A VOW TO KEEP (The Vengeance Trilogy)

by Lana Williams

  “Never mind.” Gunnell stepped back and gestured for Alyna to enter the cottage. “Please, come in.”

  “I can’t stay long,” Alyna replied.

  Gunnell paused and took a deep breath. “My lady, I must tell you.” She bit her lip as she hesitated, her worry evident.

  Alyna’s stomach tightened with trepidation.

  “I had a vision.” Gunnell’s warm brown eyes filled with concern. “Trouble is coming, my lady. I can’t see it clearly yet. I don’t know when, or who, or how, but it is terrible. I fear it concerns you.”

  Dread seeped into Alyna, its coldness catching her breath. It seemed Myranda’s prediction was holding true after all.

  ***

  “Royce!” Edward’s call echoed in the bailey and halted Royce’s progress across the green grass.

  Royce had no desire to speak with Edward and didn’t bother to hide his impatience at the interruption. All he wanted was to see if Hugh had received word from Blackwell as to when he would return. Royce couldn’t make it through another day without asking Blackwell for his blessing to marry Alyna once he successfully took back Larkspur. Not if. When.

  Edward approached with a cocky smile that immediately put Royce on guard. “I have some interesting news for you.”

  “What would that be?” Unless it had to do with Lord Blackwell, Royce had little interest in anything Edward had to say.

  “I took the liberty of interrogating our guest.” Edward’s derision at the term was clear.

  “What?” Royce stepped forward, unable to believe Edward’s idiocy.

  Edward lost some of his confidence. “I spoke with the thief.”

  “By whose authority?”

  “My own. I’m the one who captured him.” Edward’s face reddened with indignation.

  “That does not give you permission to speak with him.”

  “And why not? Where were you yesterday? Wasn’t that when you were supposed to speak with him?”

  The barb struck true; that had been his intention. However, plans were made to be changed, and Royce didn’t regret the way his had been altered.

  Edward continued, “You were nowhere to be found, and I decided if you weren’t going to bother to take action after I risked my life to capture him, then by God, I would, and I did.”

  Edward’s belligerent attitude pushed Royce’s temper up another notch, as did his suggestion that Royce had shirked his duties. He refused to explain himself to Edward. “You are not in any position to make those kinds of decisions. Have you no brain in that thick skull of yours?”

  “Don’t blame your incompetence on me. If you’d done your job, I wouldn’t have had to.”

  Royce took a deep breath in an effort to refrain from hitting Edward. “And what results did you obtain?”

  “Needless to say, I pressed him to no avail, but after further persuasion–”

  “You forced him?” Royce could hardly believe his ears.

  “Of course! He left me no choice. What did you expect?”

  “We gave him sanctuary. I expected you to honor that.”

  “You gave him sanctuary. Not I. Feed him. Clothe him. What kind of treatment is that for a thief?”

  “The kind of treatment that will allow the man to switch loyalties without losing face.” Royce shook his head. “Put yourself in his position. He was abandoned by the very men to whom he’d given his loyalty. For all they knew, he’d be killed immediately or worse. How would that make you feel? He came here with nothing but the threadbare clothes on his back. If someone could clothe you and put food in your stomach, provide a safe place to live and a coin or two in your pocket, what would you do?”

  Edward stood, hands on hips, and stared across the bailey. By the look on his face, it was apparent that Royce’s logic was starting to make sense to him.

  “Edward, the last few...situations you’ve been involved in have caused serious harm. Your worst failing is that you lack empathy for the people around you.” Royce pressed Edward while he had his full attention. “Have you even spoken to Matthew or Nicholas since they were injured?”

  Edward’s brow raised in surprise. Obviously, the idea hadn’t crossed his mind.

  “You should. Nay, you need to.” There were some things that could not be taught. A man of honor knew what the right thing to do was and acted on it. “Now, tell me what you learned from the thief.”

  What Royce heard next was surprising indeed.

  ***

  “He did what?”

