Derrick saw Athena pause and walked up to her. "Princess, perhaps you would like assistance? It appears that the maids forgot to light candles for you." He eyed the room suspiciously. The maids would never forget something so important. He sure hoped that Erik got his note. Athena really needed to have a chaperon.

*****

Seeing that she hadn't been followed, Tracy climbed into the trees as soon as she cleared the village. No way was she taking chances of wolves without Erik around to help her out. Working her way along the road, she found a good place to hide. She would just jump the next person. The sounds of hoof beats in the distance warned her of oncoming travelers. It was a group riding along singing at the top of their lungs. Clearly drunk.

She jumped the last one in line, grabbed his purse and left him there. Slipping into the night time shadows, she grinned as the others assumed he had drunk too much. They turned back and dismounted to help him. It wasn't until all five lay in a heap on the ground that she realized that she had robbed one of them before. The prince. The other four must be the nobility that was visiting. Slapping the hinds of the horses, she sent them running for the castle. Then she climbed into the trees and made way for her hiding place to stash the gold. Gambling sure was a good thing.