apple trees and the talent of the peasants to exploit them. Tiny bubbles fizzled on his tongue, sweet and dry at the same time, an invitation to drain his cup. He resisted the temptation in extremis and bowed his head in appreciation. The barman bent forward.
“When the wolf is out of the woods, the forest breathes again.”
The man talked in enigma s , but this one rang a bell.
“What else crossed the border?”
The barman stepped back. For a second, he feared he had been too direct. His source groaned, “Told you. Goods.” The man lowered his tone, “and bad thing s.”
The young man opened his mouth to push on the matter.
“That’s a very nice squire you’ve got, Sire. Very nice…”
The sneer sent Derek’s heart up his throat. He forced himself to take a long gulp of cider before he turned. The ruffian elbowed a poor costumer nearby.
“If pretty boy here is fed up of his page , I’ll supply.”
The salacious laugh shrieked on Derek’s nerves, hard. His left hand looked for his sword. He gripped the hilt, and stepped forward.
“It won’t be necessary.”
Though hissed through clenched teeth, the new comer recognized the threat. He fisted hands large as ham. Derek prepared for the first swing.
Feminine curves appeared out of nowhere between them , and the blond who had first welcome d Sacha and h im locked arms with the brute.
“Let me show you to a nice table…”
The intruder glanced down on the generous corsage, growled at Derek and deserted the scene. Breathing more easily, the young man noticed his informer had disappeared in the back room. Whatever bad things had crossed Camelot’s borders would have to wait. His squire had soaked by herself long enough anyway.
oOo
Sacha relaxed, vaguely wondering how long she could indulge in the water before Derek claimed his turn. The man came haunting her thoughts all too often. He was probably flirting with that cheeky waitress and not at all in a hurry to use the cleaning facilities.
She closed her eyes, sinking deeper in the tub. The hot water started to wash annoyance and soreness away. Her unplaited hair sprang to life in the water, dressing her shoulders with a black web. Sacha pinched her nose to immerse fully in the water and rinse her mane. Underwater, she could not hear anything, but the low beating of her heart and she savoured the peaceful rhythm as long as she could. Finally she broke the surface for air, wiping water off her eyes.
“You have been in there for an eternity.”
Sacha screamed and lost her balance, slipping to the bottom of the tub, spraying water everywhere. The shadow behind the screen jumped backward instantly. Her sore biceps h it the rim and she moaned in pain. The brutal invasion of water into her nose and down her throat brought up tears, as she choked and coughed.
“Get out Derek!”
Crouched in the tub with water up to her chin, she didn’t dare moving one lash.
“I need to tell-”
His sentence floated toward her, muffled by the sound of her heart racing and thudding blood in her ears.
“ How dared you!”
She shut up immediately, fighting to retrieve her composure. She refused to sound like a terrified little girl. There was nothing to be afraid of… It was nothing but Derek acting like an oaf! Taking a deep breath she spat , words angrily banging out of her mouth.
“ Close your eyes while I dress.”
“Don’t worry. Your virtue has nothing to fear with me.”
Oh, really. If she had not been so mad at him, she would have loved proving him wrong and ador ed every single minut e of it. Arrogant, vulgar, ignominious...
Sacha risked a glimpse out of her hiding. Her change of clothes was on her bed. Derek was facing the door, hands crossed in his back. If he had heard the boil of water when she climbed out of the tub, it did not show in his nonchalant posture. She tiptoed to the bed and snatched her clothes before she retreated behind the screen in a flash. It took her less than a
“When the wolf is out of the woods, the forest breathes again.”
The man talked in enigma s , but this one rang a bell.
“What else crossed the border?”
The barman stepped back. For a second, he feared he had been too direct. His source groaned, “Told you. Goods.” The man lowered his tone, “and bad thing s.”
The young man opened his mouth to push on the matter.
“That’s a very nice squire you’ve got, Sire. Very nice…”
The sneer sent Derek’s heart up his throat. He forced himself to take a long gulp of cider before he turned. The ruffian elbowed a poor costumer nearby.
“If pretty boy here is fed up of his page , I’ll supply.”
The salacious laugh shrieked on Derek’s nerves, hard. His left hand looked for his sword. He gripped the hilt, and stepped forward.
“It won’t be necessary.”
Though hissed through clenched teeth, the new comer recognized the threat. He fisted hands large as ham. Derek prepared for the first swing.
Feminine curves appeared out of nowhere between them , and the blond who had first welcome d Sacha and h im locked arms with the brute.
“Let me show you to a nice table…”
The intruder glanced down on the generous corsage, growled at Derek and deserted the scene. Breathing more easily, the young man noticed his informer had disappeared in the back room. Whatever bad things had crossed Camelot’s borders would have to wait. His squire had soaked by herself long enough anyway.
oOo
Sacha relaxed, vaguely wondering how long she could indulge in the water before Derek claimed his turn. The man came haunting her thoughts all too often. He was probably flirting with that cheeky waitress and not at all in a hurry to use the cleaning facilities.
She closed her eyes, sinking deeper in the tub. The hot water started to wash annoyance and soreness away. Her unplaited hair sprang to life in the water, dressing her shoulders with a black web. Sacha pinched her nose to immerse fully in the water and rinse her mane. Underwater, she could not hear anything, but the low beating of her heart and she savoured the peaceful rhythm as long as she could. Finally she broke the surface for air, wiping water off her eyes.
“You have been in there for an eternity.”
Sacha screamed and lost her balance, slipping to the bottom of the tub, spraying water everywhere. The shadow behind the screen jumped backward instantly. Her sore biceps h it the rim and she moaned in pain. The brutal invasion of water into her nose and down her throat brought up tears, as she choked and coughed.
“Get out Derek!”
Crouched in the tub with water up to her chin, she didn’t dare moving one lash.
“I need to tell-”
His sentence floated toward her, muffled by the sound of her heart racing and thudding blood in her ears.
“ How dared you!”
She shut up immediately, fighting to retrieve her composure. She refused to sound like a terrified little girl. There was nothing to be afraid of… It was nothing but Derek acting like an oaf! Taking a deep breath she spat , words angrily banging out of her mouth.
“ Close your eyes while I dress.”
“Don’t worry. Your virtue has nothing to fear with me.”
Oh, really. If she had not been so mad at him, she would have loved proving him wrong and ador ed every single minut e of it. Arrogant, vulgar, ignominious...
Sacha risked a glimpse out of her hiding. Her change of clothes was on her bed. Derek was facing the door, hands crossed in his back. If he had heard the boil of water when she climbed out of the tub, it did not show in his nonchalant posture. She tiptoed to the bed and snatched her clothes before she retreated behind the screen in a flash. It took her less than a
Similar Books
