The Lethal Flame (Flame Series) (20 page)

“Yes, it’s not really worth taking which I suspect is a large part of Melvin’s ill content.”

“You wish me to take Wolverton from him?”

“No, we will travel there together and take it together.  Be prepared to leave at dawn.”

Damien bowed to the king and left with an outward calm he was far from feeling.  He was resigned to the fact he had to do what he had to do.  He could not defy the king and not be there at dawn, without it meaning his death.  He’d be no help to Keri then.   

~   ~   ~   ~

“Are you well?” Garrick asked as he brought Malik alongside Phantom.  Malik was a sleek white horse that had been born and raised in the desert.  When they had fled their prison the men had stolen horses to make it back to the safety of the Crusaders.  Every horse they had taken had been run into the ground, left abandoned along the way, except Malik.  He had carried more than one rider and at the end Garrick had forced him to make a mad dash for help.  The horse had remained strong and Garrick had become truly attached to the animal, a circumstance that was foreign to him.  By the time they had left the dessert Garrick had acquired a number of horses that shared Malik’s bloodline.

Damien looked at Garrick with a brow raised but made no reply, unsure how to answer the question.  He did not think “well” was a good word to describe his state since Keri had left his side. 

“You let this woman soften you.”

“I do what I must,” Damien snapped.  “Who are you to question it?”

“I wish to see no harm come to you.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I have ordered Countess Ryann to Lenox so we can wed.”

“And you expect her to come?” Damien asked with surprise evident in his voice.

“She was engaged to the old Lord of Lenox and resides within my holding at Kilkenny.”

“Did Richard not offer to provide you with a bride?” Damien asked casting a glance behind at the large army that followed.  Somewhere in the mêlée was King Richard.  The thought did not fill Damien with happiness.

“He did but I think Countess Ryann would be acceptable and convenient since she is familiar with the old lord and the people of Kilkenny.  She is also older than most men like when seeking a bride, therefore the King is happy I have chosen her.”

Damien shook his head at the man’s confidence.  He really had no idea how to deal with women, not that Damien was an expert.  But even Damien knew you did not demand a Countess to present herself to be wed to a mere lord.  Especially to a Lord with the reputation of Garrick.  She had probably already fled in terror.

“Can you spare me by your side for the moment?  She would already have arrived,” Garrick said with the utmost confidence the woman would obey.  “I leave my men under your command.”

Damien did not trust any of Garrick’s men and knew the man had little control over them at times.  They however were some of the best warriors he had ever seen and would help to make the takeover of Wolverton all the speedier.

“Go, but when you find her not there return to me.  We will then petition the king if this is the woman you want.  She could not ignore him.”

Garrick scoffed at him before turning and riding away.

Chapter 14

For two days Richard and his loyal vassals lay siege to Wolverton.  At the end of those two days the king was furious and refused to listen to Damien when he tried to reason with him that he should not destroy his own holding.  But the king was still a king and by the third day the walls were leveled and only one tower of the keep was left standing.  They went about searching the bodies laid in the snow, their blood turning crimson and then pink in the wintry fall that reached the men’s calves.

Richard lived up to his name Lionheart when he found Melvin before the castle walls were leveled.  The man proclaimed his innocence of any rebel connections but Richard was experiencing bloodlust and there was no reasoning with him.  No way could Damien talk him out of torturing the man he believed to be innocent.  Before it had all ended Lord Allister arrived and Damien’s apprehension grew.

Another day was wasted while Richard met with his nobles who included Allister.  Damien became furious at his king and furious with everyone else because he could do nothing but wait for the king to dismiss him, if he ever would.  Hidden rage was his constant companion, consumed his waking hours and intruded upon his sleep.

“Garrick and his men arrived at noon,” Edwin informed a not so sober Damien one evening as he approached the oppressive tent.  “His majesty wishes to see you.”

Was the man finally ready to make a decision he wondered turning and stalking toward the king’s tent?  Outwardly he waited patiently but inwardly he seethed wondering if Allister had told him Keri was missing.  Would he demand she be found or would he write the matter off and move on to another more pressing one.  Finally, he was granted entrance to the tent, his mind whirling with possible outcomes.

“You sent for me?” Damien asked with a bow using all his control not to show his aggravation.

“Allister informed me the witch never arrived for her trial,” Richard began.  “You will find her and bring her to me.  I will know once and for if she is a witch, rebel or both.”

He forced his body to remain relaxed while his mind screamed at him, one thought tumbling over another.  The king was only prepared for her guilt and no thought of innocence seemed to enter his brain.  He wanted to find her and protect her.  But he could not because he had to find her and turn her over to his king.  How could he possibly do such a thing?

