Mystified by her cruelty, Ariel couldn’t understand the crone’s peace of mind.
“How could you?” she asked suddenly, needing an answer as to why the woman had betrayed them.
Mildred paused and looked up. “Bring you food, milady?”
“Damn an innocent man? Valteri had no part in anything. How could you curse him when he’s done nothing to you?”
The lines around her old eyes crinkling even more, she gave a malevolent laugh and continued pulling rounded covers off the food.
“Innocent? I dare you to try and convince the good Saxon people around you of his innocence. He and his kind have robbed our lands and stolen our dignity. Killed indiscriminately. And for what? Power? Land? Toruleus? How is that innocent, I ask you?”
Ariel shook her head in denial and took a step toward her, determined to make her see reason. “He’s committed no more crimes than any other man in his position. Your own son was a warrior. Do you think he never killed anyone in battle?”
Snorting a denial, the crone lifted her empty tray before her like a shield and backed away. Her gaze heated by hatred, she raked a sneering glare over Ariel. “One more Norman dead and damned doesn’t concern me. Women struggle for months to give them life and what do they do with it? They use it to kill and destroy. To ruin us all! Damn them, and all men, I say.”
A shiver rushed through her body. How could anyone be so cruel? “Even your son?”
Her eyes changed. Deep, dark sadness and grief swam in the crone’s aged gaze and a wave of pity and empathy filled Ariel’s heart.
“Nay.” Mildred’s voice cracked. “My son was the finest of any born. Unlike the other callous fools of this world, only goodness beat in his breast. He would have been a great man had he been given the chance to live.” The fire returned to her eyes. “Andyoutook him!”
The accusation stung her. Ariel hadn’t understood the woman when first they met, but now she knew only too well what love felt like.
“I took a warrior who fell in battle.”
“Nay!” The platter shook in her furious grip. “He was healing. Just as I was about to cure him, you came in and stole my precious James from me! You murdered him!”
Aghast, Ariel stared at the woman. How could the crone believe something so ludicrous? “I had no part in his death. At all. He died of his battle wounds.”
“Nay!” she cried, dropping the platter and covering her ears. “You lie!”
“You know me better than that.” Ariel reached out a comforting hand, but Mildred recoiled from her touch. “I speak the truth. You’ve damned me for something I didn’t do. But it doesn’t matter what killed him. ’Twas his time to leave and naught could have saved—”
“Nay. I”—she pounded her breast with her fist to emphasize her words—“was his only hope. I could have saved him had you not stolen him away.”
Ariel shook her head. “I swear to you that neither of us could have done aught to save or kill him. Your son’s time had ended. But if it gives you any solace, he’s happy now. He has meaning in what he’s doing.”
Her ancient lips quivered and tears filled her hollow eyes. “He was happy here with me. If he’d had a choice, he would have stayed.”
Ariel sighed heavily. “His time here had ended. And he made his choice on where he wanted to be.”
She shook her head in denial. Moving across the room, she eyed Ariel like a feral beast wanting to rip her heart from her breast and feast upon it. “I’ll have your soul damned for what you did!”
Ariel prayed for the right words to make her see reason. Before it was too late.
“Don’t forget that your own soul will be lost through this deal. You sold yours for a useless curse against two innocent beings. If you step back now, it won’t be too late to reclaim your bargain. But if you don’t… you will lose. Everything. Will your vengeance be worth an eternity of torment?”
The woman pursed her lips.
Ariel moved closer, hoping that she was finally getting through to her.
Instead, Mildred bolted.
The door slammed shut behind the old woman.
Damn it!
Why couldn’t she make her see reason?
