***
The outside had been deceptively small in appearance for the colossal interior which even held two sets of night stairs for the monks. No wonder the northern delegation had chosen this location for their rest.
“This is the only chamber we may offer.” The monk stood in the open doorway at the meager room. Nella looked about. Already a full chronicle had been completed while they walked here. Itwas so late, everyone was asleep; this had to be thereason for complete silence.There must be another way to find Holger’s sister.
Turning toward the monk who began shuttering the door, she inquired, “Are there any other lady travelers about? I would so hope for a conversation while breaking my fast upon the morrow.”
“There is a lone young lady; alas, she has retired for the eve. However, aye, she shall be present most likely in the mornin’,” the monk replied.
Nella smiled at the monk who closed the door on his leave, but a defeated wave swelled over her emotions while Kameron gave word to her fear once they were alone. “If Lady Dagny is quiet then all hope shall be lost in finding her in this massive abbey with your prowess.”
A single candle on a rickety table did little to remove the worried expression on Kameron’s face while she nodded. “Let me complete another full chronicle.” Kameron sealed his lips, nodding.
She closed her eyes. Where? Where was the young lass?
“Leave the flour in the buttery, we shall fetch it first upon the morrow.” Not her.
“Please step back. you are standing upon my robe and it shall tear.” Nope.
Knock. Knock.The sound signature came from the end of this passageway.
Scrape.Door being answered which had been fisted upon.
“Why are you here once more, Sir James?” a terse lady’s voice rang out with an accent born from the Kingdom of Norway. Lady Dagny Kolson! “My lady in waiting has yet to rouse, did you slip a sleeping tonic in her goblet at supper? I have told you more than once you are not welcome into my bedchamber till we are wed; alas, I find you—”
Slam.Her door shut. “Ow, you are hurting me, you ill-mannered and ill-tempered cur!”Slap!Had he just struck her?
“Kameron.” Nella’s eyes flew open then met the eager expression. “Lady Dagny’s chamber is along this passageway almost at the end. Sir James is there; he just forced his way into her chambers.” The eager expression turned into a snarl while his feet charged for the door.
“A plan, my lady?” Kameron asked, opening the door for her.
There was no one else on the passageway. “I knock upon their door, attempt to greet the lady as a fellow traveler. You stand from sight till I bolt past Sir James who shall turn away from the door to face the chamber’s interior. Then you smack him on the back of the head, knocking him unawares.” Kameron’s hand quickly went for the thick pottery pitcher on a wobbly stand by the door. “Perfect, lad.”
She led them out while listening to Sir James grind out, “You dare strike me?” It was Dagny who had struck him. She inwardly smiled. The lady did have spirit.“Lady, my arse, I shall show you how to treat your soon-to-be husband. Then we shall see if you have the will to stand after I seat myself between your thighs.” The inner smile vanished as her jaw clenched. Oh, that wassonot going to happen.
“Kam?”
“Aye?”
“Hit the bastardhard.”
She didn’t need to turn to know a grin was on the young lad’s lips. “Aye, my lady.”
As she took a shaky breath, her knuckles found the coarse wood twice. “Who goes there?” Sir James’s voice barked from inside.
“A fellow lady traveler who wishes to speak with another for but a moment, kind sir.” She choked upon the last two words.
The door threw open before revealing what one would think a handsome tall knight, with hair the same as wheat. She had to raise her eyes to meet his. There was the cruel intent,written in the depths of his gaze like an adder hiding beneath a rock.Get ready, Adder, the rock is about to crush your cruel traitorous arse.
A sly grin curled Sir James’s thin lips. “Perhaps the eve has improved after all.” If her skin could crawl it would have vanished from her bones.
She looked past toward the lady who seemed to be Kameron’s age. Dagny had her brother’s gray gaze with sunlit hair. The lady was wee in stature, but feet were in a wide stance like a shield maiden who was preparing to strike at her soon-to-be ex-betrothed. Dagny’s features softened at once from the sight of her filling the doorway, and the embroidered gown she wore seemed to deflate from relief.
“Good eve, my lady,” Dagny greeted loudly. As if silently declaring,Don’t leave me here!
“Good eve.” Nella smiled then ducked under Sir James’s high arm which had been blocking the entry.Turn, bastard,turn away from the door and face the chamber’s center.
Crack!Kameron came into view as the thick pitcher landed dead center on Sir James’s skull once the knight had spun her direction. The traitorous knight’s eyes rolled into the back of his head before she leapt toward the side when he fell like a stone lining the walls. Success!