  “That’s what I said.” Royce had at last found Hugh, and he was as angered by Edward as Royce. The two men made their way toward the area of the garrison where the thief was staying.

  “Edward should be gone by now. Enough of his idiocy.”

  Royce agreed but knew the decision was Blackwell’s. “Edward and I had words. We’ll see how he reacts to them and what Blackwell says upon his return. Has any message arrived from him?”

  “Nay. Nothing.” Hugh cast a long look at Royce. “Did you have words with anyone other than Edward?”

  Puzzled, Royce glanced at him. “Such as?”

  The older man shrugged, but the sly grin on his face was a large clue. “You and the lady were gone quite some time yesterday.”

  “I told you. I assisted her in gathering some herbs for the healer.”

  “Forgive me, but I have difficulty imagining one of the kingdom’s finest knights gathering herbs. How exactly do you ‘gather herbs’ anyway? Or is that code for something else?” Hugh moved his brows up and down suggestively.

  Royce sighed. There was no purpose in going down this path with Hugh. The man was like a dog with a bone. Normally, Royce admired this quality in his friend, but not when it was directed at him.

  “Seriously, Royce, are you sure you know what you’re about? Or perhaps a better question–does Lord Blackwell?”

  Royce held open the door of the garrison for Hugh. “I intend to speak with Lord Blackwell as soon as he returns. Now, let us see the condition of our guest. I want to confirm what Edward told me, and then you and I need to speak with Blackwell the moment he returns.”

  By the look of the man’s face, Edward had been rough with him. The thief rose as they entered the small chamber and looked at them with the very wariness Royce had hoped to avoid. A large red bump grazed his jaw, and one eye had already turned a distinct purple.

  Royce shared a look of disgust with Hugh. The process of gaining information from the man would only be harder now that Edward had interfered with their plan.

  Hugh leaned against the door of the small chamber as Royce waved the man back onto the narrow bed on which he’d been resting. “Sit.”

  Though slow to respond, the man obeyed with a grimace. Royce could’ve struck Edward for this mess. Somehow they had to convince the thief to confirm what he’d told Edward, or better yet, tell them more.

  “Thomas, right?”

  “So much for your promise of sanctuary.” He spat on the ground. “I’ve got nothing to say to the likes of you.”

  “My apologies for Sir Edward. He was not acting on my behalf.” Royce let that information sink in before he continued, “My friend and I would like to hear what you told Sir Edward.”

  Thomas snorted. “I’m not repeating myself.”

  Royce glanced at Hugh before offering, “I think we could make it worth your while.”

  Hugh nodded in agreement.

  They now had Thomas’s attention. “How?”

  Royce named a price, much lower than the one he was willing to pay, but enough to keep Thomas’s interest.

  “Royce! Surely you can’t mean to pay the man so much.” Hugh played his part well as he straightened with supposed outrage. “What could he possibly have to tell us that warrants such a sum?”

  “I believe he could tell us many interesting things. Couldn’t you, Thomas?”

  “The information I have is worth more than that pittance,” Thomas assured him with a sly look. He leaned forward, elbows
on his knees. “In fact, I could tell you more than I told that other man.”

  He’d taken the bait. Now, the thief was on the same side of negotiations as Royce, right where they wanted him.

  “Come now, Royce,” Hugh complained. “Let us be reasonable. Blackwell won’t pay that kind of money.” Hugh could’ve fooled a bishop with his acting ability.

  Royce pondered Hugh’s comment for affect, as though unsure. He let silence linger in the room.

  “I could tell you some very helpful information. I could indeed,” Thomas boasted and rose in his effort to convince them of his sincerity.

  “Such as?” Hugh asked with enough doubt in his tone to make Thomas nervous about losing the opportunity before him.

  The thief chewed his lip, obviously unsure how much to say to convince them he was worth the coin they offered and more. “I know where their camp is.”

  Royce hid a smile at the success of their ploy. “I believe that is what you already mentioned to Sir Edward. I’m not sure I know where it is from the description you gave him.”

  “I could take you there.”

