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benefit of those living here and never expect more than the joy that it gave her. When she had first married, she expected to have children, many of them, but Jasper’s beatings had taken away her ability to have them. Soshe would find joy in bringing new life into the world for others.
    And Thea would never marry again. She would never give a man that kind of control and power over her very life and breath. If that meant giving Tolan up when he sought a wife, then she would have to find the strength to do that. For no man who needed sons as he did would marry a woman who could not bear them.
    She did as was her custom when bothered or worried—she threw herself into her tasks for the rest of the day. Thea visited the ill and injured in the village most of the morn and then spent several hours preparing the small patch of ground she used to grow herbs. Tired and sore from her efforts, she returned to her cottage to end the day with a simple meal.
    Though Tolan’s absence that night did not surprise her, it did bother her more than she had expected. After all, they were nothing more than friends who shared a bed when it was convenient. She should have no more expectations than that. Thea suspected that something had changed between them and wondered if they would ever go back to the relationship they’d had when this day began.
    When he did not knock on her door the next night or the one after, Thea had to face the truth. And if she cried herself to sleep, at least no one heard her.

C HAPTER 6
    Southern coast of England
    William de Brus had waited as their ships were unloaded and watched as their supplies and people reached the shore. It had taken most of that day to accomplish, but now, before nightfall, they were miles inland and camped in a heavily wooded area next to a river. It would shield them from prying eyes and give them a chance to organize themselves.
    A large force of fighting men would gain notice much too quickly and be confronted by the local lord and possibly the king’s men. So they’d decided to break up into two smaller groups and hide themselves in the guise of pilgrims.
    â€œDo you think we will go unnoticed?” Roger de Bardem, William’s closest friend and commander of the men who fought with them, asked. They stood at the edge of the encampment waiting for the sentries to report. Anxious to return to his wife Brienne’s side, William wished things settled for the night.
    â€œWe have all been raised as faithful Catholics, Roger,” William offered. “’Tis less a falsehood than many others we have told.”
    â€œExcept for them,” Roger said, nodding at the group of priests, men and women, who even now chanted some prayer to their gods for delivering the group safely to the southern shores of England.
    â€œFather Ander assures me he can accomplish this. Corann agrees. So we will travel north as pilgrims of the Holy Church, giving thanks for blessings received.”
    â€œAnd the king will not hear of us?” Roger asked, crossing his arms over his chest and meeting William’s gaze now.
    â€œIf he does and sends someone to investigate, I will use the good name of my
father’s
family to ease our way. The de Bruses own properties, hold titles, and owe homage here in England as well as France and Scotland.” William smiled.
    Though his true father was King Alexander III of Scotland, William’s bastardy was an open secret. But respect for the man who’d married his mother in deference to the king’s wishes would help them more here.
    â€œBut I suspect that Edward is too busy seeing to important matters of kingdom and country to worry over some pilgrims journeying into his lands.”
    Chaos swirled around them in the world and loomed even larger a threat because of the ancient goddess’s attempts to escape her otherworldly prison. A king, his own father, had fallen and more, William suspected, would follow.