Avril gaped at the ship, her heart pounding. The single-masted vessel had to be more than twenty paces long, but with Thorolf at the oars, it cut swiftly through the waves. “But I thought the others were taking him to—” “He must have broken free somehow and escaped.” Hauk swore. Avril glanced toward the opposite end of the cove, near the forest, drenched by fear. “Sweet Mary, what if he hurt Josette and Keldan?” “Go and check on them, Avril.” Hauk was already grabbing his belt from the sand, unsheathing his knife. “But what are you—” “I have to stop him.” “Nay! Hauk, where could he possibly be going? If he can only survive for six days—” “He is either insane, terrified of facing the elders, or angry enough to reveal our secret to the outside world. Mayhap all three. Whatever he is planning, I cannot let him leave.”
