Forbidden Magic

by Catherine Emm

  "There will come a time, little one, when you will welcome my touch, revel in it, and that will be the time I leave you for another."

  The cool, crisp air of the hut washed over her fevered flesh when he rose from her to don his clothes, and Jewel quickly sat up, hugging her knees to her for warmth as well as to hide her nakedness. She would wait until his back was turned to find her own garments, and out of the corner of her eye she watched him pull the leather tunic over his broad shoulder, then bend to retrieve her gunna from the floor where he had thrown it.

  "Clothe thyself," he barked, tossing the garment in her face. "Gunther rides this way." Then in cold dismissal of her, he went to the window to take up the vigil once more as if nothing had passed between them other than, casual conversation, though the dark scowl on his handsome face hinted otherwise.

  Damn her! he thought viciously. She infects my thoughts and dulls my wit when my mind should be on other matters. My honor and the lands of my birthright should be foremost in what I decide, not taking my leisure with an ill-tempered wench who would much prefer to take my blade and split me wide rather than comfort me when I need it most. His expression changed from anger to surprise. Whatever had made him think that? He didn't want her sympathy nor did he expect it! His problems were his alone, and that was how he would solve them! He had come to learn a hard lesson growing up with Lady Edlyn, and that had been never to trust a woman, for they always had insidious reasons for what they did. Hadn't his stepmother proven that? And would Jewel's motives be any different? Her mind had been poisoned with lies about him before he had had a chance to speak, and if she proclaimed anything other than hatred for him, it would be a falsehood on her part, a way to gain his trust. Then whilst his back was turned she would summon those who would eagerly slay him. Yea, she would send his own half brother! Closing his eyes, he let out a long, breathless sigh. She had caught him off guard, 'twas all. It would not happen again.

  Nearly an hour passed before the pounding of great hooves sounded outside the small hut and echoed in the stillness of the night, lifting Jewel's attention to the man who watched at the window. When they had quieted near the front door, he turned without a look her way and lifted the bar from the portal, swinging it wide to allow their visitor entrance. A moment later the huge frame of another filled the entryway and quickly stepped inside, allowing Amery to seal in their privacy once more while the other laid aside the bundle he carried.

  Jewel's fears returned anew as she studied the newcomer, his broad figure garbed hi the armor of a knight, and she wondered who he might be until he lifted the helm from his head, untied the catches of his coif, and pushed it back from his brow. Her lovely face contorted disdainfully once she recognized the one who had masqueraded as Father Dunn. She half expected him to laugh at her, but once their eyes met, she saw a sadness hi them that puzzled her.

  "Good eventide, Lady Jewel," he said softly with a slight bow. "I am Sir Gunther of Burchard on the Isle of Wight in southern England. I am a knight of the realm, pledged to serve God and my king and if thou wilt allow, your protector until—" Her laughter cut him short and he frowned, wondering what she could possibly have found to amuse her.

  "From what will you protect me, Sir Gunther?" she beseeched ironically. "There is little left from which to shield me. The King of England has been taken prisoner, my maidenhood brutally stolen, my family slain, and now I have been taken from my home against my will and not allowed to return by order of the man whom I thought was my betrothed but in fact is the one who raised his sword against my father. Is there more of which I do not know, for I fear my heart has hardened against the dawning of another day and I would find little cause to shed a tear."

  A troubled, somewhat pained frown darkened Gunther's blue eyes. He turned to look at his friend. "Haven't you set the matter straight, Amery?" he half begged, half demanded. "If she is to be of help in our cause, she must believe your innocence."

  "Innocence?" Jewel interrupted with a laugh. "Has he fooled you as well?"

  "Nay, Lady Jewel," Gunther replied urgently. "I have ridden by his side for five years and call him friend. The night Harcourt was attacked—"

  "Enough, Gunther," Amery warned. "You waste your words. The fair Lady Jewel has already admitted her heart is hardened and anything you say will only add suspicion."

