Choose the Sky: A Medieval Romance (Swordcross Knights Book 2) (11 page)

Luc crept closer to the bed, his gaze caught by a glimmer on the man’s hand, resting on the bed clothes. In the light of the single candle, Luc bent to examine the gold signet ring on the man’s finger.

The ring was well-wrought, with Latin words deeply inscribed in an oval all around the raised image on the face of the ring, which doubtless doubled as a seal.

Luc stared at the image in the center. A swan, graceful and proud. This was unmistakably the symbol of the de Warewic house, and only one person would be wearing such a ring. The silver-haired man lying unconscious on the bed was Godfrey de Warewic.

After Mina sang her father
to sleep, she had remained at the side of his bed, simply holding his hand. She bowed her head, wishing she could crawl into a corner and nurse her own sorrow, like a cat that hides from the world when it gets wounded.

“What can I do, Father?” she asked out loud, her voice breaking on the last word. What more could she do, other than wait helplessly for some change in fate?

She gripped her father’s hand tighter, and prayed silently. She appealed to her mother first. Surely the late Emma de Warewic would want her husband and the father of her child to be well. Mina begged her mother to intercede for her. She could no longer suffer on her own.

After several minutes, a sense of calm returned to Mina. She fought back her tears and steadied her breathing. She must remember that she was the lady of the castle. She’d find a way out of this bramble.

She moved silently about the room, extinguishing all the candles but one. Beatrice would be back soon from her supper to watch the rest of the night. Mina’s stomach growled—she had scarcely eaten a thing that day.

“Good night, Father,” she said, kissing the cool forehead. “I’ll visit again as soon as I can, I promise.”

Mina carefully shut the door to her father’s room, then hurried down the stairs. She had to get back to the keep before her guests returned from the hunt they’d attended today.

In the courtyard, however, she glimpsed the big figure of Haldan walking into one of the outbuildings near the stables. She changed her course to follow him. It was time she enforced the order he persisted in ignoring.

She entered the building, momentarily confused due to the dimness inside. “Haldan?”

A light flared up as Haldan emerged from a corner, bearing a guttering candle. “Here.”

“Haldan,” she said, ignoring his disrespectful greeting. “I want to discuss the matter of the overgrown trees.”

“That again?” he asked. “I’ll tell the steward to send some villeins to cut the wood.”

“I’m not requesting mere firewood, you dolt! This relates to the defense of the castle, and that rests on your shoulders…unless you choose to leave Trumwell.”

Haldan stared at her, eyes narrowing. “Don’t think you want that, my lady.”

“I’ve told you for the last time about the trees,” Mina said. “Get it done. You could have done it today, while the guests are off on the hunt, so they wouldn’t be bothered by the noise.”

“Your guests are annoying, always asking questions and poking around,” he said. “Send them away.”

“One doesn’t send away anyone on the business of the king,” Mina said. “How dare you presume to tell me what to do!”

“Just like he said,” Haldan muttered. “You’re far too high and mighty. Women aren’t meant to rule. They’re meant to be ruled.” He grabbed her arm roughly to make his point.

“Get your hand off me,” Domina warned.

“Or what? If I wish to touch you, who will save you? Your invalid father? The aging steward? Your pious cousin?” He laughed at the list. “Or the strangers eating out your larder? Be honest. You have no champion.”

“Then I’ll fight for myself!” she said. She pulled her small knife, such that ladies always carried about them. A weapon of war it was not, but it could still draw blood.

He released his hold. “That much spirit is not becoming in a lady.”

“As if you would know,” she snapped. Underneath her bravado, she was scared. She knew how a fight between her and Haldan would end. Escaping the building was her only option.

He grinned when he saw her look to the doorway.

“Don’t think about it,” he hissed, just as he stepped forward.

Mina screamed and lashed out wildly with her knife, not even seeing how she struck him. Her knife dragged against something, and he howled, stumbling back.

She gasped when she saw him clutch a hand to his face, red dripping between his fingers.

“You wicked little whore,” he snarled.

“Watch your tongue,” she snapped back, “or I’ll cut that too.”

“You won’t have a chance.” Haldan recovered enough to lunge at her. Mina screamed out in alarm, ducking beneath his arms as he grabbed for her.

“Get away from me!” she warned, holding the knife out again.

Haldan hit her outstretched arm. Mina stumbled back, the knife flying from her hand. Her elbow smarted terribly. Part of her couldn’t even believe that the man had the temerity to touch her at all, and the other part realized he was just beginning his assault.

“This castle needs a master,” he said, stepping forward again. “I’m as good as a knight, so why not me? After all, I’ve been the man putting up with you for all this time.”

Mina edged back, only to hit the wall. He’d backed her into a corner. “Get back,” she said.

“You can’t do a thing, woman. I’ll take you, and then you can’t say no to a marriage, can you? Over and done in a night…and tomorrow I’ll take Trumwell for myself. I’m sick of waiting.”

“Waiting for what?” she gasped.

He didn’t answer. He reached out again, seizing Mina by the shoulders. She pushed back with all her might, clawing at his injured face with her nails. But he weighed twice as much as she did, and he was a trained soldier. Mina winced when one meaty hand closed around her throat.

A few seconds later, she could no longer breathe, and strange colors pulsed in her fading vision. Mina’s hands dropped, and her head rolled forward as darkness threatened to take her.

Dimly, she heard, “Get away from her!”

