The Wretched of Muirwood (Legends of Muirwood #1)

Worries swirled through Lia’s mind, and most of them ended up in her stomach. When she had decided to hide the young man, she had truly believed she would not be caught doing it. She had faith in her own cleverness, but events unfolded differently than her plans. A single thought blazed in her mind – she had to get the squire out of the kitchen. Pasqua might not be able to climb the loft ladder, but she had no doubts that soldiers could. No one would believe her if she pretended not to know that he was hiding in their midst. She could not begin to imagine the trouble that would hound her then. Where could she hide him though?

Lia rushed. As she turned the corner of the squat, square building, she dreaded that she might have arrived too late.

No horses or soldiers could be seen, but she could hear them. The morning fog hid the sights, but the whinnying of steeds, the jangle of spurs, and voices filled the void. Even the air had a strange smell to it – a coppery scent that clashed with the aroma of flowerbeds and grass.

Hurrying into the kitchen, Lia found Pasqua by the preparing table, mixing something for the mid-day meal. “Soldiers!” she said, gasping. Sowe’s eyes blazed with fear at the words and her face became chalky.

Pasqua looked up irritably. “What nonsense are you talking about, child?”

Lia knew she had to get Pasqua out of the kitchen immediately. “Soldiers from the village. They just arrived. The…the Aldermaston said they are the king’s men. I think one is a nobleman. He wants us to prepare a meal for them.”

“A meal for…? And they just arrived? I have a mind to let them eat uncooked fish. And with Whitsunday coming. Does he realize how long it takes for bread to rise? The nuisance.”

Lia swallowed, straining the hear the sound of hooves approaching in the mist. “The Aldermaston wishes to speak with you, Pasqua. Right away. He just sent me.”

“Right away? Of course right away. Right away and I will blister his ears. Right away and I will shake my spoon at him. Well do not just stand there, girls, get working! Start some soup. That will feed more in a trice. We have some broth already, so cut up some vegetables. Quickly! Quickly!” She bustled out the main door, still grumbling to herself and wiping her hands on her apron as she left.

“Lia?” Sowe said desperately. She trembled with fear.

“Astrid said they were looking for the kitchen,” she said in a loud voice. “We must hide you. Now! Come down.”

“Where?” Sowe begged, clutching Lia’s hands.

The young man emerged from the den of barrels and bags. His face was drawn with worry, but his reflexes were sharp. He bounded down the ladder in a blink. “How many?”

Lia looked him in the eye. “Twenty, I think. No one knows you are here. I have told no one. But if the entire abbey hunts for you, then there is only one place we can hide you. The ruins of the old cemetery. No one is allowed to wander in that part of the grounds where the landslide happened. Only Sowe and I know what is there.”

He nodded. “I will not risk your safety. How do I get there?”

“You would never find it in the fog. I will take you.”

Sowe’s fingers clenched around Lia’s arm. “You cannot leave me here!”

Lia looked at her panic-stricken face. She only had an instant to decide. Sowe had to come with them. If the king’s men came, she would never be able to keep a secret. One hard look, and she would confess it all.

“You are coming too. Grab your cloak.”

While Sowe rushed to get it, Lia crossed the kitchen to the rear doors and raised the crossbar. They did not open those doors as often, so she had to tug on them handles hard to get it moving and they groaned from lack of use. Glancing outside, she spied no one else. Thank Idumea for the fog.

“Hurry, Sowe!”

She joined them, and the three left out the rear of the Abbey kitchen. Sowe wrung her hands, whimpering. The armiger looked each way, his neck muscles tense, his jaw muscles clenched, his hands opening and tightening again and again as if craving a sword. But one man against twenty was madness even with a weapon. Lia led them across a soft patch of grass. The fog concealed everything except the squishy sound their shoes made and the swish of their cloaks against the green. There was noise and commotion on the grounds. Horses stamped and huffed. The noise of blades drawing from sheaths made Lia shiver. Voices rang out.