The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

didn't expect a miracle. He glared at the ground wishing that king didn't have such a powerful hold over Pat. She wasn't his vassal, she was a leader of a great army. He sighed; the only problem was that army was King Stephen's, so prophecy or no prophecy he would control her.
    "What an unhappy expression on such a handsome face," the old woman spoke up. Fred jerked up his head and found his face was only a few inches from the hag's. He yelped and flung himself back over the bed. The old woman tilted back her head and cackled. "What a sight ye are, my child, with your wide, scared eyes."
    Fred scowled at the old woman and settled himself on the bed. "I'm not scared, you just-"
    "-scared you?" she finished, and smirked at him. "Don't lie to an old mother, my child. Your mind was far enough away a herd of cantankus could have passed by you."
    "I was just thinking about stuff," Fred defended himself. He scooted back to the side of the bed.
    "Stuff?" the old woman repeated. Her old owl eyes gave him a careful look over. "Men your age don't think of stuff. They have a mind for adventuring and-" she leaned in closer to him and he leaned back, "-young ladies." Fred blushed, and she cackled again. "Yes! Yes! I see I have it now! Ye think of a young woman, but one of ye is unhappy." Fred cringed away from the old hag, but she climbed up onto the bed after him. "Perchance old mother can help. Maybe she has something to soothe your troubles?"
    "I hope not..." he muttered. Her eyes narrowed and he slapped a grin on his face. "I mean, what trouble do you think we have and how can you help?"
    The old woman pulled back and opened one side of her shawl. Fred whipped his head away and closed his eyes to avert any view of her horrible, wrinkled skin. When nothing happened he creaked open an eye and saw she dangled a thick piece of metal from her gnarled hand.
    "Ye wish to show your lady friend a treat, eh? Perhaps some pretty fireworks?" the old hag mused. Fred hesitantly nodded his head. She grabbed one of his hands, opened his fingers and slapped the metal into his palm. "That'll do ye well then."
    Fred jerked his hand from her thin, clawed fingers and looked at the metal. "Um, thanks?" he replied.
    She grinned at him and showed off a nice assortment of rotten teeth. Fred frowned; he thought he saw something else, a tinge of stretchiness to her face that was familiar, and very unnatural. It was as though she wore a mask. "That'll help ye to get open the trap door in the kitchen beside the stove," she explained to him.
    Fred blinked and sat up. He clutched the piece of metal with more importance and interest. "Trap door? Where does that lead?"
    "To a tunnel beneath the castle. It'll get ye and yer lady friend out of the grounds and to an old cistern at the far wall along the castle." She rubbed her hands together and twittered. "Yes, and from there ye can go to the fireworks and give yer lady friend one last glimpse of freedom before she is imprisoned to her destiny." The old woman turned away and shuffled off to the door.
    Fred hung his legs over the end of the bed and furrowed his brow. He opened his mouth, shut it, then tried again. "Old mother?" he called out. She paused at the door and glanced over her shoulder. "Who are you really?"
    Her shoulders shook with her laugh and her eyes sparkled. "Very astute of ye, my child, very astute. Just think of me as as an old friend." She shuffled out of the room and shut the door behind her, leaving Fred holding the metal stick and many questions.
    He still had those questions an hour later when Ned returned from the meeting. The old man slipped into the room and noticed Fred on the bed. Ned's expression was dour and his lips were pursed together as he stepped over and sat beside the young man. He sighed, and Fred knew there was a problem. "It seems the king is set against you, my lad," Ned informed him.
    Fred frowned. "Set against me? What did I do?"
    "I believe it's what you haven't done that