Page 83 of Wolf's Redemption

Renaud hadRebekah’samulet? Ulrik scrutinized his mate. “You told him how to use it.”

She scrunched up her nose. “Yeah, about that. I kind of didn’t have a lot of options. I’m sorry. Are you mad? That I gave away some of your secrets? I figured—”

He cupped her chin and dropped a kiss on her lips. This woman… She surprised him at every turn. He should have known she would have tried something.

“No need for apologies. You did the right thing. You did the smart thing.” He took her hand. “Let us leave here before Lothair decides letting me go free was a mistake. We will get your injuries tended to when we get to…”

Where would he take her? Where would they go?

“D’Louncrais Keep,” said Gaharet, coming up behind them. “After we have met with the others, we will go to my keep.”

Ulrik led Rebekah from the room and they made their way out into the bailey. “Are you not concerned, Gaharet, that Lothair will come for us if we go to your keep?”

They crossed the bailey to where Gascon waited at the gate, holding their horses. Gaharet took his horse’s reins. “Where would we go if not there? Another county? With no wealth, no reputation, no power base, we would have to start from nothing. Lothair knows we will stay. He would not have let you go had he not believed we would. He wants us,needsus, on his side. As long as we kneel before him in a sennight, he will not come for us. My keep is more than big enough for all of us, and Rebekah will have Erin and Kathryn for company.” Lapsing into Franceis, he added, “It will be good for Rebekah to have them close through her turning and training.”

The turning. One of the many things Ulrik had yet to discuss with Rebekah.

Ulrik tossed his horse’s reins over its neck and moved to mount up.

Rebekah groaned. “Not another horse ride.” She rubbed her ass. “I’m still sore from the last one. Saddles just aren’t meant for two people.”

Ulrik cursed himself for his lack of foresight and unbuckled the saddle from his horse. He dropped it to the ground, leaving the padded saddle blanket across the horse’s back.

“There,” he said, lifting Rebekah onto the horse. “Now both we and the horse will be more comfortable this way.” The last thing he wanted was to remind Rebekah of her journey here.

She hitched her dress and swung her leg over, straddling the horse. “Much better.”

Relieved she still wore her breeches, Ulrik hoisted himself onto his horse behind her. She settled back against him, and he took small comfort from her trust in him. It might not last. Once she had had time to think things through. Once he had told her everything.

Gascon handed him a small bundle and a wineskin. “Anne sent this. Food and water for Rebekah.”

God bless Anne.

Rebekah seized the wineskin, removed the stopper and drank down large gulps of water. Trickles flowed down her chin and dripped on her dress, but she did not stop.

“Easy there.” Ulrik took the wineskin, forcing her to take a breath. True to his nature, Lothair had treated Rebekah no better than he had Ulrik whilst in that dark hole.

“So thirsty,” she muttered, snatching it back.

“I know, baby, but you do not want to make yourself sick.” He opened the bundle and set it in her lap. Bread, cheese and fruit. “Eat. We must meet with the others, then we have a long ride ahead of us.”

“The others?” she mumbled, as she chewed on a chunk of bread. “You mean Aimon and those other three guys that were in the hall? Aubert, Edmond and…Lance?”

He took the wineskin from her, sealed it and looped it over his shoulder. “Yes. They are Gaharet’s men.” He nudged his horse forward, and they set off through the village.

She twirled an apple stem in her fingers. “Wasn’t there supposed to be another guy? Godfrey?”

Ulrik chuffed. She did not miss a thing, his mate. “Yes, Godfrey should have been there. Lothair had summoned him, too.”

“So why didn’t he show?” She took a bite from the apple, staring up at him expectantly.

Good question. “I do not know. Perhaps the others do.”

Ulrik secured an arm around her waist, and she clutched at the food bundle as he urged his horse into a trot. WherewasGodfrey? Both Godfrey and Lance had tracked them in the forest until the storm had helped them slip away. Had Lance been the only one to return?

* * * *

Aimon, Edmond, Aubert and Lance were waiting for them at the crossroads beyond Langeais village. Their smiles and the scent of their relief greeted him as they rode up to meet them.

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