A murmur goes up through the crowd.
Andrés bolts up, toppling his chair. “Serena!”
“Andrés, you must toast your intended,” his mother says.
He is already pushing through to the back of the crowd. “Serena! Where are you?”
“Do not go. Stay with me.” Lady Mara runs after him, clutching his arm.
“Release me.” He flings her off. Lady Mara topples over backwards, landing hard on her backside.
“Andrés!” Beatriz’s voice is shrill with shock.
“Serena!” He lunges into the crowd, knocking over everyone in his path, shoving his way to the back of the crowded hall. “Are you hurt?” He tips her chin up to look at her face. “Answer me.”
“You—”
“What is it?” he demands, his body trembling. “Speak to me.”
“You are…married…four…days?”
“For all that is holy.” He curses. “Come with me.” Swiftly, he maneuvers her through the chaotic crowd, not stopping until they are outside.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Serena tried to jerk her arm free from Andres’s grip and my hand knocked the TV remote onto the floor. The loud clatter brought me back to the hospital room.
“Wow. That memory was…intense. I’m so sorry, Serena. What that man, Ricardo, did to you, is unforgivable.”
My head nodded with her response.
“But the real pain was believing Andrés was finally going to marry the horror-show Lucia, right?”
“I always thought we would be together. Somehow.”
Her depression was dragging me under. It felt like drowning. “Well, maybe there’s more to this story. We aren’t to the end, right?” Of course not, the end was her death. I shuddered, not sure how I was going to face that.
She sighed. “You are right. We shall just have to hope. What is that on the table?”
I picked up a note and read it out loud.
Sorry I can’t discharge you in person. I’m in surgery all morning. We need to talk, privately. In the top dresser drawer you will find money for cab fare. After I’m finished here, I’ll meet you at Rodrigo’s restaurant in Segovia. It’s too dangerous to go to the house, or my apartment.
Be safe, Querida. I will be there soon.
Signed with a giant scrawling S.
“Do not go,” Serena whispered in my ear. “Segovia is a place of death.”
Your death, I didn’t say. “You don’t have to go with me, if you don’t want to.”
She didn’t answer.
“I could visualize some beautiful place like Hawaii, for instance, and you could vacation on a warm beach for a while.”
Nothing.
“Serena? Do you hear me?”
She squeaked. “Oh. No. I do not wish to remember this.”
But it was too late. The memory took us both.
dc
Andrés guides her at a fast clip through the palace and onto the patio. They are alone at last.
“Unhand me, Andrés.” She shakes his grip off her arm.
“What is the matter with you?”
“With me? You are the one marrying in a few days.” She tries to step away from him. He pulls her all the closer.
“Serena, listen.”
“I had hoped, prayed.” She shakes her head. “I cannot believe you are doing this.”
“Serena.” Gently, he touches her arm.
“Do not touch me.” She pushes against his chest with all her might.
He grabs her around the waist and lifts her feet off the ground. As if she were no more than a sack of grain, he drapes her over his shoulders.
“Put me down.” She kicks furiously, trying to break free of his strong arms.
“Not until you have quieted. I need you to listen. I am taking you somewhere where we can talk.”
Wriggling wildly, she pounds her fists against his back. “Put me down, I say!”
“All right then, I shall, but only if you will be still.”
She blows the hair from her eyes and notices they are in the rose garden. Their garden. She stops fighting. Slowly, he lowers her feet to the ground, keeping his hands firmly on her tiny waist.
To her surprise, he kisses a tear from her cheek. “Foolishly, I believed time would take away the pain.” He kisses the tip of her nose. “And that my need for you, deep and raw like an open wound, would stop burning.” He looks into her eyes. “See me now. Without you, I die.”
Her body trembles in his hands. “I have been dying too.”
“Forgive what I did to you. To us.” With one finger he traces the scar meandering down her cheek. “And marry me.”
“But I thought…Heaven’s Glory! What of your wedding this Sunday?”
“Do you refer to the announcement made in the hall? My mother and Lucia Mara view me as a witless ox to be yanked about by my nose. I shall have none of it. Besides…” His hands run gently up her arms. “I love you.”
“What of your family? Your honor? The king expects you to marry her.”
“None of it matters.”
“Andrés, I will do anything to be with you. Even if you must…marry her.”
Her breath sucks in sharply when he roughly takes hold of her shoulders. “No. I would rather die than have the woman I love treated like a whore, our sons to be bastards.”
“Oh, Andrés,” she cries. “You see, there is no way for us.”
He pulls her into his arms, against his hard chest. “You are wrong, my love. We shall disappear. As long as we are together, we will be happy. Forever.”
They both know the dangers facing them. How can they flee the king’s army?
Finally she answers. “All right. Whatever it takes, I will be with you. It is the only thing I have ever wanted.”
He kisses her soundly, lips, cheeks, down her jawline.
“I will convince our king,” he murmurs against her neck. “There must be a way.”
“What of Lady Mara?” Serena shudders.
“Surely Lucia shall understand. She deserves better than I can give her.”
“Be careful, my darling.” She bites her lower lip, choosing her words slowly. “She is pure evil.”
