Mitchell had enjoyed the time he’d spent with Deva after they had escaped the court, what he hadn’t enjoyed was the hour and a half long lecture he’d received from his mother upon returning to his room later that evening. A lecture in which she went on and on about his duties and responsibilities and how he needed to take them seriously.

He knew his responsibilities and he took all of them seriously. He simply did not want to marry any of the girls his mother had deemed appropriate nor did he want to get married anytime soon. It was insane to think he wanted to pick a bride when he’d just turned fifteen. He had time yet to find the right girl.

“You had better protect your right side Mitchell or you’ll regret it,” his father said, breaking into his thoughts.

Mitchell twisted away and swung his sword around in an arc so that it met his father’s with a ringing clang. “Sorry, still stuck on mom’s lecture.”

Horace chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure you are, doesn’t mean you leave yourself open to an attack. You cannot afford to be distracted on the battlefield son.”

He nodded and struck at his father. Horace easily blocked the underhanded swing, twisted to the side, struck out with a foot and kicked Mitchell in the back of the knee, sending him to the ground. Mitchell blinked up at his father. He stayed put only because the tip of his father’s sword was pointed at his throat. He released his sword and let it fall to the dirt. “As usual, I concede.”

Horace grinned and offered him a hand up. “I’ve had more practice son, don’t worry you’ll get there. You’re already extremely good with a blade, don’t count yourself short.” Horace slapped him on the back as they made their way out of the practice ring.

Deva clapped. “You two are very good.”

Horace bowed. “Thank you Deva.”

“You are quite welcome Uncle Horace.”

He smiled at her as he sheathed his sword. There was no reason he could see to keep Mitchell and Deva apart, he quite liked Deva, of course she was also the daughter of one of his best friends, so he could be just a tad biased. Still, he had no idea why Cassandra didn’t want the two of them together. Seemed ludicrous to him. “Well then you two, I do have actual work I should get to, since I’ve managed to spare you the day spent in the royal court don’t waste it now.”

He strode off, heading back toward the castle. Deva watched him go for a moment before turning back to smile at Mitchell. “So what do you want to do today?”

“We could go find Logan and Holly and see if they want to head into the woods for a picnic.”

“Do we really have to bring them?”

Mitchell chuckled, put an arm around her and led her toward the castle. “It would be nice to invite them and I think it would give the two of them an opportunity to get to know one another better and spend some time together that doesn’t involve work.”

Deva groaned and rested her head against his shoulder. “Fine! I suppose we should be nice to them. Logan seemed sort of … I don’t know, upset this morning at breakfast.”

Mitchell released a long breath and only nodded. Logan had stopped by his room this morning and poured out the entire story of his talk with Holly the evening before. Logan insisted that Holly didn’t feel the same way about him as he felt about her and he was trying to figure out how he was going to train with her without losing his mind.

Deva chatted about what they should do while on their picnic and ways they could get Holly and Logan together. Deva left him in the kitchen to talk to the cook about putting together a basket of food for them, while she went in search of Holly and Logan.

“Holly? Are you in here somewhere?” Deva frowned as she searched Holly’s room.

“She isn’t here.”

Deva spun around to face Logan. “You scared the life out of me Logan! Don’t sneak up on me!”

“Best at silent movement, remember?”

“Yes right I remember. So where is Holly?” she asked him.

He shrugged. “I don’t know I was in here earlier looking for her because I wanted to see if she wanted to go for a ride or something, but I haven’t been able to find her.”

“Did some searching did you?”

He nodded. “Yes, but I don’t think I know her well enough to figure out where she’d hide out.”

“No you don’t. Come on let’s go see if we can find her.”

***

Holly pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them as the wind wrapped around her and whipped her hair about her face. She closed her eyes and lifted her chin into the wind. It was quiet here. She could think, sort of. With a groan, she dropped her forehead to her knees. She’d somehow hurt Logan or upset him last night and she had no idea what it was she’d said that had bothered him, which meant she didn’t know how to fix it.

After everything that they’d done together so far as a team, she thought they were friends. Yet when she’d reminded him of that it seemed to have bothered him. Why? Did he want to be more than friends?

If he did why didn’t he just say so instead of leaving her to guess and did she want to be more than friends? She let out a small sound of frustration and knocked her forehead against her knees. All of this, every bit of it, was Deva’s stupid fault. If she hadn’t kept poking and prodding, trying to get her to admit she liked Logan she never would have started believing she actually did like him.