  "But Amery—"

  "Nay, Gunther," Amery continued with a shake of his head. "If she is to believe, it must be of her own doing."

  "But without the facts, how will she judge fairly?"

  Amery's green eyes moved from his good friend to the beautiful woman who had listened intently. "What she decides has little importance to me. I cannot name a single damsel whose faith I wish to have ... or need." His cold gaze swept over her, then settled on the man who stood beside him. "So tell me, Gunther, what have you learned? And have you brought food?"

  Gunther sighed resignedly and went to the bundle he had laid on the floor. " Tis a shame the rest are so quick to accuse, unlike the good friars-at the monastery. They wish us safe travel and speed in finding the ones responsible."

  He lifted the bag from its resting place and, with a curious look on his face, waited while Amery sat the table upright. He had noticed the light blush on Lady Jewel's cheeks the moment he had entered the hut and truly had thought nothing of it until now. It was obvious from the disarray of the small room that Amery's temper had flared and he could only hope the man had not taken out his gruff nature on the young woman. Tossing the sack down, he silently vowed that no matter what Amery wanted, he would, at the first opportunity, inform Lady Jewel of his friend's guiltlessness, then he frowned sadly to himself, suspecting it would make little difference to her after what had happened at the inn.

  "'Tis as we believed, Amery," he said aloud. "Word of Radolf's reward has already spread and I passed several on the road who stopped to question me. Twould be best to travel at night... especially now." He glanced over at Jewel sympathetically. "I wish our journey could be easier, but I see no other way."

  "And where will the way lead?" Jewel questioned, her lovely face the picture of innocence.

  Gunther opened his mouth to respond but was halted by the strong hand that touched his arm. He glanced up to find Amery smiling at the one who voice the inquiry.

  "Gunther, my good friend, I think I must caution you. This is not an ordinary damsel we have taken. Masked beneath the soft shade of her eyes lies a cunning that will trick you any way it can. To tell her of our plans will only make our task of watching her that much greater, for she will seek to escape with more determination if she has knowledge of our hiding place."

  Jewel wanted to return his smile with a proud lift of her delicate chin and a nod of her head, to accept his oblique compliment and silently forewarn of all future annoyances she would bestow upon him, but when his gaze seemed to devour every inch of her in a hungry fashion, Jewel was reminded of his earlier pledge to bed her at his leisure and the defiant gleam in her eye disappeared. She looked to her hands and idly toyed with the nail of one thumb. And now there were two men to contend with in seeking her freedom, site - realized despondently.

  "Yea, Amery, methinks she would," Gunther replied almost casually, returning to his task of spreading out the small feast on the tablet which the monks had given him. "It would be foolish to assume the damsel would offer her help instead if she knew the truth of the matter." Gunther concentrated on tearing the loaf of bread into pieces and did not look up when he heard Amery chuckle.

  "There are tones, Gunther of Bur chard, when, you carelessly place your trust in people." Amery grinned, reaching for a chair to pull up beside the table.

  "And there are times when you trust too little." Gunther frowned irritably and went to the fireplace, where he took down three plates stacked on the mantel. Returning to the table, he slammed them down and cast a hard look on his friend. "And you do Lady Jewel an injustice."

  Green, dispassionate eyes glanced up at him. "I do no woman a
n injustice. Tis what they deserve."

  "Aaurrgh," Gunther snorted. "Thou art a hard-hearted Englishman who is blind as well as deaf."

  One corner of Amery's mouth twitched with his half smile. "And what wouldst thou tell her that she would believe? Put thyself in her place, sympathetic one, and think on it. A man who claims loyalty to the one accused now cries his friend has been wronged, and because he says it is so she is to accept it?" Laughing, he sat down in the chair and filled his plate with a piece of the bread and a portion of the meat Gunther had brought them. "Nay, my friend, 'twould be useless to try. The trap seems made of steel and had I not been the one named, I would be hard put to think the contrary if offered such testimony."

