On the other hand, if he kept his word and told no one he saw me, he would also keep his word and bring me another bow. Either way, I had no need for his things.
I took a deep breath and handed him his bow and quiver. “Tomorrow then.”
Eli stared at the bow, then shifted his focus to me. “Thank you, milady.” He bowed his head, then swung away and vanished into the night.
Following his example and returning to my room would have been wise, but I needed to make use of every precious moment outside the castle. I had to learn of every raised root that might trip me and every ditch that might swallow me. Then, when it was time for me to run, nothing would slow me down.
~~~
Chapter FOUR
Just after sunrise, Mrs. Benton spoke from the other side of my chamber door. “It is I, milady.”
My scratchy eyes opened with great effort. The last thing I wanted to do was spend my morning in the company of the king. If only I could claim fatigue from the prior day’s travel and skip breakfast. But since I had retired early the night before, His Majesty would assume I had spent that time sleeping and therefore required no more. Instead, I had used my allotted rest time to consort with a shape-shifter.
A flash of Eli’s handsome face came to mind. The king’s guards had not dragged me from my chambers in the wee hours, which meant Eli had kept my confidence — even though I had stolen his bow. I scarcely knew him and already believed this shape-shifter was worth ten King Mortimers.
I could not imagine Eli feeling any loyalty toward the king who treated him as though he owned him. So why did he stay? I sighed. Resigned to having breakfast with infinitely inferior company, I pushed off the bed and opened the door.
Mrs. Benton offered me a smile, but it faded on closer inspection. Dear child, have you been up all night? she asked silently.
Not the entire night. I moved to my wardrobe for a gown, snatched one and held it up for her approval.
“That will do.” She rested her hands on my shoulder and met my gaze. I warned you to use caution with the tunnels. It is dangerous. Many of the king’s laws may be disagreeable, but I have a good life here — better than I would fare outside the castle. You must know that if you get caught, I must claim complete ignorance.
And I would help her stay ignorant of my activities by not disclosing my previous contact with the slave. I squeezed her hand. If they catch me, no matter what I say, my punishment will be death. If I stay, I believe my soul shall slowly die. ’Tis the same either way, so I shall do as I please. However, I promise to take your involvement to the grave.
My greatest fear is that it might come to that. She gave me a sad smile. “Let’s get you ready for breakfast.”
After Mrs. Benton helped me into my gown, a handmaiden arrived and braided my hair. She tied it with ribbon, bowed and left.
“You are the most beautiful girl there ever was,” Mrs. Benton declared as she tucked away a few strands of my hair.
But had I not been so beautiful, the king would not have chosen me as his wife and I would not be planning an escape and risking my life. The image of Eli’s face swam before me again and, for the first time, I wished I did not have to leave. Had I not belonged to the king...
“Thank you.” I smiled, wishing I could take Mrs. Benton with me on the run. But as she had pointed out, she had a good life working for the king. Being hunted and possibly killed for betraying the king was not something I wanted for her anyway.
Someone stirred in the chamber next door. King Mortimer would leave directly after breakfast and be gone all day — the perfect opportunity for me to rifle through his things. He might have maps in his room or letters or something that might give me information on his plans and help me to decide my path once I made it outside the castle grounds. He might even have a weapon that would go unnoticed if it disappeared.
In order not to get caught, though, I needed to get into his room while he was still there. Then, when I returned while he was away and he picked up my scent later, he would assume it was from my earlier visit.
“You go ahead. I will be down shortly.”
Once Mrs. Benton left, I listened at the door to the king’s room. Hearing footfalls and the rustling of robes, I tapped on the door. A moment later, it swung open.
“Your Majesty.” I curtsied and offered a shy smile. Inwardly, I cringed, hating to give him the impression that he pleased me in any way. “I wondered if you would escort me to mass.”
He smiled back and held out his arm for me to loop mine through. “It happens that I am on my way there now.”
I crossed the threshold, closed the door behind me and took his arm. The king moved forward and I pulled back, bending over to adjust my skirt. The longer I stayed in his room, the more scent I would leave behind.
After a moment, I straightened. “You are too kind.”
As the king paraded me down the hallway that led to the chapel, I felt owned. Property. I strived to stifle the urge to flinch from his touch.
“Two new recruits have joined our ranks this past week. Once the older pup is trained, I will send him to Scotland to help control some shape-shifter rebels. The other is quite skilled in sword fighting. I am considering adding him to my army here.”
A man rarely discussed business with a female. I was absolutely certain the king’s only objective was to demonstrate his power over others. “I am sure they are honored that you think so highly of them, milord.” I willed my mouth to stay shut, so I would not undo my hard work by speaking my mind. I could not imagine living the rest of my life being forced to tolerate his arrogance. With each step toward the chapel, I became more and more certain of my decision: I would escape or die trying.
At last, we settled onto one of the pews and I could look straight ahead without having to speak to him.
