The Healer’s Apprentice

Rose was nobler than either Wilhelm or his brother. She didn’t want to be responsible for turning the region over to Rupert, for taking Wilhelm away from his duty and causing him to break his oath of betrothal.

 

But he had let her down. She loved him, and yet he couldn’t make a way for them to be together. And he’d betrayed his betrothed by wanting to be rid of her. He couldn’t even save her from Moncore, the man who wished to destroy her. In addition, he’d let his father down by not capturing Moncore in time.

 

O God, I’m an utter failure. He threw down the brush and clenched his fists, pressing them into his eye sockets until he saw only white light. Not only could he not protect Rose as she deserved, but he couldn’t protect his betrothed either.

 

What did it matter now? He would be forced to marry Lady Salomea whether or not he found Moncore. And perhaps now Moncore would come to him.

 

Try as he might, he couldn’t imagine marrying the Duke of Marienberg’s daughter in three weeks. When he pictured the wedding, he saw Rose in the bridal gown, standing with him before the priest

 

with her beautiful golden-brown hair flowing down her back. He tried to block her out, to picture someone else, someone with black hair, or blonde, or red, to think of a different face, with a different smile. But when he was able to force Rose out of his mind, he saw nothing but an empty veil.

 

God, where is your help in all of this?

 

He turned and began to saddle his horse. Clenching his teeth, he focused his concentration on Shadow and wrenched it away from the vicious circle of pain to which his mind kept returning. The crisp air nipped at his bare hands, reminding him that he had forgotten his gloves. He grasped Shadow’s reins and hauled himself into the saddle. He steered his horse through the edge of the courtyard toward the gatehouse.

 

The hair stood up on the back of his neck. Was he imagining it, or was that Moncore standing two feet from the castle gate?

 

Wilhelm’s pulse thumped in his ears as he spurred Shadow on, leaning forward in the saddle. The man turned and ran, disappearing around the gatehouse.

 

Wilhelm urged his horse into an all-out gallop, then turned him sharply to the left where he’d seen the man run. But upon rounding the corner, all Wilhelm saw was the empty side street behind the Rathous.

 

He jumped off his horse and drew his sword, running toward the alley behind the buildings that bordered the Marktplatz. He pushed himself to run faster. No one was in the narrow street, but perhaps he could overtake him down the next one, between the guild hall and the Rathous.

 

He splashed through the sludge and filth that stood ankle deep in the narrow passageway. He came to the back corner of the guild hall, not even pausing to look before streaking around into the alley between the two buildings.

 

There. He caught a glimpse of him at the end of the street just before he disappeared around the next corner to the left.

 

Wilhelm poured every ounce of his strength into moving his legs faster, never taking his eyes off the end of the alley.

 

He burst into the light of the Marktplatz and looked all around. Moncore must have gone inside the Rathous. Wilhelm darted into the gray building.

 

The light was dim inside the town hall, but Wilhelm’s eyes adjusted. O God, don’t let him get away!

 

He had to make a decision. Either he searched the ground floor or he headed up the steps to the second or third floor. He chose to search where he was, hoping Moncore couldn’t get past him, since there was only one door leading out.

 

Holding his sword in front of his body, he moved toward the back of the large hall, trying to make his footfalls as quiet as possible.

 

He threw open a door, thrusting his sword into the chamber as he entered. No one was there. In the same way, he went through each room on the bottom floor but found no one.

 

He made haste to mount the steps to the second floor, taking them two at a time. He searched the rooms there, snatching open several creaking doors but finding nothing.

 

He bounded up to the third floor. If Moncore wasn’t here, he’d gotten away. If only he could split himself up and look in two places at once! There were more chambers on the third floor than the other two. He snatched the doors open, looking into every room, but still found no trace of him.

 

Wilhelm let out a roar of anger and gritted his teeth. The villain had escaped.

 

He ran back down the steps and into the streets. The towns people stared curiously as he ran past them. He reached the town gate and seized the guard’s attention with his look of urgency. “Has anyone gone out of this gate in the last five minutes?”

 

“No, Your Grace. No one.” The burly, bearded guard was all attention, his back straight and stiff as he waited for his master’s instructions.

 

“Close the gate. Don’t let anyone out until I tell you otherwise.”

 

“Yes, Your Grace.” The man put his shoulder against the heavy door and pushed it closed then slammed down the huge crossbeam.

 

Wilhelm stalked back to the castle to retrieve Shadow and to organize every available knight and soldier at his disposal into searching the town for Moncore.

 

 

 

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