“What evil can touch our love?” Andrés smiles.
Serena smiles too and squeezes his hand.
“Wait for me in your chambers. If the king is unfavorable to our union, we shall leave here in secret tonight.”
She entwines her fingers around his neck, pulling him closer. They melt into one another. Their kisses burn hot in the dark.
Reluctantly he pulls away. “Dios mío, I could kiss you all night, but I must go.” Smoothing her soft hair with his fingers, he loses himself briefly in her gray eyes.
She watches him gather his strength and go inside. Where will they go? She knows nothing of the world outside the palace walls. But she trusts Andrés. He will protect her.
Her thoughts wander to little Prince Miguel. She will miss him the most. He is as much her child now as he is the queen’s. She says a silent prayer for his health and wellbeing and wishes once again he had not been taken so far away. Queen Isabel had been adamant about presenting Miguel as her heir to the Council of Cortez.
She worries more about royal duty than the nasty cough wheezing in Miguel’s chest.
As she turns to go inside, a strange feeling overcomes her. The hairs prickle on the back of her neck. Was someone watching? The sky is as black as Don Ricardo’s eyes. Scanning the darkness around her, she sees no one. She listens. Not a sound. She hugs herself and goes inside.
In the tower, high above the garden, a figure silently moves away from the window.
dc
Rodrigo opened the door for me and kissed my cheek. “Bella! Wonderful to see you again. Aya, but you look pale. Come inside the restaurant and sit down. Marta is coming over too. She cannot wait to see you.”
dc
Serena packs her things and awaits for word from Andrés. It has been a long exciting day.
Starting to doze, she is awakened by a rustling sound.
Throwing her nightdress over her clothes, she creeps to her chamber door. Something crinkles under her shoe. A note has been slipped under her door. Lifting it up to the candlelight, she reads:
Serena,
Meet me at the East Tower. Do not let anyone see you go.
Short and to the point, she knows what the letter means—she and Andrés will run away together tonight. Looking around the room, she realizes she might never see it again. The castle has become her home. She will miss it and all its occupants. She wipes her eyes. From now on, she will be with Andrés.
We will make a new home. Together.
She cinches the drawstring on her satchel, closing up all her personal belongings. Just as she is about to leave, she hears footsteps coming up the stairs to her room.
Her chamber door is thrown open wide.
“Ha!” Lady Mara rushes in, her eyes blazing. “Caught you.” Her flaming hair flies wildly behind her.
“What are you doing here?”
“That letter you are holding like a babe against your breast, is from him, is it not?”
Serena makes two movements at once—she steps in front of her satchel and crinkles the letter into a ball in her fist.
Lucia does not see the hidden bag. She wants the letter. “Give it to me.” She snatches Serena’s thin wrist, squeezing as hard as she can.
“You cannot have it.”
“I shall teach you a lesson about stealing a woman’s husband.” Lucia’s sharp nails dig into Serena’s flesh, drawing blood. “Open your fingers.”
“He is not your husband. And never will be.”
“Filthy rotten whore! I shall have you flogged. Beaten within an inch of your life.” Rage blazes like fire through Lucia’s eyes. Her nails cut deeper. “And I will report your insolence to the marquesa.”
Something inside Serena shifts. She suspects the change has been coming on for some time now, but feels its full force with Lady Mara’s threatening words. She is no longer a child without any family to care for her, but a woman with a man who loves her. A coil of strength unfolds within her. Confidence she has never before possessed turns up the corners of her lips.
“Have the letter.” Serena throws it. The balled up paper ricochets off Lucia’s nose and lands on the floor.
Lucia gapes in amazement. Her countenance rages purple with anger. She releases Serena’s arm and snatches a handful of her wavy locks.
Dragging Serena by the hair to where the letter landed, she snarls, “Pick that up.”
“Release me.” Serena tries to break free of the clutches of a madwoman.
Lucia’s pretty face contorts into a hideous grin. “Did you not hear me? I gave you a command.”
Anger burns hot in Serena’s chest. For the last few months she has silently endured Lady Mara’s commandments and savage beatings, knowing the madwoman was doing her best to kill her. In truth, Serena was so broken with grief, she did nothing to protect herself. If Lucia killed her then the pain would end, her shattered heart would finally stop beating. But now that Andrés has come back to claim her, she will never allow Lucia to hurt her again.
Serena spins and fists Lucia’s red hair. “Never again will I do what you say.”
“Owww!” Lucia’s scream bounces off the chamber walls. Long dark curls slip freely through her fingers. “Oww oww oww, let go,” a voice much smaller demands.
Serena does, of her own accord.
“Who do you think you are?” Lucia asks, rubbing her scalp, the fight expended from her voice.
“I am Andrés’s intended. The next marquesa. Be gone,” Serena says firmly. “Do not enter my chambers again.”
“You’re mad. Wait until the marquesa hears about this. You will be thrown out of the castle like the filthy rubbish you are.” Bending over quickly, as if fearing a swift kick, Lucia snatches up the crumpled letter and flees from the room.
