Christien winced, the words hitting a little too close to home.He desired death now and it fled from him.He pushed his food away.Durant arched his brow and grabbed the pie, devouring it as he had his own.
Movement from the corner of his eye had Christien turning to see Giselle slip into the hall and stand in the shadows.She looked the same as she would seven hundred years in the future.Same thick, long almost-white hair.Same translucent skin.Same haughty demeanor even though she was less than a servant here.She lifted her chin, appearing to ignore the lustful stares of the other knights.They were sworn to celibacy but that didn’t mean they didn’t think about sex, and Giselle, with her low bodice and pouty lips, exuded sex.
Lucien nodded and Giselle slipped out.Christien forced himself to remain seated, for to rise before Lucien dismissed everyone would bring retribution on his head and that was the last thing he needed.He let Giselle go even though his hand went to the hilt of his sword at his side and his fingers curled around it.Bloodlust raced through him, coloring his vision and causing his heart to beat furiously.Never in his life did he want someone dead as he did Giselle and Lucien at that moment.
It sickened him that they were alive while Madelaine lay in a cold grave.
Lucien quickly finished his passage, closed the Bible with a thud and hastily bid everyone a good-night.
Released from their captivity, soldiers stood and stretched, speaking in low voices.Christien stood as well, keeping his eye on Lucien.He turned to follow, hesitated and turned back to Durant.He put a hand on his brother Templar’s arm.Durant turned, a twinkle of mischief in his eye.Durant had always been the jokester, making others laugh when laughter was the last thing they wanted to do.
“Stay safe, brother.”
They shook arms, but Christien pulled him in close for a quick hug and a slap on the back, then he hurried out of the hall, swallowing the lump in his throat and forcing Durant and the others he’d dined with out of his mind.Too soon they would all be dead.He could do nothing about it.He couldn’t stop time from marching forward.He couldn’t save them but he could stop two people from gaining immortality.
Lucien was well ahead of him, but Christien was tall and easily tracked his movements, following him through the twists and turns of the castle corridors.The crush of humanity in the hall slowly dispersed until no one but Lucien and Christien were left.Christien dropped back, ducking into doorways every time Lucien glanced over his shoulder.
The man certainly acted guilty.
After some time, Lucien stopped at a closed door.If Christien remembered correctly this was a wing of the castle containing bedchambers.Not the bedchambers reserved for the higher-quality guests, but those for servants of the guests who were a cut above most servants.
Christien slid into the shadows and pressed his back against the wall, holding his breath.Lucien glanced left and right before opening the door and disappearing inside.
Mirroring Lucien’s movements, Christien looked up and down the hall before emerging from the shadows and making his way to the door.He pressed his ear to it, but heard only muted voices through the two layers of oak.Slowly he pulled his dagger from his belt, careful to make no noise.Lucien was a priest, not a warrior, but Christien learned to never take anything at face value.The man was surely armed and if he wasn’t Giselle probably would be.
He pushed the door open, hoping the iron hinges made no noise, and peered inside.What he found disgusted him.He’d known Lucien and Giselle had been together since the beginning and it wasn’t unheard of for priests to have mistresses.In fact many even had children with their mistresses.
Lucien had Giselle up against a wall.Her leg was wrapped around his hip, his hand up her skirt.Giselle fumbled with the laces of Lucien’s breeches.Christien slipped inside, closing the door behind him.Two against one and one was a woman.The odds were on his side but he still preferred the element of surprise.Neither noticed his approach, their grunts and groans testament to their preoccupation.
He was tempted to stab the bastard in the back, just like Lucien did to him, but he wasn’t a coward and preferred to meet his enemy face-to-face.Besides, he wanted Lucien to see him.And he wanted to look into Lucien’s eyes and watch the life drain from him, to let him know his death was retaliation for Madelaine’s death.
He yanked Lucien away from Giselle.
“Wha—” Lucien’s mouth dropped open when he saw Christien.
Giselle cried out, hastily pulled her bodice up and pressed her back to the wall.
“Surprised to see me?”Christien asked.
Lucien straightened his tunic, outrage suffusing his face, but not reaching his eyes where fear lingered.He blustered but that was all it was—bluster.He also wasn’t armed.Stupid man.
“This is an outrage,” he sputtered.
Christien managed not to roll his eyes.“And feeling the castle whore up isn’t?”
Giselle cried out at the insult.
“I know you killed Madelaine.”
His words hung in the air between them.Nothing but the muted sounds of the warriors outside the windows penetrated the thick silence.Giselle’s gaze darted to Lucien.
Lucien straightened his shoulders and stepped next to Giselle.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Christien moved closer.Giselle cowered from him.Lucien tried to block her with his body.Christien allowed them to stay together, better together than apart where he’d have to watch his front and his back.His mind told him to get it over with, but he wanted revenge.He wanted them to know why they were dying and right now it had nothing to do with the treasure or the Apocalypse and everything to do with Madelaine.
He tried to push his grief to the side, to not let it overpower him but it was a useless exercise.Instead he embraced it, letting it comfort him instead of distract him.Letting it give him strength instead of weakening him.
This is for you, Madelaine.
