by Jody Hedlund
I gave him a grateful smile. “The wounds upon his legs need doctoring as well.”
“My guard Darien knows a little about medicine.” Adelaide met my gaze directly. “He will take over Lord Chambers’ care.”
“I have been trained for years in the art of healing. If I may, I should like to tend Edmund just as I have been doing.”
“Until you are wed, you must refrain from such displays.”
Although not unkind, her tone brooked no room for argument, and I could do nothing but bow my head in deference. I understood how my ministrations appeared to everyone else, especially as Edmund and I had traveled together alone for days and then been discovered in an indecent situation.
But surely, I’d be able to convince Adelaide to allow me to doctor Edmund in private, away from the eyes of the men. She seemed to be a rational and intelligent woman. She was attired as a man in breeches and chain mail. She wielded her weapons as a man. And she rode her steed like a man. Surely, of everyone, she would permit me to act as a physician even though it was man’s work.
“How were you injured?” Adelaide asked Edmund. “During your flight from Captain Theobald?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. If I hadn’t reacted when I did, the arrow would have pierced my heart.”
“The two wounds on his leg are from when we visited St. Cuthbert’s,” I added. “We were attacked by spiders.”
“What were you doing at St. Cuthbert’s?”
I looked at Edmund. Should we tell Adelaide everything we’d discovered?
Edmund nodded, as if reading my thoughts. “She’ll need to know eventually.”
Christopher joined Adelaide as I relayed the events of the past week—Sister Katherine’s delivery of the key, our discovery of the clue inside, the trip to St. Cuthbert’s, finding a piece of the map, and then our adventure in the labyrinth.
“My key also led us to a piece of the map. I have the parchment in my possession at all times.” Adelaide patted her side and the bulge of a leather pouch. “We decided it was a map but didn’t know its origins.”
“Edmund is skilled with maps. During his training as an elite guard, he had to memorize every inch of Mercia’s terrain.” I was boasting, but I couldn’t help it. I was proud of Edmund for his brilliance.
“You’re trained as an elite guard?” Christopher studied Edmund more carefully.
“My guardian did his best to train me,” Edmund said. “But I was a helpless cause.”
“Edmund is very skilled at many things,” I boasted again. “He was the one who figured out the piece of the map was for the labyrinth.”
“I have never heard of a labyrinth within Mercia’s bounds,” Adelaide replied.
“Only the oldest of legends mention it,” Edmund explained. “But now we have discovered for ourselves that it does indeed exist.”
Adelaide’s sharp eyes took on an excited glimmer. I sensed we were kindred spirits in our love of adventure.
“By connecting your map to mine,” I said, “we may possibly be able to reconstruct the rest.”
“Then we will not need Emmeline’s piece?” Christopher asked.
Edmund shook his head. “We might be able to make do without the third section, but we’ll need her key. If the treasure is indeed hidden in the labyrinth, it will likely require all three keys to unlock.”
“Perhaps we should go directly to find Emmeline and retrieve the last key,” I suggested. “Especially since her key might be the only thing left standing between us and the hidden treasure.”
Adelaide and Christopher shared a look.
“I am anxious to meet her as well,” I added. She was, after all, my twin, and I was curious to see what she was like.
“I have several scouts searching for her,” Adelaide said.
“Since we are still in Mercia, we may as well join the search.”
“As much as I would like to find our sister, I have pushed my men to the limit of our supplies. If we had not spotted your light last night and located you this morn, we would have started the journey home.”
I nodded in understanding. Edmund and I had quickly devoured the few food items Adelaide had given us. I could only imagine how hungry the men were on such low rations.
“Moreover,” Adelaide said, “I must be forthright with you. There is another obstacle to the treasure besides Emmeline’s missing key.” She paused as though making certain she had both my and Edmund’s attention.
“I’m sure there are many obstacles left to overcome,” Edmund said, “many we won’t know about until we come face-to-face with them.”
“I no longer have my key.” At Adelaide’s admission, silence fell over us, except for the soft chatter of the soldiers at rest nearby and the whistle of the winter breeze.
I looked from Adelaide’s stricken expression to Christopher’s. “Then we shall find it. If we go back to the last place you had it and search, I am sure we can locate—”
“King Ethelwulf has it.”
Her statement silenced us again.
“The explanation is much involved,” she said finally, “one I shall divulge in due time. For now, however, we must be on our way to Norland.”
I wanted to question her further, but at Edmund’s touch to my arm and at the warning in his expression to let her go, I held back. As Adelaide and Christopher strode away, I told myself we would somehow recover the key from King Ethelwulf. That we could possibly still unlock the treasure without it. Or that Sister Katherine had been wrong and Adelaide didn’t need the treasure to regain the throne.
But all my hopeful thinking didn’t take away the premonition that claiming the treasure and throne would be harder—much harder—than any of us had imagined.
Chapter
16
Edmund
At dark when we stopped to make camp, the soldiers were in high spirits over the game Sheba dropped at my feet as well as the buck Barnabas delivered. Maribel added to the feast with a savory soup made from edible roots.
