“What’s that?”
The mild note of concern in Murdoch’s voice jerked Gideon back to the moment at hand. He looked all around and saw nothing amiss. Then he realized his friend was looking up. Following his line of sight, Gideon spotted what had snagged Murdoch’s attention.
“Looks like Duncan sent Kiva back to us again. Maybe his news couldn’t wait until he got here himself.”
Gideon led the way back down to the center of the bailey to give the big bird more room to maneuver. “That’s what worries me.”
Murdoch watched as the bird did a slow-wheeling turn overhead. “Do you want me to fetch something for you to feed Kiva?”
Gideon wasn’t so worried that he couldn’t take a little time to tease. “The last time the poor bird almost starved by the time you and Lady Alina found him some scraps to eat.”
Murdoch flushed red. “We didn’t want to touch Ellie’s supplies. You know how protective she is about her domain.”
Gideon’s snort said it all. By then Kiva was already winging his way downward. This time Murdoch offered his arm to the bird, freeing Gideon to untie the message pouch as soon as Kiva landed. He braced himself to support the owl, who was far heavier than most of his kind.
“What did Duncan have to say?”
Nothing good. Gideon’s mood grew grim as his eyes scanned the paper. “Duncan has found some answers. By now, he’ll be on his way back, but he won’t be coming alone. He has a little girl riding with him, one whom Duke Keirthan is hunting for.”
All of the Damned had a soft spot for children. More than anyone, the young suffered most when the adults in their lives couldn’t protect them. Or, as in Murdoch’s own case, those were the very adults who were the threat.
“If Duncan comes under attack, he might not be able to protect her by himself.”
“He’ll need help.”
Murdoch didn’t sound happy about the prospect of several days of hard riding, but they both knew logic dictated that he should be the one to go. As their leader, Gideon needed to remain close to the woman they were all sworn to protect.
He handed Kiva off to Gideon. “Tell Duncan to be on the watch for me. I’ll go get packed now.”
“Take five of the men with you.”
Murdoch immediately rejected Gideon’s offer. “If Keirthan attacks the keep again, you’ll need every man you have, especially with Kane and Averel gone. I’ll make better time and draw less notice traveling alone. Besides, I’ll have Shadow with me.”
Gideon stroked Kiva’s chest to keep the tired bird calm. It didn’t work because the owl drummed his wings and dug his claws into his arm, a reflection of Gideon’s own agitation.
“I don’t want you out there alone.”
Before he could say anything else, an offer of help came from an unexpected source. Sigil planted himself in front of them and said, “I could ride with Murdoch.”
* * *
Neither man said a word; they simply stared at Sigil with those unnaturally pale eyes. They’d be insane to trust him, but he’d grown tired of doing nothing. He might not remember simple things like his own name, but he was a warrior and used to serving a cause.
Murdoch spoke first. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Sigil nodded but focused his attention on Gideon, knowing the captain would be the one he needed to convince. Murdoch had long since stopped treating Sigil as a prisoner.
“I will not be missed here, and you’re clearly not happy about sending Murdoch on his own.”
Gideon pointed out the obvious. “You could end up fighting against men you’ve served with.”
“That’s true, but if this Duke Keirthan is as bad as you say he is, they’ve chosen the wrong side in this battle.”
Gideon arched an eyebrow in surprise. “As did you.”
Sigil shrugged, fighting to remain calm while inside he was anything but. His instincts screamed that this opportunity could be the first real step toward finding himself. “So you tell me, Captain. If I served the wrong master, my honor demands that I make amends regardless of the cost.”
Gideon slowly smiled, and the enormous owl settled down. “That attitude is something my men and I have some experience with. Murdoch, I’ll leave the final decision up to you.”
Murdoch’s big hand came down hard on Sigil’s shoulder. “We ride within the hour.”
Gideon started for the corral. “I’ll see to Kiva and ask Jarod to saddle your horses. Then we’ll meet at the gate.”
“We’ll be there. Sigil, let’s go.”
Murdoch started for the hall, but Sigil remained frozen where he stood. They’d accepted his offer. Amazing. Surely that meant on some level they trusted him—at least a little. It was amazing how much that meant to him.
“Hey, Sigil, are you going stand there all day?”
Feeling better than he had in ages, he took off, running to catch up with Murdoch. Inside the hall, the warrior headed for the kitchen and stuck his head in the door.
“Ellie, I’ll be needing supplies for four for six days.”
Sigil found it amusing that the man was careful to remain outside of Ellie’s domain. Even as a newcomer to the keep, Sigil knew it was risky to interrupt that woman’s tightly managed schedule. She looked up from the bird she was dressing. From the look she gave them, he could only be glad she was holding a spoon, not a carving knife. “You’ll have to wait until I get this on the spit to roast.”
Murdoch probably figured telling her that Gideon wanted them gone within the hour wouldn’t carry much weight with Ellie. Instead, Murdoch played on her sympathy.
“I know this is a bad time, Ellie, but we received word that Duncan is riding this way with a small child who is being hunted. He may need our help keeping her safe.”
