Ice Maiden Read Online Free PDF

a sheathed hip sword
and cross bow. Toby took the bow and tied it on the saddle. The
sword belt fit perfectly, Amy felt her admiration and respect for
Amelia raise a good ten notches.
    At the bottom of the sack rested a chunk of
rock candy. She almost laughed out when she realized who would eat
the treat.
    Straightening up she approached the stallion.
“So you missed me, big fellah.” The horse’s ears came forward and
every muscle stilled. A soft answering whinny purred from the great
animal. Amy held out her open palm, the velvet lips rippled over
her flesh until they gently picked up every small bit of the sugar
delicacy. The brush of his great head against her chest gave Amy
back the confidence she lost. “We will be fine, won’t we
Squire?”
    Toby gave her a leg up. “Best ye go around
the back to the gate, I hope no one stops ye, Lady.”
    “So do I.”
    “Oh, the basket, its herbs for the baby,
Emily sent a message to her mother that little Bess has a
fever.”
    Squire remained still while he secured the
basket. Amy suddenly felt filled with doubts. A sick baby? How
would she find the place? She needed help. “Toby are you sure
the woods are clear?”
    “Aye, heard the Laird say all his men were
inside, just go straight through on the path, Emily will be
watching, Cal will probably be waiting on the other side.”
    Cal? Son, husband or brother, she didn’t
care, she just hoped he would be there to take the basket.
    Her first problem was leaving the keep. Going
in back of all the buildings, as Toby suggested, she quickly
reached the gate. Thankfully it was her own men that stood guard,
their quick wave through released her pent up breath. Squire wasn’t
in the mind for an easy ride and before they crossed the bridge he
moved into a full gallop, heading straight for the woods. Amy
decided the horse knew where he was going, even if she didn’t and
gave herself over to the exhilarating ride.
    “You there, guard at the gate?”
    “Aye, Laird?”
    “Who just left?”
    “Left, Laird?”
    Bern wondered if the man was a dolt or if he
was playing him for one. “The rider on the stallion, man, who was
he?”
    “Oh him, that would be Squire…Arn, aye it was
Arn alright. Running errands for his father, no doubt. He is always
about, in and out, out and in, like a shadow he is.”
    “A shadow. I guess that is why I have not
seen him before?”
    “Slips by us all, now and again.”
    “Does he now?”
    “Sure enough does, me Laird.”
    Bern’s temper kept rising over the man’s
blubbering rot. Was this castle full of liars?
    “Is something wrong, Laird Randall?”
    Bern turned to face the approaching Captain
Lansing. “Wrong Captain? The only thing wrong is this place.” Bern
saw the guard flinch. Damn if he wasn’t right! The man was
lying.
    “Ye seem put out, Laird Randall.”
    “When I am Captain, you will naught have to
guess.”
    Knowing he would get no further with the
Captain than his guard, Bern left them to themselves. Taking a
guarded glance back at the two of them, his tight lips eased into a
knowing smile at the now excited Captain. “Seems the shadow, has
upset our dear Captain as well. Now I wonder why that would
be?”
    “Craig!”
    “Aye, Bern.”
    “Fetch me a horse, hurry man.”
    The man wasted no time in returning. “Here
take mine. What is the rush, Bern?”
    “I am chasing shadows, my friend. A very
sneaky one.”
    The opened mouthed man stood there watching
his friend race out of the keep. “Damn, I will be glad when this is
all settled.”
    Squire had no problem navigating the winding
path through the forest. As they reached the edge Amy pulled him
up. All her cautious study of the open hills render nothing helpful
towards a direction. “Well fellah, do you know the way to Emily’s?”
Why did it have to be a sick baby? “Come on Squire maybe when we
clear the hill I will see something.”
    No sooner did they enter the clearing than
the horse shied to the left. Amy saw a