I hoped with our contribution we’d gain the goodwill of the men and that they’d forget about our indiscretions. However, the moment Maribel joined Adelaide in her tent for the night, Christopher sat down by the fire next to me and spoke of it straightaway.
“How long have you loved Maribel?” His dark eyes were trained on the dancing flames, but like me, the rigidness of his posture told me he was alert to every sound and movement in his periphery. Even though the night was black and starless, the firelight illuminated the crags that formed a buffer from the wind.
I noticed he hadn’t asked whether I loved her, only how long. Were my feelings that evident? Whatever the case, I decided honesty with this powerful nobleman was best. He seemed like the kind of man who’d be able to decipher the truth whether I admitted it or not. “I cannot remember a time when I haven’t loved her.”
“Were you not chaperoned at the convent?”
At his insinuation of further impropriety with Maribel, my gut tightened at the same time as my fist. I had to bite back the need to swivel and punch him. “I would not have you dishonor Maribel’s good name.”
“You have already dishonored her with your actions.” His voice was hard and unrelenting.
Thankfully, the soldiers were talking around a second fire a short distance away and were oblivious to our tense conversation.
If I had any hope of freeing Maribel from marrying me against her will, I needed to explain the true nature of our relationship. “Maribel was not aware of my love for her until this week. Before then, she saw me only as a brother and friend.”
“What changed?”
“Facing death makes a man say and do things he might not otherwise.” My mind replayed the moment at the end of the labyrinth when the ground began to crumble beneath my feet, how I’d leaped in the air and thrown myself away from the gaping hole to keep the stones from burying me. “Overcome with the relief of cheating death, I kissed her. I couldn’t hide my feelings any longer.”
&nb
sp; “And you discovered she felt the same for you?”
I shook my head. “She may care about me, may even feel something for me. But it cannot compare with my devotion to her.”
“She loves you too. Everyone can see it.”
My heart gave an extra beat at his observation. Even if he was right, however, it couldn’t stop me from trying to clear her name and give her the freedom to continue her work as a physician. “Maribel is a naturally loving person. But her love for me isn’t strong enough for marriage.” I met Christopher’s gaze, hoping he’d see the truth of my words.
“With time, her love will grow stronger.”
“With time, she will grow to despise me if I trap her into a union.” Although I’d marry Maribel in the blink of an eye, I’d never force her. Nor would I allow the queen to force her.
“You should have thought of that when you slept with her.”
“Nothing happened between us. We were both cold and exhausted. I did what I could to protect her and keep her warm.”
“And that involved kissing her again?” Christopher was direct and truthful. Under normal circumstances, I would have appreciated his frankness. But not at this moment, not when so much was at stake.
“I was half asleep and didn’t realize what I was doing.” I lied, of course. Perhaps Maribel had still been half asleep, but I’d been fully awake and had known exactly what was happening. If we hadn’t been in imminent danger, I wasn’t sure I could have resisted her for long. Even though I’d vowed not to kiss her again. “It was a mistake.”
“Now you must rectify that mistake.”
Dried brush in the fire crackled, shooting sparks into the air and reflecting the unsettled emotions sparking inside me. I chose my next words carefully. “You must know I desire nothing more than to marry Maribel. But she wishes to become a nun so she can continue using her abilities as a physician. She’s spent years perfecting her medicines and learning her skills. God has gifted her, and she doesn’t want that to be for naught.”
“She can marry you and still help heal others.”
“Very few would accept a woman physician. She’d likely be shunned. However, if she becomes a nun, people will more readily look to her for healing.”
Christopher stared into the fire as though contemplating my words. Finally, his shoulders relaxed, and he made himself more comfortable against a boulder. “I would like to disagree with you, but I am afraid people are established in their ways. She would face many prejudices and obstacles as a woman practicing medicine.”
“Precisely.”
“I regret she will have to give up her aspirations.”
“Would you have the woman you love give up her aspirations for you?”
Christopher glanced to the tent where the women had retired. The hard lines around his eyes softened. “Never.”
I felt no need to respond, for my answer echoed his. Instead, I laid my head back and studied the darkness overhead, the thin layer of clouds and the faint light of the stars that lay beyond. The quietness of the night was eerie. Except for the voices of the soldiers around the fire, I heard none of the usual sounds from owls or bats or even wolves. This high, mountainous part of the Highlands seemed devoid of all life.
“I empathize with your dilemma,” Christopher said. “But you must also comprehend the precarious nature of the rebellion. Adelaide needs the support from as many people as possible and can ill afford to alienate anyone with rumors of impropriety within her family.”
“I do understand,” I offered. A great deal more was at stake than just Maribel’s dream of being a physician. As one of the lost princesses, she was now part of a larger plan, one that went beyond her personal goals to those of an entire nation. Mercia had languished far too long and required healing on a much bigger scope than she’d be able to provide as a physician.
“We all must make sacrifices.” Christopher’s voice was tinged with the sadness of one who’d already suffered. “And I am sorry for Maribel’s sake that she will have to sacrifice her ambition. But you must convince her that her goal now lies not in healing just a few but in seeing all of Mercia whole and healthy.”