  Gunther could only stare at him, knowing what he said was true. After a long while, he sighed heavily, pulled the wineskin he had carried from his shoulder, and laid it on the table next to Amery. "Then how will you explain so that Lady Jewel knows no lies are given?"

  Only his eyes moved to look at Jewel. "It matters not that she believes."

  "And I say it does!" Gunther stormed, slamming a huge fist against the table. "She is your betrothed and daughter of Lord Alcot, a man of noble rank. To have her standing beside you will aid in our endeavor to clear the black mark upon your name."

  Amery picked up the wineskin and took a long drink from it, pointedly ignoring his companion. When he had finished, he placed it on the table again and said dryly, "She is no longer my betrothed. We have agreed."

  Gunther felt as if he had been dealt a major blow and could find no words to express his disbelief. Frustrated, he turned to look at Jewel, praying to see the same surprise in her eyes as he was sure had registered in his. But to his dismay, he watched the coppery curls sway gently with her nod. His hope shattered, for the task of proving Amery's innocence would be doubly hard without Lady Jewel's support.

  Gunther turned back to the table in angry resignation, yanked a chair closer, and sat down. Seizing the wineskin, he raised it high and drank his fill, needing the wine's dulling effects to ease his temper.

  Jewel sat in silent observation of the pair, biting the inside of her lip to hide her smile. They fought with each other and it could only work to her advantage, for Gunther had already displayed a gentler, Understanding side and it would be easy to win his favor. At first chance, when they were alone, she would beg his help in letting her get away. She would tell him that even if she believed, she would be of little aid to them, in fact only slow them down. Certain the idea would succeed, she lowered her head, smiling, and played with the gold braid adorning the waistline of her gown. So caught up was she in her thoughts that she failed to see someone approach until his shadow fell across her. Startled, worried her plan showed clearly on her face, she glanced up nervously and stiffened when she found Amery standing next to her, a plate filled with the simple offerings of the friars held in one hand.

  "Beware, Lady Jewel," he whispered, presenting the bread and meat for her to take. "He holds more loyalty to his friend than to permit himself to be fooled by a woman."

  Rather than allow him the satisfaction of knowing she understood or that she had even heard him, Jewel quickly took the plate lie held out to her. Setting it on her knees, she tore a crust of bread, eyes averted, and silently marveled at his keen ability to read her thoughts. Or had he only guessed?

  The next half hour passed in silence as each occupant of the abandoned hut ate his meal. Jewel concentrated on the plate balanced on her knees but was constantly aware of the tension that seemed to hover over them all. Gunther devoured his share quickly and, once he had finished, left the tiny dwelling without a word, returning a moment later with Amery's sword, shield, and armor.

  " 'Tis wise we leave as soon as possible. Lord Radolf and his men will not waste any time looking for us once he discovers Lady Jewel has been taken," he said, his tone betraying the anger he sought to hide. "I will see to the steeds and await you there." Without giving his companion a chance to reply, Gunther turned and exited the hut.

  "Sir Gunther speaks the truth," Jewel dared to add when the silence surrounded them once more, and she drew courage when Amery merely glanced up at her then set about securing his armor in place. "Your half brother will not rest until he hunts you down. You will be made to pay for what you've done."

  A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of her mouth until the cold, green eyes looked up at her. "Someone will pay, tittle one," he said callously, "and you will not approve of the victor. He has taken what is mine and I shall have it back."

  Almost angrily, he slid the helm down on his head, flung his mantle over his shoulders, and advanced. Fearing he intended to strike her, she drew back, arms raised to protect herself, and she gasped when he took her wrist in an unyielding hold, pulling her to her feet. A long while passed as he stared into her eyes, the emerald hue of his own shadowed by the nose guard of his helm, and Jewel felt as if Satan had taken human form. Weakly, she tried to pull away, but he held her to him without the slightest effort and she trembled when she saw the faint smile spread across his lips.

