Page 48 of Enamored
The young woman pressed into their midst, comforting first one, then another, until they quieted under her touch. If my circumstances hadn’t been so dire, I might have asked her to share her secret for calming the sheep so quickly. Instead, Halvard lowered me, and I tried to help him as best I could with my frozen fingers, rubbing myself with the hay.
Already, after just a few minutes inside the shelter, I was beginning to warm up. The sweetness of the freshly cut long grass filled my nostrils along with the damp woolly odor of the sheep.
“Go on with you,” the young woman spoke to Halvard. “You hide too.”
“I’ll help with the horses first.”
“No, my father is already tending to them. You must cover your scent and stay hidden with the princess.”
I stilled. This woman had guessed my true identity. Clearly, I hadn’t played my role as a merchant’s daughter well enough. Or perhaps she was more perceptive than most. I regretted that I was putting her and her father in danger.
Within minutes, Halvard was covered in the hay pile on the opposite side of the sheepfold. With a few more gentle commands from the woman, the sheep lowered themselves, returning to their rest as if they’d never been disturbed.
The woman closed the stall door and then she was gone. For long minutes, I relished the warmth of the barn and the reprieve from the hard riding. We were scarcely safe, but I closed my eyes anyway, exhaustion overtaking me.
I must have dozed, because the pounding of approaching horses awoke me. My eyes flew open to find that the barn was still shrouded in darkness even as faint light filtered through cracks in the shutters covering the windows.
As far as I could tell, the sheep remained at rest around us, which meant I hadn’t slumbered long, less than half of an hour. Our pursuers had been closer than I’d realized. From the staccato of horses’ hooves, I deduced only two riders. And at the bark of a dog, I guessed they were using an elkhound to track us in addition to the hawk. Both riders dismounted, and though I couldn’t distinguish what they were saying, I could hear the accusation in their tones.
Seconds later, the distant lofthouse door slammed open. They were searching the premises. It was only a matter of time before they came into the barn. What would they do if they discovered me in the hay? While I didn’t fear for myself, I regretted the danger I was bringing upon Halvard.
Should I give myself up now and save him?
But if I couldn’t deliver my message to the king, what would happen? The fear I’d been harboring since overhearing Maxim and Rasmus pushed up into my throat, constricting it. I had to stay on course and make my way to the king. Somehow.
Voices and footsteps drew nearer. When the barn door opened, I sucked in a breath and held myself motionless. The dog’s bark rose into the early morning air. Had it already caught our scent? Elkhounds made perfect hunting dogs because of their expert sense of smell. They also, apparently, were good for tracking a runaway princess.
“All the buildings,” came a gruff voice. “Check everywhere. The hawk wouldn’t keep circling the tunet if the princess wasn’t here.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. All around me, the sheep grew restless, some rising to their feet, others bleating their unhappiness and worry as the hound snuffled and yipped ever closer.
“Open all the stalls.” The gruff command had likely been given to the young woman.
I tried not to tremble. If the dog came inside this pen, it would have no trouble finding us, even if we were masked by the scent of the sheep.
“Your dog better not attack any of the livestock.” The young woman’s reply was belligerent and much too bold. Again, I regretted putting this family into danger, that they would likely be punished severely for coming to my aid. But what other choice did I have?
The stall hinges squealed open, and the animal noises all around grew more frightened. The chickens squawked, the cows bellowed, and the sheep continued to bleat with growing alarm. At the very least, the elkhound wouldn’t be able to hear my pounding heart above the clamor.
A shriek rang out above it all, a piercing screech that turned my blood cold. I’d heard the sound only days ago, a sound I’d recognize anywhere now. A draco.
The image of the burning pieces of canvas from the pavilion disintegrating and collapsing filled my mind. What if the draco breathed on the barn and set it afire? We would have no choice but to reveal ourselves lest we burn to death in an inferno.
As if also sensing danger, the commander called to the elkhound. While I couldn’t see what was going on, I guessed they were hovering near the door, taking shelter and staying out of sight but prepared to bolt if anything should happen to the barn.
The minutes passed in agonizing slowness, and though I wanted to rush off and find a safe place to hide—like a rock cleft where I’d hidden with Maxim—I forced myself to remain under the hay.
“The draco is chasing after the hawk,” the commander shouted, finally stepping out of the barn. “We need to go now before it comes back.”
A moment later, the pounding of hooves moving onward told me the trackers had searched enough of the farm to conclude I wasn’t there. Or at least for now, they’d decided to seek shelter.
As soon as silence descended over the farm, I pushed up from the hay. Halvard did likewise. We exchanged a glance, one that confirmed just how lucky we’d been to have the draco show up when it had, almost as if it had planned to intervene.
“Where to now?” I whispered.
“I don’t suppose you’d listen if I suggested we wait until dark to leave?”
My thoughts turned to the day stretching before us and to the king maybe even now preparing to head out to battle. “We cannot. We have to leave at once.”
