Delusions of Loyalty (The Braykith Series Book 2)

by Jennifer R. Kenny

  This Dryad was different to the first that Evangeline had summoned. Glais could not explain it, but this being was stronger. Her skin a deeper green that shifted colour patterns that mimicked a shifting wind tossing shadows over the forest floor. As Glais watched her from his hiding place, it seemed that her outline would lose focus and blend in with their surroundings. While the first Dryad had been mystical to look at, this Dryad felt more otherworldly, and Glais felt an odd kind of fascination with a creature that promised life when he was a creature that offered nothing but death.

  The Dryad seemed cautious of the scene before her, taking her time before she spoke. Barret holding the blade so openly made the usually peaceful creature nervous, but she did her best to hide it. “Earl Barret.” She addressed him as professionally as she could, given the circumstances.

  Barret blinked, stunned that the creature knew his name. “How do you know me?”

  “That is Lady Thea.” The tree spirit said although it did not spare a glance at the body of the woman who was at her feet. “I can sense her spirit even if she is no longer with us. I had to assume that you are her husband, the Earl of Crimah.”

  Barret nodded stiffly. He had always suspected that the dryad story that Thea had told about Evangeline conception had been a tale to cover an affair. The fact the Dryad knew Thea only meant Barret may perhaps get his way this day. The past was done, and the fact remained that Evangeline was never his daughter. “I have a trade for you.” Barret paused as he considered the creature. “Your kind likes to make deals correct?” There was mocking in his voice, but he said nothing as the dryad did her best not to argue or tempt the man’s legendary temper. She knew the reputation of the Earl of Crimah.

  “I am not sure what deals you are referring to.” The dryad frowned, seeing Evangeline for perhaps the first time. “This is Thea’s daughter. My daughter.”

  Evangeline looked up sharply, and immediately wished she did not. Seeing the dryad gave her hope of a rescue, which she felt was useless here. There was no rescue, but a flicker of hope that refused to die. “Creasi?” Evangeline asked.

  Creasi smiled. “Indeed. I wish we could have met under better circumstances than these.” Barret suddenly made himself impossible to ignore as he stepped between Evangeline and the tree dryad.

  He was not sure what these creatures were capable of, and he would not lose his only piece to bargain that remained in his hand. “A trade, Evangeline for Thea.”

  Creasi blinked. “I do not understand you. Your wife is passed.”

  “You gave her life once. Now give her another,” Barret demanded. He brought the blade up and tightened his grip on the leather that encased the handle. “Take Evangeline back, and return Thea to me.”

  Creasi looked at the blade, and while it would do no real damage to her, Creasi did not want to leave Evangeline with this mad man. She made the quick decision that it would be better for him to remain focused away from his daughter. “Earl Barret, that is not the world we operate in. Death comes for us all, and we are not the gatekeepers or the messengers. It is true that I once intervened and gave your wife the baby she desperately wanted, but I cannot bring her back from the death that has claimed her.”

  Barret screamed in Creasi’s face, his coat flying out behind him as he spun and fell behind Evangeline. The knife to her throat and her head held back with his palm against her forehead, Barret held her. Breathing hard he watched the Dryad. “Now is not the time for peace or games. Bring me back my Thea.” He demanded.

  Glais sprang suddenly into action. Coming from the trees and with no thought beyond saving Evangeline from a madman, he crashed into the Earl at full speed. The unexpected attack meant that both men fell together to the side as Barret had released her in a sorry attempt to protect himself. Evangeline scrambled back until her back hit the tree opposite her mother’s body. Glais and Barret had broken free of each other, but she could not focus on the fight. Her hands were shaking and would not follow her simple instructions to assist herself in standing. Glais fell into the tree beside her, and Evangeline turned away from them both, hiding her face into her own shoulder as best she could.

  A gentle hand found her cheek, and she looked into the glowing green face of Creasi. Panting and drowning on panic and adrenaline, it felt impossible to stay still as Creasi tenderly pushed hair back from her face.