  “That would prove useful.” Royce had hoped for this. But he also had concerns that it could be a trap, perhaps set up with Edward’s assistance. “What else do you know?”

  “What would it be worth to you?”

  Hugh spoke again. “Royce, what is the point of this? We have no way of knowing if he speaks the truth or not.”

  Royce nodded in agreement.

  “Believe me, you will realize the truth of what I tell you. In fact, for a small additional sum, I could tell you the purpose of our raids.” He glanced nervously at Royce’s sword.

  Excitement stole through Royce. This was more than he’d hoped for. “Well, that would definitely increase my previous offer.”

  In a short time, a deal was struck and coins passed hands with the remainder to be paid when Thomas finished his tale.

  “So, tell us, Thomas. Why are you preying upon Lord Blackwell?”

  “He is not the reason we raid these lands.” The thief swallowed hard.

  “Why else would you?” Hugh asked.

  “The lord who pays us–” Thomas began.

  “Who is this lord?” asked Royce.

  “I know not, sir. This I swear. But I do know that he believes a certain knight might plan on causing him problems in the future, so he seeks to kill that knight.”

  A chill ran down Royce’s spine. “Who is this knight?”

  “We were told he’s a man of your height. Brown hair, gray eyes.” Thomas paused for effect, more of a storyteller than his listeners had given him credit for.

  “Get on with it, man,” Hugh urged as he placed a hand on the head of his axe. “Or we’ll be tickling it out of you.”

  “No need for that.” He cleared his throat nervously, keeping an eye on them both. “The knight we seek carries a sword with a rose crystal in the pommel.”

  Royce shared a look with Hugh, but refused to look down at his own sword.

  “What is this knight’s name?” demanded Hugh.

  “No one was sure, but I know now.”

  Royce stared hard at the thief. “Speak clearly or forfeit your life.”

  The thief glanced nervously at Hugh before he answered Royce. “I-I’m telling you that we were paid to find a man with a sword such as yours.”

  “And?” Royce asked.

  “We were to create enough mischief to cause this knight to give chase, and then lure him into a trap. But we couldn’t get him to follow the plan. The trap has yet to succeed.” The thief seemed to grow more nervous by the moment, desperate to be believed. “I tell the truth. The pay I got wasn’t good enough to buy my silence, not when the bastards deserted me.”

  “Who paid you? Who gave you orders?” Royce asked.

  “Our leader’s name is Daniel. He’s the one who paid us and told us where to go and what to do. But I don’t know who gave him orders.”

  Though they questioned the thief further, the man had little more to tell. Royce paid him the remainder of the coins with the promise of more if Thomas remembered anything else of importance.

  Royce walked out the door into the clean, fresh air, something he appreciated even more after being in close quarters with the thief, clean clothes or not. Apparently the man had not taken them up on an offer of a bath.

  “It has to be your uncle,” Hugh said as soon as he was sure they were alone in the bailey. “Why does he not attack you outright?”

  “He must not be certain of my identity or that I live. Or perhaps he fears killing a knight would bring him trouble. He may know of my association with Lord Blackwell and wouldn’t want to bring down his wrath by killing me. He has to know Blackwell is close to the king. All the more reason to murder me indirectly.” Royce rubbed his chin as he thought it through. “He wouldn’t want anything to happen that could reveal his past misdeeds. How annoying for him that I cropped up after he left me to die all those years ago.”

  “Murder would be a better word than misdeeds,” Hugh commented. “We need to go to that camp and speak with this Daniel as quickly as possible. We’ll take Thomas with us to show us the way. Daniel will confirm for us that Tegmont is behind the attacks. We’ll have even more proof of your uncle’s treachery. That will justify your taking Larkspur. When do we ride?”

  “As soon as I speak with Blackwell.”

  “But he’s gone. We can’t take the chance the thieves will move the camp. We must act while the information is still valid.”

