Chapter 13

Kay cantered down the road from the chapel through the brilliant morning sunshine, her heart soaring, her skin glowing, the dewy trail leading her back to her keep, her home. Today would be the day. Today they would gently ask Galeron to leave, and she could admit the truth to Reese, could leave behind all the curtains and hiding. She would hold nothing back and give herself to him fully.

A shadow seemed to drift across the sun, and she shook off the cold chill. She glanced over her shoulder at the chapel, a long sigh escaping her. She would have to give that up. She knew Reese’s feelings about sword fighting. She adored the exercise, the feeling of control – but all of that paled before her love of Serenor and her feelings for Reese. She could make that sacrifice.

The gates of the main wall moved over her head. She pulled into the bailey as if she were floating, handing the reins off to Stephen with a wide smile, moving with light feet up the main steps, over to the long spiral. It seemed only seconds before she was stepping through the ornate oak door, coming up to stand before Em, her heart pounding in excitement.

But … Em was not smiling. Her face was somber, her eyes holding Kay’s with concern.

“What is it?” cried out Kay in alarm, her eyes dropping immediately to Em’s round belly. “Is something wrong with the baby?”

Em shook her head slowly, taking a step forward.

“Kay, it is Reese. He came by to see me earlier, while you were at the chapel practicing.”

“What, alone? Why would he do that?”

Em took in a deep breath, then let it out again. “He has withdrawn his name. He is no longer interested in being Lord of Serenor.”

Kay felt as if she had been punched in the stomach, and she nearly doubled over with the pain. Em came to her side immediately, supporting her, and it was several moments before Kay could catch her breath to speak.

“Where is he?” she gasped out in shock, her mind frantic. He could not leave, could not abandon her.

“Stephen sent word that he has left the keep,” explained Em sadly. “I am so sorry, Kay. I wish -”

Kay did not hear the rest of her sentence. She was running, tumbling, racing down the stairs as fast as she could go, taking them two at a time, her breath coming in great heaves. She could not lose him, not now.

Her horse was just being led into his stall as she raced into the stables. Stephen took one look at her face and spun the steed in place, bringing him back out as Kay slipped the bridle over his head, setting the bit in place. In a few moments the horse was resaddled and she was vaulting on top of him, pulling hard on the reins, wheeling him out of the doorway and thundering through the main gates.

Her horse flew across the road at a gallop, and she urged him harder, leaning low over his mane, craving every last ounce of speed, every extra second to get to Reese before he vanished, before he disappeared from her life, left her alone, alone …

She rode up over the crest of the hill, and suddenly a grateful relief washed over her. There he was, far ahead, his horse cantering along the road with steady rhythm. She dug in her calves, and they were flying, soaring, racing down toward Reese as if nothing else mattered in the world, as if her reaching his side was the only thought that existed.

Reese spun as she drew near, standing up in his stirrups, pulling into a halt. By the time she wrenched her reins to a skidding, spinning stop near him, his face was tight with anger.

“What in God’s teeth are you thinking, riding like that?” he shot out, pulling alongside her with a snap of his reins. “You could have been killed!”

Kay’s voice was ripped out of her in anguish. “Where are you going?” she pleaded, drawing in her breath in long gasps.

Reese’s eyes held hers, and the anger softened as he took in her distraught state. “I was heading home, to talk with my brother,” he advised her quietly. “I vowed, on my honor, to return the instant I was no longer in the running for Serenor.”

“Why did you make that choice?” pleaded Kay, turning her body to gaze back at the keep, nestled in the autumn colors, the mists of morning still gently swirling about its base. “Is this not the most beautiful place on earth?” Her voice caught. “I thought you felt the way I did, that you wanted to stay here forever …”

Beside her, she felt Reese turn his gaze, staring out alongside her toward the sweep of the meadow, the line of the road. Suddenly he started, and Kay’s eyes tracked, following the line of his eyes.

She squinted against the bright sun to make out the tiny figure moving across the greenery. A lone horseman was riding out from the keep, moving at an easy lope. Kay drew her eyes along to his destination and found a cluster of dots waiting down in the hollow of Lover’s Lane. She could make out four … no, five figures on horseback waiting down there, safely hidden from the sharp eyes in the keep.

