Maxton eyed the white-capped mountain. “And no place for a lady,” he said. Then, something over by the keep caught his attention. “Look, Cai. The men are moving away from the keep. It is time.”
Caius watched Hallam as he shepherded his men away from the keep. “Max, do something for me,” he said. “Get an understanding of just how many Winterhold men are here and where they are positioned. I also want to know if there are any Hawkstone men remaining other than those in the keep.”
Maxton nodded sharply. “Of course.”
He was off, calling to Kevin for assistance. As he moved away, young William charged up beside Caius on that horse that was far too much for him. In fact, Caius had to rein his warhorse away from the excitable beast as William wrestled with it and tried to make it look like he wasn’t.
“Can I help, my lord?” William asked, grunting as the horse threw his head. “Is there something I can do?”
Caius eyed him as he fought with the steed. “Aye,” he said. “You cannotget yourself killed while your father is taking his army home. I have no idea how I could explain to him that you fought a horse and the horse won.”
William grinned, slapping the horse affectionately on the side of the neck. “We are the best of friends, my lord,” he said. “This is how he shows his love for me.”
“By trying to throw you?”
William laughed. “If you have not met my horse yet, his name is Odin.”
Caius snorted. “It figures that you would name it after a wild Northman god,” he said. “Where did you come by him? I’m surprised your father would buy you such a powerful horse.”
William looked at him seriously. “My father did not buy him for me,” he said. “I won him in a dice game from one of theknights at Kenilworth. Now, can I do anything for you, my lord? Do you require anything?”
Caius just started chuckling at the big, bold squire who was so capable with his gambling games. No wonder the master knights of Kenilworth had sent him home for his father to discipline him, which was obviously not going to happen. To Edward, William could do no wrong.
Caius wondered what kind of knight William was going to grow up to be. It made for interesting speculation. He was either going to fail miserably or be the greatest knight England had yet to see. With that kind of brilliance and ingenuity, Caius suspected it might be the latter.
Time would tell.
“I do not know yet,” he said after a moment. “Stay with me and keep that horse under control.”
“Aye, my lord.”
“If you fall off and break your neck, I am going to kick dirt over you and leave you where you fell. Do you understand?”
“Aye, my lord.”
Together, they charged over to where Emelisse was patiently waiting, sitting on the small gray palfrey Lady de Wrenville had loaned her. Morgan was beside her, protecting her from any Winterhold men who might have a notion to try to harass her. As Caius rode up, he motioned to her.
“Come, my lady,” he said. “Let us speak with your brother.”
Eagerly, she followed. Caius led the way, with Morgan and William bringing up the rear. The Winterhold men were being forced to the gatehouse, leaving the entire keep free and clear from anyone at all. Caius reined his horse to a halt, dismounting as he gazed up at the very large keep. It could easily hold fifty men or more and given the state of the castle as a whole, it was relatively undamaged. But he took his focus off the keep and went to Emelisse, reaching up to help her dismount her horse.
The moment he touched her, something occurred to him.
It was the first time he’d felt her warmth.
Suddenly, the keep wasn’t as interesting as the lady he was lowering to the ground.
“What can you tell me about the keep, my lady?” he said, his big hands still on her arms as she got her footing. “Is that door the only entrance?”
Emelisse was concerned with picking the bottom of the too-long dress up out of the mud. “Aye,” she said. “There used to be a staircase, but my brother must have burned it when Winterhold breached the castle.”
Caius tore his gaze from her, looking at the piles of snow beneath the keep and seeing pieces of burned wood.
“I can see it,” he said. Then, he returned his attention to her. “Tell me about the keep. Where would your brother be right now?”
She shook her head faintly. Then, she gently pulled herself from his grip, gathered up her skirts, and began to move towards the keep.
“I do not know,” she said. “But I am going to find out.”
