by Sam Rook
Kathryn’s hand was still upon his forearm and she gave it a gentle squeeze, leaving it there to see how he’d react to the contact. He placed his other hand upon hers and they sat in silence for several minutes looking out over the darkening skyline.
Matthis broke the silence first. "I’m going to retire to a room at the Inn. Would you like to join me?"
Kathryn stared at the first star to appear in the evening sky. At midnight, the spells would fade and their identities would reveal themselves by dawn. They must have read Cinderella too many times. "Yes."
He reached over and lifted her onto his lap with his arms beneath her shoulders, wings and legs. "Hold on."
"What?"
He grinned and inched closer to the edge of the balcony.
"No, wait, I thought flying with another in your arms was too risky." She gripped his forearms.
"Relax. Unarmored and as light as you are, I won’t have a problem. Trust me." He waited for her response.
Kathryn looked down then back at Matthis. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a nod. "I trust you."
Her stomach dropped as they fell from the ledge, then her fear receded as she let him carry her over the trees and circle the pond. His flight was effortless and she dismissed her earlier fear. They flew toward the small town cradled between the castle and the outer wall.
Landing upon the rooftop of the only Inn catering to visiting knights, Matthis set her down and they walked together toward the entrance. He nodded to a man behind the desk just beyond the door and the man tossed him a room key.
Once inside the room, Kathryn put her hand upon her hip and gave him a knowing smile. "Planned to get lucky with someone tonight, huh?"
He grinned. "I will not deny that I look forward to this day every couple of cycles. I need a room most times."
"Ah, I can see you’re not a very confident man." Kathryn smiled and shook her head. Glancing around the room, she took in the large bed and sparse furnishings. "There’s really only one purpose for this room, isn’t there?" When she turned back, she found Matthis with his hand still upon the doorknob.
"We can just sit and talk if you’d like. I’ll not force you to do anything you don’t want to do." No smile touched his lips.
Kathryn saw something in his eyes that made her pause. It wasn’t the expected lust or humor, but a look filled with sadness and anger. It seemed so familiar. She turned away and looked back at the room, trying to gather her thoughts. He must have been playing a part after all. He acted not for her benefit, but his own. The war was not something that could be set-aside for even a day.
A day is what they had and she wasn’t going to throw it away.
She turned back and Matthis still had his hand upon the door, but a forced smile was upon his face. Kathryn walked over to him and he looked away as his hand twisted the doorknob. Placing her hand upon the door, she held it closed and took his hand away from the doorknob with her other hand.
"The war doesn’t intrude upon our lives today. I’d like to make the most of it." She moved his hand to her side and put both of her arms around his neck, pulling him down to a gentle kiss. Matthis didn’t resist.
He wrapped his arms around her, caressing her lower back and running his hands up to where her wings joined her back. Her skin was very sensitive around her wings and she found herself giggling at his soft touch. His caress turned into a firm rub and Kathryn’s giggling turned to soft moaning.
Matthis had the touch of a professional masseuse. After almost a year of flying, she had never had anyone massage her new back muscles. The massage alone would have made the memories of the war fall away. His lips again met hers and she had trouble concentrating on the kiss as he lowered her onto the bed while still massaging her back.
Upon their sides, Kathryn gathered herself enough to start unbuttoning his shirt. She pulled away from his kiss and looked down while she opened his shirt to find a scar stretching from his neck to the right side of his abdomen. The scar only highlighted his powerful chest and she ran her fingers along it starting from the top and working her way to the bottom. When the scar ended, her fingers continued.
The massage of her back ceased when her hand cupped him. Glancing up, she met his eyes and held her breath. She’d never seen a man look at her with such desire. Sighing with renewed confidence, Kathryn gave him a mischievous smile and glanced down again to implement her next moves.
Only one night of freedom. Time’s a wastin’.
The buttons of his pants proved no obstacle and she returned her gaze back to his face as she slid her hands in. He growled with pleasure, glided his hand down her back, over her butt, and pulled her leg over him. His arousal pulsed with his desire and she felt his hand slide around to urge her hands out of his pants.
