The woman placed a foot on his shoulder and shoved him until he rolled over, so he lay like a turtle on his back, his left arm dead and his legs painful enough to bring more tears.
“Who are you?” the woman snapped.
“Hurts so much . . .”
“Try to pop him on his kneecap, this time, Camilla. Hit him a good one, girl.”
“No,” he rolled partially over, trying to protect his knees.
“Who are you?” she asked, again.
“Edward, son of the Earl of Witten.”
The old woman turned to search the surrounding area. As she did, she said, “Who’s with you?”
“Just me.”
“You would not travel alone. Who? The Weapons Master and Slave Master?”
He looked up at her, giving the impression he was a wayward puppy talking to his mother. “Just me,”
She said, “You came to kill us.”
“No, just the dragon boy.” His eyes went to Brix.
“You planned to kill us all,” She repeated.
He rolled and sat, cradling his arm, tears streaking down his face. He looked directly at Brix and set his chin. “You don’t know what you’re doing. Give him to me and you two can go free.”
The old woman snorted. “We’re already free. It’s you that has a problem with going anywhere.”
“Gold. I offer you gold for the boy.”
He hadn’t taken his eyes off Brix. He had obviously decided Brix was part of the Dragon Clan, and neither corrected the son of the Earl. The woman asked, “You have gold with you?”
“In my purse.”
She fingered his knife, running her thumb along the blade, and went to stand beside him. She bent over and sliced the strings of the purse instead of untying it. She dumped the coins into her hand and looking at Camilla. “Girl, this is more than I’ve seen in my lifetime, even if you add it all up, the coppers I’ve seen pass through my fingers for doing the cleaning for others.”
“It’s all yours if you give him to me.” Edward still kept his eyes locked on Brix as if looking anywhere else might allow him to vanish.
Brix said, “She can’t give you what she doesn’t have. Robin already took your gold, so you can’t give it to her. Camilla looks ready to beat you with her staff. But let me tell you how really bad you are at making bargains.”
Edward tested a leg to stand, a scowl on his face as he realized they intended to keep his gold and give him nothing in return.
Camilla flicked the staff she leaned on, and the lower end swung a few inches. It struck him on his shin again, making an odd, hollow sort of sound. He fell backward, wailing even louder.
Grinning, Brix spun around and flipped up the back of his shirt, displaying skin devoid of birthmarks, let alone those shaped like dragons. “As you can see, I’m not your dragon-boy, and it’s obviously neither of these two women is a dragon-boy.”
Edward shook his head in confusion. “Then, who are you?”
“We’re just sheep herders going to help an uncle with his flock,” Brix said with a sly smile directed only at Camilla and Robin. He pointed, “With my sister and mother.”
Edward hung his head and closed his eyes. After drawing a few deep breaths, he raised his head and looked directly at Camilla. “You’re not going to believe me, but I thank you for preventing me from slitting your throats. I honestly believed you to be someone else, and I would have killed all of you, only to find you’re not whom I seek.”
Brix stepped in front of Camilla and said, “Why do you chase that boy?”
“King Ember ordered it.”
“Are there more who he might send to chase us, thinking we are someone else?”
“Two men. Trusted aides of the King and also searching for the boy.”
“Where are they?”
“Behind me, I think. I don’t know if they’ll find where you left the road, but if they do, they’ll believe you’re the one we seek.”
Brix exchanged looks with Robin. She nodded to him for a job well done.
Edward stood and squared his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I’m going to be sore for days, but guess I deserve it for not making sure of who I was attacking.”
The old woman handed the knife back to Edward, along with his purse. “People do make mistakes. You can help us by going back on our trail and if you meet others tell them we are not who they are after. We don’t want to awaken with others trying to murder us.”
Edward’s eyes fell on the knife and purse. He tossed the purse up a few inches and caught it. “This doesn’t feel any lighter.”
“It’s not ours to keep.” The woman said.
“If you did, who would know?”
The old woman snorted, making sounds like most mothers do at times with their wayward children. She waved a hand in their direction. “What sort of example would that make for them? No, I’ll raise them the right way and try to set an example. Now, good sir, I hope you will not take offense, but we would like you to leave us.”
“Leave you? In the middle of the night when it’s so dark? I can hardly see.”
She drew herself up, looking taller. “You already tried to murder us in our sleep once tonight. You saw well enough then. We will appreciate it if you leave us now. Forgive me for not trusting you.”
Edward tried to think of words to express his feelings. There were none. He nodded and turned, his knife in one hand and his purse the other. The stars provided enough light to locate the path, and he walked away, grateful he had not made the biggest error of his life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The Weapons Master took the lead. The Slave Master followed. The darkness was falling, but they used the moonlight to illuminate the way. Footprints in soft areas showed at four people ahead. Watching the footprints revealed a lot. One never stepped on sticks or slippery rocks. Every foot was placed where it would find the best footing, a skill learned over time.
The two other sets were slightly smaller and less cautious, like older children or young adults might make. The last set was made by expensive boots that stepped on slippery rocks when dry footing was there at the cost of a longer stride. Twice they saw where he’d stumbled while stepping on, rather than over, a fallen log. Once they saw where his knee had left an impression, telling of a near fall—and also of an inexperienced man traveling fast.
“We’re gaining,” the Weapons Master commented.
“I hope we overtake the idiot-child Edward before he catches up with them.”
“Scared he’s going to spook them?”
They continued on the path in silence until the Sword Master finally answered, “No, I just don’t want to face the Earl if we let a dragon slay his son.”
“That is a possibility. If that’s a true member of the Dragon Clan and he calls down a dragon the Earl’s boy won’t stand a chance.”
“Neither will we if it spots us.” The Slave Master couldn’t help glancing up at the empty sky. The snow-capped mountain directly ahead drew his attention, again. “I wonder if that mountain is a rookery for dragons.”
The Weapons Master shook his head. “Too cold. Dragons like warmer climates.”
“Where’d you hear that?”
Instead of answering, the Weapons Master picked up the pace. He also glanced at the sky more than once and kept Bear Mountain directly ahead. Why are they heading for the mountain?
After crossing a small stream, they paused to look at the tracks on the mud bank. Four sets, for sure. Edward’s trampled the others, telling us that he followed. The tracks told he’d passed the stream earlier, but he was still much further ahead.