Lila's Wolf (Out of Time Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

night’s sleep?” He was teasing me. “Our best option might be to talk to the servants and slaves.”
    “The non-Saxons. You know, it was the oddest thing.” I pushed myself to a sitting position, my brain racing ahead while I tried to formulate the right words. “There was a slave watching me at dinner.”
    Marc shrugged, waited for me to elaborate.
    “Well, don’t you see? They keep their eyes down. They’re not allowed to look at the free men, but he stared at me. Openly.” Though I hadn’t been able to see his eyes, there was something about him, the tilt of his chin, a hint of pride in his stance, all achingly familiar.
    “Marc,” I murmured, as a new possibility blinded me. “What if Jared was taken as a slave?”
     

Chapter Eleven
    Jared
    As soon as Hilde was settled for the night, he’d try to find Lila. No matter that he’d be beaten if he were caught sneaking around. Freedom now lay tantalizingly close. He could practically taste his escape. My name is Jared, and I will soon be free . He often ran errands for Hilde. If he were caught, he’d use that as an excuse.
    At least she didn’t want sex again that night. Tired from a heavy dinner, she wanted Jared to bathe and oil her feet, and then brush her hair, before she finally settled in bed. He stood waiting to be released, trying to rein back his impatience, concentrating on keeping still and giving nothing away. All the while thinking of Lila.
    He’d not known for certain that she’d made it to the jump site. He only knew that sending her with the soldiers had been her best chance. The messenger for Flavius had brought devastating news—the village had been burned to the ground. Jared didn’t care what the Archives said. The raid might have been insignificant, from an Archivist’s perspective, but it was vital to him. The innkeeper and his heavily pregnant wife. The children that played around the smithy. Flavius’ younger brother. All gone.
    In that danger filled, terrifying moment, one thing had taken priority: getting Lila to safety. She’d had a damaged ankle, couldn’t ride fast enough, and the Saxons would catch her. The Romans had been a blessing. He’d wanted to fall at their feet and thank them, while handing over his purse and begging them to take his sister . When Flavius charged back to the village fuelled by grief and fury, it would be a suicide raid, but one that might buy Lila some more time.
    He should have expected her to argue with him. That was one of the things he loved about her, after all: that she constantly challenged him. It’d been hard enough trying to break her heart, to make her go willingly. Firing the stunner into her arm and seeing the stark bewilderment on her beautiful face had come close to breaking him. After that, for a while, he hadn’t cared if he lived or died. Fighting the Saxons, being captured, watching the group of rebels being executed…he’d been next to go and he’d been fine with that. By a fluke of nature, they’d spared him. His odd colored eyes, looked down upon in his own time, had saved his life when the young Saxon had claimed him: “A prize for my grandmother. This can be her new wolf.”
    Hilde regarded him through half-closed eyes. “You can go now, boy.”
    “Mistress.” He inclined his head, already turning on his heel, eager to be away. Her hand shot out and grasped him tight around his wrist, the fingernails digging in like claws.
    “And, Wolf, I’ve heard rumours I don’t like.” He stood completely still, not daring even to breathe in case she saw the suppressed excitement on his face. Had Lila been asking questions about him? Did Hilde know they would be rescuing him? He waited, unable to do anything else.
    “I’ve heard Rowena has showed an interest in you. Is this true?”
    Fuck . Damned if he said anything, damned if he didn’t. He licked his lips and tried to think of a diplomatic answer. “If this happened, mistress, how would you have me