“What?” he hollered. The farther away from the road they moved, the louder the environment became. Merchants shouted about long burning candles; one merchant promised to grant youth with his potion.
As they neared the candle maker’s shop, Adam broke free from her hold. “What did I do? Why are we leaving?”
Justina scanned the crowd for the monster or his friend. She knew they would be coming for her. Why couldn’t she have just kept her mouth closed? “It’s time to leave.”
“Why? We’ve got the entire day!”
Justina glanced at Adam. “You’ve seen your princess. It’s time to go home.”
“I don’t want to go back yet.”
“Adam,” she said sternly, grabbing his arms, and shaking him slightly. “I promised you’d get to see your princess. You have. We have to leave.” She took his hand into hers and whirled, leading him toward the road.
They hurried in silence for a moment, until Adam asked, “What happened?”
Justina’s hand tightened around Adam’s instinctively, protectively. She had endangered his life. Lord, if anything happened to her brother. If anything... She couldn’t tell him. He could never know how their father had died. Ignorance might save his life. “I almost ran into your princess. They might want to throw me in the dungeon.”
“Nay,” Adam insisted, turning to look over his shoulder. “They would never throw you in the dungeon. Lady Aurora would understand.”
Justina didn’t stop. “You can say that. But she is a lady and I almost crashed into her. We must hurry before the guards come.”
Adam was silent.
Justina thought the issue was over. She thought Adam would understand the offense she was fleeing from. Yet, it was a much bigger issue she faced than almost crashing into a lady. That monster. She recognized him. She was certain he would not risk her telling others that he had killed her father. He couldn’t let her live, she was certain.
Chapter 2
Gawyn hunched beneath a bush, watching the small, dark farmhouse.
It was easy to fall back into the training he had received as an assassin, even though he had lived with Damien and Aurora in Acquitaine now for almost a year. He had tracked the young woman and boy back to a farm on the outskirts of Auch. It had taken a day’s travel on foot. The young woman and the boy had barely rested, almost as if they were running away from something.
In the square at Acquitaine, Gawyn had seen the fear in the girl’s wide eyes as she stared at his brother. Did she know Damien had been an assassin? That could not be allowed. For a moment, he thought of his options. Dungeon, stocks. Gawyn stopped himself. She was a slip of a girl. What danger could she possibly pose to the lord of Acquitaine? Still, he knew it only took one person to destroy a man, be he king or peasant. He didn’t know who the boy and girl were. Or how the girl knew Damien. He would find out how she knew his brother and discuss the matter with him.
He was grateful that he had options. He thought back to a time when his only recourse would be slitting her throat, a time when killing had been the only answer. Now, things were different. Now, he was different. He lived among civilized people. He didn’t think like that anymore.
He heard the crunch of a twig behind him and froze. Prickles raced along his spine. He reached for his sword and whirled...
...only to find the tip of a dagger blade pointed at him.
A tiny blade. He almost laughed aloud. The small blade might give him a little wound, but certainly wouldn’t kill him. His gaze moved from the point of the dagger to the holder. He stared at the girl he had been following.
A grin quirked his lips. She had snuck up on him! It looked like his training wasn’t as sharp as it used to be. Either that or the girl was incredibly good at sneaking up on someone. Gawyn’s gaze swept her. She was just a thin girl; her body was hidden beneath a cotton cloak. Dappled moonlight fell onto riotous brown hair that hung in curls about her shoulders. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips set in a thin, determined line. She held the blade out before her steadily, unflinchingly.
He removed his hand from his sword’s hilt and lifted both of them so she could see his hands. He was certain that even if she stabbed him, he wouldn’t die.
She jutted the dagger toward him. “What are you doing here?”
He backed up a step. “Careful. I was trying to find you.”
“I know you.”
All humor left him. Had she recognized him, as well as Damien? In his other life, working for Roke, he had killed many people. He had been an assassin with a flair for poison. But that was over a year ago, another lifetime ago. He didn’t move, but all his senses heightened, ready. Ready for what? He had no intention of killing her.
