Awry

22

Scarlet sighed in frustration as she walked through the dead leaves of the forest floor. She and Tristan had been hunting all morning, but had yet to see a single creature.

“It is as if all the animals of the forest have been scared away,” Scarlet said, squinting into the trees.

Tristan came up beside her, looking around as well. “Food is scarce and people are desperate. The animals have probably fled to safer regions.”

Scarlet frowned as they moved on.

“Do not worry,” Tristan said beside her. “You have plenty of food at home.”

“Yes, but winter is coming soon and I have nothing preserved.”

“Do you think I will let you go hungry?”

“No,” Scarlet responded. “But I’d rather not rely on you through the winter months when the snow is so thick your journey to my hut will be impossible.”

He smiled happily. “Nothing is impossible.”

She looked at him with a half-smile. “Youare impossible.”

“As are you, my lady.”

“Don’t call me that.”

He laughed. “Why not?”

“Because I am not a lady.” Scarlet looked straight ahead as they walked. “I am a thief.”

He shrugged. “You are a ladythief.”

“Who steals from your father,” Scarlet added.

Tristan was silent for a long moment and Scarlet regretted her words.

She hated reminding him of her crimes. It was probably hard enough for him to overlook them when he was sneaking food away from his castle, let alone while he was traipsing through the woods with her.

She was a fool.

“My father is a greedy man.” Tristan looked up at the treetops. “He takes and takes, and thinks only of himself. Any theft you’ve committed against him was deserved.” They walked on for a minute before Tristan concluded, “I hope to never be like him.”

Scarlet turned to face him. “What do you hope to be like?”

Tristan tilted his head, the sunlight painting his face as he thought. “I hope to live with a purpose beyond myself. I hope to have a life of meaning, a life worth fighting for. Dying for.” He shrugged. “I hope to be much more than I am.”

Respect filled Scarlet as she looked at the hunter beside her. The hunter who had surrendered his kill to her, saved her from thieves, shared his food with her mother.

“You are already the man you describe.”

As the sun filtered in through the trees and splashed against their cloaks and hunting gear, Scarlet looked Tristan over and a realization struck her, causing her heart to beat wildly in her chest.

Somewhere between the trees and the dirt, Scarlet had fallen in love with the hunter. Hopelessly in love.

For there was no hope for love between a thief and a nobleman.

His eyes locked on hers for a thick moment before a flock of birds rushed into the sky above them.

At first, Scarlet thought nothing of it. But when she moved forward to walk on, Tristan gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him. He placed a finger in front of his full lips and motioned for her to be quiet.

Scarlet searched the trees surrounding them, but saw nothing, heard nothing. And Tristan had yet to let go of her wrist.

Which she did not mind at all.

A distant rustle, a pounding of hooves and Scarlet realized someone was coming toward them.

No.

A groupof someones were coming toward them.

Tristan’s eyes shot to the sound and Scarlet followed his gaze. Several men on horseback were making their way through the trees in the far distance.

Scarlet’s eyes widened in panic. It was the earl’s men, coming to collect thieves from the forest. She immediately pulled for her bow to defend herself, but Tristan took tighter hold of her wrist.

She shot her eyes to him in frustration.

“Wait, Scar,” he said.

Scar.

He called her Scar. Like he knew her. Like she was his to name.

Halting her movements, Scarlet waited.

Tristan glanced around the clearing then looked her up and down in worry. He hesitated, then pulled her behind a large tree. Setting her back up against the tree, Tristan began tucking her cloak in around her. Like it was a blanket and she was a cold child.

She opened her mouth to ask what he was so afraid of—after all, these were his father’s men. These were men that would have no business arresting Tristan. Right?

But Tristan set a gentle finger on her lower lip to keep her quiet. Scarlet looked up at his eyes for answers, but his only response was a look that said trust me.

And she did.

Keeping silent eyes on Tristan, Scarlet listened as the hooves grew louder and the trees around them began to sway with the commotion. Dust kicked up, small rocks flew and, from the corner of her eye, Scarlet saw a squirrel dart up a nearby tree trunk in fear.

How many men were there? Dozens?

As the group drew closer, Tristan moved his body closer to Scarlet’s as if shielding her. His finger still rested on her bottom lip as he looked around carefully.

Scarlet’s eyes traced up and down his profile, distracted by how truly handsome he was and how much she enjoyed the feel of his finger against her mouth.

Tristan’s large body, now nearly pressed up against hers, was warm and inviting, filling Scarlet’s head with deliciously inappropriate thoughts. Her eyes traced his square jaw, wondering what it would be like to run her finger along his dark stubble and down to his throat….

He dropped his finger from her mouth and leaned in even closer, his heat against her as he moved his head to the side to look around the tree.

Scarlet felt small in between the tree and Tristan’s body. Small and safe.

Tristan shifted, his chest brushing against hers. Pounding hooves came to a stop not far from where they hid and Scarlet’s palms began to sweat.

Why was Tristan nervous? His neck was only inches away from Scarlet’s face as he strained to see the earl’s men. Scarlet spied his beating pulse just below the skin of his neck, and it was running high.