Swordsmen. MacDougals.

Kay swept her eyes back to the lone figure. Who was betraying them? Could any member of her household be turned by money?

Her breath caught. A flash of red blazed out from the cloak he wore as it swirled in the wind. Fury roiled within her as the full import of the scene took hold.

“The traitor!” she screamed, her hand flashing to her hip, finding nothing, wheeling her horse, preparing to charge out. “I will bring them in myself!”

A strong hand grabbed at her reins. “Kay, think! They are six armed men!” he insisted, pulling her in. “We have to get help!”

“We have to get weapons,” snarled Kay, spinning her mount again, kicking him into a gallop, heading toward the chapel, almost at the halfway point between her and the clearing, but higher to the right.

“Where are you going?” cried out Reese at her side, his horse in a full gallop, his gaze sweeping between the chapel and the keep.

“To the chapel,” shouted back Kay in frustration. Surely that was evident? She urged her steed to even faster lengths.

“Why?” he insisted, and she shook her head, focusing on the ride. There would be time enough for explanations later. Right now she had to make it to the chapel, to get to Galeron before he turned over his lists, his copious notes, to the enemy. She could not believe how stupid she had been. She had watched him, this entire time, as he recorded every detail of the keep, charted every flaw, every issue while refusing to fix even the smallest latch.

He had been cataloguing for an attack.

The chapel was suddenly before her, and she reined in hard, spinning to a stop. Leland and Eli were before her in a moment, still in their leather gear, their eyes seeking to hers in surprise.

“Eli, get to the keep,” she ordered as she leapt off her horse, moving toward the chapel. “Galeron is a traitor. He is at this very moment meeting with the enemy, down in Lover’s Lane.”

“On it,” he responded without hesitation, racing behind the building toward the back shed.

Kay did not break her stride. She moved into the main chapel, heading toward the trunk, pulling out the leather jerkin and sliding it over her head in one smooth pull. She did not pause one moment, putting her hands up over her head once it was settled, allowing Leland to wrap the belt and scabbard around her waist, buckling it into position. He reached over to the wall where her sword hung, tossing it to her, and she slid it into the sheath with an easy movement. She reached under the jerkin, pulling out the dagger, resettling it tucked into her sword belt.

Leland’s voice was even. “How many are there?” he asked, giving her a once-over, adjusting her jerkin with a practiced eye.

“Six all together,” she responded, her throat tight. “Odds are three to one.”

“Two to one,” corrected a calm voice from the doorway.

Kay spun, looking up at Reese, her heart catching, her mind suddenly going to her outfit, to the sword at her side. She had failed, everything was lost now, and yet she could not pause, could not give thought to it. Everything depended on her intercepting Galeron before he turned over his copious notes.

“This is not your fight,” she managed to bite out, her voice tense. “This will be serious; it is the very life of Serenor.”

“I will ride at your side,” he insisted, his gaze not wavering. His eyes did not move from hers.

Kay gave herself a shake. There was no time for discussion. She launched into motion, and in a moment all three were mounted, riding hard toward the clearing, thundering in a line. The time streamed by in hoofbeats and flying dirt, and it seemed only minutes before they crested the ridge, moved down into the bowl, watching as the six men spun their horses, gathering them around in an opposing guard. The dust raised and settled, and Kay drew in a long breath, her eyes held firmly on Galeron’s.

“You will not turn over those notes to the MacDougals,” she shot out, her voice hot. “You will come with us back to the keep.”

Galeron’s eyes swept her warmly, taking in her appearance, her sword. “You continually impress and astonish me, my dear,” he complimented her. He glanced at Reese for a moment. “You had not abandoned Serenor after all,” he added wryly.

“Never,” agreed Reese, drawing his sword, moving to a position at Kay’s right.

Galeron’s eyes moved across to Leland. “Ah, Leland,” he grinned, nodding in recognition as he saw the man now outfitted in leather armor. “So you are the quiet ‘priest’ at the hillside chapel. I should have known Lord Weston would not leave his daughter unguarded. Still, his Captain of the Guard – I am impressed. So you have been lurking nearby, keeping an eye on his precious valuables?”

“I will guard her with my life,” snarled Leland, drawing his sword, moving to Kay’s other side.