“I’m sending someone with you,” Richard said and from the shadows stepped Garrick.  His eyes were dark orbs that immediately made Damien feel as if the man knew the turmoil that battled inside him over his prey.  Damien felt distinctly uneasy, he felt betrayed.  Just as Damien suspected, Garrick was only loyal to himself.

“Knowing Garrick’s disposition he will not be swayed by witchcraft.  I expect you two to take care of this matter quickly,” the king said dismissing Damien. 

Stunned Damien offered a bow and left the king.  The fact that Garrick remained with the king made him uneasy.  Richard was doubting him.  After all Damien had done to prove his loyalty that it was now being questioned grated on his nerves and though not a long walk by the time he made it back to his own tent he had dwelt on the matter enough to go from incensed to outright furious.  

He found his ire rising higher when he found no sign of Cyrille who had arrived earlier with Garrick.  He could disappear into his surroundings like a ghost and just now when he needed his brother’s council his absence was beyond irritating.  He found his patience to be short with Edwin as well so finally retired to his tent where he could ponder the turning of events. 

“Where have you been?” he demanded when his brother finally ducked beneath the canvas to enter the tent some time later.

His brother came up short and stared long and hard at him.  “What has happened?”

“Why do you disappear, brother?” Damien demanded as if his brother’s presence could have stopped the events that transpired today.  “When I need you why are you off slinking around in the shadows.”

Cyrille remained quiet.  Damien knew why his brother avoided people, being seen by them, talking to them.  Nor did Cyrille have to be told something heavy was weighing on his brother’s mind making him unreasonable.

“We could have all been routed but would you have known?”

“Just tell me what has occurred to put you in such a foul mood.”

Damien sighed and began by saying, “Richard has given me the task of bringing Keri before him.”

“At least she will not be tried.”

Damien shook his head.  “She will either be tried as a witch or a rebel.”

“Will you take her before the king?”

“I have no choice,” he said rubbing his hands together agitatedly. 

“There is always a choice.”

Damien’s hot glare landed on Cyrille.  Of course there was always a choice.  Like the time the choice had been Cyrille would take Damien’s identity.

Damien shook his head, jumped to his feet and began pacing.  “No, Richard is sending Garrick with me.  He said Garrick would not be bewitched.”

“Of course Garrick could not be bewitched.  The man would have to have a soul first.”  Though it did not bode well for Keri, Cyrille could not help but acknowledge the king’s wisdom.  Garrick was the one of all men best suited to bring home a witch.

“Don’t you see?  Richard is beginning to doubt my loyalty.  He could not just send me to get her but he has to send Garrick to ensure the job gets done.”

“Would you have rather he sent Garrick to get her himself?” Cyrille asked quietly.

Damien came to a shuddering halt.  A woman like Keri would be broken by a man like Garrick in no time.  Even generals hardened and honed on the battle field were uneasy around the man.  “I will kill him when we find her,” he said with certainty as he began to pace again.

“What are you doing brother?  Do you even know what you are doing?” Cyrille asked with humor edging his voice.

Damien shrugged his shoulders, his head bent in deep thought.

“Is she worth it?”

Damien spun on him.  “How do I know if she’s worth it?” he yelled.  “How do I know if Keri is worth killing one of my men for?  How do I know?  Tell me that dear brother,” he said taking the few steps forward to stand toe to toe with Cyrille.  “Was it worth it to save me?  Would it not have been better to have let them have me?”

“It was worth it,” Cyrille said, calm in the face of his brother’s fury.

“If you had kept your damn mouth shut you wouldn’t have to be skulking about in the shadows!” Damien continued his tirade and adding gestures to release his pent up frustrations.

“Is she worth our king’s wrath,” Cyrille prodded. 

“How can it be worth it brother anymore than it was worth your scars?” Damien demanded.  “He is our king, he is the one who determines who lives or dies, who has plenty and who has nothing.” 

“Because you still live.  And no matter what has become of me you still live.”

“What?” Damien demanded.  “How can you say that?  No woman will even look at you.  You are no longer the handsome Cyrille that had women crawling into his bed but a scared gruesome creature of a man who skulks about afraid to show his face.  How can my life be worth that?”

Damien’s words stung but Cyrille did not flinch at the statement.  “Because brother, I love you.”

Damien drew back as if he had been slapped.

“If you could become this gruesome creature and save her from the same torture and flames would you do it?”

“I don’t want to do it,” Damien declared, his tirade left him drained and it became evident in his voice.

“Then walk away and let Garrick find her.  His countess was not waiting for him as he ordered.  Perhaps he will turn his sites Keri’s way and she will be out of your hair.”

An image of her glowing brown hair matted in tangles around her battered angelic face came to his mind.  Her tear stained cheeks bruised and red.  Her eyes hollowed by anguish and defeat.  Only to face the horror of a fire that would end her suffering.

