Page 4 of Lord of the Castle
I heard a sound. It was soft and yet still there, as though someone were dragging something against the stone floor. Thud. Drag. Thud. Drag. It came closer, and my heart climbed into my throat. My fingers slipped down to my sword hilt. Even though these people did not seem to fight the way I fought, they used clever words, herbs and food, not blades.
The step, and the drag, came closer. A hulking figure appeared in the doorway, ducked, and then limped into the room. A shadow crossed over the fire, and the flames leaned back, physically moving away from that darkness. I blinked. Perhaps it was the remnants of the potent herbs Betty had given me, for just as suddenly, the flames leaped higher, dancing among the stones and licking up the wood with a fury.
I turned to see who the shadow was and froze.
It was a barbarian of a man who stood well over six feet, so tall that if I were standing, my head would only reach his broad chest. His arms were thick with corded muscles; perhaps he had been solider in his prime. Now he was rugged with long black hair that swept past his shoulders and a neatly trimmed beard. He had a scar under one eye, giving him the appearing of a wildling, one of the barbarians who came down to raid the outer villages surrounding the kingdom from time to time. But he was a tamed barbarian, for even though his hair was long and his scar frightening, he was dressed in fine clothes like a lord, all in black, with flourishes of purple. Flourishes which matched his eyes. Startling, purple eyes, wide-set under dense eyebrows. Those eyes stared at mine with an intensity I could not read.
Breaking eye contact, I dropped my gaze, and saw the source of the thudding sound. He leaned on a staff made two tree branches twisted together in an unending dance. The top of the staff tapered into a closed flower blossom, masking a faint glow that came from within. But I did not study the staff long as realization struck me and I breathed in sharply. My commander had told me the lord of the castle was lame, and indeed, one of his legs was twisted, forcing him to lean against the staff when he walked. Aside from his brute strength, it would be impossible for him to move quickly. Which made my secret task easier.
Those purple eyes studied me from head to toe, taking in my short-cropped, thick black hair, green eyes, the freckles that stood out on my dark skin, my lean, trim soldier’s body, my dirty armor and muddy boots. His expression hardened as those he were displeased. Words rumbled out of his mouth like the sound of booming thunder at the brink of a storm. “I am Lord Cedric, but you may call me Cedric. Why are you here?”
The gruffness of his words gave me strength. My herb-induced haze faded, and I rose from the chair, even though the heat of the fire became uncomfortable under his smoldering gaze. My tongue stumbled over words for he quite literally stole my breath away with his outwardly presence. He did not belong in the castle at all but out in the wild, hunting in the vast forest outside his doorstep.
“I hail from the kingdom,” I cleared my throat, my tongue thick. “I was sent to protect you. Rumor has it that during this season, your castle and village is most vulnerable.”
He pressed his lips together and studied me again. “Is it. And do you believe this rumor?”
I squared my shoulders. “It does not matter what I believe. I am here to do my duty.”
A faint smile crossed his lips. “But you realize that being sent here is not an honor, but a punishment. After all, a King’s guard is sent every year, but I do not believe it is for protection. I believe you are a spy, just like the others.”
I frowned. He was quite bold and unapologetic. His eyes bored into me like they’d unravel all the thoughts in my mind, picking them apart until he found what he wanted. If I were someone else, a highborn, a lady, I would give into his gruffness but resistance built in me. I was a solider, I had to be resilient.
“As I said, I am here to do my duty and—” the lie came easily— “I want to find out why the guards who came before me never returned.”
An eyebrow lifted. “Ah. I see why they sent you. You are straightforward, aren’t you? That is a question easily answered. They did not return because they did not want to.”
“Where are they now?” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, confused by his answer. It was not possible for everyone who had come before me to change their minds and decide not to return.
Lord Cedric shrugged. “I did not follow them after they left my castle nor ask them to write letters.”
This time he smiled, the light of humor dancing in his eyes. Was he making a joke?
“It is my understanding that they were killed,” I blurted out, trying—and failing—to turn the conversation serious again. His lightness unnerved me. Now was not the time for playful banter.
He waved his hand. “And this assumption is based on... Rumor?”
I scowled. “I intend to find out.”
“Of course,” he replied, a hardness returning to his features. “Since this is your first evening here, you are welcome to be skeptical, but there is much to learn. I assume we will spend the next few weeks in close quarters, given that you are here toprotectme.”
He turned the word into a sarcastic snarl. Another jest. But by the look of his upper body, he did not need much protection.
He opened his mouth to speak. “A warning, Mistress…”
“Mariel.”
“Mariel.” He said. “Too pretty of a name for a mere shield-maiden.”
I could not tell whether his words were a joke or a compliment. The heat of the air suddenly seemed too warm, and beads of sweat trickled down my neck.
He moved closer until naught but a breath separated us.
“A warning. Mariel. Although you are here to protect me, the walls of this castle are fortified. No one goes in and out without my permission, especially after dark. I will leave you tonight, but I am curious to discover whether you are like the may flowers that come forth bringing light, or whether you have hidden thorns, which will leave us awry.” He turned, his bulk causing shadows to weave across the room once more as he took his leave.
Dumbfounded, I collapsed on the edge of the chair, legs trembling and stared at the flames as I twirled his words over in my head. The smell of him and the cadence of his voice stayed with me. He was handsome, and his presence filled up the room. He was different from any man I’d ever met. And those purple eyes? No! I needed to get a grip. I could not be attracted to a man I was supposed to kill, even though sensations I thought I’d never feel fluttered through me.
His haunting words followed on their heels though. Mystery surrounded this place, and I needed all my wits to discover what was happening here. But there was already a sinking suspicion in my heart: this would be much harder than I initially assumed.
