Voice Of The Demon (Book 2) (42 page)

Robert, his eyes blazing with hellfire, turned stiffly around to Jacob. ‘It appears, my lord, that my presence is causing your guests displeasure. With your permission, I shall withdraw.’

Jacob could only nod, his eyes as cold as ice. With that, Robert turned on his heel and walked off, the crowds falling away before him like scythed wheat.

‘I told you, Eachern,’ Selar returned to his banter. ‘I said he wouldn’t do anything, didn’t I?’

‘Yes, Sire, you did. A pity really; a fight would have entertained everyone.’

‘But spilling blood on the night before your wedding would hardly have been a good omen – nor very pious. As an act of purification, however, it would have sufficed.’ Selar chuckled. ‘Come, cousin. I think it’s time you said hello to your pretty bride-to-be.’

As they turned towards the dais, Jacob reached up and
grabbed Micah’s sleeve. ‘Go to him, boy. Now. Be quick. At this moment he needs a friend.’

*

As Jenn watched Micah push his way through the crowd, Bella took her hand and whispered close, ‘It’s time.’

Jenn could only nod absently. Micah had reached the far doorway. In a moment he was gone, but there was no relief in his absence. Would they leave now? Would he go? Would he pass through the gates of Elita and never come back?

‘Come, Jenn. They’re waiting for you.’

Jenn glanced up, but for a moment didn’t really see Bella’s face. All she could hear in her mind were the words Selar had spoken.

Coward.

That’s what he’d called Robert.

A coward.

But – Robert was no coward. He was the Enemy.

The Enemy . . . of this.

‘If it’s time,’ Jenn breathed, fury welling up inside her like a dam fit to burst, ‘then I suppose we had better move.’

She let Bella lead her across the dais. She kept her eyes downcast, full of humility and modesty. She moved with all the grace she’d been taught. Her face was calm, her hands perfectly still. She breathed evenly and steadily.

She was ready to kill.

Her left palm began to itch and her oath to Wilf came back, scorched into her memory as surely as her handprint into the council table. She’d told Wilf she could have burned the Enclave down. Perhaps one day she would. But today, she would do something different. Something entirely more dangerous.

Bella brought her to the side of Jacob’s chair. As she rose from her curtsey, he took her hand, his cool wrinkled flesh soft to the touch. He began to speak, keeping his voice low but courteous. Jenn couldn’t hear his words. They were blown away in the wind of her anger. It was only when he paused that she realized her moment had come.

Jacob held out her right hand to Eachern. The Duke took it, bending to brush his lips over her flesh. It was only the
fury which stopped her from flinching, from snatching her hand away. It kept her cool and controlled and sublimely calm. Never before had she felt so very calm.

She looked up – not at Eachern, but at Selar.

He was watching her with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. So very superior: the perfect tyrant.

And destined to die.

She let it roll around inside her, lingering over the pleasure of the power, the devastating enormity. He would never know what had happened. Never know that he had brought about his own downfall.

She raised her left hand to help focus the force she was ready to unleash.

She took a deep breath—

A hand. On her shoulder. Gripping hard.

Bella. Her voice a whisper close to Jenn’s ear. ‘You must say words of welcome to your husband-to-be, sister. He waits.’

The power, like a fragile candle flame, flickered and died. Disappointed and brittle, Jenn dropped her hand and murmured the words they were waiting for. She even managed a glance in Eachern’s direction. He’d noticed nothing. None of them had noticed a thing.

Once again she turned her gaze on Selar, but his attention had slipped from her. As she stared at him, words unbidden came into her mind.

One day, King, be you mighty or Jow, I will bring about your downfall.

‘Well, what do you think, cousin,’ Selar murmured, utterly ignorant of the sentence she had just delivered, ‘is your little bride pretty enough for you?’

With barely a flicker of her powers, Jenn reached through the contact of Eachern’s hand and Sealed him. He would never be an ally to her, but she would take what protection she could get from this cousin of the tyrant.

‘Yes, Sire,’ Eachern nodded his thick head. He still held Jenn’s hand and although his touch made her skin crawl, she made no move. ‘She is exquisite. A rare jewel Earl Jacob will be sad to lose.’

‘Your Grace is most kind,’ Jacob grunted, only barely polite. Then, with a sudden beaming smile, he reached forward and removed Jenn’s hand from Eachern’s grasp. ‘Please, avail yourselves of refreshments and the many entertainments we have planned. You will find Elita’s hospitality does no shame to her House.’

