Chapter Ten
Light. Someone was holding a candle close to her face. She awoke, crying, “Dane?” but a hand was over her mouth. She blinked, trying to make out the features of the face behind the flame. Her body ached. Why?
Then she remembered, and she almost screamed.
“Shut up, noblegirl,” there was no mistaking the voice. It was Tomas. “Get up.”
She sat, puzzled. Wasn’t he in prison, condemned to death? Maybe she was having a nightmare. But could a nightmare grab her by the arm, drag her from the room?
Prissi was in the hall, fidgeting and wringing her hands. She looked miserable.
“Tomas, ye don’t need her,” she whined. “Let her stay. I’ll go with ye, and we’ll be off together.”
“No,” and Tomas looked at Prissi with something akin to tenderness. “It’ll be a hard life, Prissi, and ye
