Free The Greenwood Shadow by Sara Ansted Page A

No more forest. No more tax carts. I'm done."
    Isaiah's mouth hung open. Evey couldn't tell if he was shocked at her ferocity or just trying to digest what he'd heard.
    Her hands itched for something to do. Even the pacing didn't help. Almost unconsciously she reached for her bow and fired at a nearby tree. Five well-grouped shots later she said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. It isn't your fault."
    Isaiah waved his hand vaguely. "It's okay."
    "I just really, really don't want to get married. Not like this anyway."
    "Clearly. So why are you doing it? You're good enough at all this. You could live out here. They'd never find you."
    She fired three more shots. "My future isn't the only one involved. It's good for everyone. My uncle won't have to scrape out a living from day to day. Our village will get more trade. Socially and materially I'll have things I've never had before."
    Isaiah vaguely rubbed at the stubble on his chin for a while. Even shot three arrows while he sat there.
    "What about your betrothed?" he finally asked. "Is he a good man?"
    "He's insufferable!" Two more arrows hit the tree. "He couldn't even stand being at our home. Probably not enough servants and finery for him. His father treats me like a prize horse to be bought and sold. And they're obsessed with gold."
    Isaiah's face hardened. "That's horrible."
    "Yeah, but I can't do anything about it." She emptied her quiver into the target tree.
    Isaiah walked with her to retrieve the arrows. "I've never seen anyone shoot like that."
    Evey didn't reply.
    "Is he good looking?"
    Well, that was out of the blue. She spun on him.
    "Why does that matter?"
    He threw his hands up defensively. "It doesn't much. But even if everything else is terrible, it helps if he's nice to look at."
    Evey deflated a little. "He's not, really. Sort of greasy. And he hasn't grown into his arms."
    "Hopefully he will." Isaiah forced a chuckle.
    Evey pulled out the last of her arrows and turned back toward camp. "What about your wife-to-be? Is she pretty?"
    Isaiah laughed, but obviously not in disgust. It almost sounded like desperation.
    "Beautiful," he said. "Gorgeous! I only ever saw her that once for just a few minutes, but she took my breath away. She's graceful and confidant. She has incredible skin that practically glows when the sunset hits it. She's a goddess."
    As he spoke, Evey felt an irrational jealously bite through her. She imagined a tall, slender princess with waves of blonde hair cascading perfectly over her shoulders while the sun caught on her fair skin. Evey was nothing like that. Dark haired. Sun-tanned, and a little freckly. Usually covered in mud. No one would ever call her a goddess.
    "Sounds like she's really something," Evey replied, trying to hide the bitterness in her tone.
    The desperation returned to Isaiah's voice. "Yeah."
    "But?"
    "But she hates me. I want her to like me, but I don't know how. I'm just not the sort of guy that ladies like."
    "Oh, come on. How could anyone hate you?"
    He shrugged. "She's a lady. A lot of them are very proud."
    "Maybe she doesn't know how to tell you what she thinks,"
    "No. That's definitely not it." He started playing with the laces on his jerkin.
    "How do you know?"
    "The one time I saw her, she was yelling at her dad about me. She has no problem with making herself very clear." He sighed. "I'm not afraid to get married. I just wish I knew what to do to make her give me a fair chance."
    Evey kicked at a twig near her foot. "You're making me feel guilty for being so judgmental. Maybe there's a brain behind all that stringy black hair. Though, I still don't want to marry him."
    The sun was nearly gone. Golden rays hit the lower limbs of the oak, drawing out long shadows. The two of them sat there in silence, watching the patterns that the light made on the ground.
    "Sorry I talked for so long."
    Isaiah smiled and shrugged. "I'm not in any hurry. Besides, it's a lot more interesting than being at home. Business