Crow closed his eyes peacefully as he enjoyed resting with Penelope. Even though the circumstances weren’t the best—his body still ached, and he hated the feeling of being put in chains yet again—he was glad that she was by his side. Her presence made the discomfort easier to bear. However, the moment of respite was short lived as he heard her murmur that she hoped he was right. He frowned, wondering why she wasn’t as optimistic. His wound was healing, and as long as he rested, he felt sure that he would eventually make a full recovery. He was just about to express this to her when she spoke again, telling him that her barons hadn’t decided what to do with him yet.

[i]I guess that explains these,[/i] he thought, his eyes drifting down to the chain cuff around his wrist. Though he kept a neutral, contemplative expression, the news that Penelope hadn’t convinced her leaders to let him go when he recovered was concerning to him. He hadn’t realized it until now, but he supposed he had just assumed that she had taken care of everything and that he would be released to go home whenever he had healed enough to move on his own. To find out that his freedom was on the verge of being taken away again was unsettling.

[i]Oh gods, I don’t want to go back to prison again,[/i] he thought, closing his eyes and letting out a long sigh. The last time had nearly driven him mad. He couldn’t even imagine how torturous it would be to wind up back in a cell after tasting freedom for the last two years. Just the thought of it made him feel sick.

But he didn’t want to worry Penelope.

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” he met her gaze again to offer her a reassuring smile. “We always do.” Lifting his head slightly, he met her lips in a tender kiss and then pulled back, looking off to the side as he prepared himself to speak to her about why he had been sneaking around behind her back lately.

“So… about what happened,” he shifted uncomfortably. “I was being honest when I told you Jaxon had been threatening me... The day we got back from Aramoor, I stayed in Myrefall for the night, and Jaxon showed up at my house.” He turned back to meet her gaze somberly. “He had found my companions somehow while we were gone on the trip and forced them to tell him where I was. That was how Simon died: He killed him even after Hazel told him about our meeting spot in the village.” He winced at the memory. “Anyway, he showed up and told me that if I didn’t cover his tracks from all the knights, he would kill you. He also told me not to say anything to the same consequence.”

He lifted his right arm slightly to show her the still-healing cut on his forearm, “Also… I lied about this too. I didn’t get it from a bounty hunter. It’s the mark Jaxon puts on all his followers as a sort of symbol of our agreement to work for him.” He studied Penelope’s face, hoping the wound would be proof enough for her to see that he wasn’t lying to her now. “As for the rest, I think you already know... Gavin was right about almost everything.” He lowered his gaze shamefully. “When we were in Wheldrake, I did tamper with the food, and I was the one who spread the word to the villagers that you and the other knights were coming to question them.

“But I only did it because I didn’t have a choice,” he went on. “Jaxon has ears everywhere. If I didn’t follow his orders, or if I tried to tell any of you that I was working for him, he would have killed you. I had to do it.”

He closed his eyes, “As for the request I made of Jaxon the night you followed me… All I can say is, I’m sorry. It was starting to look like Younis was going to win this war with Jaxon’s aid, and I was afraid of losing our future together. I just… I just thought that if there was a way to prevent you from being imprisoned and me from being enslaved, then it was worth the sacrifice.” He shook his head dully. “I guess it doesn’t matter anyway, since Jaxon was just planning to kill me for my bounty near the end of the war. Gods, I was a fool to turn to that bastard for help.”

Crow looked up again to meet Penelope’s gaze apologetically. “I think that’s everything you didn’t know about… I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for being such a bad partner, because I really do want to try harder to get better at this.”