After mass, I accompanied him to the great hall where everyone gathered for the first meal of the day. The large room was crowded and noisy as we took our places at the head of the table. Once the king introduced me to everyone at his table — two of his advisors and several knights — he barely acknowledged my existence, except to occasionally leer at me or pat my hand between gulps of ale from his goblet. My skin crawled each time he touched me. Unfortunately, I could not yank my hand from his grasp and reveal my feelings.
His departure with the hunting party would be most welcome.
After the roasted pig had been devoured, the king mounted his horse, promising to return by sundown. The moment he rode through the castle gates on his steed, I slipped away to my room. Lying on the bed, my gaze kept drifting to the door that connected to his room. If someone were in there, I would not be able to sense him or her beyond the wall.
Standing at the door, I listened carefully, but heard nothing. If anyone were to see me, I could claim to be looking for a lost pin from earlier that morning. I was willing to risk getting caught in favor of the benefits of rifling through his things.
The door gave way as soon I turned the knob and I slipped through to the other side. I had no idea what to look for or what might be useful. I only knew I needed to be quick in case anyone came in.
Everything was as I had seen it before breakfast, yet there was something else. Like the night before when I had been speaking with Eli.
I took a turn around the room. Ah, a shape-shifter was close by. I could feel him. Or her. But where? Likely, the shifter already knew of my presence, which put me at a grave disadvantage.
I quickly scanned the area, my eyes landing on a small cage by the fireplace. I crept closer. A gray rat stared up at me with tiny black eyes through thin gaps between the thick metal bars. Too small for a rat to slip through.
Why did the king keep a shape-shifter in his room? I wondered why the rat did not shift into a smaller animal and slip past the narrow opening.
A memory flashed through my mind of my father years before, bragging how he had captured one. The shape-shifter had turned into a small dog in hopes that my father would not
notice he was a shifter. My father had drawn his sword and held it against the shifter’s throat as he stuffed him in a large pot, then weighed down the lid.
A shape-shifter could change into anything he wanted, as often as he liked. But before each new shape, he must always become human. Confined within the iron pot, the shifter was trapped as a dog.
A pang of nausea swirled in my stomach at the unjust treatment of the weaker species and remembering how my father had gloated over his triumph. Just as a werewolf was part human, so was a shape-shifter. They were no more inferior to a werewolf for lacking strength, than a woman was inferior to a man for the same reason.
As I stared at what looked like a common rat, I could hear its tiny heartbeat accelerate. And I could sense it was a female. I will not hurt you, I promise, I told her. But I could not help her either. I was not sure I could save myself, much less someone else. If I could find a way, though, I would.
I tiptoed to the bureau and eyed gold coins spilling from a satchel. I had nearly a month before I had to leave. I had no need to take anything yet, not when its absence might create suspicion. Would he miss just one coin, though? It might be useful in paying Eli for the replacement bow later tonight.
I moved onto the wardrobe, but none of its contents caught my interest. After another quick glance at the shifter, I returned to my own room. I locked the door behind me, wishing I knew nothing of the shape-shifter in the cage.
† † †
By the time the king returned late that night, silence had already settled in the castle. Slowing my breathing, I lay unmoving in my bed so he would assume I slept. I waited until he had been soundless in his chambers — and hopefully asleep — for over an hour before slipping the sword into the waistband of my skirt and covering it with my cloak. After traveling through the tunnel, I headed to the woods to meet Eli for the bow and quiver.
In a moment of curiosity, I turned right toward the king’s room. Muffled voices met me where the stone wall stopped and planks began. I thanked the heavens that the king had no knowledge of the secret passageway or that he, too, probably had access from his room.
Knowing the wooden wall blocked him from sensing me just as well as a stone wall, I crept closer and laid my ear against the wood — which carried sound infinitely better than stone.
“We kill her, then blame it on the shifter,” the king said in a low voice.
“No one will believe it,” a woman rebutted. She sounded like the same one I had heard in his chamber the night before. “How will you convince our people that a shifter would dare murder your wife?”
I sucked in a breath. Murder me?
~~~
Chapter FIVE
“My dearest, you must have faith,” the king said. I could almost hear the smile in his voice. “I have something the shifter wants. When he realizes he shall never have it, he will become quite distraught, and his fury will be so complete, he will be driven to revenge by taking the life of the one I love most. My new bride.” He chuckled. “At least that is the story I shall tell.”
The person he loved most. Yes, and that was why he was planning my demise. I drew in a shaky breath and concentrated on their voices.
She gave a low, throaty purr. “The news will travel and werewolves across the country will take their anger out on shape-shifters. You shall have your war, my dear. Hundreds of shape-shifters will die and they will never be a threat to us again.”
The king chuckled. “You will comfort me in my time of grief and once my mourning is over, I will declare my love for you and we shall marry.”
“And be together as we were meant to be," she said, her voice becoming fainter.
Something bumped against the wall, just on the other side where I stood. I jolted, but quickly steadied myself when I remembered they could not sense me. A low moan signaled the end of their conversation and I backed away.
