Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,13

to help her out as much as I could. I took a few coins and handed them to the women.

“Bless you, child. Here, let me give you something in return.”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

“A word of advice, then. When you are afraid, remember the first light will protect you.” She clapped her hands in merriment and rocked back and forth.

“How odd . . .” I shrugged it off and looked at my list and frowned. I was so focused on my own thoughts that I didn’t see the hooded man approach me until it was too late.

He pulled me through a doorway into an abandoned building.

“You lied to me!” Strong hands gripped my upper arms painfully and flung me further into the room. “You’ve had me walking in circles for days.”

I blinked in the darkened room as my eyes struggled to adjust. Holes in the thatch roof let in beams of light as the man walked near me. I recognized the man from Rya.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied and tried to move around him toward the door, but he blocked my path.

“I saw you come into town, and as soon as I did, I remembered. Everything. I remembered why I’m here. My quest, my purpose. You stole that from me,” he yelled. “when you took my memories.”

I trembled before the mountain of a man, but I didn’t deny his accusations.

He paused in front of me, his voice low and threatening. “And now I demand that you take me to Lady Eville.”

“No,” I said firmly. “I won’t endanger my family again.”

His brows furrowed. “What do you mean again? Who are you?”

“I am Aurora Eville, daughter of Lady Eville. It was I who found you in the woods, and my mother and sisters tended to you. You have already graced the presence of our household, and she has refused to see you further.”

His handsome face paled. He immediately thrust his arm in front of his heart and kneeled before me. “I’m so sorry, milady. My name is Liam Falcane. I come seeking aid on behalf of the kingdom of Rya. There has been a blight that has attacked our home and all that live within it. My armies have been fighting against it for weeks, but we cannot make any headway. There is talk that your household may be our only hope in finding the answer to banishing the blight.”

“I’m sorry, that is none of my concern, for I am only a lovesick girl,” I repeated his words back and pushed past him. Surprisingly, he let me leave. I covered my hair and hurried to complete the last item on my list. Now, more than ever, I wanted to retreat to the safety of our home and away from the pious knight.

Unfolding the crumpled note, I scanned the list and sighed.

There was only one more item left, and I dreaded going there, but it was the only place for miles unless we wanted to butcher our own meat, and we didn’t have any animals other than fowl. I entered the rundown butcher shop and covered my nose from the smell. Tobias was the one manning the counter, and I trembled at the sight of him. He was one of the men that attacked me, tried to get under my skirt, and my sister had killed his friend while defending me.

It’s fine. I told myself. Just keep my head down. I came in and slid the paper across the counter. Tobias wiped his bloody hands on his apron and looked at the slip. His greasy hair hadn’t been washed in weeks, and his acne had only gotten worse since I last saw him.

“We just butchered a cow today. It’s fresh,” Tobias said.

It was a lie.

What a pretty thin. I would love to see what’s under her hood. Forget the hood. I wonder what’s under her skirt.

I stumbled into the counter as Tobias’ crude thoughts assaulted me.

“How about pork?” I said, keeping my head low.

“Yeah, I got pork. What cut?”

“Shoulder,” I whispered.

“What? Speak up, wench.”

“Shoulder,” I said louder.

He pulled down brown paper and leaned over the counter. “You seem familiar. Have we met before?”

I shook my head.

“Now, if you want, I can throw in some of that beef for a discount if you want to help me out a bit.”

Crude images flashed in my mind of the things he wanted to do to me.

I was going to throw up.

I tossed the coins onto the table and grabbed the package before he had