by Jeanne Hardt
Not any time soon . . . “We should leave here, Donovan, and return to the castle to make our wedding plans.”
He eyed her in the same manner she had seen before; that of a hungry animal evaluating its prey. “Will you make me wait until then?”
“We must. I cannot lie with you until we are bound by law.”
“Soon, then. My body aches for you.”
She wanted nothing more than to make his body ache, but unlike her father she would render something greater than a punch in the nose. Men had far more sensitive places. A swift knee would accomplish the deed.
Coyly smiling, she took his hand and sped him away from the wall.
* * *
The rain dampened Sebastian’s clothes, but nothing felt worse than the pain in his heart.
He had watched Olivia’s arrow fall short and nearly made an attempt to retrieve it. When he saw her in the company of a man, he laid low.
“Sebastian.” Jonah cautiously crept toward him. “I can help you get it.”
“Not yet. I want to be certain they have gone.”
They hovered close to the ground in the cover of the trees. Waiting would mean the parchment might become unreadable, but Sebastian could not chance being seen. It appeared Olivia had purposefully rushed away with the man. Sebastian wanted to believe it had been for the sole reason of keeping their correspondence secret. However, by the intensity of the kiss Olivia had given the man, they were well on their way to doing much more.
The thought constricted Sebastian’s chest.
He motioned for Jonah to follow, then crawled to the cliff’s edge.
Jonah stretched out on his belly, reached over, and tried to grasp the arrow. “I cannot quite reach it. Hold my feet and lower me down.”
Sebastian kept a firm grip and eased Jonah downward enough to snag the arrow. Once he had it in hand, Sebastian brought him back to the ledge. They hastened to the cover of the trees.
Sebastian reached for the letter. “Is it ruined?”
“The parchment is barely damp. The arrow lodged under an overhang.”
“Thank God.” Sebastian took it from him and tucked it beneath his cloak. “We should return to the camp. If fortunate, the fire will still be burning.”
When they reached the campsite, the horses calmly stood sheltered in the trees. A good sign nothing threatened them. Since their encounter with the ill boar, Sebastian had kept attuned to the animals’ behavior. They had a keen sense for danger.
He shivered in his wet clothing, but nothing would keep him from Olivia’s letter. The fire had not gone out completely and gave off enough light to read by.
Jonah added some dry brush to the smoldering embers. “Concern yourself not with reading it aloud, Sebastian. You can tell me what she wrote once you have finished. I shall tend the flames and see to the horses.”
“Thank you.” Sebastian moved closer to the fire, carefully untied the parchment, and smoothed it in the warmth of the flames.
Prince Sebastian,
Your letter touched my heart. You described your world in a manner I could picture in my mind. If only I could behold it with my eyes.
Thank you for writing such kind words in my regard. I am not accustomed to such gracious flattery and not certain how I should respond. Saying ‘thank you’ does not seem satisfactory.
Yet there are more important things to tell you.
The princess is in grave danger. Our king is ill and could very well die. The queen has been urging her to name a suitor, but she has not found one to her liking. The man she thought she loved has betrayed her and plots against her. With the king in his current state, I fear this man may cause an uprising. I also have cause to believe he intends to kill the princess.
Never before has our kingdom been in such turmoil. You pledged your help. I beg you to send word to your father and have him bring aid. With enough men, our bridge could be repaired, allowing them to cross over and return order to our realm. I trust you would keep them from harming us.
We have no army, only a handful of guards. And although they are capable swordsmen, they would be no match for a Basilian army.
As much as it pains me to tell you, we were once Crenian. If you know the history our realms share and recognize the name, then you are aware your kingdom and mine were bitter enemies.
Your letters display your kind heart. I ask that you overlook the events which transpired long before you and I were born, and help us now.
I pray it will not be too late.
Olivia, servant to the queen
Sebastian held his head in his hands. Crenians. Those who had fled in the night.
Going to his father would take time, and even then, there was no guarantee he would be willing to help.
Since Olivia had mentioned only a handful of guards, Sebastian had hope. He could best any man.
He gazed upward. The sun sank low on the horizon, and the rain persisted. Regardless, he dared not wait a moment longer. As Olivia had written, it might be too late.
Sebastian slung a quiver of arrows over his shoulder and tightened the belt that sheathed the sword at his waist.
Jonah gaped at him. “What are you doing?”
“Do not attempt to stop me.” Sebastian stepped away from the fire, but Jonah grabbed his arm.
“Tell me your intentions.” With every word, Jonah’s grip intensified.
Sebastian stared at his hand until Jonah released him. As Prince of Basilia, he owed no explanation.
“Please . . .” Jonah’s voice changed to that of a friend.
Sebastian could not fault him for doing what he had been trained to do, but it was more than that. He genuinely cared. “Olivia’s letter states her kingdom is in danger. The king lies ill, and there is a man who favors the princess, but whom Olivia believes may cause an uprising and harm her. She asked that we go to my father.” He huffed. “I fear we have no time. Her words scream of urgency, and I must help her.”
“And how do you intend to accomplish this?” He waved his hand at Sebastian’s quiver. “Shoot arrows at them? Pierce them from across the canyon?”
