by Grant, Donna
“The tunnel to the castle is much longer than the tunnel to the monastery.”
“I hope your right,” he said over his shoulder.
They walked in amicable silence. She watched the way his long, muscular legs strode with determination and grace. His eyes were constantly looking around for some sign of danger, and when they did reach the end of the tunnel at the monastery door, he pushed her behind him.
“Hold the torch high so I can see,” he said.
She held up the torch and watched as he reached for the handle on the door, his arm muscles bunched as they readied. He took a deep breath and pulled. It didn’t budge.
He tried a second time with no results. With a mumbled curse, he looked around and found nothing barring the door.
“It must be bolted from the inside,” he said.
“That doesn’t help us since the monastery is abandoned.” He cursed in a language she had never heard before. There was so much she wanted to know about him but so little time to find out everything.
“Go over there,” he pointed behind her.
She couldn’t imagine what he was going to do, but she walked to where he pointed. Once she was there, he ran to the door and hit it with his shoulder. Dust rained on him.
“I think that’s solid oak,” she pointed out.
He ignored her and put his shoulder into the door again. This time there was a creak. The third time and there was a definite crack in the wood.
She saw the material torn from the shoulder of his shirt. His shoulder was red and would most likely bruise. “We could always return to the cottage.”
“How do you know its dawn and that the creature isn’t waiting for us?” She hadn’t thought of that. “’Tis better than watching you hurt yourself.” He flashed her a bright smile before he ran at the door again. This time the door splintered and flew open. She moved toward him and the broken door. Stale air assaulted her as she walked from the tunnel into a room.
“The smell of damp earth was better than this,” she mumbled as she covered her nose with her hand.
“Do you always complain so?” he teased.
“Pretty much, though the only person who usually hears it is myself.” He chuckled and took the torch from her. There was a sound ahead of them, and he quickly drew his sword in preparation.
“If something happens to me run to the cottage entrance,” he whispered.
Chapter Thirteen
Mina gripped the dagger at her waist and slowly followed Hugh into the monastery. They were in what looked like an old library of sorts. The bookcases were bare and many of them broken and turned over.
They walked by a set of bookcases that had partially fallen, the shelves were dust laden and many held spider webs. The silence was deafening, yet both of them knew something, or someone, was in the chamber with them. She tried to step where Hugh stepped so whoever was in the chamber wouldn’t realize she was with him.
Her heart began to pound with a mixture of fear and excitement at what they would find. She had little doubt that Hugh could take care of whatever it was. He was, after all, a weapon the Fae used to kill the creatures that terrorized villages.
He stopped and held up the torch above his head. For several heartbeats, he stayed just as he was, waiting. She wanted to ask him what he paused for but held her tongue instead.
To her surprise, he leaned toward a set of bookcases and peered into the darkness.
There was a loud hiss, and a cat shot out of from between the shelves. Mina gasped and stepped out of Hugh’s way as he jumped back.
He turned and looked at her, and she couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped. As her laughter grew, she saw a smile begin to spread on his face, and it wasn’t long before they were both laughing.
Once her heart had slowed its beating and she had wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes, she looked at him. “Is it safe now?” she asked while trying to stop another bout of laughter.
“I think so.”
It was his lopsided grin and his playful shrug that made her catch her breath as she realized just how much she had come to trust him despite telling herself not to.
“Are you ready to move on?” he asked
She gazed at him as the sunlight filtered through a window above them to shed its light on him. Flecks of dust could be seen dancing in the air, and all she wanted to do was touch him to see if he was really with her and not a figment of her imagination.
“Mina?”
His face had grown serious as worry etched his brow. She inhaled and put a smile on her face. “Aye, I’m ready.”
They moved through the wreckage of the library and had to step over many broken pieces of furniture. She had never been inside before today, and it upset her that someone would have destroyed a house of God. “Someone must have done this once the monks departed.”
“How long has the monastery been abandoned?” She thought for a moment. “Before I was born. Longer I believe.”
“It could have been raided and everything stolen.”
“I cannot imagine anyone doing that to a church or monastery.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. “If you aren’t christen it doesn’t matter to you. Other people worship different gods.”
“Well, I don’t worship their gods, but I wouldn’t dream of destroying a place where they worshipped.”
He stopped and turned to look at her. Through the light of the torch she saw him studying her. “What is it?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he answered after a moment and continued.
They came to a door that opened to stairs. They climbed them with Hugh holding the torch in one hand and his sword in the other. Though they didn’t encounter anything or anyone, he never lowered his sword.
