The Dark Spawn (Battle Lords of de Velt Book 5)

by Kathryn Le Veque

“What?”

  “I’ve not even met your father yet and I have been on a battle march with him for two days.”

  He chuckled, low in his throat. “Not to worry,” he said. “Who do you think I have invited to sup with us?”

  The thought of meeting Jax de Velt was thrilling. A little intimidating, but thrilling. Corisande gripped his hand, her eyes alight with the possibility.

  “Wait here,” she said. “Let me grab my satchel. If Gaia happens to see me, I do not want her to see us together. She might become suspicious.”

  “I’ll wait.”

  Flashing him a smile, she scurried off across the dark meadow, heading for the surgeon’s wagon in the distance, and Cole watched her like there was nothing else on earth worth watching. Wholeheartedly, with his entire being.

  She consumed him.

  As he’d told her, it was already the best day of his life.

  A life that he prayed was only going to get better.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The Northwood Castle banners were flying high as they joined William Marshal’s encampment. The dark green banners with the black, clawed serpent announcing the Earl of Teviot made its way into camp, but only to the edge. The soldiers guarding the camp perimeters had Teviot’s army settle at the edge of camp because, logistically, that was the easiest thing to do.

  Teviot’s men began to set up their base.

  Directly behind them came the red and black de Velt army from Pelinom, led by Atreus and Julian, who had escorted his mother and sisters to Alnwick Castle and then made it back in time to join up with his father’s army. Pelinom’s army was positioned next to Northwood’s, and Jax joined his men as their encampment was established.

  An encampment that was attracting some attention.

  Truth be told, all of the armies under the command of William Marshal knew what de Velt’s army had done to Fountainhall Castle, so everyone was eager to catch a glimpse of the legendary army that put their enemies on poles. Most agreed that they had never been so glad to be allied with someone and especially Jax de Velt.

  Jax was due to meet up with Cole at the only tavern in town, called The Falcon and the Flower, but he wanted to check in with his men and have Julian and Atreus join him. Both knights were in the process of making sure the men were settling down for the night, but to Jax, Julian looked particularly exhausted. He came up behind his son, eighteen months younger than Cole, and put his arms around him to give him a hug.

  Julian grinned.

  “Greetings, Papa,” he said, waiting for Jax to step back before he lifted an enormous sledgehammer and drove a stake halfway into the earth. “Where is Cole?”

  “Over in the de Bourne camp,” he said. “He is going to join us in town for a meal, so let someone else do that and come with me.”

  Julian looked at his father as he leaned on the hammer. “It will take them twice as long,” he said. “I am the only man in northern England who can drive these stakes into the ground in a reasonable amount of time. Do you not know that about me?”

  Jax chuckled. While Cole was enormous and powerful, both in height and breadth, Julian was shorter but had the strength of Samson. As his brothers would tease him, even his muscles had muscles. He was a physical specimen of perfection, a knight of the highest order who had worked hard for that physical perfection, and he was obedient to a fault. His resemblance to his father was uncanny, feature for feature, but he was a fair, much like Cole. They both had dark blond hair, only Julian shaved the sides of his head to velvety numbs while leaving the top a little longer. He preferred it that way.

  But the eyes…

  That was where Julian stood out. He had the two-colored eyes that all of the males in his family had, and almost the exact same splash pattern that his father had, only instead of having a muddy-brown left eye and a half-brown right eye, the brown color was pale, very nearly the color of a topaz. That bright green burst was still very prevalent in his right eye, so big that it nearly covered the entire eye. Looking at the man, a first glimpse would make it seem as if he had one topaz-colored eye and one green eye.

  It was an interesting look on an uncommonly handsome young knight who was, unfortunately, quite self-conscious about it. For that very reason, Julian had always had difficulty looking men in the eyes. Not because he was shifty or ill-mannered, but simply because he knew how he looked.

  Unthoughtful men and women had commented on it enough times.

  And Jax knew it, too.

