Daring Damsels

by Domning, Denise

  Terran did not pause at the bottom of the steps. He pulled her roughly down the hallway, stormed into the Great Hall, and paused in the doorway, scanning the room.

  Bria had a quick moment to catch her breath, but it didn’t last. Terran started toward the hearth where a group of men gathered.

  They turned as Terran approached.

  Suddenly Terran shoved Bria to the ground. “If you will not tell me who my enemy is, I can only consider you my enemy as well.”

  “Terran,” Bria cried, pushing herself up to a sitting position.

  Terran’s eyes shifted to someone standing over her. “Find out who he is,” he ordered.

  Bria looked up to see Kenric staring at her, a grin quirking his lips.

  She scrambled to her feet. “No!” she shouted. “Please, Terran.”

  Terran turned his back on her, moving out of the Great Hall. “No!” Bria screamed as Kenric grabbed her arm.

  As Bria moved down a long set of stairs, the sunlight faded and then vanished altogether. The only light came from the few torches on the wall. Behind her, the footsteps of two guards echoed softly.

  Down they went into the darkness, until they reached what felt like the very bottom of the castle. The air was cool and damp. Bria scanned the small room, which was illuminated by a lone flickering candle on a table in the corner. The stone walls were moist and speckled with a mossy growth. Ahead of her stretched a dark corridor, from which emanated occasional moans.

  “Well,” a voice behind her said.

  Bria turned to see Kenric emerging from the stairway. The flame flickered over the sharp ridges of his face as he approached. “Not exactly where you expect to find the lady of Castle Knowles.”

  Bria’s skin crawled as he stepped near her. He studied her face, and she turned her gaze toward the darkness.

  “You may leave us,” Kenric commanded the guards.

  Bria snapped her gaze back to Kenric. Shivers of apprehension raced along her spine.

  The guards turned and moved toward the stairs. Bria had a sudden urge to call them back, to beg them to stay, but she closed her mouth quickly.

  The guards quietly disappeared up the stairs, and she was alone with Kenric. Fearful images of her childhood rose to the forefront of her mind.

  She blinked her eyes, trying to erase the visions. She succeeded in pushing the terrible images from her mind, but those black, black eyes of Kenric’s still stared at her as if he read her thoughts. A smile curved his lips.

  “Bria...”

  Bria straightened slightly at the intended insult.

  Kenric chuckled slightly. “Of course I meant ‘my lady’,” he said mockingly.

  Bria swallowed. There was no sword strapped to his waist, so he would not run her through. What could he do?

  He moved slowly around her until he was behind her. “Do you remember the bramble patch?” he asked.

  Bria stiffened as his breath fanned her neck. He was right behind her, standing near her, taunting her, making her afraid. He loved to have people fear him. She had seen it as Bria and as the Midnight Shadow. She lifted her chin, but refused to be baited by his taunts.

  “That was quite some while ago,” Kenric whispered. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten.”

  Bria still said nothing.

  “Who is the Midnight Shadow?” Kenric demanded.

  What could she tell him? She could no more tell Kenric than she could Terran.

  Terran. He didn’t care about her. He’d abandoned her to Kenric. A strange sadness came over her at his betrayal. She’d wanted to start the marriage out right, to try to make it work. But how could they make it work when he treated his people so horribly? When he left her standing alone on the stairs of the castle while he took his mistress inside the stone keep? When he let Kenric question her?

  Suddenly Kenric’s hands were loosening the hooks of her dress. Bria tore away from his touch, demanding, “What are you doing?”

  Kenric’s lips twisted in a grimace of dark amusement. “I’m questioning you.” He took a step forward. “Who is the Midnight Shadow?”

  Bria stepped quickly away until she came up against the cold, wet stone wall. She opened her mouth to reply, but promptly closed it. What could she tell him? “You’d never believe me,” she said.

  “Try me,” he ordered.

  At her hesitation, Kenric reached around behind her, almost in an embrace, touching her neck with his hand and her shoulder with his arm. Bria slunk back, trying to protect herself by leaning into the wall. She fought back a shiver as the cold wetness of the wall began to seep inside her.

