Page 64 of To Love

“Gareth is gathering the others.”

Neither of them moved.

Alden considered saying more, but he would not presume that Elara could be satisfied with him as he was now. Nothing more than the son of a blacksmith who had not seen a battle before.

As he looked into her eyes, Alden thought for a moment Elara had something more to say herself. When she did not, resigned, he let go of her hand and stood.

“My lady.” He bowed to her, taking in every feature.

Turning from her, Alden took a deep breath and hoped for the strength to walk away.

“Elara,” she said.

He spun back around.

“Not my lady. Just, Elara.”

That first discussion flashed through his mind, as did the first time they had touched, their first kiss . . . Elara coming apart in his hands and Alden losing control with her at his feet . . . their many discussions, him sitting in Strategies in awe that the highly intelligent woman whom nearly every man coveted had chosen him.

The question was, would she choose him for more? For life?

“Elara.” Again, he inclined his head in deference. “Until we meet again.”

This time, she did not stop him.

Chapter

Twenty-Six

“It is useless.” Darien spat on the ground, disgusted.

Alden would agree, except . . . having left Elara behind, not knowing if there was another accomplice, another traitor in their midst . . . the priest must break.

“There must be a way,” he said quietly. He, Darien, Gareth, and Roland sat around the fire, their captive far enough away on a bedroll not to overhear their discussion, but the men took no chances and spoke in hushed tones.

“Tomorrow,” Gareth sighed, “we reach Thornwick and have as little information for Matilda as when we left.”

He spoke aloud what all four knew already. Father Percival said very little, and when he did speak it was to profess his innocence. They’d even begun to question the maid’s story. If Alden had not seen the woman fall apart before his very eyes, he might do so as well.

Trust your instincts.

“He is guilty.” They’d tried everything, except one tactic. “We must tell him what Lila revealed to us.”

Elara wished to protect the maid, who she’d said was as much a victim of Father Percival as any. But in protecting her, they put others at risk.

“Elara will not be pleased,” Roland said.

“Nay,” Alden agreed. “But she will be less pleased for us to hand the man over to the empress without a confession.”

The four exchanged glances, and Gareth stood. “We do it now.”

None argued against him, and within a few moments, their group was joined by a haggard-looking priest. A man Eamon had once called a friend. One who’d offered Gareth a kindness by agreeing to marry him to Lord Ashford’s daughter, or who the priest thought was the influential nobleman’s daughter. A man of God.

Yet all signs pointed to him as their traitor as well.

“Sit,” Gareth said, and the priest did so. Perched on that log, hands folded onto his lap, the man appeared more frail than ever. They’d not mistreated him, but Alden assumed he was accustomed to more comforts than he’d been afforded these past two days.

Darien looked at him. Alden proceeded.