“You’re not like that.”
“Says a woman standing before a man who has butchered hundreds of others.”
“In battle.”
“Does it matter?”
“You were fighting for your life.”
Again, that inward hatred darkened his gaze. “Does it matter?” he repeated.
“My father was a warrior and a gentle man. You can be both.” She smiled at him. “Now I know why I’ve been so drawn to you. You remind me of my father.”
His scowl deepened. “You drove him crazy, too?”
She laughed. “All the time. Or so he said. Just as you do.” Giddy, she twirled around him once more. “You’ve no idea of the relief I feel. How much it means to know myself again.”
Valteri shook his head as he watched her. It wasn’t true. He did know her relief. He’d felt it the day he’d left that fucking monastery. His only regret had been that he’d not razed it to the ground.
But that first smell of air outside its dank, repressive walls…
That had been heaven. Even the stench of a blood-and-piss-soaked battlefield had been better.
How he wished he had the courage of the maid before him. She didn’t care what others thought. While he liked to pretend he didn’t, their scorn still bothered him. Still wounded his soul. Just once, he’d like to know acceptance.
Stupid dream. Yet everyone had that deep-rooted desire.
No wonder she danced with such exuberance now. She knew her place and had her identity back. “I suppose you’ll be leaving now with your brother.”
She paused to look at him. “Still trying to get rid of me, are you?”
He shrugged. “I should think you’d be tired of my oafish company.”
“You’re far from an oaf or the boor you think are.” She approached him pertly. “I rather like your company.”
All the blood rushed to his groin. Damn his body for it. Every day it grew more difficult not to drag her to his bed and find out what it would be like to make love to a woman so passionate and warm. “Careful, milady. When you tilt against a dragon, you could find yourself burned.”
Ariel reached out to finger the embroidery on his surcoat. A playful smile curved her lips. “Dragons seldom harm maids. I’m told they sneak them away to their lairs to keep them safe.”
Indeed, that was exactly what he wanted to do with her.
And against all common sense, Valteri was just about to reach for her when another rider stormed through the bailey.
“Milord!” He skidded to a halt just before them. “There’s been an accident at the castle’s construction site!”
His heart skipped a beat as everyone in the bailey came running at the news.
Valteri cursed. “Were any hurt?”
“Aye, milord. I know not how many. They were still digging men out of the rubble as I left to fetch you.”
Valteri clenched his teeth. “Wace! My horse!”
Ariel stared at him, amazed at the hostility in his voice, but he betrayed no other sign of fury. How could anyone keep themselves so controlled all the time?
Just like her father. He, too, had possessed a righteous fury that had forever simmered deep inside him.
When he started past her toward his horse, Ariel took his arm. “Let me come with you. I can help.”