  "He wants you as well, my sweet," he whispered, the fingers of his other hand entwining in the long strands of auburn hair at the back of her head, "and he may have you. But he will live with the knowledge that as everything else he wants, /will have made first claim."

  As his head lowered to taste the sweetness of her lips, Jewel's free hand came up to push at his wide chest, but her resistance was as nothing, for her strength was no match for his. He held her firmly, confidently, in his grasp, yet knew a weakness of his own—not of body but of desire, a feeling he had never experienced so deeply, so intensely, in the past. This damsel was not ordinary, for she possessed the power to weaken his defenses, cloud his mind, and do the one thing Gunther had wagered she could—linger in his thoughts long after he had left her.

  When the two knights had disguised themselves as monks and had ventured to Harcourt, they had intended only to eavesdrop and learn whatever they could about the death of Lord Alcot and his family. It had not been their plan to enter the castle or speak with Lady Jewel, but when Radolf's knight had sought them out as priests to comfort her, Amery had ignored the danger should his identity be discovered while inside the manor, and all for a brief glimpse of a beauty he had rarely seen. And now that he smelled the soft fragrance of her dun, delighted in the silky texture of her hair, he knew the reason he had not hesitated in sweeping her into his arms after she had fainted and carrying her to this hut. He would tire of her in time, but for tins moment, she fueled a spark in the very core of his being and he would not let her go until the flame had gone out. Pulling her closer to him, he allowed his mouth to descend upon hers in a warm and tender kiss that set his blood on fire and caused an aching in his loins.

  Jewel silently cursed him for the powerful sensations he aroused within her. Every inch of her flesh tingled with the embrace, weakening her desire to hate him fully when all logic said she must. And how ironic that she had longed for this day, this time when he would hold her in his arms and kiss her, only to find the actual experience shattering, to realize that more than anything else in the world she wished him dead. Calling on every ounce of reserve she had to resist him, she fell limp in his arms as if his caresses meant nothing, and she smiled inwardly when he instantly released her. But her pleasure was short-lived, for once she lifted her gaze to look at him, she saw the knowing gleam sparkling in his pale green eyes.

  "Radolf would be fooled," he whispered, "but not I. So play your games, little one, for I find them amusing."

  "I hate you," she hissed through clenched teeth.

  He raised a tawny brow dispassionately. "Then on that we agree. I hold no love for you in my heart either."

  "Then set me free so that I may return to Harcourt," she urged, eyes blazing.

  "To Harcourt?" he asked quietly, then glared heatedly at her. "Or Radolf, your lover?"

  "I have never taken a lover," she stormed fiercely. "To that you c
an attest. You were the first and by the grace of God, you will have been the last." A temper rarely seen surfaced in her. "If all men treat a woman as you have done, I would prefer no man touches me again."

  A vague smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "Your thoughts will change," he said confidently: "And I will take great pleasure in seeing it done."

  Jewel opened her mouth to flatly deny his declaration, but Amery turned away to lift her mantle from the cot then casually stroll to the door and all she could do was fume silently at his abrupt dismissal of her. She had listened to the tales spread of his dislike for women, his cavalier treatment of them, as if their feelings mattered naught to him, and until this very moment she had wondered if any man could be as heartless as such tales had claimed. Her anger,faded with the curious frown that crimped the smooth tine of her brow. Did he hate all things? Or could there possibly be a tender side of him he fought to hide? And why? And what had his friend, Gunther, tried to tell her... that Amery was truly not responsible for what had happened at Harcourt? She wanted to believe that the son of her father's best friend had not cut him down unarmed and that he had not seen to the execution of her family, but the evidence to the contrary was too great. Blinking away a tear, she looked up at the handsome figure standing by the door staring back at her, the expression on his face lost in the shadows, and she could only wonder at his thoughts. And when he raised a wide hand to summon her to him, a nervous shiver ran through her. She feared him, yet found an odd desire to learn more about him. She hesitated a moment, then moved toward the door, allowing him to cover her shoulders with the cloak before they left the hut.