Selar laughed outright and clapped Eachern on the shoulder. ‘He means for you to leave his daughter alone, cousin. Fear not, you will have her tomorrow night. Come, let’s find some wine.’

Eachern nodded, his eyes never leaving Jenn. Slowly, at Selar’s urging, he turned and they disappeared into the crowd. Her stomach did a single lurch and was peaceful.

For a moment, Jacob, Bella and Jenn were alone. Only Lawrence and Baron Campbell stood close by, almost a watchful guard in these precious seconds of peace. Jacob tugged Jenn’s hand until she bent her head. Then, like a hollow prayer, Jacob’s words floated to her.

‘I’m sorry, child. So very sorry. I was wrong about Dunlorn and I’m sorry.’

Absently, Jenn turned her head and kissed his dry cheek. Then she straightened up and looked him in the eye. ‘The damage is done now, Father. Being sorry will not change it. With any luck, you may never get the opportunity to voice your apology to him in person.’

Jacob frowned, but Jenn hadn’t finished. She continued, her voice still low and icy, ‘What did you expect, Father? Did you think Selar would welcome him back? That they would suddenly become friends again? Did you want Robert to kill him? Here? Now? You must have known it would happen like this. It is not your legs that are crippled, Father, but your eyes. You’re always telling me I don’t think ahead of the possible danger. Now I suppose you know where I learned that particular trait.’

Before Jacob could even react, Jenn turned on her heel and walked away. She had to. If she’d stayed any longer she would have said something she would most certainly regret.

*

Micah pushed his way through the crowd after Robert. The hall was a chaos of moving dangers, each whispering their own treason. With his heart still pumping wildly, he reached the door, but Robert was nowhere to be seen. Panicking now, he tore across the courtyard, his boots clattering on the cobbles in rhythm with his heart. Where was Robert – packing to leave?

Micah made it as far as the Falcon Tower and glanced upwards. There was no light on in their rooms, no sign of life at all. Still, instinct guided his feet as he raced up the steps. The rooms were empty, but the door to the roof was open. He gained it, breathless, to find Robert standing there, his back to Micah. His hands were pressed down on the cold stone battlements, his gaze reaching out to the dark woods beyond. There was a stillness about his stance that was wholly frightening.

Micah gasped, trying to catch his breath, ‘I can’t believe Selar did that! And in public! So everyone could hear. Did he really think you would strike at him? But to call you a coward! After everything you’ve done for him! I just can’t believe it.’

Robert didn’t move. He’d never been one to show his feelings – but after something like this?

The truth dawned on Micah. ‘The whole thing was deliberate, wasn’t it? That’s why Jacob invited you. He wanted you to face Selar, hoping you would do something. And . . . and Selar just had to destroy your public popularity . . . by calling you a coward. By the gods! You should have killed him.’

Instantly Micah sucked in a breath, horrified that he’d spoken that last aloud. Robert didn’t react immediately, but then he turned slowly, his head moving up until his eyes met Micah’s.

Micah froze. In those eyes was something unholy, something so dark and hideous he couldn’t move. When Robert spoke, his voice was gravel falling into a pitted night.

‘I shouldn’t have come here. I knew it was a mistake but I couldn’t help myself.’

Micah swallowed, clenched his fists against a sudden
trembling and forced himself to respond. ‘Perhaps . . . but that’s no reason for Selar to—’

‘No,’ Robert’s gaze shifted slightly, the fire in his eyes taking on a different light. Still dark but no longer blindly threatening. ‘But how could I do anything when she was standing there?’

He turned away again, but Micah moved closer. He frowned, knowing Robert wouldn’t see it – but it didn’t matter anyway. Suddenly none of it mattered now. Micah sank to the cold stone seat and shook his head. ‘You’re in love with her.’

There was no answer. Just a minute stiffening of the shoulders.

‘Robert?’ Micah reached out a hand, pulled his shoulder around so he could see that face again. ‘Answer me. You’re in love with Jenn, aren’t you?’

The long silence was ended only when Robert’s eyes reluctantly met his. ‘What difference does it make?’

‘But it’s not too late to stop this. If you told her, you could get her away.’