They must be in danger.

A low voice croaked out from the group of men, “I’m sure I saw someone right here.”

“Very well,” another voice sighed. “Spread out, all of you! Search this area until we find the thief!”

Tristan pulled his head back to her and closed his eyes as he silently cursed. Opening his eyes, he looked at her sternly and brought his mouth up to her ear.

“Stay. Here,” he whispered.

His hot breath sent tingles down her spine. Good tingles. Tingles Scarlet wanted to bottle up and take home.

Scarlet’s lips parted to ask why, but Tristan was already gone, pushing away from her and walking out to the men behind her.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” she heard Tristan say. “On a hunt, are we?”

Scarlet kept her back up against the tree and her cloak tucked around her. The only reason she wasn’t reaching for her weapon or running through the trees right now was because she trusted Tristan.

With her life.

Tristan stared up at Tennius, his father’s most trusted guard. Tennius was a burly man, with great strength and blind obedience, who hated Tristan with a passion.

“Lord Archer,” Tennius said. “What brings you out to these woods?”

“Hunting, of course,” Tristan motioned to the bow on his back and kept his hands steady. Scarlet was just yards away, covered only by a tree trunk. If the men were to move even ten feet in her direction, they would see her.

And they could not see her.

His heart started to pound.

Tennius looked at him skeptically. “You have no need to hunt, my lord. Especially not in these murderous woods.”

“I am aware of my surroundings.” Tristan lifted his chin. “But I hunt for my pleasure.” Tristan looked around and counted over a dozen men on horses. “What is you hunt today, Tennius? Surely not deer. I could give you a lesson in stealth if you wish to eat venison for dinner.”

Tennius was not amused. “The earl has discovered vagrants living on his land. They pay no rent and are thieves in his forest. He has ordered that these woods be thoroughly searched for such vagabonds and that the criminals be put to death.”

Tristan’s heart jumped into his throat and nearly choked him. If they looked for settlers in the forest long enough, Scarlet and Ana would surely be found. “I see my father is craving blood again.”

“Your father is a just man trying to keep order on his land—”

“Yes, yes.” Tristan mocked a smile. “We all know of your loyalty to my father. No need to announce your allegiance out here…among the birds and deaf stones. I’m sure they do not care.”

Tennius shifted on his horse. “We have work to do, my lord.” He turned to his men. “We move forward!”

“If you are in need of criminals,” Tristan said, desperate to send Tennius as far away from Scarlet as possible. “I would suggest you head to the south. I know of three thieving men who make their home there.” Tristan thought back to the men who attacked Scarlet.

Tennius raised a brow. “You’ve seen these men?”

Tristan nodded. “I occasionally have confrontations with those who wish to steal from me.” Tristan smirked, thinking of the first time he met Scarlet. “And believe me when I say, the thieves out here are not like anything I’ve seen before.”

He held his breath as Tennius eyed the wooded area around them.

“Very well.” He kicked his horse and started south. “This way, men!”

Tristan exhaled slowly as the men turned on their horses and disappeared into the trees.

A minute passed before he saw Scarlet creep out from her hiding spot. He looked at her for a moment, flooded in relief that she had not been found.

“Why did you hide me? Were those not your father’s men?” Scarlet walked up to him, confusion lining her face.

Tristan exhaled. “Yes, those were my father’s men. But I did not want them to see you.”

“Why not? You could have simply told them you brought me hunting with you. There was no need to hide me.”

Tristan pursed his lips together. “I wanted to keep you hidden. For your safety.”

“For my safety?” Scarlet’s mouth fell open. “Then why do we bother hunting together at all? If I am not safe hunting with you, then I may as well hunt on my own. You baffle me, hunter. You beg and plead to accompany me on my hunts, claiming your presence will protect me, but it does not.”

“You don’t understand.” Tristan rubbed his jaw.

”Did you keep me hidden because I am poor?”

Tristan dropped his hand. “Of course not.”

“Because I am dirty?”

He glared at her.

“Because I am small?” She raised her voice. “Because I am a girl? Because you are embarrassed to be seen with—”

“Because you are beautiful!” Tristan shouted, frustrated with how much he cared for the dark-haired girl standing before him. “You are young, and unmarried, and striking,” he explained. “I do not want large groups of men knowing there is a beautiful girl running around the eastern woods on her own. I can keep you from being arrested, but I cannot keep you safe from all other evils. And I cannot be here at all times to protect—”

“Hunter,” Scarlet said, her face flushed. “I am not yours to protect. You do not need to burden yourself with my safety.”

“Burden?” Tristan stared at her for a moment, wishing it was that simple. His mouth fell open. “I wantto protect you.”

Scarlet blinked. “Why?”

Tristan inhaled slowly. “Because you are worth protecting.”

Scarlet looked at the ground, keeping her eyes and her blushing face away from him.

Tristan stared at her downcast eyes, his heart clenching with an unfamiliar emotion. Love.

He was in love with the girl thief.

He was a fool after all.