"This is not for us to eat, Ian, but I will make sure that we get some later," she replied. "Help me move the cage. Don’t worry," she saw the look on his face, "he won’t wake until I tell him to." She held up a dart and Ian smiled. They hauled the cage for a long distance until they were close to the private riding area of Lord Kurn. Sylvia put the squirrel in a bush next to the trail and covered a rag in its blood. "Wait here, Ian, I’ll be back in a little while."
She took off and he lost sight of her. Great! More waiting. Just what I wanted. He said to himself. He plopped himself down next to the cage.
Sylvia saddled the horse and spread the blood on the horse’s breast. Lord Kurn came into the barn to prepare his horse for his daily ride. "Who are you and why have you saddled my horse?" he demanded.
"My Lord," she said u
Chapter 16 DepartureIan walked up to Mikail and asked what he had said to Sylvia. Mikail told Ian that Sylvia had bedded Lowell. Ian’s jaw dropped. Mikail’s face did not mask the pain he felt."Mikail, go to her. Apologize for what you said. You know she only did that because you turned her down. Ask her not to do it again." Ian urged him."She made it very clear that I have no right to tell her what to do with
Ian dropped the letter as he turned and punched a tree. It hurt him more than it did the tree, but thanks to the gloves he had not taken off, the skin on his hand remained intact. Mikail had been watching Ian and thinking that he had a letter from Mora so he had given him privacy. When he saw Ian hit the tree, he could not imagine what Mora could possibly have said to make Ian act that out of character and ran to his aid."Ian what is wrong?" he asked urgently. Ian picked up the letter, handed it to Mikail, and rubbed the hand he had used to attack the tree. He looked up at Ian in confusion."Youidiot!" Ian began, "if it hadn’t been for your pride being wounded she would have told you when she was leaving and you would have had
Chapter 17 Mikail’s MeetingSylvia was thinking of Mikail, too, as she silently crept through the secret passages of the old castle where The Five resided. They always took the noon meal together in private if they were present, so she did not have much time left to get to the room. The door, the only door anyone knew about, would be locked and barred from the inside so they could plot without being overheard.Whoever had created this passage was clever. They had hid the opening behind a por
Summer quickly gave way to autumn and autumn turned to winter without them losing their resolve. As news of The Five’s death spread, so did the rumors about the assassin who killed them and the enemy troops who surrendered without so much as being hunted. They would often walk into Tane’s camps with their arms above theirs heads and weapons tightly secured. Mikail found himself often waking in the night with her name on his lips and within a day or so, a note would be found from her telling him one way or another to leave her alone.Retribution consistently walked through their traps as though it were child’s play and sightings of her danced around their camps. She rubbed their noses in the fact they had not caught her by carrying Victor’s blade as well as Veritás lately.At length, Mikail and Ian came up with another plan. The
"Captain?" she questioned."I am here on business, Arden, and you must not breathe a word of it even in your sleep," he said quietly. She nodded. "For your co-operation, I will return to you your freedom from this hell if you will make me one other promise.""What would you have of me?" the look on her face was almost hopeful."You must promise that you will never again sell yourself into such slavery. Find a job as a cook, marry for love, and raise children whom you will devote your life to.""I promise I will never again sell my body in such a manner," she replied to him breathlessly. Her bosom almost did jump from between her laces before he pulled them back together. It startled her, but only for a split second. Then she startled him by hugging him. She stepped
Chapter 18 Arden’s WeddingAlmost every soldier in the inn went running at top speed to the rooms of the innkeeper and his family. The innkeeper was the first to arrive at his daughter’s side and was busy holding her and trying to explain what had happened when Mikail and Ian arrived and went to Arden’s side. Upon the captain’s arrival, Arden seemed to decide that last night’s events had indeed not been a dream and she calmed down and listened to Ian a
"Apparently a hunter was out looking for fresh meat and found a pack of wolves around the body," answered Ian. Mikail winced. He could barely find the strength to ask what he desperately wanted to know."Ian ... How did they identify the body if the wolves had torn - ?" he broke off thinking of Sylvia’s body being torn and wondering what could have killed her."By the sword protruding from the chest of Victor’s clothes – the last things he was known to be wearing." Ian watched as Mikail tried to digest what he had heard."Then it could not have been her that they found," he said slowly. Ian shook his head with a slight smile. "What are we waiting for, Ian get this place moving!" He turned to Arden, "I think it would be a good idea if you come with us and settle in another town."
Chapter 19 The TrapRetribution had a meeting with a peculiar, but rich client who wanted nothing more than proof whether or not her husband was cheating on her. She said that if he were, she could divorce him and retain her honor, along with all of her family wealth, but if not she would never doubt him again. This fine lady had told Retribution how to find her husband, where he would be, and what he always wore when he claimed to be going to the military meetings where she suspected his fidelity. It was in the town just across the border, it would only take a few hours
"Something like that. Captain, I do not wish to have this discussion with you at this time! You have interrupted a chiding I was receiving from Master Revenge," she spoke as though she was very close to sending him on to the manor. He took in the tears threatening to overflow the blue eyes he had come to love on a dear and trusted friend. He wanted nothing more than to protect her, but knew that something more was going on between Sylvia and her father than a mere chiding. They had done that many times back and forth and it had not made her cry. He bowed to her and walked just out of earshot, but kept his eyes on them.When Sylvia looked back up at the face of Revenge, his expression had changed. She couldn’t decide if she liked the new one better or not. "How long have you been with child?" he demanded through gritted teeth."This will be my second cycle missed," she replied flatly.