‘Oh, I can really see Selar letting me get away with that. And what would I do then? Make her live a life on the run? How could I do that to her? And what about my mother – and everyone else who depends on me? Should I just throw them all to the wolves because of how I feel about Jenn?’ Robert paused. ‘It wouldn’t make any difference if I told her anyway. She hates me.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘I made sure of it.’

Uncomprehending, Micah spread his arms wide. ‘But why? Did you think she might feel the same way?’

‘I don’t know. I just couldn’t take the chance.’

‘But if you love her . . .’

Robert turned away, icy in his rejection. ‘It doesn’t matter whether I love her or not! I can’t trust anything I feel. It’s just the damned Bonding, anyway.’

None of this made any sense to Micah. ‘How do you know it’s just the Bonding? And why would it matter if it was?’

‘Because,’ Robert straightened up and turned back to Micah, ‘because the Key is wrong. The prophecy is wrong. It has to be. I have no choice but to fight it, Micah. All of it. If I don’t . . .’

‘What? What will happen if you don’t fight it?’

‘You don’t want to know.’ Robert met his gaze levelly for a moment. ‘Leave it, my friend. Believe me, there’s nothing you can do to help me. I only wish you could.’

He took the shirt off leisurely, held it out at arm’s length and let it drop to the floor. His skin burned now with ice-cold and raging fever. He had faced the coward down. He had presented the coward with all his misdeeds, his inadequacies, and the only retaliation had been complete withdrawal.

All those years afraid of something that had never been real. All that time feeling the threat deep within him, a threat they had all told him was real. But he had proven them wrong. All of them. They had seen for themselves. Never again would they question, doubt. They would never ask why he protected. There would be no more protection.

The debt had been repaid. It had been no more than a weakness in Haddon to save the life of a stranger on the edge of a battlefield. Weakness. In a man he’d always thought so strong. But Haddon was weak. He’d run away. Tonight – and before. Again and again. Always he’d run away. No courage. A coward.

Haddon had deserved it.

With his arms raised over his head, he stretched out his muscles. As the pale moonlight filtered across the floor, he stepped through the misty pool and climbed into bed. He lay there, silent and still. Peaceful now, he slipped into sleep.

*

It was cold in her room. Too cold to sit still. Even under the blankets, Jenn could feel the chill in the air. She pulled the covers off the bed and sat on the floor by the fire, her arms around her knees. The flames sparked and fluttered, glowed yellow and orange, but gave out almost no heat. Huddled under her blankets, Jenn continued to shiver.

The castle was quiet now. The last revellers had retired hours ago, choosing an early night in favour of a later night tomorrow. Even Bella had fallen asleep on the cot in Jenn’s bedchamber. The hall was clean, the dogs were silent. Even the chapel was ready, with flowers decorating every corner. There was nothing now to stop the ceremony tomorrow. At least, nothing short of a war.

It was curious how something so precious could fade away so slowly, so gently she’d not really noticed it until it was gone. So where was her freedom now? Blown away by time and convenience, by a desire to merely survive rather than live? Had it always been so fragile and insubstantial? So easy to destroy.

Surely it had to be more. It had always felt so real, so permanent inside her. It had driven her actions almost all her life.

And soon, in only a few hours, it would all be gone.

Jenn held her hands out to the flames, but still couldn’t feel the warmth. Instead, she got up and moved around, tried to get the blood moving in her body. But nothing worked. There was a restlessness there, winding around her, binding her.

Where was he now?

Had he gone? Did she dare try Seeking him? Surely he must have left after Selar’s condemnation.

Stilling her restlessness, Jenn stopped where she stood and closed her eyes. She wasn’t much of a Seeker, but if Robert was within the walls of Elita, she would know.

Nothing. He was gone.

But. . .

There? What was he doing? He was out of the castle, but still within the forest, near the ancient mill. He wasn’t moving.

Jenn’s eyes snapped open and a moment of indecision warred within her – but it was only a moment. She threw off the blankets and quietly moved over to the chest by the door. Lifting the lid, she dragged out the old worn clothes she kept for her sojourns into the night. She pulled a gown over her head and tossed a faded cloak around her shoulders, bringing the hood up over her head. Then she silently unlocked her door, and stepped out. She crept down the passage away from the hall. The spiral staircase at the end was dark, but she didn’t pause. She’d had a lot of practice lately in moving around in the dark.