“You know if you wanted to go for a hike, we could have found a much better spot than to the top of the castle roof.”

She spun too quickly at the sound of Logan’s voice and went toppling sideways, the second she started to fall, Logan jumped forward and grabbed at her cloak, hauling her against his chest. Holly sucked in a quick breath and glanced down, if Logan hadn’t moved so quickly … she banished the rest of that thought. If he hadn’t startled her in the first place she wouldn’t have almost fallen. With a small growl, she slapped at his chest. “Can you move in anyway except silently! You scared the life out of me! I could be a splatter on the cobbles right now thanks to you.”

His chuckle infuriated her further and she smacked him again. Logan hugged her tighter. “I’m sorry Holly, all right? I didn’t mean to startle you; I don’t think about how I move or walk, it’s just what I do.” He shrugged.

She dropped her head against his chest. “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I wasn’t paying attention anyway because I certainly didn’t expect anyone else to appear up here.”

He laughed again. “Yes well … to tell the truth I never would have thought to look for you up here, Deva thought you might have come up here she said you liked high, quiet places.”

She blew out a long breath and raised her head to look up into his eyes. “I’m sorry Logan.”

He cocked his head to the side, a smile on his lips. “So you’ve said. It’s fine Holly. No harm done you didn’t fall and my ego has survived its bruising.”

She returned his smile before shaking her head. “No, I meant about last night. I upset you and I don’t know why, I’m not certain how one apologizes when they aren’t certain what they’ve done wrong.”

He dropped a kiss atop her head and released her. “It was nothing Holly, don’t let it worry you. Come on now, Deva and Mitchell want us to join them for a picnic.”

She groaned but let him take her hand and help her down from the roof. “Do we have to go? We’ll probably have to watch them kiss and stuff.”

***

“This was a great idea,” Deva said with a smile.

Mitchell nodded from where he was settled on his back, hands clasped beneath his head. “What are they up to now?”

Deva glanced over to Holly and Logan where they sat a short distance away. “Talking. I think.”

Mitchell lifted his head and looked over. Holly and Logan were staring out into the trees and they did appear as if they were talking quietly. He hoped they were getting along better.

Logan sighed and shook his head. “I told you that it was fine, Holly.”

She glanced sidelong at him, looking for any sign that it wasn’t fine and didn’t find any. He did seem to be all right. “I don’t want you to be upset with me Logan; I want us to remain friends. Mitchell is right; we need to be able to work together and to train together.”

“Yes, I know. Look, I’m sorry if I wasn’t supportive about Lady Monica. I simply didn’t see a reason to prod at the woman. I’m not like you; I don’t jump on things based on gut instinct.”

She chuckled. “Well if you stick around long enough Deva and I will cure you of that flaw.”

He buffeted her with his shoulder. “I look forward to it and I’m sorry we argued.”

She shoved him back with her shoulder. “I am too.”

“Now … let’s see who can get up that tree first.” He jumped to his feet and ran off, headed for a large tree some feet away.

“Logan! Not fair you know I’m no good with trees!” She jumped up, threw off her cloak, and raced after him, cursing her shorter legs.

From nearby, Deva and Mitchell both laughed as they watched them. Deva looked at Mitchell as she stretched out in the grass beside him. “How long before Holly falls out of the tree?”

He grinned at her. “Not long, I’m sure.”

Further back, hidden in the darkness of the trees, not one of them spotted the large gray, shaggy wolf watching them from the trees. Its bright green eyes shining in the shadows. Nor did they see the woman dressed in dark greens and browns who moved to stand beside the wolf and observe the foursome.

Morgana gave the beast a pat between its ears. “Good boy, Marrok.” She’d found the giant wolf wandering the mountains, half-starved and taken him in. The beast had bonded with her and much as her father could control or communicate with the Wargals, she had a small amount of communication with Marrok. He could tell her a location or a name of a person, but they certainly couldn’t carry on a entire conversation.

It came in handy at times like this when spying was called for and she couldn’t follow someone, Marrok did the hard part and then called for her. He was a handy beast. She settled in and watched the three Rangers and the prince as they enjoyed their afternoon of leisure, learning all that she could about them. Anything at all that would help her to defeat the Kingdom of Araluen.