His words echoed my thoughts. They resounded with both wisdom and truth, and I realized he was a man I could respect. He was clearly an honorable and wise advisor to the queen.
“If for no other reason, you must persuade Maribel for her own safety.”
“Her safety?”
“Ethelwulf sought Adelaide so he could wed her to his son, Prince Ethelrex. By such a union, he hoped to end the rebellion.”
My heart thudded faster. Colette had spoken of the king’s intentions, but I’d put them from my mind, too busy with trying to survive to give her words credence. Apparently, I needed to be more vigilant than I’d realized. “Since the queen is now wedded to you, then you believe Ethelwulf will attempt to capture Maribel for the prince?”
“I have no doubt of it.”
I blew out a tight breath. I couldn’t let Maribel fall prey to his plans. “I understand the gravity of the situation. However, Maribel can persuade others but is not easily persuaded herself.”
“Then she resembles her sister,” Christopher said wryly.
I bent forward and tossed several more handfuls of brush onto the fire, knowing we needed to turn in for the night but not quite ready for our conversation to be over.
“They are both strong and beautiful women,” Christopher added. “And they will not be tamed. Nor should they be. Even so, there are ways to soften their wills.”
“Soften? How?”
Christopher grinned. “You will learn.”
I thought to the kisses in the labyrinth, to the way Maribel had melted in my arms. “I don’t want to manipulate her.”
Christopher’s grin widened. “I could never manipulate Adelaide, nor would I dare try.”
“Then what would you suggest?”
“A little affection can oft go a long way.”
A little affection? I could show my affection, couldn’t I?
The nuns had indulged Maribel’s whims, as had I. She’d grown up sheltered, among a community who loved her and would never harm her. As a result, Maribel loved and trusted freely. And I didn’t want to do anything that might jeopardize her faith in me—especially coerce her into marrying me for her safety as well as the greater good of Mercia.
Yet, as much as I wanted to support her becoming a nun, I knew Christopher was right. Not only was her destiny intertwined with the queen’s and Mercia’s, but her safety was at stake. I couldn’t allow Ethelwulf to force her to wed his son.
We had to get married. Soon. And when that moment happened, I wanted her to love me. She’d never be able to love me with the same fervor as I loved her. That would be impossible. But as Christopher advised, I needed to do more to claim her affection.
All these years, I’d remained silent and patient in my feelings for her. Was it time to finally pursue her with more ardor, to be more vocal and demonstrative? If she saw how much I loved her, perhaps she’d love me in return and be able to willingly give up her goal of becoming a nun. It wouldn’t be easy and she’d miss her work. But would my love for her be enough?
I’d have to try to win her. It was the only thing left to do.
At first light, we departed. Once again I rode with Maribel, squeezed behind her in the saddle. She was drowsy and leaned her head against my shoulder as though she would sleep longer.
For a minute, I held myself away from her, just as I had yesterday. But after a few moments of trying to maintain my distance, my new resolve from the previous night’s conversation with Christopher needled me, reminding me I must make an effort to show her my attraction and woo her at the same time.
I wiggled my gloved fingers on my thigh, trying to gain the courage to reach for her hand and hold it in mine.
We rode behind Christopher and Adelaide again today, and though the shadows of the early morning shrouded the couple, I noticed the way Christopher had
wrapped his arm around Adelaide’s waist. He bent forward and murmured in her ear. She responded by leaning back into him as if she’d taken pleasure in his contact.
Did I dare follow Christopher’s lead? Of course, he was married and had every right to hold his wife. But still, if I had any hope of winning Maribel, I needed to do more.
I stretched my fingers, and then before I could talk myself out of anything, I slipped my arm around her middle. The move seemed to jolt her awake. She started and stiffened.
Embarrassed heat climbed into my neck, and I was grateful for the shadows that hid my flush. I was tempted to withdraw, but I swallowed my timidity and leaned forward until my lips brushed her ear.
She sucked in a sharp breath, which told me she was fully awake now and aware of my nearness. She didn’t move, as though waiting for me to do more.
But what? What should I do next? Perhaps say something?
My mind began to spin. What could I say to Maribel to show her my ardor? I hesitated, but then realized I was breathing in her ear, which was mortifying. I swallowed hard. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”
Once the words were out, I wanted to slap my head. Couldn’t I come up with something more original? More poetic? More chivalrous? Perhaps tonight at the campfire, I would ask Christopher for advice on how to woo a woman. I obviously had no skill at it.
To my surprise, Maribel’s hand slipped over mine where it rested on her waist. Her fingers splayed against mine. I wished we weren’t wearing gloves, that I could feel the smoothness of her skin. Nevertheless, warmth spread through my chest at the realization she hadn’t pushed me away, that she’d even accepted my attention.
“You told me my hair was pretty the other day,” she said, almost shyly. “But no, you have never mentioned that you think I am beautiful.”
The heat in my neck rose higher. I wanted to find a way to lighten the mood, to shift the conversation to something playful, as I usually did when the topic turned too serious. But I was already wading into unfamiliar territory, and I couldn’t back out now.