Ellie didn’t look any happier, but she handed off the bird to her assistant and wiped her hands. “I’ll have your supplies ready shortly. Now get out of my kitchen so I can work.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m not doing it for you.”
They backed away, waiting until their backs were turned before grinning at each other, happy that Murdoch’s ploy had worked. The two of them headed upstairs to pack. It wouldn’t take Sigil long. All he owned were the clothes on his back, one spare outfit, and the few odds and ends that Lady Alina had given him that had belonged to her late husband.
There was one more thing he needed if he was going to be of any help to Murdoch and Duncan. He’d better ask now before Murdoch disappeared into his quarters.
“Uh, Murdoch?”
Odd. The warrior had been heading toward Lady Alina’s quarters rather than his own. Murdoch spun back in Sigil’s direction, looking suspiciously guilty for a second before his face quickly became a blank slate.
“What now?”
Sigil’s temper flashed hot as he snapped, “Sorry to bother you, but I’ll need something other than a practice sword if I’m to be of any use to you.”
Murdoch slapped his forehead. “By the goddess, of course you do. Come with me. I have the sword they found near your body. If it’s not yours, then we can check the armory for something more to your liking.”
Inside Murdoch’s quarters, he unwrapped the sword and held it out. Sigil accepted the weapon, smiling as he tested its heft with a few practice swings. It was a quality blade, one that felt familiar to his hand.
He sheathed the sword and fastened the belt around his waist. It was a perfect fit, making it even more likely the weapon had indeed been his, one more piece of his prior life back in place.
“How is the sword, Sigil? Will it do?” Murdoch asked as he gathered his things.
“It’s fine. In fact, I’m sure it is mine.”
He drew the blade again, running a fingertip down its length. There was one more question to be asked before he returned to his own quarters.
“All things considered, Murdoch, it strikes me as odd that you and Captain Gideon would trust me to fight at your side. If I served Du
ke Keirthan, aren’t you concerned that I would join his forces again if given the chance?”
Murdoch stopped what he was doing, turning to face him, his arms crossed over his chest. “Betray us, and you won’t live long enough to serve your former master. However, if you give me your word that you will not betray our cause for the duration of this mission, then you’re welcome to come. If it would compromise your honor to do so, then I’ll tell Gideon that I would prefer to go alone.”
He then picked up his gear and started for the door. “If you decide to come, meet me at the gate. Time grows short.”
Sigil caught up with Murdoch a few steps down the hall and planted himself directly in front of him. “I give you my word, for what it’s worth, that I will not betray you. I’ll be there.”
“Good. Go get packed. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
* * *
As soon as Sigil was out of sight, Murdoch stopped in front of Alina’s door and knocked. She answered immediately and stood back to let him in.
“You finished your meeting with Gideon early! I’ve been counting the minutes until . . .” Her words trailed off as she stared at the packs in his hand. Her smile faded.
“You’re leaving.”
It wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway. “Duncan sent word with Kiva that he’s returning with a child who is being hunted by Keirthan. He might need help protecting her.”
“Then of course you must go.”
At least she looked as disappointed as he felt.
“I am truly sorry, Alina, but I should only be gone a few days. When I return, we can still”—he paused to look past her toward the four-poster bed in the far corner—“share our time together. That is, if you haven’t changed your mind by then.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
She stepped forward to wrap her arms around his waist and laid her face against his chest. He held her close, savoring the opportunity to pretend she truly belonged to him, that they had a chance at a future together.
But they didn’t. By now Sigil and Gideon would be waiting for him at the front gate. For years, duty was all he’d had to keep him going. That was no longer enough, not when he’d had a taste of what it would be like to be a normal man with a woman who might learn to love him. He forced himself to step back, to let her go. But Alina held on, refusing to let him retreat. Stubborn woman.
“Sir Murdoch, have you not forgotten something?” Her smile was flirtatious, her stance all feminine temptation.
He looked around the room. What could it be?
She took pity on him and explained. “Were you going to leave without kissing me? I think that would be most ungentlemanly of you.”
Murdoch liked this bolder version of Alina. He bowed his head. “My apologies. I will hasten to correct that oversight.”
Then he lost himself in the beauty of the moment. Despite the difference in their size, they fit together perfectly. Her kiss was an ambrosia unlike anything else he’d ever tasted. Would that he could feast upon her sweetness for the rest of his days—and nights.
For these few stolen moments, his duty would simply have to wait a little longer.
Chapter 24
Duncan jumped back from the scrying bowl, already drawing his sword. “We’re under attack. Stay here!”
As usual the woman didn’t listen. Lavinia was only a few steps behind him as he cut through her office. He wasn’t surprised that she ignored him when her friends and the abbey itself were in danger. He gave up and waited for her to catch up. Together the two of them ran toward the front of the abbey. He ignored the shouts and screams as he tried to make sense of the situation.
“Lavinia, what did you see?”
“It’s Ifre. His men are gathered at the base of the hillside. I saw through the captain’s eyes that they were waiting for something to happen. Through the connection between my brother and his captain, Ifre ordered them to hold back while he unleashed his weapon against the abbey.”
