Chapter 152

Though she sensed the slight shift in Sir Ursuline's manner, Maxi was too exhausted to feel baffled by it. She slumped in the corner of the tent and could do nothing but blink.

There was no way to tell how long she sat staring into space. Eventually, she heard footsteps approaching before Ruth burst through the tent flap.

"Are you all right, my lady?"

He sounded anxious when he saw her haggard face.

Worried that her cheeks were still tear-streaked, Maxi hastily wiped her face again. "I-I am all right."

Ruth regarded her for a moment before heaving a sigh. "So, you got caught in the end. I actually thought we'd have a few weeks before he found out… I certainly didn't think you would be discovered in less than ten days."

"I ran into him… a-at the spring…"

When Maxi sullenly hung her head, Ruth shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "Well, what's done is done. It's not like we weren't expecting this. Where is Sir Riftan?"