It was clear that Alexei was astonished. “God’s Bones,” he muttered as he pondered that revelation. “So the lass didn’t kill you, but healed you? Remarkable.”
War nodded. “Indeed,” he said. “But there was a reason behind it, as she told me.”
“What reason?”
“Evidently, the entire battle was because of something that happened to her,” War said. “She was accosted by two Etal soldiers and her father launched the attack. A revenge attack. That was what we found ourselves caught up in.”
Alexei’s brow furrowed. “I hadn’t heard that,” he said. “All we knew was that we were answering a call from Etal against Scottish aggression. Did you know this was a matter of revenge at the time?”
War shook his head. “I did not,” he said. “Not until she told me. So, in a sense, she tended me because it wasn’t my battle to fight. It seems to me that she still carries a terrible amount of guilt from the entire incident.”
“Still?”
“Still.”
Alexei fell silent for a moment. “Then mayhap that is why she is here.”
War looked at him. “What do you mean?”
Alexei shrugged. “I am not certain,” he said. “But if my entire clan attacked an English castle because of me and men died on my behalf, I suspect there are some who would be angry at me for it.”
War hadn’t thought of that, but it made some sense. “So she came to Castle Questing to escape her angry clan?” he said,watching Alexei nod. “Or it is just as possible that she’s simply here to visit.”
“True,” Alexei said. But he wasn’t looking at War. He was looking outside the garden gate, into the torch-lit darkness. “If you care curious, why not ask her?”
War had no idea what he meant until he looked over to see what had Alexei’s attention. Standing across from the gate, peering around the corner of the great hall where the entry was located, stood a woman with long, red hair, dressed in a dark gown and possibly a shawl. He could see it around her shoulders. Her attention was turned away from them as she watched people come and go through the hall entry.
Curious, he and Alexei looked at each other in puzzlement before they headed in that direction.
“My lady?” War said as soon as they reached the garden gate.
Annaleigh turned to him with such speed and surprise that she smacked into the wall behind her. Eyes wide, she clutched her shawl tightly against her body.
“My… m’lord,” she said. Then, she patted her chest to ease her racing heart. “Ye startled me. What are ye doing in the garden?”
A smile tugged on War’s lips. “And I could ask you what you’re doing out here in the bailey?” he said. “Are you looking for someone?”
Annaleigh’s gaze moved from War to Alexei and then back to War. “Nay,” she said. “I… well, I help Lady Jordan with her duties and I came tae see if all was well. If she needed my help. But I can see that everything is as it should be. Good eve tae ye.”
She started to dash away but War stopped her. “Wait,” he said. “Do not leave. This is my knight, Alexei, by the way. I do not think you have been properly introduced.”
Annaleigh paused unsteadily, looking to the very tall, very blond warrior. “M’lord,” she greeted politely. “’Tis an honor.”
Alexei smiled pleasantly at the extraordinarily beautiful young lady. “The honor is mine, my lady,” he said. Then, he looked at War and was struck by the expression on the man’s face as he looked at Annaleigh. It occurred to him that his presence, at the moment, was not wanted. “I will see to the men, my lord. Good evening to you.”
With that, he slipped away, but War hardly noticed.
He was still staring at Annaleigh.
“He speaks strangely,” Annaleigh said, watching Alexei as War watched her. “Where is he from?”
“Vilnius,” War said. “Do you know where that is?”
Annaleigh shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “Where?”
War gestured in an easterly direction. “That way,” he said. “Many months and even years of travel. There is a great empire there.”
“Oh?” Annaleigh cocked her head curiously. “People like us?”
