Page 142 of Ironling
“All right,” she agreed. “But don’t be long. I’ll be waiting up for you.”
A roguish smile overtook his handsome face, and his eyes went hungry as he leaned down for a kiss. “Good,” he rumbled, “because tonight, I intend to make love to my mate.”
33
Hakon walked with Captain Aodhan to the barracks that evening, restless and ready to have this over with. Everything he’d ever wanted was within his grasp, his beautiful, brilliant mate waiting for him, and he was determined to end the night as a fully mated male. The quicker they could finish this, the better.
“Just be careful,”Aislinn had told him anxiously.“I worry.”
“Of course.”He’d tipped up her face with a knuckle under her chin.“Your people and all the plans you’ve made are one of your best designs. Everything is working as it should. You just have to let it work.”
Her eyes had gone wide in understanding, and Hakon couldn’t resist tasting her wonder in a kiss.“I’ll be back soon. I have many promises to keep.”
“Easy, consort,” Captain Aodhan said when Hakon tried again to hasten their pace. “Let everyone get into place.”
Hakon grumbled but did as the captain said, letting the man catch him up. Shaking out his shoulders, he rounded the barracks with Aodhan, keeping to the shadows to watch Bayard’s knights filing in for the night.
They had been allowed to carry on as normal that afternoon and evening, drinking in town and making general nuisances of themselves. Everyone coming and going from the castle was strictly controlled, and word never reached them that Bayard now inhabited a dungeon cell. A few made inquiries, wondering when Bayard would return from the Choosing, but all the Dundúran guards had strict instructions to prevaricate.
The moon hung high in the sky by the time the last of the knights straggled into the barracks, and the slow minutes itched at Hakon’s skin.
When the last knight finally staggered inside, Hakon’s blood began to pump fast.
With a signal from Aodhan, the doors were quickly shut and barred from the outside.
“Are you ready?”
“More than,” Hakon confirmed.
He followed Aodhan through a side door that was promptly locked behind them. Touching his wrist, the silky fabric of the handfasting ribbon gave him enough calm not to barrel through the captain and make short work of all this.
Fates, I’m going to marry her.
His fortunes had changed so fast, his heart had whiplash from the force and suddenness. He’d never doubted his resolve, only the circumstances that kept them apart. He could hardly comprehend it, but he would never, ever question or take it for granted.
She chose me.
Hakon would rise to that honor, starting tonight.
It was time to meet Bayard’s underhandedness with a show of force.
He and Captain Aodhan entered the main block of the west barrack, full of cots and confused knights. Bayard’s company had gathered loosely in the center, some looking on in a drunkendaze, many already down to their underclothes. Dundúran’s knights and guards marshalled around the perimeter of the room, their helms drawn down and hands on their weapon hilts.
Hakon and Aodhan approached, the Dundúran knights closing ranks behind them.
A tall, fairly young knight with dark hair and a pug nose that’d been broken more than once stalked forward to meet them. Hakon knew him to be the captain of Bayard’s company, and he’d asked after the baron several times throughout the day.
“What’s this, Aodhan?” the other captain spat, mouth twisted with outrage. “Piss poor to attack us in our drawers.”
“I’m not attacking you, Garth, and I don’t intend to. Provided you mind your manners, of course.”
Garth sneered. “Where’s the baron?”
“Exactly where he belongs,” said Hakon, stepping forward.
Garth turned his glower on him, but Hakon merely looked back, unimpressed.
“Lady Aislinn has rejected your lord, and he’s been taken into custody on the charge of treason,” Aodhan informed Garth, though he projected his voice so all in the barrack heard. “I’m willing to be gracious and assume none of you knew the extent of your lord’s treachery, threatening violence against our heiress and the people of Dundúran. No knight worth their spurs would be part of such a plot.”
