Chapter Two

“W here are they?” Annaliese de Chauret demanded.

The man on his knees before her continued to cower but did not change his reply. “I do not know, milady.”

“Send Jacques to me,” she snapped.

The woman standing off to her right nodded and left to do her bidding. Moments later, a tall knight, with blue-black hair and a wicked-looking scar slashing across the entire side of his face, approached the agitated woman.

“Milady?” he said simply, waiting for her to speak.

“ Bien ,” she said. “Now that you are here, I am assured that my bidding shall be done.”

“What do you wish?” he asked.

“Find my daughter and bring her home,” Lady Annaliese murmured in a quiet voice. “Stop at nothing to ensure that she never reaches Merewood Keep. My brother’s son will have to find someone else to watch his child.”

Jacques bowed low before her and turned to leave.

“One moment,” she called out. “I do not wish her to be harmed. The last man I sent to do the job has not yet returned.”

“Dupres?” he asked.

“ Oui , I sent the wrong man after my daughter the first time,” she paused, pinning him with a glare. “I am certain that I have not made another error in judgment. Do not return without my Genvieve.”

With a nod, she dismissed him.

With a bow, he was gone.

*

“Milord,” Armand called out.

Augustin de Chauret turned and waited for the warrior to catch up to him. When the young knight slowed his destrier to a halt beside him, Augustin nodded for him to speak.

“Your cousin, Genvieve, has not been seen for almost a fortnight.”

Augustin’s jaw clenched in reaction to the news. It was as he had feared. “Go on,” he urged.

“I did as you bid, but neither search party has found her.” Armand paused in his report to remove the small leather pouch that hung from his belt. He dumped the contents into the palm of his hand.

Augustin’s breath caught in his throat. The gold cross lay dull and lifeless in Armand’s hand. It was identical to the one his uncle had given to his wife—Genvieve’s mother—the day they wed. Almost afraid of the truth, he hesitantly reached out and turned the piece over. As he had feared, his grandfather’s creed was engraved on the back, Aut Vincam, Aut Periam. I will either conquer or perish.

He reached out and took the cross from the warrior. “Where did you find this?”

Something akin to sorrow swiftly flashed across the younger man’s features. Augustin knew the rest of the report would not be welcome.

“Near the remnants of a campfire, two days north of Merewood.” He cleared his throat. “There were signs of battle,” he finished in a low voice.

Augustin fingered the cross, and wondered how his aunt’s most prized piece of jewelry would come to be so close to his new holding? And why would there be signs of battle? Augustin was unsure he would ever know.

“ Bien ,” he said finally acknowledging the end of Armand’s report. “I have satisfied my liege’s curiosity for the time being. The king is pleased with the continued prosperity at Merewood Keep.”

“Lady Eyreka should be pleased,” Armand said.

Augustin nodded. “Have the men ready to begin the journey home at dawn,” Augustin said. He watched the warrior spur his destrier and head back toward the castle while his mind churned with unanswered questions.

He turned his own mount to follow.