The Sapphire Broach

Chapter 8 (rough draft)

Ivy sat down to rest. She hadn't traveled far enough to be tired, but she felt no rush to get to the palace—if she even chose to go there. It was likely a two week journey and probably wouldn't end well, so why hurry?

She sighed and gazed at the brilliant fall leaves. The colors reminded her of her childhood when her father used to take her on carriage rides through the mountains. She had such fond memories of her parents in the fall. Now she could add some adventurous memories of a rescuing stranger to her autumn collection. Though her time with Kenric had been short, she knew she would never forget him.

He would be far ahead of her on his way to see his family again. And he should be. Though he had cursed and complained about the burden of helping her, she had sensed his integrity and honorability. He was a good man who had sacrificed to provide for his siblings and to care for his mother. He deserved to hurry home to them.

Movement on the road ahead caught her attention. A lone rider approached on a chestnut mare. Her eyes must have been playing a trick on her, because the mare looked just like Sweetie . . . and the rider looked remarkably like Kenric.

Her heart thumped a peculiar flip-flop inside her chest. She squinted. It couldn't be. It was! Kenric had returned.

She hardly breathed while he drew near. Then he stopped in front of her, his lips turned down in a frown and his brow crinkled.

She bit her lip.

"You have my cloak," he said.

The flutter in Ivy's chest stilled and she released her lip. Oh. He had only come to retrieve his cloak. What had she expected? Without a word, she lifted the arm that held the cloak. He took it without making eye contact.

"I have also come to warn you." He finally glanced into her eyes, and she stared, mesmerized by the depth of his dark eyes.

"Warn me?" She did not quite understand his words for her mind was rather stuck on his eyes.

"Yes. There is a blockade ahead."

That drew her attention.

"The soldiers have closed the road." His frown deepened. "They are searching for a woman accompanied by a man and a horse. Thank you ever so much for bringing Sweetie and me into whatever mess you have entangled yourself in."

He dismounted, pulled a canteen from his pack, and took a long swig. Then he wiped his reddish-brown whiskers with the back of his hand and passed the canteen to her.

"What are we to do?" She took a sip of the water. He might not approve of her use of the word "we", but hadn't his coming back implied that he would help her?

One of his eyebrows arched. "We are not going to be a woman accompanied by a man and a horse."

"Oh. So we are going to split up?" She couldn't tell from his unemotional expression what he meant—or whether he desired to be teased or not. "Then we would be a lone man . . . and a woman on a horse."

He stared for a moment, then his features softened and he smiled. "You are impossible. There is no way under the cursed Berryann throne that I would give you my horse. We will have to think of something else."

A noise on the road brought both their heads up. Two men appeared in the distance on horseback. They urged their horses rather fast.

An idea popped into Ivy's head. "Um . . ." She looked at Kenric.

"Oh, no." His frown returned. "I know exactly what you are thinking and I do not approve."

"It is perfect!" Ivy pulled on his sleeve. "If we join them, then we are a woman, three men, and three horses."

He shook his head and brushed her begging hands off his tunic. "No. Do you see how they look behind them as though afraid of pursuit? They are up to no good. It is best we leave them alone."

"That is why they are perfect." Could he not see it? "We need a disguise, and they look like they might need to hide. We could all help each other."

The riders drew near and Ivy knew she was almost out of time. She snatched Kenric's cloak back, stepped into the middle of the road, and waved it at the men.

"Ivy!" Kenric grabbed her around the waist and dragged her toward the edge of the road.

She dug in her heals to slow him down and continued waiving the cloak. "Stop!" she called to the riders. They reigned in their steeds and halted.

"Are you all right, miss?" a man with long dark hair and a full beard asked.

"Yes." She pushed Kenric away and heard him growl. "However, we do have a problem that you might be able to help us solve."

The man looked at his companion, then back at her. "I am sorry, miss, but we are in quite a hurry." He moved to spur his horse forward, but Ivy jumped into his path.

"Please!" She looked up at the man and then at his companion who had long blond hair and rotten teeth. He eyed her with a licentious grin. A shiver stole down her spine. Perhaps Kenric was right—they did not look like honorable men—but she could not admit it. She was indebted to Kenric for all the times he saved her, so she would get them passed the blockade.

She took a deep breath and continued. "Soldiers block the road ahead."

The men glanced at each other and their horses shifted impatiently. Worry creased the first man's brow.

Ivy took their unease to mean she had guessed correctly about their desire to remain hidden from the soldiers. "It is in our best interest to pass by their blockade without notice. They seek a man and a woman with a horse. If we could join you, then we would not be the group they hunt."

Kenric's hand grabbed her arm and squeezed rather tightly. "That is quite all right, gentlemen," he said. "I apologize for her interference. She is not entirely right in the head. Continue on your way. We will be well."

Ivy stomped on his toe. "Please. We need your help."

The dark-haired man looked between Ivy and Kenric as they battled each other, but the blond kept his eyes on her. She shivered again and quit pushing Kenric.

"Very well," the dark one said. "We, too, do not wish to be recognized by the soldiers ahead."

Ivy turned to Kenric with a grin, but the look he threw her wiped it away. Why was he so upset? Was he mad because the idea had been hers, or could he sense something she could not? The second man's attention made her nervous, but surely everything would be fine. A quick ride with them couldn't cause any trouble.