She was short of breath, but he couldn’t afford to slow down. He’d figure the rest out for himself. Keirthan had obviously traced his coins back to the abbey and sent his men after Lavinia.
Keirthan was battering the walls of the abbey with a stronger version of the same weapon he’d used against Scim. The way the entire building shook with each impact left little doubt that he’d found a way to increase its power. How many of the people had been sacrificed to extend the weapon’s range this far?
Keirthan probably thought the sisters would surrender meekly rather than see the place destroyed. Well, both the duke and his guard were in for a surprise. It was doubtful that they expected to encounter an armed resistance.
Even if the explosions did weaken the abbey’s walls, weak walls didn’t change the fact the duke’s men could only approach by way of the switchback trail. Armed with bows and arrows, the abbey’s guards could pick off attackers at a distance.
If any made it all the way to the courtyard outside the abbey door, then Duncan would be waiting to dispatch them with his sword. But he was getting ahead of himself. He ran to join the abbey’s guards where he could assess the situation.
At the end of the hall, he looked back toward Lavinia. She’d hiked the skirts of her robes, enabling her to run faster. She was only a few feet behind him again.
He held up a hand to stop her. “Gather the sisters and take them to the warded workroom. Do it now, Lavinia, while the guards and I deal with the attack.”
She wanted to argue. It was clear in the stubborn set of her mouth, but she nodded. Rather than turn back, she ran straight toward him. Instead of arguing, she clasped his face with both hands and tugged him close for a quick kiss.
“Stay safe, Duncan.”
Then she was gone, already shouting orders to the sisters. Despite the dire circumstances, he couldn’t help but grin. In all of his long life, he’d never once had a woman kiss him before he headed into battle. He found he liked it.
Another crash against the walls snapped him out of the momentary distraction. Time to make sure Keirthan’s men didn’t make it past the front door of the abbey.
* * *
Duncan found Josup standing in the courtyard tying off a bandage on the arm of one of the other guards. When he was finished, the wounded man picked up his bow and arrows and loped back toward the wall.
Duncan sheathed his weapon for the moment. “What happened to him? Have they breached our defenses?”
“Not yet. He got hit with a piece of falling rock. The wound was more bloody than serious. As far as we can tell, the duke’s men are still at the bottom of the hill.”
Josup gave Duncan a considering look. “All those drills you insisted on have proven valuable. Everyone knew right where to go and what to watch for.”
They both instinctively ducked as the abbey took another blast. Josup looked disgusted. “I was a soldier before I decided I’d live longer as a caravan guard, and I’ve fought in my fair share of battles. Never saw the like of those bolts of light coming out of nowhere.”
“I don’t think anyone has. They’re coming from Duke Keirthan himself. His blood magic.”
When the ground quit shaking, they ran for the ladder that would take them to the best vantage point to see what was happening on the trail below. He prayed Keirthan would soon run out of bolts to lob at the abbey. When that happened, the real fighting would begin.
From above, it was easy to see that the walls had been hit hard, but they were still sound. No gaping holes had opened up that would allow Keirthan’s men easy access to the abbey’s interior. Duncan silently prayed to the Lady of the River that they would continue to hold.
As he watched, three more flashes of white-hot light came soaring down from above. The first one hit the wall below where he stood. The jolt sent Josup toppling backward over the edge, but Duncan hauled him back up to safety.
The other man grinned at him. “Thank you. That was close.”
The second blast flew overhead to
land in the middle of Sister Berta’s herb garden. The elderly woman wouldn’t be happy about the damage it caused, but at least it had missed the well and the guards.
The third volley hit the top of the trail, sending an avalanche of rock and dirt rolling down the hillside. If the damage was bad enough, it might impede the duke’s men’s ability to reach the abbey. Duncan might be glad about that part, but not if it also damaged the road enough to make it difficult for him and Sarra to ride back down.
For the moment, a blessed silence settled over the hillside. Josup and Duncan both looked up on the bluff overhead where their lookout was perched. The man’s hands moved in a flurry of gestures that Josup understood.
“They’re coming, riding two by two. There’re about twenty of them.”
It could have been worse. “Signal the bowmen.”
Josup used the same hand signals to tell the others that the enemy was on the move. It would be a few minutes before they got into range.
“I’ll check on the sisters. Send a runner if you need me before I get back.”
Josup nodded as he nocked an arrow, keeping it aimed at the last turn in the trail below. They’d already discussed strategy. The plan was to wait until the enemy had made the final turn before attacking. They wanted to trap the bastards in a withering fire of arrows, blocking any retreat to safety and at the same time preventing them from reaching the abbey.
Duncan hustled back down the ladder and ducked inside the door near the abbey’s kitchen. He checked each room as he passed it to make sure there were no stragglers. Before the real fighting began, he needed to know that all of the women had taken refuge in the workroom. As long as the sisters were safely tucked in behind Lavinia’s powerful wards, he and the guards could concentrate on fighting without having to worry about them.
He paused to listen. Silence. The kitchen was empty, pots still simmering over the fire. No movement from the dining hall, no heartbeats within the immediate vicinity. Good. He headed down the hallway toward the workroom and spotted Lavinia standing outside the door.
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