Eversong (The Kindred Book 1) Page 12

  “You speak as if you’ve seen this happen.”

  “I have,” he said in a low voice. “Too many times. The only difference is the men I fought didn’t have magic.”

  Leoma drew in a deep breath and slowly released it as she looked off into the distance. “I have to get a message to the abbey. They need to know what’s coming.”

  “You’re once again of the mind to not go there?”

  She shot him a quick grin. “If I’m killed, the abbey is the best place for you to get prepared for the war.”

  “The same could be said now, with you alive.”

  He had a point, and a part of her wanted nothing more than to run as fast as she could to the abbey. Not to mention, Edra and the others needed to know what she had discovered. Besides, Radnar and his knights were prepared for an attack.

  “I’m split,” she said, turning to him. “I do want to go home. Yet, another part of me, a louder part, cautions against heading to the abbey. The Coven has no idea who is training us, or who is in charge. If I lead the Coven there, they would not only get their hands on you, but they could also wipe out everything Edra and Radnar have worked so hard to create.”

  Braith ran a hand over his jaw. “Those are valid points. Do you really believe the Coven could wipe out the abbey so easily?”

  “They have the advantage of greater numbers,” she pointed out.

  He nodded and began walking. “Then the decision has been made. We’re on our own.”

  Chapter 18

  There was something familiar about the area. Braith stood at the fork in the road with Leoma and his horse behind him. He had been here before, he was sure of it. But he couldn’t remember when or why.

  He rubbed his tired eyes and looked again at each direction the road veered. His attention kept returning to the right.

  “Why don’t we rest here for a bit,” Leoma suggested. “The horse could have a respite, and you could get some sleep.”

  Braith shook his head. “I’m fine.”

  “You’ve not slept in nearly two days.”

  Though she didn’t finish her sentence, he understood her meaning. The lack of rest was affecting his body as well as his mind.

  “I’ve been here before.” He lifted his hands and pointed in either direction. “I just cannot recall if it was for battle or something else.”

  The bridle jingled as the horse shook its head and sidestepped. Braith closed his eyes as his mind was suddenly filled with the sounds of war. The screams of the dying, the bellows of foes attacking, the clashing of steel meeting steel.

  His hands fisted at his sides as the memory remained just out of reach. The harder he fought for it, the further it moved.

  Suddenly, soft hands were on either side of his face. Leoma’s voice reached him, soft and even. “Take a breath. Now, stop fighting.”

  He did as she bade, but when he began to open his eyes, she quickly said, “Leave them closed. I want you to forget about everything around you. Me, your horse, the Coven. All of it. Let it go.”

  It took a few tries because of his exhaustion, but he was able to clear his mind of everything except for Leoma. Her, he held onto tightly, refusing to ever let go.

  “Let your mind wander,” she whispered.

  It felt so good to have his eyes shut. They no longer burned as if someone had poured sand into them. Sleep pulled at him incessantly, and he wanted nothing more than to give in. But first, he needed to find a safe place for them.

  That’s why the fork was familiar. It led to Falk Castle, renamed after his friend Roger Falk had taken it for the king. In exchange, the king gave the castle, lands, and title to Roger.

  Braith’s eyes opened, and he smiled down at Leoma. “To the right is Falk Castle, which belongs to a good friend. We will find shelter and food.”

  “You remembered, good,” she said as her hands fell away.

  It was the frown he saw on her face that confused him. “What is it?”

  “Should we venture to the castle? The Coven will follow us wherever we go.”

  He pointed to the fork. “We’ll cover our tracks so they won’t be able to determine which direction we went. And Roger will keep us hidden. I know the back entrance. No one will see us other than those Roger trusts.”

  “Do you think I could get a hot bath?”

  “Aye,” he replied with a grin. “Let’s go. I want to reach the castle before dark.”

  With Leoma leading the horse, Braith covered their tracks. When they were a safe distance away, they mounted the stallion and began the ride to the castle.

  Braith grinned at the idea of having a bed in which to hold Leoma. It would be nice to catch up with Roger, as well. It had been nearly six years since they last spoke.

  “Tell me about your friend,” Leoma urged.

  “He was one of the best fighters I’ve ever stood with,” Braith said. “He was fearless, if a bit reckless at times. Yet, he never lost a battle. We watched each other’s backs on multiple occasions. And when the king sent him to dispatch a disloyal duke, Roger asked for my help.”

  She shifted behind him. “Which you gave.”

  “Without hesitation. I was in charge of a significant number of knights by that time, and I gave them the option to accompany me. They all joined in. The duke, who had been planning an assassination of the king, didn’t stand a chance against both Roger’s army and mine. Still, His Grace refused to give up. He sent his men into battle.”

  “Needless deaths,” she murmured.

  Braith drew in a breath, recalling the horror of that day. “Roger spared many of the knights when we overran them and captured the duke.”

  “Many?”

  Braith didn’t wish to drudge up such horrible memories. “War is a bloody business.”

  Her arms tightened around him, giving him quiet comfort that he hadn’t realized he needed until then.

  “Roger is a good man,” he said.

