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The days pass one by one, each with the intensity of a changing season. The servants are scrubbing on their knees. They tire their callused hands, polishing with beeswax and clean rags. In the wash house, hands are peeling from lye. The manor is being prepared to house their king. They whisper that he rides in full armor, with a thousand loyal men behind him. They whisper that he is coming for her. For me. My greatest love.
“Are you excited to see him?” Ezra speaks from behind me. “The messenger said that his ship is docked in the harbor, and he rides as we speak.”
“What if Christian is coming to kill me?”
It is another whisper that I have heard. The only way to rid him of me, and keep away from the throne, is to put me in my grave. I shudder, when I think about being planted in the ground like a flower that will never bloom. I am not ready to die. I am ready to be a mother. I am yearning to be his wife. Still, I sit here at the wide, open window waiting for him to break through the forest. There is a knock on the open door before a man speaks.
“Riders approach, Highness!”
A portly servant is standing in the doorway. His chest is heaving, as he works to catch his breath. He ran from wherever he came. He had to be the one to relay the news to his Prince.
“Stay here, until I say it is safe for you to come down.”
My heart is going to burst. I cannot stand the waiting. I need to see him. I need to know if he still loves me. I do not turn away from the window again. It feels like hours, before the horses come racing across the field toward the house. One with bright hair leads them. A gasp escapes my lips. It blows in the wind and catches the eyes. It is Eldred Erikson and his men. I do not wait for Ezra. I hurry down to them reaching him as he dismounts. I walk into his open arms.
“Eldred!”
I hug him for so long, that Ezra comes over and separates us. I am happy to see a friend. There is a piercing scream. I turn to see Beth-Ann come running. Winn Erikson with his dark hair, and angelic face does not race to meet her. He waits. I smile when he lifts her up and swings her around as she cries in joy. I wipe a tear from my eyes when they kiss. He came for her.
“How are you?”
“I am well.” I assure him. “And yourself?”
“I am afraid, I had to teach your Ramsay some manners for not following directions, but I am fine. He is on his way here to wait for Christian.”
“You fought Ramsay?” I am horrified.
“I battered him well.” Eldred smiles. He has the type of smile, that touches you inside and makes you long to see it again. “He will not forget it.”
“Why is Ramsay coming here?”
“To help defend the keep, as I cannot. We are forbidden from fighting with the humans against the things that are coming. I brought you this.”
He hands me a gold scabbard; studded with pearls and precious jewels. The hilt is small for a woman’s hand, with a big ruby embedded in the end. It is beautiful.
“I cannot take this...” I offer it back to him.
“You can, and you will.” Eldred holds it in my hands. “It is cursed and will kill whatever you run through. Keep it near you and wield it without fear.” He whispers. “When you do, think of me and how fond of you I truly am.”
His words trail off as he watches someone approach. Her steps are unhurried. Her face unreadable. I am confused when he walks out to meet her.
“Marionna.” He speaks her name reverently. The rest of what he says, is spoken in a language that I do not understand. She responds in kind. Then she does the damndest thing. My sister finally smiles from her heart. They know one another. They more than know one another. They are close. How do I know? Because she does not try to kill him when he touches her face. Her smile widens.
“Remove your hands from this woman, Erikson.” Ezra demands angrily. “She is under my protection, and what you are doing is forward.”
“Remove my hands or what?” Eldred laughs. “I doubt if Marionna is under anyone’s protection. I imagine, it is all of you who is under hers. Is that not right, Mari?”
Mari? He called her Mari. My sister does not respond. She only smiles.
“I see you finally introduced yourself to your sisters. How are you getting along?”
She responds in his language giving Ezra a hateful look and raising her nose at Beth. Marionna’s look softens with fondness when she speaks of me.
“Yes, she is very sweet and much like you. I knew that you would like her. What will you do now? We are leaving, and you are welcome to return home with us. It would please me greatly, if you do. I miss you.”
“I am staying with Maeve.” Again, she chooses me. “We are stronger together.”
“I knew you would.” Eldred is clearly disappointed. “You are always welcome back with us. You do know that, do you not?”
“I do.” Marionna takes his face in her hands. “Wait for me, Erikson. One day, when I come for you, and I will kill whatever woman is by your side to claim what belongs to me.”
“I will wait forever, Mari.” He vows. “No matter how long it takes, or how far I go. I will return to this world and wait for you.”