  “All I know is that you are a pain in my arse and a light in my heart,” he said after a moment. “Finish what you are doing, then, and seek me when you are done. I am going to find Teviot and pay my respects.”

  As Julian waved him off and began swinging the sledgehammer again, Jax headed over to the Earl of Teviot’s encampment. It had been a while since he’d seen his old friend and ally, and as he wandered into camp, he was recognized by Teviot’s knight, John Winebald. A tall man with a premature crown of gray hair, he dropped what he was doing to escort Jax to the earl’s tent and ushered him inside.

  Adam de Longley, the third Earl of Teviot, was a handsome man with dreamy blue eyes. His hair, quite red in his youth, was now streaked with gray. He was sitting at a table with his son, John, but the moment he saw Jax enter, he bolted to his feet and rushed to the man, embracing him as one would a brother.

  “Jax,” he said happily. “My dear friend, how long has it been?”

  Jax smiled at the man he genuinely liked. “At least six months,” he said. “It has been a while.”

  “A while, indeed,” Adam scoffed. “Too long. I was hoping we would see you when your army came to Northwood to join us, but they said you were with William Marshal.”

  Jax nodded. “I was,” he said. “There is much happening, Adam. We’ll gather with the other commanders before sunrise and go over the situation.”

  Adam’s smile faded somewhat. “I assumed as much,” he said. “I was not told what the trouble was, only that we were needed at Berwick. I committed my men without question, you know that. I assume it is with the Scots.”

  Jax lifted an ironic eyebrow. “When it is not with the Scots this far north?”

  “Good point.”

  There was a moment of wry humor between them before Adam led Jax into the tent, towards the table, where his son, John, stood up to greet him.

  “My lord,” John said. “It is an honor to see you again.”

  Jax looked at the short, rather round knight who was a fierce fighter and a just commander. “And you,” he said. “I did not mean to interrupt your sup. Please continue. I simply wanted to pay my respects.”

  “You’ll stay,” Adam said decisively. “We were just finishing. John has duties to attend to, anyway.”

  He was all but throwing his son out of the tent, but John obeyed his father like a good lad. He moved away from the table, excusing himself, as Adam demanded Jax sit and join him in some wine. From Tuscany, he said, pouring some for Jax as the man sat down. Sitting opposite him, he collected his own cup and lifted it to Jax.

  “To our friendship,” he said. “And our alliance. Both are very valuable to me.”

  Jax lifted his cup before drinking deeply of the rich, red wine. He smacked his lips. “Excellent,” he said. “But, then again, everything you have is excellent. You are a man of taste.”

  Adam flashed his big, if not slightly yellowed, teeth. “Everything I am came from my father, Alexander,” he said. “You never knew him, did you?”

  Jax shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “But I would have many years ago had I laid siege to Northwood like I planned. Fortunately for your father, I was stopped at White Crag and then I married my wife, who made me promise not to continue my dreams of conquest. Alas, Northwood was spared.”

  Adam chuckled. “Thank God,” he said, his smile fading. “I was very young at the time, when you were active on the borders, shall we say. I am glad you gave it up. I like you much better as an ally than as an enemy.” />
  Jax grinned, drinking from his cup. The wine was quite tasty. “I would not worry about our association changing anytime soon,” he said. “I, too, like you better as an ally.”

  Adam’s gaze lingered on him a moment before sitting back in his chair. “That is good,” he said. “And I hope it holds true for always because there is a reason why I wanted to see you so badly, Jax. There is something I must tell you.”

  “What is it?”

  Adam scratched his head. “It is difficult to know where to start,” he said. “I have two children, John and Audrie, and I am proud of both of them. But women… Jax, you have three daughters. Do you understand them? The way they think?”

  Jax snorted. “God, no,” he said. “I wish I did. It would make my life much easier. Allaston was the obedient one, a good girl. I suppose I never had to worry about her, but Effie and Addie can drive a man to drink. My wife tells me to be patient with them, but there are times I want to run from my home screaming and tearing my hair out.”