He lifted her out of the bed to a standing position and his large hands attempted to undo the small buttons of her blouse. Kathryn looked down to hide her smile at his clumsiness and found she looked at his erection, now visible above his open pants. Unable to resist, she reached down and gripped it once again.
Matthis gasped in surprise, she took her time looking up into his eyes, letting her eyes slide over his tight abs, strong chest and chiseled jaw. He looked confused.
Puzzled, Kathryn asked, "Did I do something wrong? Have I offended you?"
"I’m used to pleasuring a woman. Not..." He cleared his throat, appearing to search for the right words.
She looked at him with wide eyes, unable to hide her surprise. "You’re telling me you didn’t expect me to try and please you at all? I could just sit back and let you do everything?"
"Well, yes. That’s how it’s supposed to be."
Kathryn exaggerated a sigh. "I hate to break with tradition, but change is coming." She slid to her knees.
Chapter 37
After three hours of unimaginable pleasure, Lanclor lay next to her sleeping form in exhaustion. Midnight was an hour away and he knew he’d have to leave not only to keep his identity from her, but also to spare her the discomfort of thinking he had found out her identity.
His heart ached as he lifted himself from the bed and padded over to his pile of clothes upon the floor. A cycle ago, he would have just pulled them on and walked out the door. Tonight, he turned back to the bed and contemplated crawling back in until morning. It wasn’t just tonight’s events that hooked him; it was the agony of being with her almost every day for the last cycle and not being able to touch her.
Just when he thought he knew Lady Kathryn, she did something he didn’t expect. Seeing this other side of her made him desperate to return to the days when his curse wouldn’t have made a difference. A time when he could have taken a wife without fearing society would reject her.
Lanclor turned away and pulled his pants from the pile. He carried the memories of a long-dead knight responsible for the death of hundreds. Shoving his legs into his pants, he cursed the Goddess under his breath. The world would never forget betrayal and he’d never subject Lady Kathryn to the derision he faced.
Grabbing his shirt, he pulled it on and buttoned it with steady hands. He’d just finish getting dressed and leave without looking back. She stirred in her sleep and he had to look her way. Her twitching fingers didn’t alarm him as much as her facial expression.
Her brows furrowed in pain and a small sound of grief escaped her frowning mouth. She awoke not sobbing as he expected, but in silence with a look of loss and despair as the tears streamed from her eyes and rolled sideways down her face to fall upon her pillow.
Dismissing all thoughts of leaving, he crawled into bed behind her and wrapped his arm around her. The top of her wings tickled his chin and she hugged his arm to her chest.
"Sir Lanclor."
Lanclor stiffened.
"He died. Again. And I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I keep seeing him die and there’s nothing I can do." Her body started to shake with her sobbing and he held her to him.
He felt elation mix with his despair. She would mourn for hi
m. That meant she felt something. Even if it wasn’t love, she must feel something to feel that much loss at his departure. In a twisted way, her reaction to her persistent Sights of his death made things more bearable.
Lanclor held her in his arms until her sobs subsided, then forced himself to get out of the bed and walk over to stand where she could see him. She looked up at him with red eyes and a frown.
"I have to go. It’s almost midnight."
"Midnight? Oh, I forgot." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I’m sorry you had to see that. Thank you for staying as long as you did. I appreciate it."
"It was truly my pleasure to spend the day with you." Lanclor bent over and gave her one last kiss. He knew it was a mistake, but he didn’t care. "The room is paid for, so you can just fly from the roof when you’re ready. Good night, Kate."
"Good night, Matthis."
He left the room and closed the door behind him before he froze with his hand upon the doorknob. Cursing with the realization that he had used her real name, he walked the short distance to the stairwell and threw open the door. Taking the steps two at a time, he made his way to the roof, and then launched himself into the air. The kiss had distracted him to the point of sloppiness.
