Mist-Torn Witches 02:Witches in Red by Barb Hendee Read Free Book Online

believe that only last evening, she’d walked up to the castle looking forward to attending a banquet.
    Now she felt lost and out of control, as if she was being swept along on a current instead of guiding her own path.
    “All right,” Jaromir called. “Get the provisions tied down and covered.”
    Céline glanced over the men he’d chosen. Though not surprised, she was slightly unsettled to see Corporal Pavel at Jaromir’s side. Pavel was tall with a lanky build and dark close-cropped hair. He was considered quite good in a fight, and so Jaromir often brought him on journeys. But Céline was cautious around Pavel. He had a well-hidden temper, and although he’d never actually hurt Céline, he had come close once, and she avoided him when possible.
    She was surprised, however, to see Guardsman Rurik in the mix. He was a smaller man with a wiry build and curly light brown hair he wore to the top of his shoulders. He was known as the swiftest rider of anyone under Jaromir’s command, and so he’d been offered the position of messenger between Anton and his father.
    It seemed unlikely that Anton would wish to part with him for any length of time.
    Still, Jaromir appeared to have great trust in Rurik, and when Céline and Amelie had first arrived in the courtyard that morning, Jaromir had explained his preparations a bit more carefully. He’d chosen fifteen men—whom he knew well—from the Sèone ranks as escort, and he’d had a wagon loaded with provisions. Once they neared Ryazan, he would keep Corporal Pavel with him and send the rest back to Sèone, as Anton did not want him riding into the encampment with a contingent. Jaromir would later send Pavel to arrange for an escort to come and see them safely home again,once the . . . difficulty had been solved. Anton and Jaromir had considered having the contingent camp somewhere in the woods and wait. But there was no telling how long it would take Amelie and Céline to solve the situation—possibly weeks—and so in the end, they’d decided it was a better option to have the men simply return to Sèone and go back when necessary.
    However, the gist of all this suggested the trip would not be brief. That much was clear. So Céline had asked Erin, the blacksmith’s daughter, to come check on Oliver at the shop each day, to bring him milk and make certain he had fresh water. Céline had left a back shutter open, so he could get in and out easily, and he was perfectly capable of hunting for himself, but she wanted him to know that he’d not been abandoned, that the shop was still his home.
    And now she was simply waiting to ride out on a journey she could not refuse.
    “I chose your horse myself,” said a soft voice behind her.
    Turning, she found Anton standing there, taking in the sight of her red cloak.
    “Would you like to meet her?” he asked.
    His face was unreadable, but his voice was strained and his eyes shone with misery. Suddenly, all her numbness faded away. He didn’t want to send her on this task. He looked as lost as she by all the activity taking place in this courtyard.
    Trying to smile, she answered, “Yes, please introduce us.”
    She followed him over to a dappled gray mare with a cloth bridle and a blanket over her sidesaddle.
    “Her name is Sable,” Anton said. “She’s gentle but swift.”
    Céline didn’t know how to ride, so she simply nodded, petting Sable’s soft nose. “Thank you.”
    The misery in his eyes increased, and he leaned closer. “Céline, I didn’t want to ask this of you . . . any of this. But I cannot fail my father, and I cannot see any other way. You and Amelie have a chance of finding out what is happening at those mines, and then Jaromir can stop it. There is no one else.” He paused. “You understand? This isn’t about me. It’s about the future of Droevinka.”
    His normally haughty voice sounded so pained, she wasn’t certain how to respond. She did understand, and she could not fathom even the