Free Lady and the Wolf by Elizabeth Rose

woodcutter and the only man allowed to take wood from the royal forest.”
    “Then you are the man for the job. Has my steward explained to you what I want you to do?”
    “He has, milord.” The man raised his bearded face and glanced over at Stefan, however, he wouldn’t look Wolf in the eye. Wolf figured it was because of his horrid reputation of being a bloodthirsty killer now. He couldn’t really blame the man.
    “Good. So just sneak the girl out of the castle and bring her here to me. Be certain to do it well before the sun sets, do you understand? If it is already nighttime, then just wait until the morrow.”
    “The girl?” asked his squire, confused. “I thought you were after her grandfather.”
    “I am. One step at a time. If the girl comes here, her grandfather will follow.”
    “The earl’s never followed her here to the woods before,” Stefan pointed out. “Why should this time be any different?”
    “Because our woodcutter here is going to run and tell the old man his granddaughter has escaped and where she went. Then he’ll say he saw a black wolf in the woods as well, and that’ll bring the old man right to me.”
    “About my pay,” said the woodcutter with his eyes focused on the ground.
    “Ah yes. Pay him, Stefan.”
    Wolf’s brother untied a small pouch from his side and the coins jingled as he pulled out a few and handed them to the woodcutter. However, the man did not take them.
    “I have no use for coin,” said the man. “Lord Roland takes care of all my needs.”
    “Then what do you want?” Wolf knew where this was leading and it almost felt like blackmail.
    The woodcutter looked around the room and his eyes settled on the hand mirror on the dressing table. “I’ll take that ornate hand mirror as my pay and require naught else.”
    “That’s the witch’s mirror,” Dolan said. “It must be very magical and powerful.”
    Wolf didn’t care about magic mirrors, and wasn’t even sure he believed it to be true. He figured it was just a mirror that Lord Roland had put inside the hovel for the hag to use. He had no need for it. If the woodcutter wanted it, so be it. He picked it up to hand it to the man, and when he did he saw swirling fog in the reflection in the mirror. It parted and then he saw Winifred locked in a room, trying to open the door, banging on it and crying.
    “Nay.” He dropped the mirror on the table and shook his head. “You will do it for coin only.”
    “I’m risking my life as well as deceiving my lord,” the woodcutter pointed out. “I’ll not do it for anything but the mirror.”
    There was an awkward span of silence, and then Wolf finally just nodded. He needed this man to help him and didn’t have time to look for another person who would be able to get into Castle Chaserton unquestioned. “All right. Convince the girl to come back to the hovel – alone, and then make certain her grandfather follows. Do it during the light of day only. If you can do that, the mirror is yours. But only then – and not until you deliver.”
    The woodcutter didn’t look happy with Wolf’s decision, but just bowed and backed away. “As you wish, my lord. I’ll be going then.”
    “Give him the coins as proof of our agreement,” Wolf told Stefan.
    Stefan handed the pouch over but the man shook his head. “No coins are worth the risk I’m taking.” The woodcutter turned and disappeared quickly.
    “Did you want us to stay?” asked his squire.
    “No need,” said Wolf. “Not now. I’ve got Arnon in the woods to help me if need be. Besides, I want to be alone with the girl. I’d suggest you two go back to the castle and ready the men in case the earl decides to bring an army with him when he follows. If so, then step in and fight, but not before.”
    “Aye, milord,” said Stefan. “I’ll come back and act as lookout if you’d like.”
    “Dolan can do that. Your talents are needed in readying my men for battle, Stefan. I need a man to lead them