “I know where he is!”