“You were with the other man at the castle with the princess.”
He scowled, confused. Other man? Damien? Princess? Well, that had to be Aurora. No one else fit that description. He opened his mouth to question her, but she was quicker.
“Why were you trying to find me? What do you want?” Her hand tightened around the handle of the blade.
“I came...” She jabbed the blade at him and he stepped back. “Whoa. Watch that.”
Her hand shook, and the blade wobbled slightly.
She wasn’t as sure of herself as Gawyn first thought. He didn’t want to scare her or upset her.
“You followed me,” she accused.
Gawyn was sure he could disarm her easily enough. But not yet. “I had to. How else was I going to invite you to dine at the castle?”
Her mouth dropped slightly. The dagger lowered a fraction. “Dine at the castle?” she repeated.
“You and your brother.”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, sparkling in the muted moonlight. “Sneaking around in the middle of the night to invite me to the castle?” Her voice was full of suspicion.
He liked the way the moonlight caught in her eyes. “I wasn’t sneaking. I couldn’t very well knock on your door at this time of night.” He smiled his most dashing grin and reached out. “Now, let’s have that weapon –”
She grabbed his arm and flipped him over her leg.
He landed on his back in the dirt, the tip of her blade pressed to his throat.
“What do you want? Who are you?”
Shock gave way to admiration. He was beginning to really like her. No one had landed him on his back, ever. She was full of surprises. “My name is Gawyn. I am captain of the guard at Castle Acquitaine.”
“Why would we be invited to dine at the castle? We’re just farmers.”
“I don’t question Lord Damien. He said for me to find you and invite you to dine at the castle.” At least the first part was true, he did want him to find her.
“Lord Damien?” She scowled. “He doesn’t even know who we are. I want you off my lands.”
“It’s very disrespectful to deny an invitation from your lord.”
“My lord?” she repeated, straightening.
Gawyn slowly climbed to his feet. “You are a tenant on Acquitaine lands. You pay a yearly tithe.”
She harrumphed and lowered the blade. “Unfortunately, my lord doesn’t know we exist. We are so far removed from the city that we mean nothing to him. Where was he when the Hungars raided the farm next to us? Where was he when disease ravaged our livestock and we went hungry for most of the year?”
Gawyn dusted the dirt and debris from his leggings. “Did you present these issues to Lady Aurora?”
She chuckled without humor. “It’s a day’s walk to get to the city. One way. I can’t afford to be away from the farm for two days.”
“Yet, you were there today.”
Those expressive eyes narrowed again. Her gaze moved quickly over him, and she took a step away. “And I have to make up the chores I missed by being there. So, I must decline the invitation to dine at the castle. With all due respect.”
“I shall give Lord Damien your regrets.” He judged her with an appreciative summative glance. She was just a young woman. S
urely, she was no threat to Damien. “May I have your name?”
She placed her free hand on her hip. “Lord Damien requested my presence to dine at the castle without knowing my name?” she asked in disbelief.
Gawyn shrugged. “He can’t possibly know every person who resides on his lands.”
“Obviously.” She leaned back against a tree, watching him. She twirled the dagger handle in her fingers. “If he wants to know my name, he can ask me himself.”
Gawyn smiled outright. She was feisty. He really liked her. He bowed slightly. “I shall relay your message.”
“When you leave, stay to the left of the road. There have been reports of bandits to the east.”
Oh, she was intriguing! It had been a long time since he found a woman who could match wits with him. He nodded and turned to go but paused. He reached deep into his jupon and turned back to her, holding out a fresh loaf of bread wrapped in a clean cloth. It was slightly smashed from their scuffle, but it still looked presentable.
Her gaze shifted to the bread.
“You dropped a loaf in the street. I’d hate for you to return from Acquitaine empty handed.”
