“What?” Gunther gave him an incredulous look. “How can that bastard control the forces of nature?”
“I believe he is a Wind Sorcerer.”
Gunther huffed. “I thought there was something evil about him. That damned foreigner.”
Brigitta grew tense. She didn’t want them figuring out that Seven was the infamous pirate Rupert.
“What are you doing standing around?” Gunther glared at Mador. “Capture Seven and get this mess cleaned up. We leave for Lourdon in the morning.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Mador strode away, yelling orders.
“And you.” Gunther turned to Brigitta. “Pack your things. As soon as we arrive in Lourdon, we’ll have the wedding.” He stomped back into his tent.
With a heavy heart, Brigitta trudged toward the wreck that was once her tent. It seemed fitting, since everything in her life was now wrecked. Her future with Rupert. His takeover of the throne. Hopefully, he would make it back to Lourdon in time to rescue the imprisoned contestants.
But what would he do then? Would he abandon her, believing that she had betrayed him? Would she be forced to marry Captain Mador? She shuddered. How could she let Rupert know that she still loved him? How could she tell him that she’d found his little brother?
At least Bjornfrid was safe for now.
A few soldiers raised her tent so she was able to pack. Her heart ached with despair as she contemplated her bleak future. Her sisters were gone. Rupert was gone. So many times he’d told her Don’t leave me, but it was he who had done the leaving.
She had to leave, too, she suddenly realized. The camp was a mess and soldiers were scurrying about paying her no mind, so this was the perfect time for her to steal away.
Marriage to Captain Mador? Never! She had to take charge of her own destiny.
With a deep breath, she filled herself with renewed strength and determination. You can do this! She dressed in her warmest clothes and checked to make sure her knife was strapped to her thigh. It was a shame she didn’t have any gold. She’d given it all to Sister Fallyn to help her take care of Bjornfrid. But if the horses were running loose, perhaps she could find one and ride south. It was a long way to Eberon, but if she could just reach Luciana, she would be safe. And from there, she could help Rupert win back the throne.
She slipped out of the tent and across the camp. The soldiers were so busy, none of them stopped her. Once she made it to the forest, she weaved through the trees, carefully avoiding the soldiers.
There! In a grassy clearing, a horse was munching on grass. It was even saddled. She sent a prayer of thanks to the moon goddesses as she slowly approached.
“Where are you going?” a voice spoke behind her.
She spun around. Mador. Why hadn’t she recognized his voice? She eased back a step. She was closer to the horse than him. If she could just make it before—
“Did you think you could escape, Princess?” He snorted. “Does the idea of bedding me make you want to run away? Perhaps it would help if I looked like this.” His features wavered, then solidified into another face.
Rupert.
She gasped. How could he…? So this was how he had tricked her to get the seal. But how had he known that she had it?
He stepped closer. “Or perhaps I should look like this.” His skin turned a leathery red, and horns jutted from his brow. His breath hissed through sharp and jagged teeth.
Terror slithered icy cold down her spine.
He changed back to Mador, then lunged forward to grab her before she could run away.
Her gift instantly ignited, detecting a hoard of secrets, as many as Rupert had, but so deeply buried she could only see a dark mist surrounded by rage, hatred, and pain. “You’re not Captain Mador.” His voice was different, and there was an odd, silvery glint to his eyes.
“I can be anyone. If you cooperate, I’ll give you the face you want. Defy me, and you will be plowed by a demon.”
She cringed. “Who—what are you?”
“The future king of Tourin. And your future husband.”
“I will never marry you.”
“Would you rather die?” He slid a hand up to seize her by the neck. “I’ve killed so many, I’ve become quite good at it.”
She swallowed hard. “You can’t kill me. You need me to take the throne.”
He smirked as his fingers stroked her neck. “You’re a clever one. Beautiful, too. I’ve been watching you for over a week now. Can you guess what I discovered?” He leaned close till his breath feathered her cheek and sent a shudder down her spine. “An incredibly strong desire to fuck you.”