  “Go ahead and scream,” Kenric whispered. “No one will hear you.”

  Bria swallowed the scream that rose in her throat. She would never allow him to know the terror she was feeling, the sheer unabashed fear that froze her limbs.

  “Who is the Midnight Shadow?” Kenric demanded again. He pulled away from her, having undone all the hooks of her dress.

  Bria wanted to dissolve into a fit of sobs and become the frightened child lurking just below her consciousness. But she was an adult now, and she fought back the urge.

  Kenric reached up to her shoulder and eased her dress down over her arm. All the while, a smile etched his lips. He was enjoying her humiliation, her terror.

  Finally, she lifted her chin and met his glare. “I remember the bramble patch,” she retorted bravely. “And I am not that child any longer. You do not frighten me.”

  Uncertainty flashed in his dark eyes and Bria knew a moment of victory.

  But then the cruel anger etched its way into his slanted eyebrows. “I should,” he growled and pulled her dress roughly from her shoulders.

  “Stop it!” Bria pushed at his hands, knocking them away. She grabbed at the dress, keeping it from falling any lower.

  “Tell me who he is and I will stop,” Kenric urged, a tight smile on his lips. “But it would be much more fun if you didn’t.”

  Bria couldn’t stop humiliation from painting her cheeks red. Fear ate away at her bravery. “Terran will never allow you to do this.”

  “On the contrary,” Kenric said, wrenching the dress from her grip and sliding it down lower and lower. “He ordered it.”

  Bria grabbed the material before it slid completely from her body. “Liar! He didn’t tell you to -- to hurt me.”

  Kenric reached out to touch her fingers, sliding his flesh along the length of her knuckles to the tips of her fingers to pry them open. “All you need do to stop this is tell me who the Midnight Shadow is.”

  The dress dropped to the floor, pooling around her ankles. “You bastard,” she hissed.

  Her chemise was now the only barrier between his evil gaze and her flesh.

  Kenric flashed her a grin, displaying sharp white teeth. His scorching look assaulted the flesh beneath the sheer fabric.

  “If you touch me, I’ll tell Terran.”

  “My dear,” he said silkily, “he already thinks you’re a slut. Who will he believe?”

  Slut. The word rocked Bria. Was that how Terran described her to his men?

  Suddenly, Kenric stepped away from her into the darkness and Bria knew a moment of fierce relief. She reached down for her dress, but he suddenly caught her arm and pulled her forward, into the dark corridor.

  “I’ll let you think about it for a night,” Kenric hissed. “I’ll be back come morning to continue our discussion.”

  In the dull light from the distant candle, Bria saw Kenric open a cell door.

  She tried to pull away from him, tried to free her wrist, but his grip was relentless.

  “And keep in mind you wear only a chemise now,” Kenric propelled her into the dark dungeon with a tug of his wrist. “It will be a short discussion.”

  Bria landed on the floor, her hand skidding in some grime. A bolt of pain seared through the wound in her shoulder.

  “I want the name of the Midnight Shadow,” he called, slamming the door shut behind her.

  Bria
rose and raced for the cell door. Through a small barred window, she could see the candlelight flickering on the table. Bria grabbed the bars and shook them frantically. He couldn’t leave her in here! He couldn’t leave her alone in the dungeon!

  Then Kenric bent near the candle. The light disappeared with a quick puff of his foul breath. Blackness surrounded her. It was so complete and so thick she couldn’t see her own hands on the bars before her face. Utter despair swept through her. How had this happened? How had it come to this point? Overcome by fear, she began to tremble.

  Something shifted behind her. Bria turned slowly, eyeing the darkness.

  She wasn’t alone.

  Bria stared at the darkness, listening intently. Had she heard rats?

  Another shuffle. No, rats didn’t shuffle.

  “Is someone there?” she called, pressing her back to the door.

  “Did he say the Midnight Shadow?” a hoarse voice called from the darkness.