Sebastian shook his head. The fear in Jonah’s eyes showed he had guessed at the truth. “I intend to cross the bridge.”
“No!” Jonah gripped him with both hands. “I will not let you set even one foot on it. The damnable thing is in ruin. You cannot cross!”
“Release me.” Sebastian glared at him, and Jonah took a step back. “I know your honor binds you to your oath. However, I must do this. The bridge has stood for more than a century. One man’s weight will not bring it down.”
Jonah raked his hands through his hair and gritted his teeth. “Why do you care about these people? Olivia touched your heart with her words, but you saw she has a man. Why risk your life for a princess you have never seen? We should leave now and forget them. Let them resolve their own matters. They are not our concern.”
“She asked for help, and she trusted me to give it. I have no choice.” Sebastian headed for the bridge.
Jonah stayed at his heels, grumbling all the while. “And what do I tell the queen when you fall to your death?”
Sebastian chose not to answer and increased his pace. Soon, total darkness would set in and crossing would become impossible.
He had no intention of dying. Tonight, he would stand before the princess, and if he was fortunate, she could very well be what he had envisioned.
If need be, his sword would take care of the man who betrayed her. If all transpired as he hoped, he would find his bride and unite their kingdoms.
Chapter 17
Olivia had to know.
After pushing Donovan away with another kiss and giving him hope for more to come, she left him, telling him she needed to change into dry clothes.
Instead of going to her room, she sped to the back of the castle and ran to the wall.
Lightning flashed overhead, illuminating the cliff on the far side. She squinted. The spyglass would have helped, but sh
e dared not waste time getting it. From what she discerned, the arrow no longer protruded from the cliffside. She doubted it had fallen into the depths and prayed Sebastian had retrieved it.
She breathed a sigh of relief, warmed by hope.
A slight movement on the bridge caught the corner of her eye.
Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the figure.
Sebastian?
No!
He stood at the center of the bridge.
Olivia’s heart pounded. She gripped the edge of the stone wall. “Sebastian!”
His head jerked high. He stumbled and grabbed the railing.
She gasped. “No!” Tears pooled in her eyes, then spilled over and added even more dampness to her cheeks. “You must go back!”
He rose fully upright. “No! I will not!”
To be making such a foolish effort, he had to have read her letter. Yet, once again, he ignored her wishes. He was supposed to go to Basilia and bring help.
“Stubborn man,” she mumbled, then stood on the tips of her toes and leaned as far she could over the wall.
“Why are you doing this?” she yelled from the depths of her aching heart. If he were to fall, she would never forgive herself for telling him of their plight.
“Your princess needs me!”
“Stop!”
Olivia spun around and faced Donovan. He hovered behind her with a drawn bow.
“No, Donovan!” She lunged for the weapon.
Expressionless, he shoved her aside, landing her in a puddle of mud. “Do you not see that I am protecting you, Olivia?” He climbed atop the wall and took aim. “Turn around, or I shall run you through!”
Olivia pushed herself from the ground and ran to his side. “No! Do not harm him.”
Donovan’s head snapped to the side. His lip curled into a snarl. “You have seen him here before, have you not? Is he the reason you came to the wall to dream?”
“Please . . .” She took hold of his ankle. “I beg of you. I will do anything you wish, if you swear you will not harm him.”
“No evil shall come to Padrida. No one can leave, and no one shall enter.”
“Drop you weapon or die!” An unfamiliar voice boomed from the other side of the canyon and into the darkening sky.
Sebastian’s friend?
Donovan kept his bow in position, ready to fire. “I will kill him!”
“If he dies, you shall follow! Along with everyone in your kingdom!”
Olivia’s hands shook out of control. Both men kept their weapons drawn and ready. A simple release of the bowstring could send someone to their death. And if Sebastian perished, war would come. “Please, Donovan. Allow him to cross.”
“Never,” Donovan sneered.
An enormous rumble shook the ground, followed instantly by an ear-piercing clap of thunder. Lightning struck the gate in a flash so bright, Olivia covered her eyes.
“Ahh!” Donovan lost his footing and fell.
Olivia peered over the wall, dreading what she would find. Her rapid-beating heart made breathing almost impossible.
Donovan’s wide eyes met hers. “Help me!” He clung to the edge of the cliff. His hands twisted around thin branches that could not possibly be large enough to bear his weight.
How could she help him? Even if she managed to climb over the wall to reach him, she had nary enough strength to pull him up.
In all the commotion, she had taken her eyes off Sebastian. She shifted them in his direction, fearing the worst.
She clutched a hand to her pounding heart. He had scaled the bridge and stood on the other side of the gate, frantically jerking the latch. “Olivia! Can you open it?”
“No! It is locked with iron chains.”
Sebastian grunted and released the handle. “I shall have to climb over.”
“Help me!” Donovan’s horrified scream reminded Olivia of the far more pressing issues.
She looked toward the castle, then ran for rope.
* * *
Sebastian’s heart finally eased, yet still pounded hard in his chest. Not once, but twice had the slats in the bridge given way beneath his feet. No matter, he had not given up.
