Page 18 of While Angels Slept
“Next time,” he growled at the old man. “I will kill you.”
Hunt wailed louder. Cantia shushed him gently. “Please, my lord,” she said to Tevin. “He… he is not himself. You must make allowances.”
“I make no allowances for a man that would strike a woman,” he said coldly. He stepped around Charles, circling him as a vulture would circle its prey. “You will remove yourself from this keep, Penden. I do not want to see your face again today.”
Charles gazed up at him, his eyes red and unfocused. Somehow, he managed to get to his feet and walk unsteadily from the room. He didn’t even look at Cantia. When he was gone, Tevin and Cantia focused on one another.
“What happened that he would do that to you?” he demanded quietly.
Cantia opened her mouth, but the lady knight in the corner spoke first. “She did nothing, Tevin. He attacked her for no reason at all.”
Cantia looked at the lady in the corner. She did not know what to say, ashamed that this stranger should witness such a scene. “He is not himself,” she said with some remorse.
Tevin took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up to get a better look at Charles’ handiwork. Her lip was split, but she would heal. He held her face much longer than necessary, simply for the fact that he couldn’t seem to let go.
“Has he done this before?” his voice was low.
She shook her head. “Never,” she replied honestly. “Brac would have.…”
When she refused to finish, Tevin lifted an eyebrow at her. “What would he have done?”
She wasn’t going to answer him, but he shook her chin gently to prod her. Eyes averted, he barely heard her words. “Brac would have killed him,” she whispered.
Tevin let her go. Hunt was calming and she set the boy on his feet, wiped the remainder of his tears, and instructed him to go to the kitchens and get some watered wine for the lady knight. When the boy ran off with the dog close behind, she looked at Tevin.
“Charles was always a gruff, hard man, but he was never cruel,” she said. “I fear that Brac’s passing may have changed him. This madness shows no sign of letting up.”
Tevin put his hands on his hips, his dark eyebrows furrowed for effect. “I’ll not let him take his grief out on you if that is what you mean,” he said. “If I have to lock him in the vault for the safety of you and your son, I shall do it without hesitation.”
“I am sure there will be no more transgressions, my lord.”
He just stood there, looking at her as if he didn’t believe her. In the corner, the lady knight shifted slightly, grunting when her ribs pained her. It was enough of a noise so that Tevin and Cantia took their attention away from each other and focused on her.
“Are you in pain?” Tevin asked her.
Val tried to shrug, but with a broken collarbone, it was not a simple gesture. “As much as is to be expected, I suppose.”
“I shall bring you more willow bark,” Cantia turned for the door.
“Wait,” Val stopped her. “Though I appreciate your kindness, mylady, that brew makes me exceedingly tired. I find the pain tolerable.”
“As you wish, my la…lady.”
Cantia wasn’t quite sure how to address the lady knight and the room fell into an awkward silence. Tevin lifted his hand in Val’s direction.
“Lady Cantia, this is my sister, the Lady Valeria du Reims,” he introduced them. “I apologize that I am so late with introductions, but it did not seem the appropriate time yesterday. Please know that we are both very grateful for your delicate care of her injuries.”
Cantia dipped her head in Val’s direction. “A pleasure, my lady.”
“My pleasure as well, Lady Penden. And my thanks.”
Cantia gazed at the red haired lady knight, feeling foolish for staring at her and realizing that they both knew that she was staring at her. It wasn’t hard to read her thoughts. Val smiled a toothy grin that was both impish and charming.
“I know, it’s not usual to see a woman in armor,” she said. “Blame my brother. He would swordplay with me as a child and I grew to love it.”
Cantia looked at Tevin, an eyebrow lifted in mock reproach. “You turned this lovely woman into a warrior? How dastardly.”
He pursed his lips, knowing this was a battle he could not win but willing to make the attempt. “Do not believe everything she tells you. I had no hand in this. She would blame me when the truth is that I cannot get rid of her.”
