Authors: Kathryn Loch
Somehow, Alyna managed to gather her wits. Her hand closed around a rock the size of her fist. Peter galloped forward and Alyna lurched
to her feet, throwing the rock with all of her might. The missile missed her intended target of Peter but instead struck the horse on the chest. The animal snorted, and tried to stop.
“
Garin!” Alyna screamed, hoping Simon and her father could see her in
the dark. She picked up another rock and launched it. This one glanced off of Peter’s shoulder. He recoiled and his horse lurched to the side.
Still cursing, Peter suddenly spotted the knights riding toward him, closing fast. He spun his mount and spur
red away as if chased by demons from hell.
Alyna dropped to her knees, still trying to catch her breath, made more difficult by her choking sobs.
“
Alyna?” Garin called frantically.
“
Here!” she cried. “I’m here. Peter is gone.”
He pulled his mount to a sl
iding stop and flew off his horse. Alyna threw herself into his arms, tears pouring from her eyes as he held her tightly to him.
“
Are you hurt?”
“
Nay,” she said raggedly as the others surrounded them.
“
Dear God,” Garin whispered as he clung to her. Ever
so slowly her tattered nerves calmed. She suddenly realized Garin wore only a cloak, Celtic braccas and boots. He carried a sword but had not bothered to equip himself for his pursuit. She squeezed her eyes shut and lightly rubbed her cheek against his
bare chest, savoring the power of his body and the safety his arms afforded her.
He wrapped his cloak around them both. “Are you sure you are all right?”
“
Bruised and sore from my fall but I’m fine, Garin.”
“
Fall?”
“
I’ll explain it later. Right now, I j
ust want to go home.”
“
Aye, my sweet,” he whispered. He returned to his horse and mounted then Simon helped her to sit across the saddle bow. Again Garin closed the cloak around her and she settled her head against his chest. She shivered, her thin robe
and shift poor defense against the chill of night.
“
Simon,” Garin said. “My lady is cold, let’s go.”
****
Garin rode slowly, his worry over what Alyna had suffered vying with his relief that she was safe in his arms. He cradled her close, savoring the
feel of her against him and how her gentle fingers continued to caress his chest.
Her trembling eased and she relaxed, breathing more evenly. He felt her head lift slightly as she looked up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He scowled, startled at her
words. “For what?”
“
For saving me.”
“
Saving you?” Frustration rose within him. “If I had done anything useful, Peter never would have hauled you out of Kirkoswald.”
She made a very unladylike noise. “You killed the guard quite easily then charged afte
r me armed with only your sword and your wits. Seeing you in pursuit gave me the courage to get away from Peter.”
He shook his head harshly. “If I had been able to see, I would have stopped Peter in the turret.”
“
Garin,” she said, her voice weary. “Ther
e is no guarantee the same thing would not have happened if you had been able to see.”
“
I--”
“
Don’t argue with me.”
Garin couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. “As you wish, my
wildefyr
.”
She chuckled, snuggling closer as they rode through the
open gates of Kirkoswald.
The keep was in an uproar. Garin dismounted, still carrying Alyna in his arms. Simon guided him to the stairs of the keep where Alyna’s voice directed him on a straight path since he could not touch the wall.
“
Your mother and Ce
cily await us,” Alyna told him then hesitated. “Well now,” she said in surprise.
“
What?”
“
Juliana stands with them, appearing frightened and confused. She’s fair wringing her hands with worry.”
Garin scowled.
“
Alyna,” his mother called. “Mother have mer
cy, are you all right?”
“
I am,” Alyna replied.
Eleanor clucked over her like an overprotective hen. “Oh dear, Alyna, did someone strike you?”
Alyna squirmed but Garin’s grip tightened as worry coursed through him.
“
Aye,” Alyna finally replied, her voice t
hick with embarrassment.
“’
Tis a nasty mark on your cheek,” his mother said sternly. “And you are covered with dirt.”
“
I had to jump from Peter’s horse to escape him.”
“
Peter?” Juliana whispered, her voice shaking. “Peter struck you?”
“
Aye. He held a
knife to my throat.”
“
Nay!” Juliana cried, her voice laced with tears. “He could not have done this.”
“
He did, Juliana. He would have killed me.”
“
I refuse to believe you.” Sobbing, Juliana fled from the hall.
“
Garin,” his mother said. “Allow Cecily an
d me to tend to her.”
“
But I still need to learn what happened.”
“
You will when we are finished. Take Alyna to the solar. I want to make sure these bruises are nothing more than that.”
He nodded and with his mother’s guidance, took Alyna upstairs.
Garin,
Geoff and Simon waited impatiently in the corridor while his mother and Cecily tended to Alyna. The minutes dragged into an hour. His mother summoned servants to tote a bath and Garin was certain he would go mad.
His thoughts and heart reeled with the k
nowledge of just how close he had come to losing Alyna. Life was too fragile and hers could have been ended too quickly.
One of Simon’s trusted serjants ascended the stairs. “Baron Swein, Sir Renwick, Sir Salkeld,” he said and bowed. “I have a few int
eresting answers.”
“
Speak man,” Simon barked.