Serena smiles. She fought her personal demon and won. It may not be the last time she encounters the horrible woman, but for now, she is not afraid. With Andrés by her side she will never be fearful again.
She thinks about the crumpled letter in Lucia’s clutches and is spurred into action. Gathering her belongings, she tiptoes quietly down the stairway, through the kitchen and out the back door into the garden. Nerves and excitement constrict in her chest, yet she believes without question they are doing the right thing.
We will be together forever. She races to the tower to meet him.
dc
“I worry about you,” Marta said. “You’ve lost too much weight.” She was sitting across from me, heaping another scoop of paella onto my plate. She had been force-feeding me for the last hour.
“Please, Marta. I can’t eat another bite. Besides, Santiago should be here soon.”
“I hope so. You look tired. Maybe you should go lie down in the back. There’s a bed back there.”
“Excuse me,” the hostess said, approaching our table. “There is a message for Señorita Carter.”
“That’s me.” I took the yellow sticky note from her hand and read it.
“Is it bad news?” Marta asked, “You look like you might be ill.”
I gulped. “It says meet me at the tower. There is something you must see.”
“The tower of the Alcázar? Why? I do not like the idea of you going there so close to dark.”
I didn’t either. Not one bit. But I would walk off the end of the earth for him, no question about it. So I took another cab and paid the driver extra to break the speed limits to get me to the castle.
I was devastated to find out I was too late.
“What do you mean I can’t go in?” I asked the young girl at the ticket counter who refused to sell me a ticket.
“The Alcázar closes in fifteen minutes.” She handed me a brochure with the printed times on it.
“I won’t be more than fifteen minutes. I promise.”
She popped her gum and closed her ticket window in my face. The Alcázar was officially closed.
Sometimes in a girl’s life, she does stupid things for love. This was one of those times. I went around the ticket booth and hopped the fence.
dc
Serena is disappointed to find herself all alone at the base of the tower.
Never mind. I have waited this long, a few more minutes shall not matter.
She climbs the narrow stairway. Looking out the window for his familiar figure, she studies every shadow. The wind howls through the opening and circles about her. Long strands of her black hair lift and dance with each gust. The candle she holds flickers. Shadows move menacingly across the dark walls. A shiver runs up her spine. Her senses prick up, alert.
What was that?
Standing very still, she listens. Hearing only the wind, she laughs to herself. Andrés would surely think me silly. Scared of my own shadow and the howl of the wind.
She leans over the window ledge slightly, longing to glimpse his powerful stride moving across the grass toward the tower. She sighs, content. One day soon they will be married. Pressing her hand to her heart, she feels the racing beat in her chest. The corner of her eye catches a wisp of movement, barely more than the fluttering of a moth behind her. She turns.
Too slowly.
A large rock, meant to crush her skull, smashes between her shoulder blades. Air explodes out of her lungs from the blow. Flying forward, she lands with a heavy crash on her right hip.
She lies where she fell, shocked, gasping for air, not understanding. Nothing makes sense. And then she hears the voice from the shadows.
dc
Lying on my right hip, gulping for air, I couldn’t believe what just happened. I was five seconds behind starting to comprehend. This wasn’t one of Serena’s memories, it was a nightmare all my own.
I’ve been attacked.
My back and hip hurt so badly. Did I break any bones?
My eyes strained to see my attacker. It was so dark
in the tower it was hard to see anything. The flashlight Marta had given me had been knocked out of my hand and clattered across the floor.
How did I let this happen? I mentally kicked myself. Images of robbery, rape and worse flashed through my head. Why had I come up into this tower alone? I was trapped. The familiar panic started to pop and snap in my chest. I had to focus my thoughts to get out of this alive. Ignoring my bruised hip, I forced myself into a crouched position, squinting to see.
There was only one way out—well, two if you counted the gaping window. That was not an option. My attacker blocked the only viable escape route. I had to think of something—and fast.
The dark figure stood still. Watching me. Waiting for something. But what? Keeping my eyes on the silhouette, I squatted down, groping for the flashlight. I touched it.
“You are such a monumental bitch,” a voice sneered.
I couldn’t believe my ears. I actually recognized the horrifically altered voice. When the laughter echoed off the stone walls, I fell back on my butt.
Mierda, this was bad.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Hey, Marta! How are you?” Santiago walked into the restaurant and kissed her on the cheek.
“Santiago, what are you doing here?” She blinked in surprise.
“I’m here to eat dinner with my girl at our favorite restaurant.” He scanned all the crowded tables and frowned. “Where’s Erin?”
“She left.”
“What do you mean? She was supposed to wait for me.”
Marta clutched her breastbones. “She got a message to go to the tower. It wasn’t from you?”
The floor fell out from under Santiago. And his heart stopped.
“Oh, dear,” Marta said. “I warned her not to go. She seemed so frail. I didn’t want her hiking up into the dark tower. They don’t have good lighting in there.”
Santiago didn’t stick around to hear more. Dying a thousand deaths, he raced back out the restaurant doors and jumped on his bike.
As he sped through the darkening streets, his mind screamed.
Why is this happening again?
Catch Me in Castile Page 24
