Page 70 of The Guardian's Witch

“Here she comes.Wesley,Idon’t have a good feeling about this journey.Lisbeth,where’ve you been?”

“Ineeded to speak to Ralf.”She turned to her father.“Perhaps Mother’s right.We could leave in the morning.”

“Nonsense.We need to get to London,or have you forgotten you’re going to court?You wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to wear that beautiful new gown.Now ladies,into the carriage.”

The carriage took them deep in the forest.She dozed with the coach’s rocking and woke when she heard the horses complain and the sound of rocks hitting the carriage.Someone was trying to agitate the horses.They whinnied and took off at a breakneck speed.

“What’s happened?”Wesley attempted to call out the window but tree branches flashed by,some poking through the window.

Her mother grabbed her.“Ilove you.Hold tight now.Nothing will happen to you and your father.You’ll be...”

Her mother’s words began to falter.

Tears ran down Lisbeth’s face as she remembered.Concentrate.Alex’s life may depend on this.Absentmindedly, she picked up her mother’s brooch and rubbed the glistening gems. She was back in the carriage.

“You’ll be all right.Ishould have told you.Forgive me.He must never know.Do you hear me?He must never know.”

The carriage hit a bump and flew into the air and tumbled down the steep slope.It landed and slid all the way down the gorge and finally came to a stop.

She didn’t know how long it took for the men to reach them.Her mother’s eyes were open and cold but she still held on to her.She could feel her father’s heartbeat through his light shirt.

“The woman’s gone but the girl’s got a heartbeat.”

Was someone speaking to her?

“He’s still alive.What do you want done with him?”

Her face throbbed and felt swollen.She didn’t have the strength to open her eyes but she pried them open as best she could.She could barely see.Some black figure stood close to her father.He pulled up her father’s head and yanked it.She felt more than heard his groan.No,he whispered“traitor”with his last breath.The man in the dark cloak reached out and closed her eyes.Somewhere someone screamed.She knew it was her.

“Bring the girl.”

“Idon’t know if there’s anything to bring.”

“You were supposed to stop the carriage,not send it down the gorge.”

Once again she struggled to open eyes so swollen that she looked through tiny slits.

The other figure turned.“You better hope there is.Ididn’t pay you to kill the girl,only her parents.”His cloak flew open and revealed a knife tucked into his belt.The handle encrusted with gems.“She’s my way to the Scottish throne.Wait.”

She felt the ground rumble.Horses approached.

“Someone’s coming.Leave her.”

Hands shook her. “M’lady, m’lady?”

Lisbeth eyes shot open. Alice stood over her.

“You cried out. I didn’t know what to think.”

“I’m sorry, Alice—I had a bad dream.”

Alice picked up her mother’s things that littered the bed. “Maybe you shouldn’t take these out, m’lady.” The maid started to gather them up.

“Leave them, Alice. I’ll put them away.”

Alice hesitated. She laid the items back on the bed, quietly crossed the room, and closed the door behind her.

Lisbeth sat up.He.All this time she thought her mother words werethe king. Who did her mother caution her against? The shock of her new knowledge strengthened her resolve. The jeweled dagger flashed across her mind. It was the same one she’d seen in the vision of Laura’s wedding day. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Thank you, Mother.” She was close. The murderer’s voice rang clear in her head. She had a good idea of who he was, but why he killed her parents and how she was tied to the Scottish throne was a mystery to her. She would think on that later. Another sensation startled her. She didn’t know how she knew, but the dagger was close. Somehow this was tied to Alex.

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