  Bria peered into the blackness, trying desperately to see the owner of the voice, to make out a shape. Was this one of Kenric’s traps? “Who’s there?” Bria demanded. The blackness was so thick she couldn’t see anything.

  Another shuffle, the sound now louder, nearer. Whoever was in the darkness moved closer to her.

  “Are they looking for the Midnight Shadow?” The female voice, now a little stronger, sounded strangely familiar.

  “Yes,” Bria replied quietly, confused. Trepidation ran along her spine to her neck, sending tingles of apprehension along her shoulders.

  There was a long moment of silence, a moment as quiet as the cell was dark. Bria thought she heard a moan from somewhere down the hall, but she couldn’t be sure it wasn’t from the person before her.

  “Who are you?” the voice asked.

  “My name is Bria.”

  “Bria?” the voice queried in disbelief. “Bria?”

  Bria stared into the darkness. She knew that voice. But it couldn’t be! She could barely form the name on her trembling lips. “Mary?”

  Suddenly, something knocked into her, pressing against her. Arms wrapped around her shoulders. “Oh, Bria, Bria,” the small form sobbed.

  Bria lifted trembling hands to her friend’s face, touched her hair. Mary was alive! She touched Mary’s wet cheeks, her forehead, trying to convince herself this was real, that Mary was alive and this wasn’t some wonderful dream. But as Bria stroked Mary’s hair, feeling thick knots in the strands, she realized this might very well be a nightmare.

  Bria held her close, putting her face against Mary’s wet, tear-streaked cheek. “Oh, Mary!” Bria gasped. “Mary.”

  She was alive! And Bria had left her. She had abandoned Mary to Kenric as surely as Terran had abandoned her. “I’m so sorry,” Bria sobbed over and over.

  The two women collapsed onto the ground, crying and holding each other.

  Terran shifted in his seat, staring at the fire. Its flickering tongues snapped like whips. With a sigh, he hung his head forward into his hands. How had everything gone so wrong? He should be enjoying his wife, kissing those delectable lips, spreading her thighs, teaching her how to make love slowly and thoroughly. Instead, he’d handed her over to Kenric to question. Terran knew his cousin had a penchant for cruelty.

  He rose and took a step toward the dungeon. Then he came up short, his back straightening. Bria had brought this on herself. He’d been willing to make the marriage work, but she’d refused. With those wide eyes and full lips, she’d denied him. And if she wouldn’t tell him the Midnight Shadow’s identity, then Kenric was his only hope. After what had happened with Odella, Terran could never allow any man to come between him and his wife, especially a criminal who was stealing from him.

  Terran groaned softly and threw himself back into his chair. Was this only about his pride? No. It was a matter of trust. How could she take the criminal’s side against his? How could she think he’d treat his people cruelly and unjustly? He was certain they were fine. Kenric took care of that for him. It had freed up his time for tournaments and jousting, what he really loved, what he was really interested in -- until now.

  “Darling.”

  Terran stiffened at Kathryn’s voice. He hadn’t thought of her the entire day. His mind had been occupied by Bria.

  “You look terrible,” Kathryn said, resting her hand on his shoulder. “Why haven’t you come to see me?”

  “I have a wife,” Terran replied gruffly.

  Kathryn laughed huskily. “Most men do. That doesn’t stop them.”

  Terran slowly turned to face her. “I am not most men.”

  Kathryn straightened. “You love her?” she asked in surprise.

  “It doesn’t matter if I love her or not,” Terran replied. “She is my wife.”

  “But I can offer you so much more!”

  Terran stared at Kathryn. Her eyes had once been the most brilliant blue he’d ever seen, until he’d seen Bria’s. Kathryn’s hair was lush and golden and combed to glittering perfection. But he preferred the way Bria’s dark hair shone with streaks of red, as if her inner fire permeated her entire being. And the lock that curled down over her soft, smooth cheek in innocent beauty. And her boldness, her vibrancy, her passion for justice.

  All the qualities a lord should despise in a wife. Terran liked them. He liked Bria. Very much.

  Mistaking his regard, Kathryn licked her lips and ran a hand down her side to her hip.

  Terran rose to tower over her.