She flinched.
His hand tightened around her neck. “You did this to me. I’ve never wanted a woman badly enough before to change my plans. I had intended to kill Gunther and take his place.” His face shifted into a perfect replica of her brother’s. “See how easy it would have been?
“But then I started wanting you, and that created a problem.” He chuckled. “We can’t have Gunther fucking his own sister now, can we? So I had to take Mador’s place. He’s a subservient idiot, but not for long. I’ll become king, and you, my dear, will be my queen.”
“Never.” She struggled to break his hold on her. If only she could reach her knife! What else had Rupert taught her? She took a deep breath and quickly lifted her knee.
The false Mador jumped back, releasing her.
She ran for the horse, but was jerked back by her braided ponytail. She winced as he twisted her hair in his fist.
“Bitch.” He pulled her back and whispered in her ear, “Go ahead and fight me. I’ll enjoy winning and forcing myself on you.”
She gritted her teeth against the pain. “Never.”
“Oh, you will surrender. I know exactly how to make you behave.” He raised his voice. “Guards!”
When two guards ran toward them, he handed her over.
“The princess attempted an escape,” he said, his voice now sounding like Mador’s. “Take her to her tent, and don’t let her out.”
“Yes, Captain.” One of the guards seized her by an arm, and his companion took her by the other arm.
As they dragged her off, she glanced back and saw the false Mador jump on the saddled horse and ride away.
When the guards escorted her past Gunther’s tent, she dug in her feet. “I need to see the king. Take me there.”
“We have orders—”
“I’m still the princess, and I demand to see my brother!”
“Very well.” The guards pushed her inside.
Gunther was seated at his desk, stamping a stack of papers with the royal seal, as if he were playing with a new toy. He glanced up at her. “Are you packed?”
“Yes.” She approached the desk. As much as she hated appealing to her brother for help, he was the only one with enough power right now to stop the false Mador.
“So you used your special gift to find this seal?” He smiled as he stamped another paper. “I have to admit you come in handy. I might keep you around, even after you give me an heir.”
“Thank you.” She cleared her throat. “Brother dearest, I think there’s something … wrong with Captain Mador.”
Gunther snorted. “Just because you don’t want to marry him—”
“He’s dangerous. He can take the form of different people. He intends to kill you and take your—”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Gunther waved a hand impatiently. “Mador has been by my side for nine years. There’s no one I trust more than him.”
“He’s not Mador! He’s a sorcerer who can shift into any human being.”
Gunther rolled his eyes. “There’s no such thing.”
“I saw him shift. He even took on your form and admitted he intends to steal your throne. Please believe me, your life is in danger.”
“Enough!” Gunther rose to his feet. “I don’t care what you think of Mador. You’re marrying him as soon as we arrive in Lourdon.”
Her mind raced. I
f she couldn’t get the wedding called off, perhaps she could postpone it long enough to escape. Or maybe, please, goddesses, maybe Rupert would come back for her. “I need some time to prepare for the wedding. I should have a new dress. And we should plan a ball—”
“No.” Gunther glared at her with gritted teeth.
“I need at least two weeks.”
“No, dammit!” He strode toward her. “You will do as I say.”
Her heart pounded in her ears. She had one last card to play, and once she said it, there was no taking it back. “I’ll need two weeks to make sure I’m not pregnant.”
Gunther halted, his eyes wide with shock. Then he snorted. “You’re lying.”
She shook her head. “The night I was gone from camp, I took a man to my bed.”
Gunther’s face flushed a mottled red. “No, you couldn’t have.”
“I did. If I’m pregnant, you might already have an heir. But Mador would not be the father.”
Gunther’s eyes narrowed, and his breath came out with a hiss. “Who? Who took you?”
She lifted her chin. “Seven.”
He pulled back a hand and slapped her hard.
* * *
She’d lost favor with the king, but she’d gained two weeks. Brigitta rubbed her cheek. The pain had been worth it, for her wedding was now officially delayed.