Galeron’s mouth quirked into a smile as Reese looked over in surprise at Leland, then met his own eyes again.

Galeron’s voice was light. “I give you one last chance,” he offered. “Leave now, and let us go on our way. The odds are against you. If you come at us, we will have no choice but to defend ourselves.”

Kay ran her eyes over the man before her, the man she had trusted, had joked with, had almost considered to take as a husband. “Never,” she vowed.

Galeron nodded in understanding. “I suppose I expected no less,” he agreed. He turned to the men to either side of him. “Take down her two companions, but leave her untouched,” he ordered. “She is to be mine, after all.”

The clearing instantly burst into a flurry of action, of spinning hooves, clashing swords, calls of attack and high whinnies. The enemies split into two halves, and Kay brought her sword high above her, diving in at one of the men on Reese’s flank. The soldier turned in surprise, driving across at her, swinging a sword down and across to disarm her.

She turned deftly, wheeling her horse, pulling hard on her reins to rear him up. The steed leant back, turning under her command, spinning with raised hooves.

Her opponent cried out in surprise, falling under the striking hooves, landing hard on the ground.

Kay’s horse sprung forward under her guidance, and she was on one of Leland’s attackers in a second. The swordsman engaged her, drawing his attention from Leland, blocking her swing, immersing into a swift exchange of blows. She dove in toward his side, spinning her horse, and he turned with her, swinging his sword wide to keep her clear. She gave her steed a nudge …

There was a shout from above, and she turned her head sharply, looking to spot the fresh danger. Had reinforcements come to Galeron’s aid so quickly?

There was a sharp pain at her thigh, and she cried out in surprise. In an instant Reese was at her side, his sword high, taking out the soldier with one twisting slash, moving to protect her.

Galeron and the two remaining soldiers turned and fled toward the north as the keep’s troops thundered down the hill, drawing in around the trio.

Leland drew up by Kay in concern. “How bad are you, girl?” he snapped, shaking his head. “Have I not told you a thousand times to keep your attention on your opponent?”

Reese was at her other side, his eyes sharp on the wound. “We need to get you back to the keep,” he murmured quietly. His eyes went up to Leland’s.

Leland held his for a long moment, then nodded. “I will trust her in your care, then,” he stated at last. “Be sure you are worthy of that trust.”

“I swear I am,” vowed Reese, his eyes steady.

Leland nodded again, then turned, raising his sword. “After the traitors!” he cried out, and in an instant the troops had moved with him, thundering to the north after the retreating three. Reese dismounted in a moment, drawing his dagger, slicing a length off the bottom of his tunic. He bound up the long, jagged slash on Kay’s leg.

“Can you make it back to the keep?” he asked in a low tone.

“I will not fall,” promised Kay with heat. “I will get that man in irons if it is the last thing I do!”

She waited for him to remount, then she pushed her horse hard, headed back at a canter, wincing in agony with each movement, willing herself not to falter. Reese was aside her at every movement, his eyes sharp on her, keeping time alongside her with easy skill.

It seemed too long before they were pulling into the main gates, before she was falling off her horse, he was catching her, carrying her into the infirmary. She was laid down on the bed, and Anne was leaning over her, clucking at her in weary acceptance.

“Oh, Kay, what have you done now,” she tsked at her, drawing a knife, cutting the lower dress material away from her leg, drawing off the makeshift bandage Reese had wrapped around the wound. The long, sharp-edged cut began to bleed freely and the blonde cursed, reaching for a nearby ointment. Reese moved in to help, taking hold of a fresh dressing, pressing it down on the wound to hold back the blood while he worked.

“Reese,” called out a woman’s voice from the entryway, the tone strong and steady. He turned in surprise at the familiar sound, then froze, his eyes sweeping down her form in a long look.

Em strode into the infirmary, one hand resting on her swollen belly. Her eyes moved to Kay’s jagged injury, her brow creasing in concern. Her eyes flicked to Reese for only a moment before returning to the woman lying, moaning, on the bed.

“Leave us, please,” she ordered without looking up.

Reese pursed his lips, cataloguing the clear evidence of Em’s pregnancy. He glanced down at Kay with a last, tender look before nodding and turning, striding from the room.