  “Then I cannot wait to meet him.”

  Braith nudged his mount into a gallop. He didn’t question his desire to get to the castle quickly. There was a very good chance the witches following them would choose the other path.

  But there was also a chance they would come to the castle.

  While he didn’t wish to put anyone at the castle in danger, he knew that Roger wouldn’t allow anyone he didn’t know inside after dark. That meant he and Leoma would have at least one night to sleep and prepare for their next move.

  The castle towers came into view. He halted the stallion atop a hill in order to take in the sight. There was a thread of wariness, but that had been with Braith since Josef was murdered.

  “It’s a beautiful castle,” Leoma said.

  “One of the largest around. I wish I had remembered Roger earlier. We could’ve been here hours ago.”

  She gave a tug on his hair. “We could go there now instead of staring at it.”

  He was smiling when he clicked to the horse.

  Braith rode around to the west side of the castle, keeping to the tree line as he noted the men stationed around the battlements.

  “It looks as if your friend is expecting trouble,” Leoma said.

  “He doesn’t wait for it to find him. Roger likes to head it off before trouble ever comes calling.”

  Leoma cut her eyes to him and grinned. “And the occasional reckless nature you described?”

  “That comes in the heat of battle.”

  “Are you also as rash?”

  His smile widened. “More so.”

  “Good to know,” she said. “So how do we get in?”

  Braith dismounted, and Leoma followed closely behind. He loosely tied the horse so the animal could graze. Then he waited until the guards were turned away before sprinting toward the castle. Leoma was right on his heels. They plastered themselves against the stone.

  “I would greet anyone sneaking into my castle with a blade,” she said.

  He grinned at her. “Aye, but there was only a handful
of us that knew of this secret entrance. It leads into the master chamber.”

  “This could get us killed.”

  “Mayhap. We would no longer need to worry about the Coven then.”

  She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her lips.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  As soon as Leoma gave a nod, he maneuvered along the castle wall until he found the hidden door.

  “This was how the duke tried to escape,” Braith whispered. “The castle architect designed the wall in such a way that the door is tucked so you would walk past it without seeing it unless you knew of its existence.”

  Leoma leaned forward to look at the castle wall. “All I see is stone.”

  “It’s an illusion. Watch.”

  He stood before the wall and winked at her. Then he stepped forward. Braith heard her gasp. Within seconds, Leoma was standing where he had been, smiling at him.

  “This is amazing,” she said.

  He motioned her forward to the door. “It was a brilliant design. I’ve always wondered what other little surprises Roger found within the castle.”

  Leoma glanced at the door. “There’s no handle on the door. Or a lock.”

  “Another trick.”

  He counted the slats of wood, choosing the third from the right and pushed against it toward the top. There was a slight popping noise as dust puffed out. Braith squatted down and repeated the same thing on the lower part of the slat.

  There was another loud pop.

  A glance at Leoma showed she was studying the door carefully. Braith straightened and put both hands on the wood. One palm on the third slat, the other on the seventh. Then he gave another push.

  The door opened a crack without a sound.

  “I’m duly impressed,” she said with a grin.

  They pushed the portal open and slipped inside the narrow tunnel. Braith closed the door behind them before squeezing past Leoma and leading her through the darkened corridor.

  Neither said a word as they made their slow progress. Leoma had her hand on his back as they walked. It had been years since he’d been in the passageway, and even then, he’d had a torch to light his way.

  With little flow, the air was stale and hot. He ignored the sweat running down his brow as they continued climbing the stairs that rose ever upward.

  They came to a bend in the tunnel where the soft flow of air met him, cooling them enough to breathe easier. Braith didn’t pause. He kept moving even if his steps were shortened as he felt his way through the dark.

  Finally, his outstretched hands met wood. A door. If Roger had left everything as it was, a tapestry hid the entrance from view.

  Braith slowly opened the door and took in a deep breath of fresh air. Light from the candles about the master chamber came under the massive tapestry that fell to the floor and along the sides, allowing him to make out that little bit.

  Once Leoma gave him a pat that she was ready, he moved between the tapestry and the wall. She waited at the door of the passageway.

  Braith reached the edge of the tapestry and gradually peeked out. There were no sounds of anyone within the chamber, but he wasn’t going to take a chance of startling a servant.

  When he realized there was no one inside the room, he walked from the tapestry and wiped his brow with the back of his arm. “You can come out now,” he told Leoma.

  “I’d rather wait,” came her reply.

  Braith lowered himself onto a chair and propped his forearms on his thighs. He needed to sleep. If anyone attacked him now, they would likely get the upper hand, and that didn’t sit well with him at all.

  The sound of a voice reached him from the hallway. Braith sat up as the door opened and a man walked inside. Roger’s black hair was cut short now, but he still held himself like a warrior.

  Roger’s hazel eyes landed on Braith as his hand went to the dagger at his waist. But he paused, frowning. “Braith?”

  “I’m very sorry for the intrusion, old friend, but events have left me little choice,” Braith said as he got to his feet.

  Roger dropped his hand from the weapon and smiled as he approached, arms open. “It’s good to see you.”