  Creasi did her best not to react to the fight that was playing out behind them. It was hard to do, but she knew it would do Evangeline no favours if she panicked. So instead she steadied her breath and waited until it seemed that Evangeline was back in control of herself. “Shh, Evangeline. Hush child. Let me untie you.” Creasi tried to calm her as she bent down to her level. She half expected Evangeline to lash out at her.

  Instead, Evangeline nodded and moved a little so that Creasi could get to the ropes that bound her wrists together. Quickly the rope came undone, and Evangeline’s hands started to feel like they belonged to her again. It took longer before Evangeline to find the strength to stand. She was forced to use both Creasi and the trees to get her feet steady under her. Evangeline turned on the spot, her heart and head throbbing with adrenaline she couldn’t use.

  Finally getting her bearings, Evangeline saw her father pinned under Glais, his fangs bared over Barret’s stretched out neck. Glais had trapped the larger man under his body. It seemed impossible that Glais had the power to do such a thing, but Evangeline was witnessing this act, so it had to be believed. Glais held Barret there with a clawed hand on the side of his face, and his thumbnail pressed so deeply into the skin under his chin, that Evangeline watched as blood pooled and dripped from the spot.

  Barret’s head was being pressed into the mud, and his neck was stretched to its fullest extent at the perfect angle for Glais to strike. Evangeline expected to see fangs, to see the creature of myth come to life but Evangeline saw none of this from her vantage point. All she saw was the immediate death of her father, and regardless of what had come to pass between them, she could not allow it. Evangeline’s eyes went wide as she watched Glais prepare to bite Barret.

  “Glais stop.” She screamed and instantly he did. She did not expect that reaction from him, and for a moment nothing in the forest moved as it held its breath. All beings were watching and waiting to see if Glais would follow her command. Glais looked up at her from the forest floor, mud and leaves stuck to his clothes and a cut above his eyebrow bled freely where he must have taken the sharp end of the blade during the fight. Evangeline took a small step away from him. Glais looked far to composed considering the circumstances. “Please Glais, do not do this.”

  Glais grabbed a fist full of Barret’s hair and lifted him from the ground, only to slam the man’s face as hard as he dared into the soft earth. He lifted his body off Barret’s only just enough that he no longer touched him, but the threat was still there. Glais lingered like a hungry spider over the barely conscious Earl, seeming to savour the moment.

  Glais lowered his face to speak directly into the other man's ear. “It is your daughter’s mercy that lets you live today.” His knee knocked into Barret’s back firmly, and Evangeline winced as her father gave a wheezing cough at the pressure. Finally, after he felt that his point was made, Glais forced himself to pull back.

  Evangeline stumbled with no direction in mind, only a desire to leave, and amazingly it was Glais who caught her. “We need to go.” He said, but Evangeline shoved him away. He allowed it, but she did not escape far. Evangeline slumped against the tree and threatened to fall to her knees. Glais pulled her up off her feet and into his arms. “We need to leave,” Glais urged her to co-operate again.

  “Creasi.” Evangeline's voice was weak as she protested, but the dryad shook her head.

  “Go.” She smiled and pressed Evangeline more firmly towards Glais. “Your father has no power here, and there is no more damage to be done.” Creasi was choosing her words carefully, and while Glais saw through them, Evangeline did not. The dryad and the curs
ed prince shared a look over the half confuse Evangeline. “A man in grief is a wild thing.”

  Glais grunted a response and started to take his leave of the clearing, glad to put space between himself and the scene. The blood that had been spilled called to his hunger and Glais knew the small droplets of the other man's blood would taunt him longer still.