Out of nowhere, Luc appeared, rushing at the larger man from the side.

Haldan threw Mina to the ground in an effort to regain a fighting stance. She took huge gulping breaths, too focused on inhaling sweet, sweet air to see much of what happened next.

Whatever Haldan did to get ready for Luc’s attack, he was too late. Within moments, Luc twisted the other man’s arm behind his back, then shoved him hard up against the wall. Haldan growled, but the sound turned into a undignified whimper.

Haldan lurched, pushing Luc off him. However, the knight recovered his stance instantly, drawing his sword, the sound soft but ominous.

At the moment, Haldan had no weapon larger than the dagger he drew. He plainly didn’t like his odds in this new round of the fight.

The sound of metal striking metal made her ears ring. Haldan and Luc circled, the hits following one another.

Haldan snarled. “You should stay out of this.”

Luc only flicked his blade toward Haldan. The movement was so swift, Mina didn’t see the hit, but Haldan gave a hiss of pain.

Mina struggled to sit up, choking with the effort.

Luc looked at her, and Haldan seized the moment to bolt past Luc and out the door. Mina expected Luc to give chase, but he instead moved toward her, laying his sword down and reaching for her shoulders to help pull her upright.

She tried to speak once, twice, before sound came out at all.

“What are you doing here?” she gasped out. It was the first thing that came to her mind.

“I came back from the hunt a bit earlier than the others,” Luc said. “Good thing, too.”

She agreed, though saying so was beyond her ability at the moment.

“What happened?” he asked.

“You know what happened,” she whispered, her voice rough. “You know what he was going to do to me.”

Luc scanned her for injuries, his blue eyes dark with anger. “He was choking you to death.”

“Poor way to secure a bride,” she said, the grim humor surfacing unexpectedly. Then the full import of what Haldan intended to do settled in her mind. She felt sick. “No one has
ever
dared to touch me like that.”

“No one will again,” Luc said. “I’ll go after him. He won’t get far.”

She shook her head, saying, “You’re wrong. He knows the countryside here better than you do. He’ll flee to Wales. Our laws mean nothing across the border.”

“You can’t let him go. He assaulted you! You’re a lady. What he did…”

“Was despicable,” she hissed. “I don’t want to think of it again, let alone speak of it. If you care at all, you’ll respect that!”

“I also respect the need to stop Haldan. I think you do too.”

Mina knew he was right. “Very well, we’ll organize a search.”

“Let’s get you back to the keep first.” He slid one arm around her back, helping her to stand. “You can walk?”

She nodded, though her legs felt wobbly. Luc didn’t release her until she’d taken a few deep breaths. Mina tried not to think about how near he was to her, but even in her state, she realized that Luc’s nearness was entirely different from Haldan’s. Still, he was a man, and she wanted nothing to do with men. She swallowed hard and took a step away. “I am well enough now.”

He walked her across the courtyard, after looking about very carefully for any sign of Haldan, who seemed to have vanished.

She ought to call for Ancel, to relate the whole incident and set up a search for Haldan. But at the moment, it felt far too overwhelming to relive the details.

“Would you let me speak to the steward?” Luc asked, as if sensing her thoughts. “No need to bother you further tonight.”

She nodded. Her arm ached, her neck was starting to burn with pain, and she’d be covered in bruises tomorrow.

They reached the door of the keep.

“Domina,” Luc said.

She turned, her pain making her temper short. “What else?”

He handed her the knife she had dropped, offering it to her hilt first.

“Oh,” she said, reaching out to take it. “Thank you.”

“A fighter always takes care of his weapons,” he said.

“It’s obvious then that I’m no fighter, for I left this in the dirt.”

“You drew blood,” he pointed out. “I think you’d make a worthy ally…or a formidable enemy.”

“Which is it?”

“That, my lady, remains to be decided. How is your throat?” he asked suddenly.

“It hurts,” she said, “but I’ll recover soon enough.”

“That’s a relief. If your voice is permanently harmed, Haldan should hang for it. I wonder if it will affect your ability to sing.”

A chill ran down her spine. “I don’t sing.”

“Ah, too bad,” he said, carelessly. “I’ve always had a soft spot for a woman with a beautiful voice.”

Domina shot him a dark glance. “Then be glad you’re not staying here long, Sir Luc. When you return to London, you will doubtless find a woman to your liking.”

“Speaking of which, I do think I’ll be leaving…”

“When?” She could hardly keep the intensity from her voice, she was so eager for him to be gone.

“Just as soon as your father returns. I can’t consider my errand complete until I speak to him.”

Domina swallowed painfully. “You are quite certain? I hate to keep you here with no end to your waiting. You could come back another time. In the spring, perhaps.”

“But I’m here now,” Luc said, “and it seems fate might want me here.”

Domina said nothing to that, and she didn’t dare meet his eyes. Despite what he’d just done for her, she would give anything for Luc to be gone.

Anything.

After making sure that Domina
went into the keep and up to her own chambers, Luc found the steward and told him the bare facts. Haldan committed a crime by assaulting a noblewoman, and he was not to be allowed in the castle again. Anyone who saw him should hold him.

The word went out among the castle residents. Several men-at-arms gathered to begin a search. One man who’d been on watch had seen Haldan heading east after riding out of the gate, so they began on that road. However, Haldan’s lead and the darkness were against them. An hour after they rode out of the castle, Luc called a halt, telling the men to return to Trumwell.