"So, Lanclor, any luck at the Ball? Guarenia wouldn’t let me stay past the toast. I saw you dancing from a distance, but couldn’t make out her face." Lord Alextor sat with his legs propped up on Lanclor’s desk, crossed at the ankles.
"It’s not really any of your business. And get your damn feet off my desk. I don’t want you messing up my reports." Lanclor scowled at him and turned back to the window.
"Not any of my business?" Lanclor heard the leather squeak of the chair as Alextor rose and approached the window. "Lan, what’s going on? You’ve been distracted all week and you’ve never been quiet about your Ball exploits, at least not with me."
"Just leave it alone, Lord Alextor." Lanclor didn’t glance away from the window.
"Don’t you ‘Lord Alextor’ me, Lan." Alextor grabbed his shoulder and swung him around. "Tell me what’s going on." Alextor looked him in the eye, unwavering.
Lanclor glared at him, but knew Alextor was too stubborn to let it rest. He looked down at Alextor’s hand upon his shoulder. His friend quickly removed it. Lanclor walked over to his desk and sat down, placing his elbows upon the desk and clenching his hands together. "Yes, I had some luck."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Do you know who she was?" Alextor gave him an irritated look.
"Yeah. Someone I should never have gotten involved with."
"She was that bad, huh? You’ll regroup next time, find someone better."
Lanclor looked away, clenching his jaw. "Yeah." He felt Alextor’s stare boring into the side of his head.
"By the Goddess."
"What?" Lanclor looked up with an innocent expression that didn’t quite meet his eyes.
"You pursued someone you cared for."
"I have no idea what you’re talking about." Lanclor rose from his chair. "I have reports to do. We’ll have to talk later."
"Bullshit. You write those reports for me, so if I don’t care about them right now, you shouldn’t either. Who was it, Lan?" Alextor leaned with both hands upon Lanclor’s desk, glaring at him.
Lanclor gave the window a momentary glance, then returned Alextor’s glare. "It’s not any of your business." He cursed the despair in his voice.
Alextor straightened and walked over to the window. Lanclor cursed under his breath.
"Oh my. She is beautiful. It makes sense now." Alextor turned to face him with a grin.
"What are you talking about? What makes sense?" Lanclor snorted in disgust.
"You two are always bickering like a married couple. That little stunt with the Battle of Southker village. You tried to prove to yourself that she didn’t matter to you and instead you proved how much she did matter to you. You were like a lonely puppy, or an irritated lonely puppy, while she recovered."
"This is ridiculous. I am nothing like a puppy. I think you can just—"
"You’re in love with her."
Lanclor paused.
"Why don’t you just tell her? By the Goddess, we both know life is short. Tell her how you feel, and then if she feels the same, you’ll actually be happy for a change. You need to do something to get the stick out of your ass."
"Don’t lecture me about sticks, Alextor." Lanclor got right up in Alextor’s face. If not for Alextor’s rank, Lanclor would have swung at him. "It’s time for you to leave."
Alextor didn’t back down. "No. It’s time for you to cut yourself some slack. You didn’t betray anyone. When will you accept that?" Alextor turned and left the room, leaving Lanclor glaring at the air.
He walked over to the window and watched Artemis carry Lady Kathryn around the practice ring. Lavender. Her hair smelled of lavender. Rose-petal soft skin covered the body of the strongest woman he’d ever met. Yet, in that final hour, her weakness showed him nobody was invulnerable.
Chapter 38
"Drewton, what’s your interest in blue root? You know it’s too expensive, and poison is a coward’s weapon of choice. I thought better of you." Talein, one of Drewton’s oldest friends and the second in command of his squad, eyed him skeptically. Mikael stared into his mug appearing to ignore the exchange, but Drewton knew he listened intently.
"You know me better than that, Talein. I turned down a job last week involving the elimination of a knight. I then trailed her to try to figure out why she was considered a threat. I found her purchasing a blue figurine and that blue wasn’t makkei juice."