They passed many doorways as they climbed the stairs, but he persisted onward.
When they finally reached the top, he pushed open the door and sunlight flooded the chamber.
He lowered his sword and stepped into the chamber. She followed and looked around as she walked to a window and gazed out at the countryside. They were at the top of the monastery, and the view was spectacular.
“I was hoping it was daylight,” Hugh said as he came to stand beside her. “How far is it to the castle?”
She looked at the sun. “’Tis not even mid-morning. We could make it there by noon if we start now.”
“Then
let’s
go.”
She pushed away from the window and followed as he walked down the stairs until he came to a doorway to their right. They followed the hallway until it led them outside.
“How did you know where to go?” she asked.
“All monasteries are pretty much the same.” He didn’t say more, and she didn’t persist. They walked out of the gates that had once barred any woman from within. She turned to give the monastery one final look.
She had forgotten the many strange, evil looking creatures that had been carved into the structure.
“They are meant to ward off evil,” Hugh said.
She shivered. “They would certainly keep me away.” He laughed. “That’s the point as well.”
She turned and began the long trek back to the castle. Along the way, she and Hugh walked side by side, rarely saying anything, but it was a comfortable silence.
When they reached the castle, guards yelled down from the gatehouse and quickly opened the gate. They walked beneath the gatehouse, through the bailey, and into the castle without being stopped by anyone. She tried to keep the smile from her face as they stepped into the great hall, but no matter what she did nothing could make her lose her happy mood.
“How could you?” Theresa screeched and dove at her from the stairs.
Mina raised her arms to shield her face from Theresa’s claws. Her injured arm took the brunt of the attack, and even though it rarely bothered her, it now throbbed so badly it almost brought her to her knees.
“Enough,” Ber
nard bellowed and pulled Theresa off her. “I told you I would take care of this,” he told Theresa.
Mina held her arm and swallowed down the nausea that had suddenly assaulted her. “What is going on?”
“You always play the innocent,” Theresa spat as she struggled in Bernard’s arms.
“But you won’t get away with it this time. I told them ‘twas you who attacked me.” Mina would have rolled her eyes if she didn’t think it would make her pass out.
“I don’t know why you are lying, but you know it wasn’t me.” Instead of the retort she expected from her sister, Theresa merely gave her a small smile that sent chills over Mina’s body. Just what had Theresa done?
No one spoke, and it was then that she noticed just how crowded the great hall was. She turned to Bernard, but he wouldn’t meet her eyes. When she turned her gaze to Hugh, her blood froze in her veins.
Gone was the man who had held her so tenderly and shown her what it was to be a woman, and in his place was the warrior that did the Fae’s bidding.
“Ah, I see,” she said around the growing lump in her throat. “Guilty just because Theresa said I was. What about my side of the story?” Bernard pushed Theresa away from him. He turned to Mina and said as he grasped her shoulders, “I think you should go to your chamber.”
“If I’m to be a prisoner, then shouldn’t I be in the dungeon?”
“Don’t be silly,” Bernard hissed.
“Oh, I think that would be wise,” Theresa said. “She is controlling that creature after all.”
Mina waited for Bernard to say something, anything, but he didn’t. She raised her chin and squared her shoulders. “So be it,” she said and turned toward the dungeons.
Footsteps sounded behind her and a hand clamped on her shoulder and spun her around. “This isn’t necessary,” Hugh said.
“Bernard is in charge of this castle, not you, and he obviously wants me in the dungeon.” She looked over his shoulder and nodded. “See,” she said as a guard walked toward her.
The hall began to spin around her, and she would be damned before she collapsed in front of everyone. With one hand supporting her along the wall, she walked down the steps that would take her to the cold, dank dungeon.
The musty, stale odor made her stomach churn painfully. She barely waited until the guard left the dungeon before she lost the contents of her stomach. She hadn’t eaten since noon yesterday, but her body didn’t seem to care. She longed for water, but she knew she wouldn’t receive anything for quite awhile.
She leaned against the damp stone and slowly lowered herself to the floor. She couldn’t move her right arm or hand. It throbbed and burned so badly that it brought tears to her eyes. She had no idea what Theresa had done to her, but whatever it was, it was something awful.
Off to her left came a squeak. She glanced over and saw a small brown mouse.
“You won’t get anything from me, I’m afraid. They’ll forget about me soon enough.
They always do.”
That thought brought Hugh to her mind. Why had he turned on her? Had she done something wrong between the monastery and the castle? Shouldn’t a person be asked and questioned about a crime before everyone judged them?
The sound of crying and heavy footsteps reached her from above in the great hall.