“
It seems the guard at the postern was bribed. That is why Naworth was able to make his escape. Now, we cannot find the guard.”
“
Then how do you know he was bribed?” Geoff asked.
“
I spoke with several other m
en at arms. Naworth approached them with some questions which they found rather curious. More than one reported they felt he tried to discern their true loyalties.”
Garin sighed, rubbing his temples as a headache threatened.
Abruptly the door to the sola
r opened. “Garin,” his mother said. “You may come in now.”
He followed her. “Alyna?”
“
Here, Garin,” she said from the divan before the hearth.
“
The good news is,” his mother said as he walked to Alyna, “the bumps and bruises are nothing more. She will
be stiff and sore for
a while
but otherwise she’s fine.”
Garin sighed in relief and extended his hand.
Alyna took it, guiding him to sit beside her. He felt a thick blanket wrapped around her and she sat on the divan with her legs curled under her. His ha
nd traveled up her shoulder to find her hair damp and unbound. He smiled and ran his fingers through it.
With a soft sigh, Alyna settled her head against his chest. Garin held her, continuing to stroke her hair.
“
Alyna,” Geoff said softly as he crouched
before them. “We need you to tell us exactly what happened.”
She burrowed closer to Garin then sighed. “I was brushing my hair and heard voices in the turret. I knew no one was supposed to be there at this hour.”
“
Why didn’t you tell me?” Garin asked.
“
You had dozed off in the chair. I thought only to tell them to move along.”
Eleanor pressed a cup of wine into Garin’s hand and he nodded gratefully.
“
I opened the door and saw two men,” Alyna said. “At first I thought they were guards but then I recog
nized Peter so I stayed at the door and listened. What I heard scared me. Peter instructed the guard to gather men in our garrison. When Naworth’s
and Vaux’s forces appeared on the field, in the midst of the confusion, the traitors were to open the gate
s and damage the portcullis. The forces could then enter the castle and prove you are not able to defend it. The church would be forced to support their petition to the king to award your inheritance to Juliana. Peter promised the guard his faithfulness
would be rewarded with land.”
Garin froze, rage coursing through him.
“
Unfortunately,” Alyna continued. “Peter spotted me. I tried to run but Peter grabbed my hair and hit me.”
“
At least we heard your scream.”
“
Aye,” she said and shivered. “I found mys
elf helpless with Peter holding a blade to my throat.” Alyna took a deep breath and continued, relating the mad race from the castle. “I shoved my elbow into his gut and dove from his horse,” she said finally. “’Tis the only way I could think of to get
free of him. Then I threw rocks at him and his horse. Fortunately, he realized how close you were and decided to run for his life.”
“
That does not surprise me,” Simon muttered. “You did well, Alyna.”
“
Aye,” Garin said, holding her tightly. “You kept a
good head.”
“’
Tis what my father taught me,” she said with a lightness in her voice that warmed Garin’s heart.
“
Aye,” Geoff replied with a chuckle. “Simon is right, you did well Alyna and I was also impressed with Garin.”
“
Definitely,” Simon said. “He sn
apped the guard’s neck like a Christmas goose.”
“
Ach,” Garin muttered. “Enough of that. I am most concerned as to what role, if any, my sister may have played in this.”
Simon rose and began to pace. “I am loathe to believe Juliana had anything to do wit
h your lady’s abduction. But her devotion to Peter greatly disturbs me.”
“
Aye, Simon,” Garin said, rubbing his temple. “Put a trustworthy man to watch Juliana at all times. She goes
nowhere
without escort. If our man sees anything suspicious he is to
report directly to me, you, or Geoff.”
“
Understood.”
“
Also, speak with the serjants and men at arms. Make certain of their loyalty.”
“
I will but I am worried. Many of our garrison were struck by the fever - if I am forced to dismiss men it will weaken ou
r forces.”
“
Call for the knights and serjants who owe us service. They will stay with us until the six months is over and my destiny...or loss of it...is confirmed.”
“
Aye.” Simon turned on his heel and left.
Geoff sighed loudly. “That is a nasty bruise,
Alyna, are you certain nothing was broken.”
“
I’m fine.”
“
You need to get some sleep,” Geoff said and moved away. “Lady Eleanor, if I may have the honor of escorting you?”
“’
Your graciousness is most appreciated, sir,” Garin’s mother replied.
Garin waited
until the door closed. Abruptly his grip tightened on Alyna. He buried his face in her damp hair, reveling in the fresh scent of lavender. “How are you feeling?” he whispered.
“
Tired and body aches but I’m all right.”
Garin touched her face, already he
could feel the swelling. It was a marvel that a blow of that force, a man’s fist covered in mail, hadn’t snapped her neck. He shuddered.
You almost lost her, you fool.
His fingers trailed down to her throat. He could feel the vein pulsing strongly.
To have that stilled... he pulled her to his chest. She folded wonderfully against him. Her glorious hair cascaded over his arms. He wanted to kiss her and make love to her.
She’s your wife and you have never touched her.
But he also realized that pa
rt of his worry had been Alyna’s motivations. Was she truly out for his barony? He snorted softly. If she was, and this was the way she acted, let her have it. He would be happy to keep her kind heart and gentle laugh.