As she paced in her tent, she sent a prayer to the goddesses. Hopefully, two weeks would be enough. In that time, she would look for an opportunity to escape. And perhaps, in that time, Rupert would come for her.
So many times she’d asked him to trust her. Please, Rupert, don’t lose faith in me.
After a while, food was delivered to her. Only bread and water. She wasn’t sure if Gunther was punishing her, or if the camp was still too much in disarray to produce a better meal. She ate every bite to keep her strength up.
Without warning, the false Mador burst into her tent, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her out. The guards outside couldn’t object since Mador was their superior.
“Where are we going?” she demanded, since Mador was taking her across the camp, far away from her and Gunther’s tent. “The wedding has been postponed. You can’t—”
“You think I’m about to rape you?” He chuckled. “An appealing thought, but believe me, when the time comes, no force will be necessary.” He stopped in front of a heavily guarded tent and lifted the flap. “Take a look.”
She stepped inside and gasped. Sister Fallyn and Bjornfrid were seated on the tarp, their hands tied in front. Another rope tethered their ankles together.
Bjornfrid gave her a confused look. “Why did the bad man take us? He hit Grandma and knocked her down.”
Brigitta’s heart sank as she knelt in front of them. “Is your grandmother all right? Were either of you hurt?”
“Dorina is fine,” Sister Fallyn whispered. “We cooperated so Mador wouldn’t hurt her. How are you? There’s a bruise on your face.”
“I’m fine.” Tears gathered in Brigitta’s eyes. “I’m so sorry. Nothing is happening the way we planned.”
Sister Fallyn nodded, her eyes also glistening with moisture. “I’ll pray for deliverance.” She made the sign of the moons with her tied-up hands.
“What happened to my ball?” Bjornfrid asked.
Brigitta blinked away her tears. “The wrong person took it, but I’ll set things right. Somehow. I promise.”
“Filling them with false hope?” Mador asked as he pulled Brigitta from the tent.
She ripped her arm from his grasp and glared at him. “You’re disgusting. You hit a defenseless old woman.”
He snorted. “You should be grateful I didn’t kill her. And speaking of killing…” He leaned close to whisper in her ear. “If I tell Gunther about the young prince in there, he’ll have him executed on the spot. Shall I keep my mouth shut?” He stroked her cheek. “It’s all up to you.”
She turned her head away. “How did you know about him? How did you know I had the seal?”
“I know everything. And I won’t hesitate to kill the prince and the nun if you don’t cooperate. So give me the correct answer. Will you marry me?”
Her tears returned, burning her eyes. This was the wrong proposal from the wrong sorcerer. “The king has granted me a postponement of two weeks.”
He grasped her chin and forced her to look at him. “Are you hoping that your precious Rupert will save you?”
She flinched. He knew about Rupert?
Mador smirked. “Did I surprise you? I already told you I know everything. I know who Rupert is. I also know that when he hears you’re marrying me, he’ll believe for certain that you have betrayed him.”
She shook her head, but he gripped her face harder, his fingers digging into her bruised cheek.
“Face the facts,” he growled. “You will be mine. Rupert will not come to save you.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
It took three days for Rupert to ride to Lourdon, but only three minutes to free the prisoners.
After arriving in Lourdon, Brody, Stefan and the Eberoni soldiers had spread out to learn where Four, Five, and Six were being held. To Rupert’s surprise, they had never left the stadium. Apparently, Gunther had planned to stage the executions there in front of a large crowd, so he’d locked the three men up in a cell beneath the royal box.
It was just before dawn on the fourth day when Rupert approached the cell. The two guards on duty drew their swords, but he blew them hard, slamming them against a stone wall and knocking them out. Then he helped himself to the key ring, opened the door, and greeted the sleepy prisoners.
“Wake up!” He unlocked the shackles that kept them chained to the wall. “We need to go.”
“Seven, is that you?” Five scrambled to his feet.
Six rubbed his eyes. “Am I dreaming?”