  “Hugh,” Royce began. His friend’s loyalty meant more to him than he could put in words, but this plot was growing thicker by the moment. “I want you to stay here. If Tegmont knows I live, this could be a trap. For all I know, Edward somehow arranged this with the thief and Tegmont to try to kill both of us. I will not have your blood on my hands.”

  The annoyed look Hugh gave him nearly made him smile. “Do not be an imbecile. I will fight by your side and together, we will defeat your uncle and regain Larkspur. When do we ride?”

  ***

  The mid-day meal was about to be served by the time Alyna returned to the keep. Gunnell’s words of upcoming trouble worried Alyna. Unfortunately, the healer hadn’t been able to tell her any further details; she only knew the trouble involved Alyna.

  Did it mean Alyna had no future with Royce? Or did the problem have to do with her father or Tegmont? There was no way to know. She had to be prepared for anything.

  Alyna’s stomach grumbled at the scent of an appetizing aroma in the air as she made her way into the bustling hall. Thoughts of food disappeared when she saw Florence and Hilde sitting on either side of Nicholas at the high table. Those two were trouble, of that she had no doubt.

  “Nicholas, where’s Enid?”

  “Mama!” Nicholas bailed off the bench and into her arms. “I can’t find her or you.”

  “You’ve found me now.” She couldn’t resist picking him up so she could look into his eyes and reassure herself that he was all right.

  “I’m glad,” he answered, his expression calm as he smiled at her.

  “Good day, Alyna,” Florence said. “We were just keeping Nicholas company until you returned from...wherever it is you ran off to. Again.”

  Alyna stiffened. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  Florence waved a hand. “You’re always off roaming the countryside leaving poor Nicholas to his own devices.” She gave the boy an overly sweet smile and reached out to pat his leg. “Isn’t that right, Nicholas?”

  Nicholas frowned at Florence then laid his head on Alyna’s shoulder without answering her in a sweet show of support.

  “There is no need for you to concern yourself with Nicholas, Lady Florence. He is well cared for.” The idea of her son spending time with Florence made Alyna ill.

  She glanced at Hilde, who hadn’t bothered to rise when Alyna had arrived. Why she sat at the head table, Alyna had no idea. If she hadn’t departed by the time the meal wa
s served, Alyna would send her on her way.

  The maid gave her a knowing smile, which filled Alyna with unease. “How is your hand, Hilde?” Alyna asked. “I heard you hurt it when you were cleaning.”

  “I had no injury, my lady.” Yet she kept one hand beneath the tablecloth.

  “Alyna, my dear.” Her grandfather’s voice greeted her.

  Alyna turned in surprise. “Grandfather, I didn’t know you’d returned.”

  “I’d wager you didn’t know Sir Royce left, either.” Florence rose as she spoke, her words for Alyna’s ears only.

  Her words caught Alyna’s full attention. Hurt and disappointment flooded her. Had Royce truly left without a word to her?

  Florence pressed a kiss on Blackwell’s cheek. “So glad to see you returned safely, my lord.” Her gaze slid to Alyna as though to measure how her news had been received.

  “I’m glad to be back,” her grandfather said. His words carried an odd undertone Alyna didn’t understand. The long look he gave Florence made Alyna wonder if she was somehow the cause of it.

  The woman’s eyes narrowed as she caught Blackwell’s look. The odd exchange between the two puzzled Alyna, but she was more concerned with Royce’s departure.

  Florence smiled sweetly at Alyna. “I was just telling Alyna that Royce might be gone for some time. At least, that’s what he told me.”

  Alyna turned to her grandfather, Nicholas still cuddled against her. “Is that true? Sir Royce has left?”

  “Aye. He had business to attend to. I’m not certain how long he’ll be gone.” Her grandfather squeezed Nicholas’s shoulder then put his arm around Alyna. “Let us eat. I have several things to tell you about.”

  Disheartened, Alyna let him guide her to the table, but her thoughts remained on Royce. Surely he hadn’t taken the time to tell Florence and not her, yet the facts proved otherwise.

  “Mama?” Nicholas lifted his head. “I’m hungry.”