When Olivia’s lover appeared, if not for Jonah, Sebastian’s life would have certainly ended. Time and again, Jonah had earned his knighthood on this venture.
A small ledge encircled the wall. Sebastian moved from the tall arched gate and peered over the stone structure, only to see Olivia running toward the castle. She likely sought help for her lover.
Dare Sebastian give aid to a man who had intended to kill him? The obvious choice hit hard. He could not let Olivia lose the man she loved.
Sebastian knelt on the edge of the cliff and extended his hand. “Take it!”
“No!” The man snarled, clinging to a mass of thin mud-covered vines.
“You act foolishly! You shall die if you refuse my help!”
“I would rather perish than touch evil.” His breath came out in heavy puffs as his hands slipped farther down the wet vines.
Sebastian grasped onto a thick tree root with one hand, then lay on his belly and again stretched out the other. “Take it, now!”
The man hesitated, eyes wild and full of fear. Whether for falling, or for fear of the evil he claimed Sebastian to be, it mattered not.
“Damn it, man! Take it!”
Gritting his teeth, the man removed one hand from the vine and grasped Sebastian’s. He strained, using all his strength to bring him up. Fortunately, the imperiled man was also strong and pushed against the muddy bank with his boots, launching him upward.
“Take care, Your Highness!” Jonah yelled.
He could not have chosen a poorer time to forget their arrangement. This stranger need not know of Sebastian’s status, but how could he fault Jonah? Years of respect and fear of losing him probably caused him to blurt out the words.
After lifting the man to solid ground, Sebastian glanced in Jonah’s direction. His bow remained raised, ready to strike.
The hard-breathing man leaned over and braced his hands against his thighs. “You are a prince?” His flat tone sounded even more displeased.
“Yes. Prince Sebastian of Basilia. My man, Jonah, stands ready to kill you if you threaten me. No finer archer exists in the land. He never misses his mark.”
The man patted his own body as if searching for a weapon. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath.
“Your bow dropped into the canyon when you fell from the wall. Shall we call a truce and help one another to the other side?”
“I do not require your aid.” The man glared, then hoisted himself onto the rock wall.
Sebastian followed.
When his feet touched ground on the opposite side, Olivia stood before them. Her soaked dress clung to her skin, and he had to shift his gaze. Her lovely face was all he had been able to see through his spyglass, yet now she exposed more than any decent man should be allowed to view.
Two men in uniform strode up behind her. Sebastian checked his sword and prepared for a confrontation. The hands of the muscular guards lay readied on the hilts of their own swords.
Sebastian returned his attention to Olivia and made a conscious effort to keep his eyes on her face alone. She pushed a strand of hair away and water trickled down her arm. Most of her locks entwined in a long single braid down her back. She looked even more beautiful than he had imagined.
“You are safe,” she rasped. “Thank God.” Her slowly blinking eyes held his.
Sebastian opened his mouth to answer, when the man he had saved stepped between them.
“Of course, I am, my love,” he said, then kissed her forehead. “Forgive me for frightening you.”
Her head cocked to one side, and she simply stared at him. No embrace. No words of relief that he lived. No reaction could have been odder.
The man jerked around, scowled at Sebastian, then gestured to the guards. “Restrain him!”
They advanced on Seba
stian.
“No!” Olivia stepped forward. “He is our guest. You will not bind him or harm him in any way!”
She certainly did not speak like the ladies of Basilia. Sebastian smiled, finding her more incredible every moment.
The guards stopped cold. “Yes, Your Highness.” They bowed low.
Sebastian swallowed hard. Olivia had misled him. It appeared he had not been the only one attempting to feign status.
Her lover took hold of her arm. “What are you doing?” He spoke down to her as if he were a nobleman. No commoner ever addressed anyone in the royal family of Basilia in such a fashion.
She lifted her chin. “What must be done.”
The man pulled her closer. “He comes from the outside world. You break our laws by allowing him to stay.”
“Our law states no one can leave. It says nothing of someone coming into Padrida.”
“But . . . the evil . . .” The man pointed over his shoulder. “He came from the forest!”
Olivia’s head rose even higher. “Sebastian is a prince. We will treat him as such. While he remains, he shall be given a room in the castle.”
“I do not trust him.” The man said the words to her, while glaring at Sebastian.
“I do.” She patted the man’s arm. “We shall discuss this later, Donovan. We all need to change into dry clothes and warm ourselves by the fire.”
Sebastian stepped toward them, intending to follow them to the castle, then remembered Jonah and rushed to the wall. “All is well, Jonah! Return to camp! I will come again tomorrow!”
Jonah cupped his hands to the sides of his mouth. “Return to the camp alone?” His shouted words could not have sounded more confused, but there was no other choice in the matter.
“Yes! But, be wary!”
Jonah shook his fists in the air, then disappeared into Black Wood.
“I shall never hear the end of this,” Sebastian mumbled.
He feared for his friend. Though the heavy rain and storms had seemingly kept the boars away, they could return at any time. Jonah would sleep little tonight.
Sebastian followed the others, keeping his distance. Olivia looked over her shoulder and smiled. He started to return it, but Donovan drew her closer and doused Sebastian’s spirit.