  Evangeline could not forgive her father so quickly. With the red bands still visible on her wrists, Evangeline was carried away before she could offer parting words of her own to Creasi.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Glais rode his horse Indris hard until finally, the sun began to sink past the height of the trees. He had been noticing the sluggish beat of his horse’s hooves in the hard-packed earth as they travelled had been growing more tired with each passing mile. Carrying two riders and being forced to flee back North was taking its toll on the powerful animal. Not that Glais did not understand where the uncharacteristic fatigue had come from. Riding from Braykith at such a demanding pace had tired her, and now with minimal rest, Indris struggled to obey her persistent master’s commands to keep going.

  To add to their demanding travels, Glais had refused to take the main roads through the forest and towards Braykith. Evangeline had not questioned him on this decision, and so he did not explain it. Glais did felt like he owed an apology to his horse who was struggling to find a safe trail through unknown territory. Being forced through the forest and off the main trail also meant their escape was slower than usual.

  Evangeline had not said a word since they had left Creasi with the barely conscious Barret. Glais wanted to ask if she was ok, but the silence was heavy between them. She sat in front of Glais with her hands on the powerful neck of his horse as he drove them towards home and did not seem bothered with the trees as they passed.

  It was a dark reality that she had needed to face, the horse’s hooves seeming to fall in time with her heartbeat. There was far too much to consider, and Evangeline felt an overwhelming need to turn and force Glais to take her to Crimah. Barret had done too much to be simply forgiven, but the land was her homeland, and her brother Darius still resided there. She looked down at the fading red marks on her wrists and felt a firm conviction that Darius had not been part of this plan. She had witnessed his behaviour herself, and in her opinion, the stress of living with Barret was wearing him thin.

  Evangeline would not be quick to give up on her brother, but it was harder to accept that Crimah held nothing for her now. Once it had been a land of forgiveness, a hopeful dream that she might come to escape Braykith and return to her homelands where she would be welcomed, and defended should Braykith come to reclaim her. She closed her eyes, her hands gripping Indris’ neck a little tighter as she realised how childish that dream had been. Crimah had died the day she had been forced to leave. Her friend's final rest had been ignored, her mother was now gone and her father…

  Evangeline opened her eyes, refusing to mourn for Barret. She should have seen it long before now, but Evangeline had been quick to defend the man who she had called father of all wrong doings her entire life. The scolding’s, the harsh lessons, and years Evangeline spent outside the family circle, existing and yet not being loved by him were visible to Evangeline now. He had told her as much on her wedding day, and Barret had proven it again today that she was nothing more than a chess piece who could help his final goals.

  Evangeline struggled, but it was time she came to admit to herself that finally, Barret had done something she could not forgive. She was yet to actually understand all of what had come to pass but it was beginning to settle in her own mind and cement itself to her memories. It all seemed more like a story than her life.

  Evangeline frowned as she realised their horse was slowing down. “What are you doing?” Evangeline asked.

  “We need to rest here for the night,” Glais said, staring straight ahead and not daring a glance at Evangeline now. He had been considering this obvious course of actions for a while now but denying any action because he was not up for the fight she would present. Glais could see now that she was not impressed with this plan, but he felt that there was nothing he could do to please her at even the best of times Putting the needs of his horse above Evangeline’s needs was sure to set her off, but Glais could not put Indris at risk. “Indris needs to rest,” Glais said as his eyes scouted ahead for a suitable place.

  “Indris?” Evangeline asked, before realising this must be the name of his horse. “Braykith cannot be far.” She tried to tempt Glais to keep moving, but the horse came to a halt under his command.

  “A few hours’ rest is all she will need to recover.” He quickly slid free from the seat and was pleased to have space between them. She might never realise it but sitting so close to Evangeline had been a small torture he had been forced to endure with no compensation. Normally it would not have been quite so bothersome, but his thirst was rising. The curse was demanding a sacrifice and Glais continued to deny it which only forced the hunger to become more apparent, rather than go away. He dared not tell Evangeline the truth of their situation out of fear of her reaction so Glais decided that distance would do for now.