Four pulled the scholarly Six to his feet. “It’s real. Seven kept his word. We’re going to live!”
“Come on.” Rupert motioned for them to follow. “We have a boat ready on the river.”
“You mean we’re leaving Tourin?” Five jogged to catch up with him. “You didn’t win the competition?”
Rupert winced. He would not admit defeat. Brigitta was his. Tourin was his. “I’m not giving up.”
They mounted the horses he’d left on the playing field, then rode to a nearby pier on the Loure River where Stefan and the others were waiting. The Eberoni soldiers had stocked the boat with food and drink, so as soon as the newly freed prisoners came on board they settled down at the makeshift table to eat.
Rupert remained on the pier. “Take the boat out to sea, so you can meet up with Ansel,” he told Stefan. “I’m going back for Brigitta.”
“No.” Stefan quickly crossed the gangplank to join Rupert on the pier. “You can’t go back. We have to move forward. Our first step should be defeating the Tourinian navy, and we can’t do it without you.”
Rupert dragged a hand through his hair. Dammit. How could he plan for a future if it didn’t include Brigitta? Several days had passed, and he still couldn’t figure out what the hell had happened. “What if she’s in trouble? I can’t leave her—”
“She left you!” Stefan insisted. “She gave the seal to Mador.”
“It had to be a mistake!” Rupert yelled.
“She made her choice, dammit.” Stefan gritted his teeth. “She’s Gunther’s sister.”
Rupert’s anger stirred the wind around them, causing the boat to rock and pull at the ropes that tethered it to the pier. He couldn’t lose Brigitta. Dammit, he would not lose her.
“We need to get out of here before the soldiers come.” Stefan grabbed Rupert’s arm and dragged him on board.
With a groan, Rupert collapsed on a bench by the table. “It must have been a mistake.” Brigitta would have never betrayed him.
“Raise the sails,” Stefan ordered, then helped the Eberoni soldiers since they didn’t know what they were doing.
Brody, who had b
een sitting on deck in eagle form, shifted into his human body.
“Holy Light!” Five jumped in his seat, while Four and Six choked on their food.
“Hi, guys.” Brody walked over to the table. “What’s for breakfast?”
With a snort, Stefan threw him a pair of breeches. “You’ll make them lose their appetite.”
“Then it’ll be more food for me.” Brody pulled on his breeches.
“Y-you’re a bird?” Six asked.
“Sometimes,” Brody replied as he poured himself a cup of wine. “While I was flying around, I did a lot of thinking, and it could be true that Brigitta made a mistake. Since the Chameleon is there, he might have tricked her.”
Rupert sat up. “You think he impersonated me?”
“It’s possible.” Brody stuffed a hunk of ham into his mouth.
“Who is this Chameleon?” Five asked.
“He’s a shape shifter who can take on any form,” Brody explained as he buttered up a piece of bread. “I don’t know what he actually looks like, but I can detect him by his smell.”
“He’s a murderer.” Rupert rose to his feet. “Brigitta won’t be safe around him. I should go back.”
“No, you won’t!” Stefan shouted. “You think I don’t understand how upset you are? Fallyn is there, too! I’m worried sick. But we’ll have a better chance at rescuing them once we have all the power. First we need to defeat the Tourinian navy and take over the country.”
“What?” Five jumped to his feet, while Four and Six stared with dropped jaws.
“I think Stefan’s right,” Brody said with his mouth full. “We should take the throne first.”
Five stepped closer. “You’re taking over Tourin?”
Rupert glanced at the three former contestants. “I’ll understand if you want no part of this. We can drop you ashore wherever you like.”
“You saved our lives.” Six stood, and Four joined him.
Five gave Rupert a speculative look. “What is the plan?”
“We join my fleet and defeat the navy. Then we attack from the west.” Rupert turned to Brody. “I need you to fly over to King Leofric. Ask him to move his army to the border on the south. Then go to General Dravenko. He can send the Norveshki army to the eastern border and unleash the dragons.”
So I Married a Sorcerer Page 38