Page 18 of The Captive Knight
“You must be more firm with the bird,” he snapped.
“But she has stopped all that now. All she really wanted was to be set free within the mews, to explore and move around. Once I began giving her daily exercise in the open air, she became as tame as could be.”
Her father turned the cup of wine in his hands, squinting at her with a frown.
“Granted, I’m still working on the lure,” she conceded, “but the hawk listens to my commands. She’s so much calmer, now that she has a small measure of freedom.”
Her father grunted and took a deep sip of his wine. When he lowered the cup, his gaze shifted to some point beyond the walls. She could all but see her suggestion taking root in his mind.
“Indeed,” he said, returning his attention to her. “I have chosen the wisest of my children to be my heir.”
She bowed her head.
“But if the thief ever wishes to be truly free,” he warned, “he’d better fly to my lure sooner rather than later.”