  Evangeline stayed on Indris’ back, considering just running the animal into the ground if she needed to, but as soon as those thoughts came to her mind, Evangeline knew it was madness. It was clear to see how badly the animal wanted to rest, and while indris would have tried to move for Glais, she wouldn’t be taking the commands of Evangeline with any seriousness. Braykith horses were more than just larger replicas of the horses Evangeline was accustomed too. They had a loyalty to their masters that could not be matched. As gracefully as she could dare, Evangeline attempted to dismount the animal and realised too late that she would fall. A yelp came from her throat followed by a gasp when she felt strong hands on her waist.

  As if from nowhere, Glais pulled her back against him with a firm but not painful clutching grip around her waist. She felt the firmness of his body against her back, the subtle shift in his muscles as he kept her pressed easily against himself. She swallowed hard, Evangeline’s hand stayed on the animal’s neck as she waited to see what would come of this moment.

  The wind betrayed them both, finding her hair and pulling the dark curtain back to reveal her throat to him as Evangeline seemed frozen in time. Glais’ hands lingered for just a moment too long on her hips before he released her. “Soon you will grow accustomed to the Braykith horses.” He muttered, walking away.

  Evangeline stayed where she was, releasing a slow breath that she never realised she had been holding. She pulled her hair forward to hide her throat, brushing her fingers through it and using the animal as an excuse not to watch Glais. Finally feeling up to the challenge, Evangeline tied Indris to a nearby tree although it seemed like a useless exercise. Indris was not likely to simply wander off. Actually seeing the animal for the first time, Evangeline saw how tired she was.

  Guilt from her earlier thoughts returned and Evangeline untied the horse and pulled her away from the clearing. It did not take long before they found a small stream of water. Satisfied that the horse had everything she could hope to provide, Evangeline returned to the clearing, rubbing her arms against the night chill that had settled in the forest.

  Glais was collecting wood from nearby, glad to see it had not rained here for some time and so collecting dry kindling was not as tough as he had first feared. Returning to the spot, he realised he could feel a chill through his clothes. Evangeline would be feeling it more than he was. Looking up, he noticed the clothes she was wearing and how inappropriate they were for their location. Neither of them had dressed thinking they would be spending any length of time in the outdoors, but Evangeline wore her night clothes with only a thin robe for protection against the elements.

  “Is it wise to light a fire?” Evangeline asked, taking a seat on a knocked down tree trunk.

  Glais nodded, dumping his collection of woods before he started sorting them into proper fire materials. L
ooking over his shoulder, he watched as Evangeline shivered and rubbed her arms with her hands trying to stay warm. Casually he rose, and Glais shrugged off his jacket before draping it over her shoulders. She pulled it closer around herself, but Glais had returned to his task before she could thank him “No one in Crimah will ride this fast.” Glais answered her original question and used the fire as an excuse not to look at her. “If our own men find us, then it will be a blessing. Indris made good time Evangeline. If you had not forced the horses so hard on our arrival, she would have returned us both back to Braykith easily.”

  Evangeline tried to protest, but she had nothing to say. He was right. She knew that the animals were tired, and it was her fault in forcing their rapid pace in the first place. “I’m sorry for that.” Although she held her tongue and did not retort that she did not think her father would kidnap her and force her to flee her home.

  Glais shrugged, daring to look at her. She looked scared still, but Glais could not be certain if her fear came from being alone with him or the situation he had just rescued her from. Glais was wise enough not to ask. He remembered the way she looked the night before, a glint in her eyes as she had watched him undress. All of that was gone. Her eyes were full on her face, and Evangeline couldn’t seem to focus. Instead, her eyes darted from the trees to the grass and back again as if waiting for an attack. He cleared his throat gently, and she came back to focus on him again. “You were concerned about your mother. I understand.” Glais moved off before she could engage him further.

  Evangeline fell into silence, watching him work and trying to find the right way to say her next question without sounding unreasonable. As Glais brought the wood to life and fed more sticks to fuel the orange flame she found the courage to speak. “I want to get Darius out of Crimah,” she said.