My heart catches and tears fall down my face when they kiss. It is the most beautiful thing that I have ever witnessed. They are in love. It is why he denied me. He protected me for her. He delivered me to her. Everything he did was for Marionna.
“Please go with him.” I beg of her. “He loves you.”
“That is not what is important, sister.” She says to me. “We have only just met, and I want to be with you and your babe. My place is with my sister. I can find him when I am ready.”
“I do not want you to regret letting him leave you.”
“Marionna is my love. I cannot leave her. It is impossible.” The Erikson smiles at me. “It was a pleasure knowing you, Maeve. May you find whatever it is that you are looking for.”
“She will.” Marionna promises him. “If I have to bash that bastard over the head and drag him back myself.”
“I will help her.” I add bitterly. “He needs a swift kick in the ass.”
Eldred’s eyes twinkle with merriment. “If anyone can do it, I am sure it is the two of you.”
“Leave.” Marionna frowns. “You know how I hate goodbyes.”
“I shall miss you also, my love. Until we meet again.”
The Erikson and I will never see each other again. I did not expect it to hurt this way. I mostly hurt for the wide-eyed, straight-face woman beside me. I feel her heart breaking-though it does not show. Her pain washes over me when I take her hand. My tears fall for her. He remounts his horse and his men do the same. Winn pulls Beth-Ann up behind him, who has her arms locked around him and her teary face resting on his back. I feel a panic set in that I am quite familiar with. This is how I felt, when I begged her to stay with me the last time she was leaving with him. I will not make the same mistake again. My sister remembers me and slides down off the horse. We cry harder than either of us has ever cried before, as we cling to each other. I love her so. She loves me the same. A few of these tears are for the Erikson. I hope one day he and Marionna come together again. And I hope that he is deserving of her. Beth-Ann hugs Marionna next, whispering something into her ear that causes my twin to hug her back.
“I love you, sisters.” Beth-Ann sobs, breaking away. “I will always love you.”
Winn pulls her up again and they ride away from me leaving me to face my demons and the Butcher alone. A hand slides into mine. Marionna and I stare into each other’s eyes. I will never be alone again.
My feet want to chase after Beth-Ann. My mind screams do not let them go. My silly heart will not let me leave this place. For it controls all, making me a slave to its will. Making me a slave to love. I stand here with tears streaming down my face after they are gone, and the crowd has lessened to a few guards. Ezra Beaumont stands back with the men and by my side at once. That was hardly a goodbye. The Eriksons did not dawdle. They did not stop to rest. They turned their mounts and returned to their destiny. I cannot help thinking that we should have gone with them. What if Christian does not come? What if he comes, but he only wants my child? What if he takes another new wife?
As I stare past the gates, and across the fields it strikes me that I am no longer watching Beth-Ann go. I am waiting for Christian. I hold my baby through my nice gown and I wait.
“My brother loves you.”
The whisper in my ear causes my eyes to burn. I bite my lip so that I do not ask Ezra to promise the words that he speaks. I bite my tongue so that I do not ask for a horse to follow the Eriksons.
“Come inside.” He takes my hand in his. He does not dare touch the unpredictable Marionna. “The evenings are chilly here.”
Only, I know that the chill does not come from the wind. It comes from her. We follow Ezra back into a house where I know no one aside from him and my sister. What if he is the one who handed me over to the Cardinal? What if he lied about everything? My feet falter.
“Mae?”
“I want to go with the Eriksons.” My heart is racing when I pull my hand away from him. “I want a horse.”
“I am not giving you a horse to ride away with them. My brother will consider it an act of war against me. I do not fancy going to war with Christian. Let them go.”
“I cannot stay here alone.”
Ezra looks wounded. “You are not alone.” He speaks forcefully. “I am not going anywhere until my brother tells me to, and you have another sister.” He reminds me. “One who put her happiness aside to stay with you.”
I am being ridiculous. Whore he may be, but he is not my enemy. I do not fight when he pulls me into his arms and does what his brother would do. He holds me until I feel better.
“Have a cup of tea with me.” I let him wipe my face and nose. “We can wait together.”
What killer would offer tea and cake? A smart one. Ezra sits at the window with me and my sister. Me sipping tea from a dainty china cup. Marionna sharpening her sword. He drinks whiskey from a wooden tankard. I keep Eldred’s gift close. We sit watching the night, until I nod-off on my chair.
“Rest.” Ezra says softly as he lays me down on the bed. “We will wait again tomorrow.”