Though she was far below, the stairs were directly in front of her and brought the sound to her clearly. It sounded like a funeral, and then she remembered.
Darrick.
He had given his life for her. Out of all of them, he had never turned on her. She buried her face in her hand and cried for his loss of life, for not being there to see him put to rest, and because she didn’t know how much longer she could go on with her life.
She wiped away her tears, and memories of the night before assaulted her. She took a deep breath and made a fist with her right hand. The pain shot through her like a lance and brought the blessed darkness she craved.
* * *
Hugh stood with Cole and Gabriel as they buried Darrick. He had been surprised to see the entire castle attend, but there was one person he knew should have been there.
Mina.
He inhaled deeply and glanced around at the lush foliage that would guard Darrick’s resting place. Cole had wanted to have his traditional funeral where they burned their warriors, and, had they not been staying at Stone Crest Hugh, would have done just that.
A shadow out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned and found Aimery and several of his Fae warriors. It warmed Hugh’s heart to know that the Fae really did care about them. He wasn’t surprised that the villagers didn’t see the Fae for Aimery had only allowed Hugh a glimpse.
Once the priest finished blessing the ground and Darrick had been placed in the earth, Hugh turned toward the castle. Bernard nodded and pivoted before reaching out and grabbing a hold of Theresa to lead her back to the castle.
“Did you see Aimery?” Cole asked.
Hugh nodded as he watched the baron and his sister.
“I knew the Fae would be here,” Gabriel said and crossed his arms over his chest.
“What is it, Hugh?” Cole asked.
“I’m not sure.”
Cole flexed his hands. “It must be something for them to catch your attention like they did.”
Hugh shrugged. “’Tis just a nagging in the back of my mind.”
“Like you forgot something?” Gabriel asked.
“Nay,” Hugh shook his head. “Like I’m not seeing something.” Gabriel snorted. “What’s there to see other than a spiteful, vengeful woman and her drunken brother?”
“Not to mention a lady that is not only beautiful but seems as innocent as a new babe,” Cole finished. “Are you sure it’s still Mina?”
“My instincts have never failed me before,” Hugh said and strode to the castle.
* * *
“What the hell?” Hugh said once he had descended into the dungeon. He rushed toward the door that held Mina when he spotted her.
He hadn’t been able to stay away, needing her to realize what was going on and how detrimental it could all be. But he hadn’t been prepared to see her passed out on the damp stones.
“Guard,” he yelled.
The guard came running toward him. “My lord?”
“Find Gabriel and the baron and get them down here immediately,” he said as he took the keys from the guard’s waist.
While the guard went in search of Gabriel and Bernard, Hugh unlocked the dungeon door and went to Mina. He touched her forehead and found her skin warm.
He didn’t think it was her wound on her arm since Gabriel had healed it, but something kept telling him to check anyway. He pulled up the sleeve of her tunic and saw the skin red and blotchy. The talon marks that had begun to heal and fade were raised and turning green.
The sound of boots running down the steps drew his attention. He turned and spotted Gabriel. “Hurry,” he called out.
Gabriel immediately came to his knees beside Mina. “By all that is holy,” he breathed. “Who did this to her?”
Hugh raised his eyes to Bernard. “She was fine until we walked into the castle.”
“Will she be all right?” Bernard asked. “I didn’t want her down here.”
“Then you should have told her,” Hugh snapped. “I’ve never seen anything like this wound. Gabriel, can you heal her?”
Gabriel felt her head and shook his head. “I honestly don’t know. There’s magic involved.”
“Let’s get her out of here,” Hugh said and picked her up in his arms.
“Theresa won’t like this,” Bernard whispered.
“Frankly, I don’t give a sheep’s arse what Theresa thinks.” But it gave Hugh pause. What if he was wrong about Mina and she was innocent? “Is there another way to reach Mina’s chamber without going through the great hall?” Bernard’s face lit up. “Aye. Follow me.”
They reached
Mina’s chamber without being seen. Hugh walked in first and went to her bed. It wasn’t until after he laid her down that he realized the stone was once again gone.
“Bernard, look for the blue stone while I aid Gabriel.” The baron nodded and went straight away to searching the chamber.
Hugh watched Mina’s face become paler. “Hurry, Gabriel,” he said.
“I don’t know if this will work,” Gabriel said as he added what looked like bits of grass into the goblet of herbs and water. “Raise her head. She must drink all of this.” Every time they put the goblet to her lips she would turn her head away, no matter how many ways they tried to get the liquid down her she wouldn’t open her mouth.
