CHAPTER FOUR

The man was fast but Ace still managed to follow at a safe distance. Every now and again he would duck behind a tree when he saw a slight movement of the man’s head. His breath was sparsely wheezing out of his nostrils and he had a cramp in his leg. When he saw a female figure standing a few feet ahead, he moved forward in a crouching position, taking cover now and again. The man came to a holt before the female and Ace realized who she was. He held his breath from escaping in a gasp. He couldn’t quite hear them and went closer and closer.

“She will be arriving at my castle in three suns,” the woman said.

He wondered who they were talking about. Could it be the red queen? And why would they have anything to discuss?

“I’ll make sure Alice makes her way to you without interruptions.”

Did he say Alice? He made a mental note of the name. He tried to position himself better, so he could hear clearly. But his foot slipped on the small rocks around the tree. He took in a breath his eyes wide with fear. They must have heard. In a split second Sir Winsley was at the tree, ready with his sword. Luckily Ace was hiding behind another tree only a slither away. When Winsley returned to his guest, Ace made a run for it back to the castle. He had heard enough for today. He would follow the master of the guards another day.

But Ace didn’t know that while he was running four eyes had already noticed him and were glaring into his back.