He removes my shoes and Marionna pulls a quilt up over me before he lets himself out.
“You lied to me, Maeve.”
I sit up in the white bed breathing hard. The room is dark, but I can make out the handsome shadow near the window. Sebastian.
“You are not coming to me, are you?”
“Leave me alone.” I scream at him. “And leave my sister alone.”
“Your sister is under the protection of the Eriksons. The other is stronger than you, and she is unbothered by my magic. It seems you have me all to yourself.”
“Christian is coming.”
“Do you truly believe that lie?” Bash laughs at my naïvety. “He is not coming. The only thing coming is me. Everyone around you will burn and it is your fault. I would kill you now if I did not want you so badly. You will be my thrall for the rest of eternity.”
“I would rather die than serve you.”
“My army can have you first to teach you humility, you wretched bitch.” He grabs my hair. “Spread your legs. We both know how much you enjoyed being my thrall.”
Sebastian will have to kill me to have me again. I fight him hand to hand. Toe to toe. Blow for blow. But he is bigger and stronger. He takes me down. Down to that nasty place, where a woman has no say and a man takes what he wants by however means necessary. Bash grabs his hard cock in his hand, pressing it against my wet entrance. I scream for somebody. I scream for anybody even the devil to take him or me. It is his choice.
“Maeve!” A woman is shaking me. “Maeve, you must awaken!”
“Get away from me!”
I knock her hands away and reach for the sword. It is useless in my dreams, but not here in the world of the wake. I am holding it to my own neck when Ezra comes running in. I have slit my own throat before. It is better this way. I can end the war before it begins.
“Mae.” He says calmly. “It was a dream. Put down the blade.”
“No!” I am crazy with intent. “No one will ever hurt me, or the people I love again.”
“Mae.” His voice is soft and kind. “You need to listen to me. It is Ezra, your brother and Marionna. We are waiting for Christian, remember? He will take care of you.”
“He is not coming.” I shake my head. “You are lying.”
“The Prince does not lie, Maeve.” Marionna steps forward. “The king has entered the dark woods. He is coming this way and he is riding at full speed. I saw him in a vision.”
If what she says is true, Christian is two days away. That is little more than a blink compared to how long I have waited. She would not lie to me.
“You need to trust us.”
“I can save everyone.” I stammer. “He will have no reason to come here.”
“Who is he, Maeve?” Ezra demands. “Sebastian Lockton? He is nothing standing beside my brother. Christian can protect you from anything.”
“Sebastian is coming.” I whisper. “Death rides with him.”
“When is he coming?” Ezra takes a step forward. “Did he tell you?”
“Soon.”
He takes the sword from my shaky hand, passing it to my sister.
“My sword will be waiting for him.” She says fiercely.
I do not sleep again tonight. I sit waiting instead. I watch the sun come up through wide eyes full of light. The golden rays cut through the cold air to warm my face and nourish my hungry soul. It heals what it can and leaves the rest for the Butcher to put back together again. I stand when I hear an army of horses pounding the earth. Ezra stands beside me and we watch together. The men come riding across the fields, with their golden leader out front and their red and black banners flying behind them. It is Ramsay and his men. They are riding hard.
“Close the gates!” He yells as he swings down from his horse. “The Bloodtakers are coming.”
A man in a gray robe waves a wooden stick at the gate after it is closed. He waves burning herbs as he chants loudly. A guard runs forward.
“Cease your witchcraft!” He yells at the man in the robe. “This is a holy place.”
Ramsay shoves him down and walks into the courtyard. “Where are they?” He booms. “Where are the twins?”
“I am here!” I call out the window to Ezra’s horror. “I am coming.”
“No, you are not.” He hisses. “I will go down and speak to him.”
Ramsay throws open the door as we stand here arguing.
“What are you doing in here?” Ezra demands.
“I could ask you the same, Beaumont.” Ramsay drops the fur window coverings. “You are under attack. You need to put them somewhere safe. Do it now.”
“Are you sure?”
“We slaughtered a pack of wolves and a clan of Bloodtakers in the forest. We had help from the woodsmen. They are holding them off as you stand here arguing with me.”
Another man enters the chamber. David! I run to him and we hug. Wesley is with him and Micah. Ennis follows them inside and they pass me around. They do the same with a stiff Marionna after I introduce her. She is nice for once and does not draw her sword.
“This is how you greet my brothers?” Ramsay asks smiling. His golden handsomeness making my pulse quicken. For him, I have a hard slap.