“I cannot.”  He would not make her face it alone.

Cyrille nodded. 

“We will go, just the two of us.  Send the men back to Haltwhistle.”  The decision was made and he hoped Keri was worth all that was to come.

~   ~   ~   ~

“How do you know in which direction they have gone?” Damien questioned after the midday sun had come and gone.  The three horses moved at a fast but steady gate south, a pace Garrick had sat since beginning the journey. 

“It does not matter which way they went but which way they are going.”

Damien fell silent and allowed his horse to slow to ride with Cyrille, content for the time being to follow his direction.  One thing the King prized Garrick for was his tenacity at finding his prey.  No one could hide from Garrick, he always ran them into the ground long before he would tire and relinquish the hunt.

Long into the night Garrick finally gave their horses mercy and stopped.  Their meager meal was followed quickly by sleep Garrick pulled them from a short time later.  The man was proving this was a job he took seriously and for the thousandth time Damien wondered to whom Garrick would give his loyalty.  Back in the saddle, the sun had just risen over the horizon when he slowed his horse to come abreast of Damien and Cyrille.

“You do not want me here,” Garrick stated never taking his eyes from the path ahead.

“You ride under my command for more than a year, I do not know why Richard has ordered you to ride with me.”

“Richard doubts you would bring the Lady Keri to him.”

Damien glanced sharply at the man riding beside him.  “So he does doubt my loyalty.”

“No,” Garrick said giving him a glance.  “He doubts your ability to reject the witch’s powers.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?” Damien demanded, his tone angry.

“No, not the same thing at all,” Garrick assured him. 

“Will you be able to turn her over?”

“I have a wife yet to ga
in for my service.  It seems the Countess objects to marrying a bastard.  I will have to take her by force.  I have asked the king to grant this to me and he has made the delivery of Keri to him mandatory so that he will turn his head when I destroy my own keep to get to my bride.”

“So you will take an innocent woman back to burn in the flames?” Damien asked his eyes studying the man beside him.

“It is not my concern if she is innocent or not.  Already too many innocent lives have been taken for me to be here now, who am I to naysay a king’s judgment in this matter?”  His dark eyes seemed to grow black with whatever suppressed emotion lay just beneath the surface before he nudged his horse with his heels and Garrick rode forward to take the lead position once again. 

~   ~   ~   ~

Keri looked down at the boots Damien had sent with her.  The brown leather was tall enough to cover her ankles and helped keep her feet warm and dry.  The snow came down in gigantic flakes as she watched them fall around her shoes through the tangle of her hair.  She could thank the fates for the intervention that had left Liam’s h
orse lame.  He bent checking the horse’s leg then her hoof but they both knew the horse was done for but she waited patiently for Liam to come to that conclusion himself.  She was all for delaying him but when it came to being stuck out in a winter storm she didn’t like the idea. 

“Let’s go,” Liam directed, taking the horse by its bridle and gesturing for her to walk ahead of him.  She trudged along the road that had dwindled to a path with the horse limping slowly behind them.  Liam rode but she knew he would refuse to let the injured one go.  Times were not good for Liam.  As they crisscrossed the country they followed Lord Howell but were always two steps behind him.  In the meantime Liam was having difficulty funding their chase, the purchase of the second horse had all but depleted his coin.  He had foolishly dismissed his men a few days before as well, paying them the last of the coin he could afford.

Keri stumbled and nearly fell, looking about her.  Had she lost the path entirely?  Peering ahead she saw the castle looming from out of the gray mist.  She breathed a sigh of relief for it was shelter and they could warm themselves by a fire.  She would worry what came after that, as it came.

~   ~   ~   ~

Damien saw Garrick enter the small tavern he stopped them at.  The room seemed to grow colder with his presence.  He watched him scan the room before his eyes came to rest on the group of men gathered on the far side of the room.  They had entered some time ago and were now bartering for the three girls they had dragged in behind them.  All three looked to be no more than 12 and they all appeared to be terrified.  The second was being led away after apparently being sold, as the one before her, to the two burley men who picked the girl up and carried her toward the rooms upstairs with great haste.  The entire affair sickened Damien but he watched Garrick make a beeline for the group and the last remaining girl.

He spoke then argued with the men before Garrick presented the coin and purchased the girl.  She tried to shrink back when he reached for her but he would have none of it.  With lightning speed her grabbed her hand and pulled her from the table while she tried to dig in her feet.  Halfway across the room as Garrick made his way toward the doors he stopped and pulled her against him, bending down he spoke in her ear.  She glanced up at him then followed obediently behind him.  Had he threatened to beat her or kill her if she did not submit to him?