† † †
The cool night air stung my cheeks, but the still of the forest calmed me as I scanned for the spot where I had seen Eli the night before. Inhaling deeply, I searched for his scent.
But he was not there. I was sure of it.
With time to spare, I examined the shrubs and rocks, looking for the perfect place to stow a bow and quiver. After a few minutes, I found a boulder wedged over a raised tree root. Under it was a space large enough to hide my weapons. I shoved the sword and scabbard inside, then covered the opening with leaves.
Just as I rose, a twig snapped. I spun to find a tall figure about two yards away.
Eli.
My heart thumped faster.
His eyes narrowed. “Surely you do not fear me.”
“Of course not. You took me by surprise is all,” I replied. Over his shoulder sat the strap of a quiver and in his hand, he held a bow. I reached into my cloak pocket and withdrew the gold piece I had taken from the king’s room. “For your trouble.”
He shoved the bow and quiver toward me, but did not take my payment. “I have no use for gold. If I am caught with that, the king might question how I obtained it and I can offer no explanation.”
“Hide the gold and use it when you are free,” I said.
He shook his head. “I will never be free.”
How was that possible? Had he no hope of escape? None at all? “There is always a way.”
“No one has ever escaped and survived for long. The king’s men do not stop until they find their quarry, and then proof of their death is stuck on a pike upon the guard’s return.”
My brows furrowed. “You mean their heads?”
He gave me a grim smile. “Yes, they are displayed just outside the castle walls as a reminder for anyone else who considers defying the king. In the three years I have been here, the few who left against the king’s wishes all returned dead.”
I considered that a moment as I examined my new bow. “We are all slaves or prisoners,” I murmured.
“It is only seen as a prison to those who wish to leave.”
I thought of Mrs. Benton. “I suppose some could be happy here.”
“Yes,” Eli agreed. “But you are not?”
I laughed without humor. “Being forced to marry a man I do not love is reason enough not to be, I should think.”
“Drowning in riches and servants cannot make you forget?” One side of his mouth curled up.
I held up the bow. “Does living in a castle make you forget?”
His eyes darkened as he took a step toward me. “You should not attempt to leave. Any woman would be overjoyed to be in your position. Accept him as your husband, take his gifts and live.”
Eli was so sure I would not survive if I left. But I now knew I would not survive if I stayed. “He plans to kill me and make it appear someone else did it.”
When the king mentioned blaming my death on the shifter, had he meant Eli? If so, Eli would be killed as well. He had kept his promise and brought me a bow and he had not given me away. Slave or not, he deserved to know what the king intended.
Except… the king valued Eli as a blacksmith, which is why he forced him to stay. Surely, he would not kill Eli just to start a war. Perhaps the king had another shifter in mind. But if Eli really was the shifter the king had meant and I told Eli what I had heard, would he try to escape and get himself killed? I barely knew him, but I could not bear the thought of him dying if I could prevent it.
If he had no knowledge of being part of the king’s plan, he would never need to risk anything. And if I escaped successfully, the king would have nothing to blame on Eli and he would be safe.
I did not want to leave, but good sense told me it was time to move on. I just needed Eli gone so I could put the bow and quiver away for later. Eli was a slave and, according to the king and all other werewolves, he was beneath me. But I knew better. From what I had witnessed so far, Eli was better than most, if not all, werewolves I had met.
Eli jerked his head toward the castle. “If you were to try and escape, you could slip away into the forest without being
seen. But once you are out of the woods, you must get past guards and traps.”
“Traps?” My stomach twisted. “You know where they lay?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Yes, but you would still need to get past the guards.”
“Run fast enough and they will not see me,” I said.
He shook his head. “Everyone leaves behind a scent. You may get by them at first, but they would no doubt find you. The king’s guards are excellent trackers.”
“They might smell me, but perhaps your scent is not strong enough. You could easily evade them,” I said. “You would not even have to run. Just spread your wings and fly.”
His mouth formed into a hard line. “If I leave, she will die.”
I should not have felt such disappointment at the mention of a girl or be saddened that he belonged to another. I barely knew Eli. Besides, he was a shifter. Even if he could feel anything for me, neither of us could ever act on it. We would be shunned and vilified anywhere we went. If we survived an escape.
I took a deep breath and focused. “That is why you can never leave? Because he holds your loved one hostage?”
His chin dropped and his shoulder slumped. “Yes.”
“But you cannot just give up,” I said. “There is always a way.”
“Possibly. Unfortunately, I have yet to discover it.” His spine straightened, his eyes hardening. “But I shall never give up on her.”
I hoped she was not trapped in a pot, like the dog that my dad had caught.
Wait… the rat in the king’s chambers… could that shifter be his beloved? My eyes stung in horror and my stomach churned. “I must go.”
Every part of me screamed to run from the king right then and keep on running until I was free. But I could not. After this conversation with Eli, I knew I must not attempt an escape without a very good plan.
Thrown to the Wolves: The Legend of Hannah & Eli (Shapes of Autumn) Page 3