“You bastard.” I am pissed with him. “You lied to me. I was being kidnapped.”
The brothers laugh at us. “How did you figure it out?” Wesley asks.
I blush with embarrassment. “I did not know. Ezra told me.”
“None of that matters now.” Ramsay is not laughing. “We need to put the women, and Ennis where they cannot be found.”
“I am not hiding with the women.” The youngest brother refuses. “I can fight.”
“We know you can fight, but one of us must survive whatever happens here today.”
“Ramsay is next in line, it should be him.” Ennis argues.
Ramsay rolls his eyes and shoves the boy out of the chamber.
“The tower.” Ezra says when a battle cry rings from below. “Take them to the tower, I must alert the men in the field.”
“I can fight too.” I touch the sword hanging at my waist. “I can help.”
The group of men pretend they do not hear me. Wesley takes my arm and drags me behind him as the others run in the opposite direction. All except for a fighting Ennis. He is a big boy and a decent fighter himself. David tossed him over his shoulder as if he weighs nothing and is carrying him behind us. They lock us in the tower and run to join their brothers. The slits in the wall are too narrow to see much, although, we can see well enough to take up the bows and arrows when the army of rebels run toward the keep. The Beaumonts and the Antonovs run out to greet them. They come together with a spark of clashing of metal and the piercing of flesh. So many have come. It does not take long for the stench of blood, and corpses releasing their waste in death to reach us. Ennis has never smelled death like this before and he is frozen in fear for his brothers. Marionna and I continue to shoot arrows. Our aim is true, too many of the enemy fall to go unnoticed. The fighting men are climbing over the dead to get to each other. So many have died. I am frightened also.
I jump when a battering ram hits the door. It groan’s under the blow. There is a pause before the door is struck again. The wood cracks but it holds. It will not hold them out for long. Ennis draws his sword with a shaky hand.
“Can you not strike them with lightening or something?” I ask Marionna.
She rolls her eyes. “That is not how it works. Do you want the men outside fighting in a thunderstorm? Bright skies are best to see your enemy.”
“Get behind me, boy.” I snap at him. “And stay out of our way.”
The human thralls pour into the space, one after the other. We are ready for them. They are not ready for us. Ennis does what he can, and it is enough to fight our way out into the hall. The Bloodtakers did not send enough men after Marionna and me. We lead Ennis through the fallen to the kitchens where we slip outside. Darkness has come and the battle still wages. There is a low growl before three giant wolves block our path. They pace back and forth before us.
“Let me pass, Nicodemus.” I warn him. “I do not want to kill them.”
“You chose them over us.” His eyes are bright with hate. “You chose death, Mae.”
One wolf yelps, then two, and down goes the third with a sword in his spine. I watch in horror as Nicodemus is beheaded. The man standing over his writhing bod retrieves his sword and reaches for me.
“Hurry!”
Ramsay grabs my hand, and we run for the cover of the forest. We pass dead soldiers in Antonov red. We step over so many in Beaumont blue.
“Ezra?” I need to know. “Where is Ezra?”
“Fighting.”
He releases my hand when we are set upon by Bloodtakers. Together we dispatch them and begin fighting our way to the rest of our people. The enemy keeps coming and coming. There are more of them than us. We are losing this battle, but we will not lose the war.
“Grab them!”
They know my face. They want me and my twin. David jumps in front of us as their swords descend, and I scream when he goes down. No! The wound is fatal and there is no helping him when so many are attacking. I scream again when Wesley is run through with a blade that turns him to ash. I trip over Micah who is groaning in pain. He is dying. They died for me. I separate the warlock’s head from his body and go mad on them.
“Run, Maeve.” Ramsay commands. “Take my brother and leave this place while you can.”
“I cannot leave you alone.” I refuse, as I cut down another... and another. “I will not.”
“Do not let their deaths be in vain. Save yourself.” He hugs his brother tightly. “Get her out of here, Ennis. We will see each other again, baby brother.”
“Come, Maeve.” Marionna grabs me. “We must flee.”
Something comes down on my head, hard enough to crack my skull. I hear Ennis calling my name and Marionna screaming as the enemy piles on top of her. I see a terror fall from the sky screeching like a demon in a hail of wings and fire. He has grown in the months since I saw him last. The fearsome creature sends the enemy running for cover. Diving. Flapping its great wings and pushing them back. It is my baby Juniper come to rescue me. I smile with a full heart, and all goes black.