"I do not dispute that it is. Pay the woman that she and her guard may leave!""Guard?!" the man asked angrily, "She brought an entire regiment with her!""Never mind my guard," Sylvia’s voice was a shock to the crowd, "Let us finish our business and I will leave this place and my guard with me.""All of them?""All of them.""We will need some sort of proof that it was you who did slay Retribution," the once very haughty man sounded defeated."If the body and the blade are not enough, then what else can I offer as proof but the wound that blade inflicted on my hand in the struggle that preceded the death ofthat woman?" She held out her left hand to show the bandage."May we see that wound?" he asked. Sylvia pi
This time when he spoke, his tones and facial expressions were much softer. "I do not know all of the magic that was placed on the blade. I know that for me, the glow was green, not blue as it is for you. I know that it does not like to draw the blood of its master – that was one of the attributes I asked for when I commissioned it. I do not know why it did what it did, but I am sure it had something to do with it cutting you."The small group dispersed still thinking about what they had seen and heard and not knowing what they thought about it. Sylvia returned to the place where she had fought Delora. There she found that none of the men could handle Veritás without it striking back at them, though none could explain how as the blade never moved. She would have to clean it herself. She could handle that, even with a wounded hand.Thus ends phase one of this project ...&nbs
Chapter 27 Retribution’s RetirementIn less than a week, Ladies Chadwick and Kinden were settled back at Chadwick Manor and their lords were again inquiring as to what on earth they were planning. To them it was a game, nothing could possibly be serious about it because the women were too happy – in fact, they were so happy they cried sometimes.
"Because ... well ... you first saved my brother from certain death and then you requested that the medicine man come here and tend to my father who had been poisoned by Delora, thus saving our family again. He refuses to take even the smallest payment for his services. You," he paused and looked at her as though she were not entirely human, but in a good way, "I would swear that you are part or all angel sent from God’s own side to help this land recover from its sorrows.""You are too kind, Cole.""There is one other thing I must request of you," he told her hesitantly, "I must ask that you say nothing to the authorities of what we have done ... The consequences could be terrible for us.""I will keep your secret, Cole, just be careful who elseyoutell," she said with a maternal s
Delora allowed herself to be carried the rest of the way to the tree house without incident. There was terror in her eyes and etched in every line of her face. If anything, it increased when she was securely tied to a chair and her gag removed. She managed to speak after Retribution had pulled up the other chair in the small room and sat backwards around it looking at her. "W-What do y-you want f-from me?"Retribution smiled with such maliciousness that she could have made most of the guild counsel turn tail and run. "I know what you have been doing to your husband and his family, but I want to hear your story. Your fate may be a little less painful if you comply with my wishes." Delora paled then reddened. She started to let out a string of curses and insults, but was interrupted by Retribution’s steel re-enforced bracer coming hard across her face. "Insolence is not becoming of a fool." Disdain d
Chapter 26 DeloraShe crept quietly along the second floor ledge. They had been gone from the merchant’s home for three days and now it was time to return. She pulled her black cloak over her leathers. It would not do for anyone to see what she was wearing - after all there were few who even knew she wasn’t always in a skirt. She found the room she wanted and carefully slid the shutters
She stepped out of the bath. He watched her. Her wet hair contoured to the shape of her body. He heard her sultry voice telling him there was not a single towel in the entire room, but they could use one of his fine linen shirts if he would be so kind as to retrieve it and would he mind drying her?Mind? Any excuse to touch her was reason enough for him to do so ...But when he arrived at the chair where a shirt lay, she guided him into it and sat across his lap. He let out a groan of pleasure.Through the course of the night, she brought him to the brink of release and back again so many times that he lost count. Finally, as the sun began to peak over the horizon, they reached the peak of ecstasy and drifted into peaceful slumber.Somewhere around the noon meal, Sylvia appeared in a dressing robe that belonged to Mikail and requested food
"Would you back up?" the king’s voice was barely audible over Sylvia’s soft crying and the murmur of the hall, "We are in no danger from Mikail’s menorhis bride!" His comment made Sylvia smile, though for a different reason than he thought.If he only knew who I really am, those would not be his words..."Forgive them. They are overcautious in these perilous times.""There is nothing to forgive, Majesty, they were only doing the job loyalty demands of them," she replied, "It would be disappointing if they were to shirk their duties. Enemy spies have been known to infiltrate even the most watched places." The old king put his hand over Sylvia’s and nodded approval."Spoken with great wisdom, Lady Chadwick, it is good to see that Mikail has chosen well," he removed his hand from hers after giving it a slight squeeze.