Chapter 23
The hammering on the front door came again as Sarah reached it. She paused for a moment, then drew her sword. With everything that had happened she wasn’t taking any chances. She drew back the bolts, turned the key, then pulled the door open, sword held ready.
A young boy was waiting outside. He stumbled back several steps at the sight of the sword. Sarah glanced around, confirming no one else was nearby, and lowered the sword.
“Lady Sarah?” asked the boy, voice trembling slightly.
“Yes,” she replied. “I’m sorry. There’s been a lot of trouble recently. I thought you might be… something else. Why are you here?”
“I have a message for you. I was told…” The boy stumbled to a halt and gulped. “I was told you’d give me money for it.”
“Who’s it from?”
“I… I didn’t ask. It was