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously but snatched the bread from his hand. A grin started on his lips, but he hid it by turning away.
Chapter 3
Exhausted, Gawyn entered Castle Acquitaine, heading for his chambers. He had ridden all night and planned to sleep after he told Damien the farm girl was no threat. He had been unable to stop thinking about the young woman for the entire ride home. She was an enigma for a farm girl. Where had she learned to defend herself like that? Of course, he would never tell Damien that she had managed to land him on his back.
He skirted servants rushing down the corridor, hurrying to prepare for the day. He took the spiral stairway two at a time. He was not surprised to see Aurora and Damien at the top of the stairs. Aurora rose early, like the sun; Damien accompanied her.
“Good morn, Gawyn,” Aurora greeted cheerfully. She scowled, her gaze perusing his face. “You have not been to bed, have you?”
Gawyn glanced at Damien and then back to Aurora. “Not yet. I had a pressing matter to attend to.”
“Is it taken care of?” Damien asked.
“There is nothing to take care of. There is no threat.”
Damien nodded. “Thank you, brother.” He put a hand on Aurora’s back to steer her toward the stairs.
Gawyn stepped before them. “There is no immediate threat, but I was informed that an Auch farm had been raided by the Hungars.”
Aurora turned to him in surprise. “Why were we not notified of this?”
Damien stepped toward him, a scowl marring his brow. “When?”
Gawyn looked at Aurora. “It takes a day’s walk to get to Acquitaine from Auch. Many of the farmers don’t have steeds to ride. A day’s trip deprives them of priceless time away from their crops and animals.”
Aurora’s brow furrowed in concern.
“Don’t we have sentries or men there to protect them?” Damien demanded.
“They were attacked recently. The other day, I believe,” Gawyn answered. “Auch needs reinforcements.”
“Take a squadron and set up a perimeter,” Damien said. “I don’t want the Hungars on Acquitaine lands.”
Aurora nodded in agreement. As Gawyn moved to pass them, she lay a gentle hand on his arm. She advised, “But first, get some rest.”
Justina awoke and was out of bed at dawn. She still didn’t like the idea of some man lurking in the forest, especially if he was the captain of the guard. All she needed was him to be killed by bandits on the way home and a storm of Acquitaine guards would swarm down on the farm. Maybe his presence should have been reassuring to her, as protection from the Hungars. But he was only one man. A man whom she had seen speaking with a monster.
She winced. She never should have agreed to take Adam into town. How did the captain of the guard know that monster?
She took a bowl from the table and filled it with porridge from the brewing pot in the hearth. Then she sat at the table.
Adam strolled into the room, yawning, and stretching. He picked up a bowl, filled it with porridge, and sat across from Justina. He took two sips before commenting, “You were up late.”
Prickles raced along her spine. She tried not to show her alarm. “I was checking on the pigs.”
“No, you weren’t. You didn’t go to the sty. You circled around the other way.”
She looked at him. “How do you know that?”
“I followed you.”
She froze in dread. With the captain of the guard hiding in the brush, he could have been hurt! Damn. She took a sip from the porridge, trying to remain calm. “You shouldn’t be out so late.”
“Who was that man?”
Adam had seen him! She clenched her teeth and wiped her mouth with her sleeve to hide her uncertainty. She could lie to him, but she wasn’t certain if he had heard their conversation. She sighed. “No one of import.”
“He said he was the captain of the guard.”
Justina put the bowl down. “Why did you ask if you already knew the answer?”
Adam sipped his porridge. He ran a sleeve across his mouth. “What did he want? Did he come to take you to the dungeon?”
“No, no, nothing like that.”
“Then what did he want? Why was he out there in the middle of the night? Why didn’t he just come and talk to Uncle Bruce?”
Justina took a deep breath. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. He won’t be back.” She sipped some porridge from her bowl.
“He’s the captain of the guard! Are you in trouble for bumping into Lady Aurora? Are you going to be arrested?”