  Braith clasped his friend against him briefly before stepping back. “I do apologize for coming in through the secret tunnel.”

  “I told you to use it if you were ever in need. I’m just sorry that you actually had to utilize it. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

  Braith glanced at the tapestry. “First, I should say that I’m not alone. Leoma,” he called.

  She walked from behind the tapestry and faced Roger.

  “My heavens,” Roger whispered, astonishment filling his voice. “She is a magnificent sight to behold.”

  Braith moved to stand beside Leoma, their eyes meeting briefly before he returned his gaze to Roger. “We ask only for this one night. We’ll be gone at dawn.”

  “What kind of friend would I be to refuse?” Roger asked with a smile.

  Chapter 19

  Leoma sat back in the hot water of the wooden tub and sighed. She had been cautious of Roger since entering the castle. It was a habit long honed from her training. She did her best to put it aside and trust in Braith.

  The ease in which Roger greeted them relieved some of her concerns. It also helped that he kept their arrival quiet from all. Not even the servants who came to fill the tub or bring platters of food to the tower knew of her and Braith.

  And that’s how Leoma wanted to keep it.

  She looked around the tower room while letting the heat of the water soak into her sore, tired muscles. Braith was sequestered in the master chamber with Roger. Leoma had no idea how much Braith was telling his friend, if anything, but Roger did deserve some kind of explanation for their unexpected arrival.

  There was nothing in the tower that gave her pause. It was bare except for the bed and the tub, which the servants had brought in. Why then couldn’t she rid herself of the warning that churned her gut?

  She slipped beneath the water to wet her hair, remaining until her lungs began to burn. After rising and wiping the water from her face, she admitted, at least to herself, that her problem was that she didn’t trust anyone.

  As a Hunter, she was trained to rely solely on herself or other Hunters. The only reason she’d trusted Braith so quickly was because they had a common enemy. She knew nothing of Roger, other than what Braith told her.

  Of course, she would immediately think the worst of Roger. It’s what she was tutored to do. It was something she would keep to herself, however. The strain that had lined Braith’s face lessened considerably when Roger welcomed them.

  She couldn’t imagine what Braith was going through, knowing the Coven was after him—without knowing what the witches wanted him for.

  With her thoughts now on Braith, a flutter of excitement ran through her at the prospect of the night ahead. Her lips ached to feel his mouth again, just as her body hungered to have him inside her.

  She was suddenly eager to see him again. Instead of lingering in the bath as she intended, Leoma hurriedly washed her hair and body before rinsing. She rose and dried off, only to stand at the foot of the bed where her clothes were.

  A tray of food awaited her since Braith was eating with Roger. It was the first time she had been alone since she and Braith fought Brigitta.

  How quickly she’d gotten used to Braith’s nearness. So much so that she missed him now—like a hollow ache inside her. She also didn’t particularly like how she was left out of his discussions with Roger.

  Although, to be fair, Braith was giving her some privacy, as well. In her world, she was used to being treated equally. Radnar told each of them—boys and girls—that if they picked up a weapon, he would train them the same. There was no quarter given simply because she was female.

  Braith, for his part, treated her fairly. He accepted her skills and didn’t look down upon her for them. Except he’d acted differently since arriving at the castle.


  Which was why she was up in the tower, and he was with Roger.

  She hated that it aggravated her. Roger had been shocked to see her in breeches at first, and then lust had filled his gaze. That was the moment Braith grew protective and found a way to get her away.

  Braith should know she could take care of herself.

  Her thoughts ground to a halt as she heard Meg’s voice in her mind, telling her that perhaps Braith was protective because he didn’t like the way Roger looked at her.

  Leoma grinned at the idea of Braith being jealous. If he was, that meant he must have some feelings for her. She inwardly berated herself. Of course, he had feelings. She’d felt them as they made love. Because no man could touch someone as Braith had with her and not feel something.

  He had been gentle but possessive, tender but merciless in his goal of giving pleasure as well as taking it. Her first encounter with a man had been wonderful, and she knew from Meg that that wasn’t always the case.

  With her arms wrapped around herself, she debated whether to get dressed and go down to find Braith. It was the threat of someone seeing her that kept her in the tower with only a single candle to light the round chamber.

  She eventually walked to the bed and dropped the towel before blowing out the candle and climbing beneath the covers to face the door. Her eyes closed, and she hovered on the edge of sleep, drifting in and out of consciousness as every noise woke her.

  Her eyes snapped open when the door creaked as it swung inward.

  “Leoma.”

  She rolled onto her back and looked at Braith. His hair was wet, signaling that he too had taken a bath. With his jerkin, boots, and sword in hand and his shirt untucked, he shouldered the door shut and set the items down beside the bed.

  Braith sank onto the bed with his back to her. He looked at the ceiling and sighed loudly. “Roger believes I’m sleeping in another chamber.”

  “And why aren’t you?”

  He turned his head to look at her. “You really want me to say?”

  She nodded.

  “Because the thought of sleeping with you in my arms is something I’ve craved since we made love.”