Chapter 23

The courtyard was full of the regular hustle and bustle, with people and animals coming and going, blocking Leo’s path and vision.

“Dexter! Dexter?” He grabbed the guard stationed at the door. “Where did Dexter go?”

“Your highness?”

“A young man, about my height, in peasant closing.”

The guard pointed silently to the east, where all of the animals were housed. “I told him that there was nothing over there but animals, sir, but I don’t think he heard me.”

“Thank you.”

The ground was soft from a storm the night before—soft enough to leave indentations in the mud, but there was too much traffic for that to be any help. Even so, he took off at a quick jog, his eyes peeled for any hint of the young man. His heart began to fall as he ventured closer to the animal pens—they were a maze of barns, stalls, and fences. And he was not familiar with the area. Certainly not familiar enough to find anybody who didn’t want to be found.

But he wasn’t going to let Dexter get away from him.