The Empress Sword by Paulette Jaxton

Author:Paulette Jaxton
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781897492338
Publisher: Dragon Moon Press
Published: 2011-03-15T13:00:00+00:00

19

The Damsel in Distress

Aster was beginning to wonder if Eric was all right. The young man remained kneeling even after Aster told him to get up, and he wouldn’t let go of Aster’s hand. The table prevented Aster from backing away and it might have been bad form to smash the pommel of his sword down on the wrist of someone he’d just knighted. Still, he wanted Eric to let go. Having his hand held like that was really embarrassing.

“Eric...Sir Eric, I need to leave town as quickly as possible. I can’t let Mandoline find me here.”

Eric looked up at last, his eyes wide and sporting a grin that looked unsettlingly like a leer. “You wish to leave town? I know many places in the surrounding hills where we can hide undetected for weeks.”

Aster frowned at the we part. “All right, but I’ll need my horse.”

Eric stood up, but continued to hold Aster’s hand in his.

“Your horse? No problem, I’ll go fetch it and then we can ride out together. Where is your horse stabled?”

Aster finally managed to extract his hand from Eric’s. He quickly hid it behind his back lest Eric reach for it again.

“That’s the thing, I don’t know where he is. Maggie’s father took him somewhere last night.”

“Captain Griffin? Still not a problem, I’m known at all the stables in town. What does your horse look like?”

Aster was surprised to hear Eric use Maggie’s father’s rank title. He’d gotten the impression Mr. Griffin didn’t use it anymore.

“It’s a chestnut colt with white fetlocks and a small patch of white on his forehead.”

“Chestnut colt? Sounds like the horse that boy... I’m sorry, the one the prince was riding.”

“Oh... I guess it could be the prince’s horse. It was the only one left after the dragon roasted all the others.”

“Roasted the others?” Eric paled a little at that. “Well, all the better if it is the prince’s horse. I wouldn’t soon forget such a fine bred animal. I’ll find him and then we can leave town under the cover of darkness. It might not be safe for you to wait here, though. The sheriff’s likely to pass through the market again, if only to ask Maggie and the other traders if they’ve seen you.”

“We can’t just leave Maggie’s stall unattended.”

“Leave the stall unattended? Of course not, we’ll ask Mr. Applesmith next door to watch it until Maggie gets back. Traders take care of their own, you know. I have the perfect place for you to hide out until nightfall. No one will think of looking for you there.”

Aster was impressed with the way Eric had suddenly taken charge. He really was quite a talented young man and probably would make some noble an excellent huntsmaster one day. Aster began moving things from atop the table to an empty box below it while Eric went to talk to the man in the next stall.

Aster retrieved his haversack from the wagon before they closed it up. Eric insisted on carrying the pack for him, but Aster just as insistently refused to let him touch the Empress Sword.

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