Father would be sorely disappointed when he learned I’d allowed Ludlow Castle to fall to Lord Pitt, one of his grievous, longtime enemies. I’d been able to send Father a quickly scrawled note just before Lord Pitt’s troops had arrived and laid siege to the castle. For the past week, I’d prayed he received my note and would make haste to aid me with his army of retainers.
However, my hopes had dwindled with each passing day, especially as Lord Pitt’s men relentlessly broke down our defenses.
I crossed to the corner, knelt, and began brushing away the rushes to reveal the wood planks underneath. My fingers made quick work of prying up the loose board and finding the key underneath.
The battle cries and clamor stealing in the open window seemed louder, almost as if they were coming from inside the castle now. I had to hurry or we might lose our chance to escape.
Without bothering to replace the board, I returned to the boudoir and knelt in front of the chest. Before I could wiggle the key into the lock, Cecil reappeared dragging Izzy with him. She clutched her gown closed where apparently the servant had been in the process of unlacing it. Izzy’s light blue eyes were wild with fright, and her blond hair a disheveled tangle under the servant’s head covering.
“They’re here,” Cecil hissed. “Hide in the armoires.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, I grabbed Izzy and swung open the heavy armoire door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cecil shuffle into my chambers.
I wanted to shout after him to find a place to hide too. I didn’t want him to take any risks with the invading army. But such admonitions would go unheeded. Cecil was more stubborn than I was. I’d have to trust he’d find a way to keep himself safe. Although he was no longer the young Moorish warrior he’d once been, he was still skilled beyond most.
“Climb behind the gowns.” I shoved Izzy into the heavy garments.
She whimpered, her skin ashen. My sister contained everything good and fair in this world and was like our mother in every way that I was not.
“Do not make a sound and do not come out,” I ordered as I closed the door. “Not for any reason.”
The bang of my chamber door and clanking footfalls was followed by shouts.
Without further thought, I yanked my helmet over my head and unsheathed my sword. I had no time to climb into the armoire opposite Izzy’s. Instead, I sidled next to it into the dark shadows of the windowless room. If anyone peeked into the boudoir, I’d be mostly out of sight.
And if they came into the small dressing room to search more thoroughly, I’d slit their throats before they had the chance to discover Izzy’s hiding place.
“Where are they?” came a sharp voice from my chamber.
The heavy footsteps on the rushes told me there were several soldiers searching the room. I was surprised they’d infiltrated the castle and found my chambers so rapidly. Whoever was leading the campaign was obviously informed and efficient. Even if I was in great danger, I could still appreciate a well-executed attack.
“The Earl of Ulster’s daughters have already made their escape,” Cecil said with the slight accent of his native language.
A moment of silence ensued, and I could envision the intruders scanning the room and seeing signs of my recent presence. I closed my eyes and prayed they wouldn’t notice the remains of my morning meal on the bedside table.
“Continue to search,” the sharp voice finally barked. “Check everywhere. Leave no door unopened.”
The footsteps resumed and began to cross to the boudoir.
I slid my fingers more securely around the hilt of my sword. The handle was perfectly shaped to fit my slender fingers. And thanks to Cecil’s drills, I could wield it as expertly as any knight. The only problem was that I’d never fought in a real battle, and my breath hitched slightly at the prospect of taking up my weapon with the intent to cause bodily injury.
“The earl’s daughters left earlier this morning.” Cecil spoke more adamantly.
I didn’t have to be in the room to know he was reaching for the knife hidden at the small of his back. My lungs constricted at the realization that Cecil would fight to the death to keep the knights from entering the boudoir and discovering our presence.
At one time Cecil may have had the capability of defending himself against overwhelming odds. But not anymore. He’d put up a vicious fight, but he wouldn’t be able to single-handedly defeat this group.
I wouldn’t stand idly by while he sacrificed his life. I didn’t care if he raged at me later for disobeying his instructions. I could do nothing less than come to his aid.
The moment the knight advancing toward the boudoir gave a cry of pain, I sprang from my hiding spot. The clank of metal against metal told me Cecil had unsheathed his sword an instant after throwing his knife. He’d injured one and was now engaged in combat.
As I careened into my bedchamber, my pulse stuttered for an instant at the realization that I was about to enter combat. But as my sights connected with Cecil dodging one sword while slashing at two others, my ire and frustration shoved aside the nervousness.
I sprang at the broader and taller of the knights who had his back to me and angled my sword toward the unprotected spot at the joints of the armor—the slit in his cuisse.
My sword jabbed into his upper thigh, but before I could thrust it deep, the knight spun and his blade came down on my gauntlet with such force that I jerked away and retreated several steps. I fumbled with my weapon and almost dropped it.
In the meantime, the knight brought his sword around in an arc toward my unprotected lower legs.
If not for the quick reflexes Cecil had drilled into me, my opponent would have severed my limbs. As it was, I jumped in the air tucking my legs underneath my body, more nimble than usual since I was only wearing half my armor. The knight’s blade slashed at air, but just as rapidly came back around aiming at my unprotected neck.
I leapt onto my bed, grateful the thick curtains had been pulled aside. I balanced on the bed frame and deflected the blow intended to slice open my jugular vein. Then I passed forward and aimed for his armpit.
He pivoted before I could connect, and my sword clanked across his gardbrace. I prepared to shed his next move so I could again attack one of the weak spots in his armor. But as he spun to face me, he paused.
Through the slits in his helmet, dark midnight blue eyes studied me. In a sweeping glance, he took me in from my helmet to my unprotected hands and down to my slim fitting leather boots.
Behind him, Cecil fought the other two as nimbly as a man half his age. But I could see he was tiring, which meant I had to do something to end this skirmish.
Once more, I swung my sword at my opponent, hoping this time to catch him off guard. Instead of parrying with me, he ducked and then grabbed the wrist of my fighting hand. He twisted with such force that an involuntary cry escaped me. I had no choice but to drop my weapon. In the same instant, he jerked me off the bed.
I stumbled to the floor and lunged for my sword. But as I bent, he wrapped his thick arm around my neck and brought me up in a headlock. His grip was so tight at my neck I could hardly breathe. Even so, I slipped my hand to the dagger I wore strapped to my side underneath my chain mail.
In an instant, I had my knife out and jabbed it backward, hoping my aim was correct and that the blade would plunge into the narrow breathing space in his helmet and sink into his neck.
But the knight had quicker reflexes than even Cecil. Before I knew what was happening, he’d disarmed me and pressed my knife against my throat.
The blade bit my skin in the first nip of death.
Chapter
2
I pressed the young knight’s dagger against his throat, only enough to scare him into compliance. I had no intention of killing a boy—even if he was well-trained.
“Stop!” the Moor cried, backing away from his opponents, his attention fixed upon the blade at the boy’s throat. “We surrender!”
The fright in the dark-skinned man’s eyes told me more than words. This boy I had within my grasp was someone of importance, someone the Moor had been willing to defend to the death.