  Adam laughed softly. “I understand completely,” he said. “Dealing with Audie sometimes has me contemplating throwing myself from the battlements. But the truth is that I would do anything for her, to ensure her happiness. And I know you would do the same for your daughters.”

  “Unfortunate, but true,” Jax said. “We only want to see them happy.”

  Adam drew in a deep, contemplative breath. “And that is what I must speak to you about,” he said. “Audie wants to marry.”

  “I know. To Cole.”

  Adam shook his head. “Nay, not to Cole,” he said. “To be honest, she has hardly seen Cole over the past couple of years and when he did visit, it was only for a day and then he was gone again. You know what they say, Jax – out of sight, out of mind. Audie has found love with the Earl of Sunderland’s son, Ren. They wish to marry but I told them I had to speak to you first, to make sure there would be no hard feelings if Audie did not marry Cole.”

  Jax didn’t seem overly upset by it. “If she has found love elsewhere, they would only both be miserable if we forced them to wed, and I do not wish to see Cole miserable,” he said. “He has had enough misery losing Mary and Lucy. He is fond of Audie, but if we are being honest, I never believed he was in love with her. Fond, aye. Love, no.”

  Adam seemed very relieved. “Then you do not think this will upset him?”

  “He is not an emotional man, Adam. He will wish her well, of course, but I do not think he will be heartbroken.”

  “Then you will speak to him?”

  “I will. Do not be troubled.”

  Adam puffed out his cheeks and wiped a hand over his face. “Thank you, Jax,” he said. “I have been anxious for this moment. You have eased my mind considerably. I very much wish for our families to be joined in marriage, but not with Cole and Audie. One of your daughters does not wish to marry John, do they?”

  Jax grinned as Adam laughed. “Allie and Effie are spoken for,” he said. “Addie is… well, she is young. Mayhap too young for John. Why? Has he shown any interest in my daughters?”

  “Nay,” Adam said. “But I thought I’d ask. There’s a young woman he has shown some interest in over in Carlisle. Helena is her name, the daughter of a rich merchant, but John is to inherit my titles and lands, so I was hoping for a better match than that.”

  “He is getting older, Adam. Mayhap you’d better let him settle for the merchant’s daughter.”

  “Mayhap.”

  They sat a moment in silence, downing the rest of their wine as Jax thought on how he would break the news to Cole that Audrie de Longley was to marry another. That reminded him that he was to meet his son at the tavern in town, so he finished his wine and stood up.

  “I am sorry to cut this short, but I have an appointment to keep,” he said. “Thank you for the wine and the conversation. We should not let so much time pass between visits.”

  Adam stood up. “It is my fault,” he said. “I will make more of an effort to visit you and your lovely wife. I know my own wife would like that. She thinks highly of Kellington.”

  Jax smiled gratefully. “As do I,” he said. “I will see you on the morrow.”

  “We’ll teach the Scots a thing or two, won’t we?”

  “Indeed, we will.”

  Quitting the tent, Jax headed out into the night, in the direction of the gently glowing town in the distance.

  “You were very thoughtful to do this,” Corisande said as she stood in the door of her newly rented room. “I almost feel guilty that I left Gaia back in the encampment. Almost.”

  Cole was standing in the doorway, too, grinning as the tavernkeeper’s wife finished with the last details of the room, making sure the fire was banked and the bed had enough warm covers on it. She looked anxiously at Corisande.

  “Will ye be wanting a bath?” she asked.

  Corisande hesitated, not wanting to sound demanding, but Cole spoke up for her.

  “Bring her one,” he said. “Quickly, now.”

  Before Corisande could stop the woman, she fled the chamber and left Corisande standing there in uncertainty.

  “You did not have to do that,” she said. “I do not require a bath. Truly, Cole, the bed is quite enough.”

  He leaned against the doorjamb, a smile playing on his lips. “For what you are about to face for the next few days, let me provide what comfort I can for you,” he said. “Please. I want to.”

