Chapter 32

S now glanced around the tavern looking for Roderick. He hadn't said where he was going, and he hadn't returned. She shifted in her chair, feeling the dark eyes of a man across the room. He'd been staring at her since Roderick left her alone. She rested her hand on the dagger at her hip. Though she refused to make eye contact with the man, she knew he stared at her.

Finally, he rose from his chair and lumbered over to her. Her heart leapt as he approached, and her hand gripped the handle of the dagger as she prepared to draw it.

"Snow White." He drew out her name as he peered down at her.

She glanced up and met his sharp, assessing gaze. "Who are you?"

"The Chief Magistrate of this village." He gave her a toothy grin.

This wasn't good at all. Instinct took over as she whipped out the dagger and pointed it at him. "What do you want?"

He chuckled, clearly unaffected by the dagger pointing at him.

"The queen is looking for you," he said, ignoring her question. He made a motion with his head and then suddenly the table was surrounded by his men. "Might want to put down the dagger."

She clutched it tighter. Where was Roderick? She felt a prick on the back of her shoulder. She didn't have to turn around to know there was a sword at her back. The tavern fell silent as she sat there in a standoff with the Chief Magistrate who stared back at her.

"You're under arrest," he said.

One of his men plucked the dagger from her right hand with ease. Another on her left grabbed her by the upper arm and dragged her out of the chair. The man with her dagger fell in step on her other side. As the Chief Magistrate led her from the tavern, she realized her error in judgement. Announcing who she was to the entire tavern was a mistake. She scanned the faces of the crowd that stared back at her in silence. None of them made a move to help her.

The men led her from the tavern down the deserted street. She had no doubt they'd haul her into a wagon and take her to Seraphina.

Suddenly, the man on her right stumbled and fell. Her dagger he'd been holding tumbled from his hand and landed on the ground by his side. She eyed it, wishing there was a way to grab it. But then she noticed an arrow sticking out of his back. She sucked in a deep breath and glanced around, looking for Roderick. The man holding her by the arm jerked her toward him, then wrapped his arm around her. A blade pressed against her throat.

The Chief Magistrate seemed unflustered by events. He halted in the road and slowly turned to face her and his guard, his eyes scanning the area for the intruder who had dared to kill one of his men.

"Whoever you are, you will be arrested and taken to the queen, too," the Chief Magistrate said.

Still there was no one about. If Roderick was hiding, he was doing a great job of keeping himself invisible.

"Come out of the shadows and show yourself," he said.

Silence reigned as they all stood there waiting. She heard the whistle of the arrow through the air before she saw it heading right for her. She sucked in a sharp breath as the arrow found it's mark and landed in the head of the man holding her. His body went slack enough for her to jump away, the dagger falling to the ground as he died. She bent to pick it up and pointed it at the Chief Magistrate.

"Whoever you're working with will be punished," the man said, pinning her with his deep glare.

Those were his last words as an arrow landed in the center of his chest. He collapsed to the ground.

Snow remained where she was, her hand tightened on the dagger as she glanced around looking for her savior. William, the innkeeper's son, emerged from the shadows holding a bow.

"William! Do you realize what you've done?"

"Yes," he said, staring down at the dead men. "I saved you."

"You killed the Chief Magistrate and his men," she said on a breath. "You'll be hanged for that."

"I won't," he said. "We have lived too long under the man's tyranny."

Roderick rounded a building then at a dead run and came to an abrupt halt, his dagger in his hand. He quickly took in the carnage, the boy with the bow, and question lingering in his eyes.

"What happened here?"

"He was going to arrest Snow," William said. "I had to stop them."

"Gods," Roderick swore. "You've really done it now. Snow, we have to go."

She scooped up the enchanted dagger the guard took from her and holstered it. "And so does William."

"I'll be all right," he said. "But Roderick is correct in that you have to leave this place. The queen will send more men here when she discovers her Chief Magistrate is dead."

"But—" Snow began.

"You must go now ," William said.

Still, Snow worried about the boy and what would happen to him should it be discovered he was the one who killed the men. And what of the dead men?

"I will dispose of the bodies while you escape," he said, as though he read her thoughts.

"Come, Snow. He's right. We have to leave." Roderick approached her, reaching for her hand.

She stepped away from him, though, and walked to William. She reached for him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I will never forget what you did for me."

"I've saddled my horse for you as well as his. They are waiting in the stable." As he said it, he cut a glance to Roderick.

"I cannot take your—"

"I insist. A second horse will help you ride away quicker."

There was deep determination in his young eyes that told her she could not refuse. She understood, then, he wanted to make sure they escaped the village. She nodded, then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She and Roderick hurried to the stable. The boy was right. He had, in fact, saddled the horses and made them ready to ride. They mounted and rode out into the late afternoon, leaving Lighthill behind.

"Do you think he'll be all right?" she asked. She cut Roderick a glance and noticed he had a grim expression.

"I hope so," he said.

But as his said it, she heard the note of worry in his voice. She understood, then, the sacrifice the boy made for their escape. And she would be forever grateful for that.