  Kathryn accomplished a practiced swoon against him.

  Terran’s arms came up to capture her. He knew he was not mistaking the victory in Kathryn’s half-closed eyes. But this time, the victory spoils were nothing he had any desire to claim. Terran set her aside and stepped past her.

  “Where are you going?” Kathryn demanded.

  “Where I should have gone from the beginning.” He paused and turned to her. “Pack your things, Kathryn. I’m sending you back to your father.” He whirled away quickly so as not to hear her pleadings.

  Terran stalked down the steps to the dungeon. I’m just going down to see how the questioning is proceeding, he told himself. Kenric liked no one, including himself, to interrupt his interrogations. It was one of Kenric’s favorite pastimes, that and counting gold in the treasure room.

  Terran stepped into the first guard’s room. The man on duty quickly straightened out of his chair at seeing him. “Lord Knowles,” he said stiffly, trying to hide the dice he’d been rolling.

  “Where is Sheriff Kenric?” Terran asked.

  The guard’s brows lowered over clear brown eyes. “He left hours ago, m’lord, and hasn’t been back.”

  Terran frowned. “Did he take Lady Bria with him?”

  “No, m’lord,” the man answered. “She’s in the first cell.”

  Outrage speared through Terran like a lance. Bria in a cell?

  “Open it,” he commanded. As the guard moved to obey, Terran realized he shouldn’t be surprised. He had given Kenric free rein to question her. He supposed throwing her in the dungeon for a night wasn’t going to hurt her any. Then why was he clenching his fists so tightly they hurt?

  The guard grabbed a torch from the wall and led the way. Terran followed the man deeper into the dungeon. The creeping darkness was held at bay by the light of the torch. With each step, the stillness of the dungeon surrounded Terran in an eerie silence.

  The guard led him down a flight of steps and past the second, deserted guard post. If they’d held an important person, someone who might inspire a rescue attempt, this post would be manned.

  The guard moved to the first cell. He paused once to glance at Terran before sliding the bolt aside and swinging open the door. Terran stepped past him into the cell. He could see nothing until the guard shoved the torch forward and the light seeped into the dank, small room. The dirt floor was partly mud, damp from a continuous drip falling from the stone ceiling above. The cold stone walls were slick with mold and fungus.

  Somet
hing erupted from the darkness, hitting Terran in the back, shoving him into the darkness. A wild demon attacked him, hitting his back with a rain of blows, screeching madly like some wild beast. Terran whirled on the witch, but received a blow to his face. He grabbed the thin arms striking at him, holding them back. The small hands were curved into claws. He tried to see into the wild thing’s face, but the darkness was too thick. It took all his effort to hold her away from him.

  Fear knotted Terran’s stomach. Was this Bria? Had Kenric changed her so much in but a few hours? He’d seen it happen before.

  But as the guard stepped forward to pull the woman from Terran, the light washed over her face. Through the thick, knotted hair, Terran saw she wasn’t Bria. He shoved her away from him. His eyes quickly scanned the cell and came upon another woman. She was curled up in a far corner, long brown hair splayed out around her head, and had obviously just been awakened.

  Terran recognized her immediately. Bria. His heart surged with concern as she began to lift herself up onto her elbows. Had the wild woman harmed her? Terran wondered frantically. Bria was in her chemise, the white garment now stained with mud and grime.

  Terran lurched forward to kneel at her side. The light around him flickered, and the guard uttered a curse before a slap sounded.

  “Bria?” he whispered. His knee sank into the mud as he scooped her up into his arms.

  “No,” she muttered tiredly as he headed with her for the door. “Mary. Mary!”

  Terran ignored her continued cries, contributing them to hallucinations. Who knew what that wild thing had done to her? He continued out into the darkness and moved up the spiral stairway until he came to the first guard’s post. The light washed over the struggling Bria in his arms. She squirmed in his grasp, pushing away from his chest.

  Terran set her feet on the ground. His eyes perused her face, her body, for any wounds. “Are you all right?” he demanded.

  Bria stepped toward the darkness, calling, “Mary.”