  Corisande set her satchel on the bed. “You are very thoughtful,” she said. “But I have told you that I have faced battle before, Cole. I know what is coming. I am under no illusions that it will be pleasant.”

  He simply nodded his head, averting his gaze because he didn’t want to say what he’d already said to her, too many times. In truth, he wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to fight a battle and think only of his own safety when he knew she was somewhere nearby, dealing with the results of that horror. Men who had been maimed and punctured would be coming under her care, her sweet and wonderful care, and that was so much to ask of a woman. Any woman, much less “his” woman.

  But there was no use butting heads with her. He didn’t want their last few hours together to be those of conflict.

  “Shall I wait for you in the common room while you wash?” he asked.

  Corisande looked at him, seeing that he wouldn’t look at her. He was looking at his feet. He sounded subdued, an unusual mood for him, and she knew it was because they’d ventured onto the subject of battle again. It was the only thing that dampened the man’s emotions when it came to her. She was about to say something to him, but the tavernkeeper’s wife rushed in with a copper pot and a stool. She was followed by two serving women lugging buckets of steaming water. Corisande stood back as the woman set the copper pot next to the hearth and put the stool in it as the serving women dumped the water into it.

  “I’m sorry that I can’t offer ye a proper bath,” the woman said as the water splashed in. “All we have is the smaller bath that ye sit in.”

  Corisande smiled. “That is perfectly fine,” she said. “Thank you for bringing it.”

  The woman nodded nervously, eyeing Cole as she shooed the serving women out of the chamber. Water dripped from their spent buckets as they fled, leaving a drippy path behind them. Cole continued to stand in the doorway, still looking at his feet, and Corisande put her hands on her hips.

  “Well?” she said.

  He looked up at her. “Well what?”

  “Are you going to let me wash with the door open?”

  He looked around as if to realize what she was saying before pushing himself off the doorjamb.

  “I will leave you to your bath,” he said. “I do not mean to rush you, but my father will soon be joining us.”

  Without a word, Corisande went to him, pulled him into the chamber, and shut the door. She then directed him over to a table next to the hearth, pushing him down into a chair.

  “Sit,” she said. “You can keep me company while I bathe.�
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  He frowned. “I will do no such thing,” he said indignantly, standing up. “I did not procure this chamber so that I could participate in clandestine activities with you, so I will see you down in the common room.”

  He was already moving for the door, but her soft voice stopped him.

  “Stay with me,” she begged softly. “Cole… I do not wish to be morbid, but you are facing battle tomorrow. If… if something terrible happens, at least give me a memory of tonight to reflect on. At least give me the illusion of something sweet and simple, just for tonight, to keep with me always. I would be… grateful.”

  He paused with his hand on the door latch before turning to look at her. It was against his better judgment because he knew that once he looked at her, he would not be able to leave. And he needed to leave.

  He lifted his eyebrows.

  “If your brothers catch me here while you are bathing, I will have worse things than a battle to worry about,” he said sternly. “Four seasoned knights doing battle against each other is like nothing you’ve ever seen, Cori. They will try to kill me and I will have to defend myself.”

  “They will not try to kill you.”

  “I will be forced to seriously disable all of them and we need them for tomorrow.”

  “Then go,” she said, turning her back on him and going to the corner of the room where a privacy screen was propped against the wall. It was worn, three lightweight panels of wood that had once been painted vibrant colors, and she pulled it away from the wall. “Go down to the common room while I spend this time alone. You must do what you feel is right, of course.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I do not want to go, but…”

  “I want you to go. Get out.”

  He shook his head faintly, trying not to chuckle because she was becoming petulant and dramatic. “Confound it, Woman, stop being so cantankerous,” he said, stepping back into the chamber and shutting the door. “There. I am here. I am starting to think this is a plot for your brothers to murder me.”

  “If there was a plot, you would already be dead,” she said crisply.