Justina shook her head. “Everything will be fine, Adam. Don’t worry. Where is Uncle Bruce?”
“He is out with the geese and pigs.” Adam sat back in his chair, his meal forgotten as his mind raced with horrible possibilities. “He found out where you live. They’re going to come back and arrest you. You were right! We have to –”
“He’s not going to arrest me.”
“What else could it…?” He lifted his gaze to hers. His brown eyes were wide and alarmed. “You’ll be thrown in the dungeon and then what shall I do?”
“Adam! I will not be thrown in the dungeon.”
Adam scowled and stared at his porridge quietly for a moment, thinking. Then, his eyebrows shot up. He leaned forward in his chair. “Maybe Uncle Bruce can’t pay the tithe. Maybe they won’t come for you, but for him!”
“Adam!” At Uncle Bruce’s name, panic flared inside her. She reached across the table to grab Adam’s arm. “You can’t tell Uncle Bruce about this.”
Adam’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”
“I don’t want Uncle Bruce to be alarmed. He has enough on his mind. He doesn’t need to know about this.”
“If the captain of the guard came to arrest him --”
Justina knew Adam would keep asking about the captain of the guard, like a gnat festering a wound, until he received an answer. She had no choice. “He didn’t come to arrest anyone!”
“Maybe Uncle Bruce is in trouble. Maybe --”
She had to tell him. She sighed heavily. “He asked us to dine at the castle.”
Silence. It was almost worse than the constant questions. Adam’s eyes widened. Bigger. Brighter. Filled with excitement. “We’re going to dine at the castle?”
“No.”
“No?”
“I told him no.”
His shoulders slouched in disappointment. “Why? Why would you do that?”
“Adam,” Justina said quietly, with as much patience as she could muster. “We were gone for two days. We can’t do that to Uncle Bruce again. It’s too much work for him. He’s getting old. He needs us.” She sipped the porridge from her bowl again. “We had our time to visit the city and to see your princess. It was kind of Uncle Bruce to allow us to go. But it is our responsibility to help him on the farm.”
“You didn’t even ask him if it was okay.”
“Adam, I said no. I don’t want to leave Uncle Bruce alone. Not with the raids on the farms so close. I’m worried about the Hungars coming to harm him.”
Adam sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. His lower lip pouted.
“I’m sorry, Adam. It’s just not a good idea.” She would never tell him the real reason she didn’t want to go. Their father’s killer was a friend of the captain of the guard. She never wanted to see that monster again. And she never wanted Adam to be near him. Never.
Later that day, as the sun was coming down in the sky, Justina was working in the garden, picking the fresh peas, and placing the pods in the basket.
A thundering noise started low from down the road and grew louder. Justina looked up. Over the trees a large cloud of dust rose. For a moment, she thought it was fire, but couldn’t understand what the loud rumble was. She glanced back at the field where Adam was feeding the ox. He had stopped working and was turned in the direction of the road.
Uncle Bruce emerged from the house, a stalwart man, wearing a cotton brown tunic and breeches. His wheat hat waved in the breeze and he had to hold it on as he gazed down the road. He straightened and shouted, “Inside!” He raced back toward the cruck.
Justina dropped the basket and ran toward the house. Hungars. Chills peppered the nape of her neck as she raced toward the cruck. Could it be the Hungars raiding their farm? She met Adam halfway to the house and they exchanged concerned glances while running. Uncle Bruce raced toward them until he caught up. He took up a protective pace behind them, urging them forward with quick waves of his hands.
A large group of horses emerged on the road, thundering toward them. The lead one held a banner and on it was a white dove. The heraldry for Acquitaine.
They slowed their run and when they realized there was no threat they turned in unison toward the group of mounted men. As the men closed the distance, Justina saw they wore tunics with the Acquitaine heraldry on them. Soldiers.
Legends of Medieval Romance: The Complete Angel's Assassin Trilogy Page 33