A Forest of Wolves Read Online Free PDF Page B

slammed his mug on the wooden table. Ale sloshed over the rim and pooled onto the damp wood.
    Henrik clanked his mug against Marc’s. “We’ll get Urek and Kristoff. Don’t worry. We will find them both.”
    â€œI’ll hunt them down if it’s the last thing I do.”
    An old man sitting a few tables away stood. Hooded eyes found me. “Is it true we have the duchess?”
    A collective movement of eyes shifted to me. I couldn’t hide anymore. My presence was officially known. There would be no more rumors. There would be no going back.
    â€œLudmila Nováková is here,” Petr said.
    The crowd rumbled. It was clearly a rumble, not a cheer.
    My stomach plummeted to my toes. I lowered my head. The people of Kladno didn’t want me in their village. I was an outsider. An outcast. They didn’t trust me. I wanted to run from the tavern, but Marc wouldn’t let me.
    I kept my eyes averted; I didn’t want to make eye contact with any of them. My cheeks grew hot. Igor’s glare was the strongest, and it bore into me like a dagger through the heart.
    A few of the braver men in the room shouted their disapproval. “She’s a Catholic! A member of the royal house!”
    Petr waited for the noise to die down before he resumed. “She is,” he conceded.
    The crowd grumbled.
    â€œYou are right in your assessment,” Petr said. “Mila is most certainly a Catholic and she most certainly was a member of the royal house—an elite member of Rudolf’s court. While we are on the topic, I should disclose to those of you who do not already know . . . Mila is the daughter of Václav Novák, the high chancellor.”
    The people hissed and booed.
    Marc stiffened beside me.
    My eyes flitted around the tavern. It was fully of angry faces and one smug smile—Ruzena’s.
    â€œWith that being said, none of it matters anymore. Mila is one of us now.” Petr nodded his head. “She is a member of the rebellion.”
    â€œWe should ransom her!” a voice shouted. “We need the money! The Crown will pay a significant sum if we return her.”
    â€œShe’s a spy! Arrest her!”
    Marc shot to his feet.
    The room went quiet.
    â€œNo one will touch a hair on Mila’s head.” Marc glared around the room. “Does everyone understand? If anyone touches her or speaks ill to her, then they will have to deal with me. She is a lady and our guest. She will be treated as such. I will not have it any other way.”
    â€œMarc.” Petr waved at him. “Come.”
    Marc squeezed through the narrow row of benches, softly caressing the back of my head as he passed by. It was a comforting gesture, but I still felt uneasy. The tension in the room was tangible and it was all directed at me. I’d never experienced such animosity before.
    Marc lithely climbed onto the bar as Petr slid down to the ground. The movement felt symbolic. It was as if Petr had passed the torch to his son.
    Henrik inched beside me on the bench. “You’re not a crowd favorite.”
    â€œYou’ve gathered as much?”
    â€œI did. I thought from all the booing and chanting that they wanted to burn you at the stake.”
    â€œDon’t give them any ideas.” I slapped his arm. “Why is Marc up there? Isn’t your father the leader?”
    Henrik shook his head. “No, he was the acting leader. It was assumed when Marc arrived, he’d be in charge.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œEveryone listens to Marc.”
    â€œSo . . . because everyone listens to him . . . he’s the leader?” I blinked.
    â€œThe men will follow him into battle. We need someone the people can rally around. Marc’s the right man for the job; trust me.”
    â€œHe’s the leader of the whole rebellion?”
    â€œOf this division of the rebellion.”
    â€œOh,” I said.
    Henrik laughed. “Yes, oh is