"A knight? Killing knights is despicable. Using blue root is even worse." Talein turned his head to the side and spit upon the floor. "I’ve seen you with that look in your eye before. What are you planning?"
"Planning? Why do you think I’m planning anything?" Drewton smiled and rose from his chair. "You worry too much, old man."
"Old man? You’re older than I am by ten cycles!"
"Yeah, well, you look older! Seriously, I can’t let them kill a knight. We need all the knights we can get or the Daemons will eat us all. I want to track down everyone who ordered blue root. I remember the woman at the stall. All I have to do is look at everyone who ordered it to track her down. I’m sure there aren’t many women for hire for that type of thing."
Talein raised an eyebrow and frowned at Drewton. "What makes you think the woman was the person who ordered it? She could have just been paid to sell it to the knight."
Drewton shook his head. "True, but the way she acted made me think she was having too much pleasure in performing the act. Besides, she wore gloves. If she were just hired to give the knight the figurine, the payer wouldn’t have bothered to tell her what was on it. I want you to ask around and have one of the boys go through the taverns. If they keep their ears open, maybe someone will be bragging about this type of hit. It’s definitely one which would earn them a reputation."
Talein snorted. "Killing a knight is not a reputation any sane man would want. Who in their right mind would even accept the job?"
"You’d be surprised what some people would do for money."
"I should get going now Drewton. I don’t want to worry Jenna." Mikael was just rising from his chair when a knock sounded upon the door.
"Enter," Drewton responded, piling the mugs and pitcher onto a tray. "Ah, Pevet, you have news?"
"Yes, Drewton, I have some most interesting news. I went to that tavern on Jint Street, the one with the five trees on the black sign. At first, I thought I had found your guy; he was talking quietly to another about his new contract. He mentioned the word knight, so I immediately used an eavesdropping spell to listen in. It appears there’s more than one contract out there."
"More than one contract? For the same hit?"
"No sir, multiple hits in the Knighthood. I didn’t recognize one of the names, Lady Kathryn, but, sir, they mentioned certain names, names I co
uldn’t believe were uttered when talking about a hit. There are contracts out there for the deaths of Lord Alextor and Sir Lanclor."
Drewton shook his head and snorted in disgust. "Who would want to kill off the only people who are protecting us from annihilation?" Av’lor’s going insane.
"They didn’t know who their employer was, sir, but they did mention Vikten’s name. I think his squad is acting as the middlemen between the employer and those they hired. You know how he is, no honor whatsoever. He’d kill his own mother if someone paid him a few silvers." Pevet spit over his shoulder to emphasize his distaste.
"We need to do something. Allowing them to kill any knights is irresponsible. Allowing them to kill two Soulbearers is unthinkable. We have to warn the targets. We can’t guarantee we’ll be able to stop the hit in time, so perhaps if they know it’s coming they can protect themselves."
"What do you suggest? We just walk up to the castle, ask to speak to the leader of the Knighthood and the Knight-Commander, and tell them that we were offered the job but declined, but assassins have been hired to kill them?"
Drewton smiled. "That’s an interesting suggestion, Pevet. I think that’s exactly what I’ll do."
Mikael shook his head at Drewton. "Drewton, you know Sir Lanclor hates mercenaries. Maybe I should go in your place?"
"I’m not going to miss the fun, Mikael. You’re welcome to come along, but I fight my own battles."
"I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Just don’t expect me to protect you when the feathers start flying."
Drewton stood in front of the arsenal of weapons he kept in his private chambers. Mikael leaned against the doorway, tapping his foot while he waited for him to make a decision.
Drewton sighed and grabbed a sword. "Well, if I’m going to speak to Soulbearers, I need to look like a respectable warrior or they won’t take me seriously." He strapped his long sword to his side. The sword was made of fine blue steel and had been a gift from his father before he died several cycles ago. His father had spent his life savings on it and Drewton held it close to his heart. It was worth a small fortune now that smith Banwer had passed.
