“I won’t let it happen again.”
Her eyes softened. “You care for her. She cares for you, too. But Cathal, he’s a dangerous man with too much power. He could kill you for something as slight as an insult. Allete wouldn’t want that on her conscience.”
“Then it is a good thing that I make my own decisions. She cannot be held responsible for my actions.”
Lidia’s mouth dropped open as she stared at me and then slowly her lips turned up into a smile. “You are right, Sir Torben. It is a good thing.”
I frowned. “Sir? I am hardly a knight.”
“After what you did for my lady last night, you are every bit a knight and more. Thank you, my lord,” Lidia said as she gave me a deep bow. It was a bow reserved for royalty, and I was honored that she would think me worthy of such a thing. What had Allete told the little hand maiden?
She stood and then gave Brant another slight bow before hurrying off.
Brant glanced in the direction Lidia had run and then looked back me. “Sir?”
I shook my head and raised my hands up with my palms out. “I know not why she would call me such a thing. All I did for Allete last night was bestow human courtesy and kindness. Nothing more.”
“Keep telling yourself that, General.”
Twenty minutes later, Lidia was scurrying back toward us with two other maids, each laden down with trays. I reached for the handle of the door and pushed it open quickly just as the women arrived so they didn’t have to pause in their walking. They swept into the room, and I closed the door just as quickly behind them, though not before I glanced around the room to see if I could spot Allete. She was sitting in the far-right corner. Her head was pressed to the window glass, and her eyes were closed. She looked tired. I wanted to hold her and tell her to rest, that I would keep her safe, but I knew she wouldn’t welcome it. Not right now. Right now, she was too busy attempting to convince herself that we couldn’t be together. But soon she would see that by my side was exactly where she belonged.
I heard the door open, and several feet shuffled inside, but I didn’t open my eyes. My eyelids felt as if they were being pulled down by tiny weights hanging onto the tips of them. I was finding it impossible to keep them open. My head hurt from hours of crying, and my nose was raw from all the times I had blown it. I simply wanted to crawl under the covers and never come out.
“My lady.” Lidia’s sweet voice broke through my sorrow. “We brought you breakfast and tea.”
I wasn’t hungry, but I knew I needed to eat. I needed to keep up my strength, and I hoped that maybe if I got something in my stomach I would not feel as sick as I did in that moment. I had decided the minute I’d woken from the less than three hours of sleep that I had gotten that I simply wasn’t up for being around company, especially that of King Cathal. I knew that if I spent any time with the vile man, I would wind up saying something that would only cause myself more pain. I did not think I could handle any more pain, at least not yet.
“Thank you, Lidia,” I told her as she set the tray beside me on the table next to the chair where I sat.
“Are you sure you don’t wish me to fetch the doctor?”
I shook my head. “No thank you. I think I just feel ill from lack of sleep and yesterday’s events. I simply want to be alone today.”
“I daresay that your sisters will make that difficult, my lady. Especially after what happened yesterday. I do not think Dayna, or even Lizzie for that matter, will want to be away from you for long.”
She was probably right. There was no way Dayna would be staying away. Lizzie was more of a wild card. Not because she didn’t care, but because her world did not revolve around mine the way it did for Dayna. Being the middle child, Lizzie tended to be more introspective and kept to herself. But even still, with what Cathal had pulled, Lizzie would be more apt to check in on me than usual.
There was a knock on the door. Before I could ask who it was, the door opened and Dayna came sweeping in. Her dress twirled around her legs as she turned to shut the door. I could see the tension in her shoulders. Her chin jutted out in defiance, and when she turned back to face me, her eyes were narrowed. They looked ready to shoot flames at the first person to further incite her obvious anger.
“What vexes you, dear sister?” I asked as I watched her measured movements. She seemed to be using all of her energy to maintain her composure.
After several minutes of silence, Dayna finally seemed steady enough to speak. “I ran into that pigheaded scum this morning.”
There was no need to ask to whom she was referring. There was only one person in all the castle who invited such an insult. “Did he do something to you?”
Dayna laughed a humorless sound. “I’m surprised he didn’t call for my hanging.”
“What did you do, Dayna?” I sat up straighter and moved to the edge of my seat. My heart was pounding in my chest as I considered all the things that my headstrong little sister was capable of.
“When he grabbed my arm, I reminded him that I have no obligation to him and that I would not hesitate to tell my father of his actions. And I also told him it would be wise of him to sleep with one eye open.” She held up her hand to stop my reply. “I did not threaten him. When he attempted to point out that I had, I told him that all I had done was warn him about his safety. It, after all, would not look great for Father if something were to happen to Cathal while in our home.”
I let out a resigned sigh. What was done was done. It could not be taken back. Dayna always had been the impulsive one, often acting before she considered the consequences. And I had no doubt that there would be consequences for her interaction with the king today. Very few kings would put up with insults, and this king was even less likely than most.
“That is not all I have done this morning,” she informed me.
“Oh, good heavens, Dayna. What more could you have possible done?” I groaned.
Before she could answer, the door opened once again, and, to my utter surprise, my father walked in, followed by my mother.
“Let’s just say that my patience and ability to be civil ran out yesterday. I am not going to let you marry that man, Allete. He would wind up killing you just as he’s done his other wives,” Dayna nearly growled as she stepped aside allowing our parents to stand in front of me.
I started to stand, but my father motioned me to remain sitting.
“Your sister has brought some things to my attention,” he began, his deep voice was rough with an emotion I couldn’t quite put a name to. “I have come to verify her claims.” He moved closer and placed his fingers under my chin, raising my head so he could better see my neck. His mouth tightened, and I knew he was seeing the marks Cathal had left upon me.