Chapter Fourteen
The cell was dark.No light permeated the thick blackness. The heavy manacles around Richard’s wrist itched. The cut on his lip burned. But he didn’t alleviate either of them. Not by scratching or rubbing. He simply endured them. Penance, he wondered. No. It kept his mind occupied. Otherwise, his mind would wander to a desperate beautiful woman. Had they found her? Was she imprisoned somewhere in this castle?
He was useless! He drove his fist into the moist stone wall with a grunt of frustration.
Something scurried in the darkness.
He couldn’t even protect the woman he loved. Loved? The word caught him off guard. Surprised, he considered it. Is that why she plagued him so? Is that why he couldn’t erase the image of her blue eyes from his mind? Her soft skin still haunted his fingertips. He rubbed them together. Was that why he didn’t tell the bishop she was in the town? He could have bargained with her whereabouts to gain his freedom, but he hadn’t. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.
How foolish he had been for not realizing how he felt about her earlier. Now, she could be in danger. Shewasin danger; he was certain of it. He had to get free. He had to save her.
But how? What had the bishop wanted of him? To execute him? No. He would have done that already. No, he said he might have further use of him.
The thought repulsed him. Did he think to use him as he did the boys? No. The bishop’s tastes were not for mature men.
Kit. He had to find the boy. He had to get him far away from the bishop.
There had to be something he could bargain with. Some way to get out of the dungeon.
Mercy was the only thing that came to mind. He sighed and sat back. What help was he to her? He hoped she was far from Devdan Castle. But he knew she wasn’t. And that thought sent cold shivers through his body.
“I’m stuck!” Mercy whispered frantically.
In the gloom of the crypt, she saw a shadow move. Something closed over her wrist. She almost cried out until she realized it was Rafe. He began to tug at her arm. She swiveled her hips and kicked her feet to get through the tiny opening. She sucked in her stomach and pushed against the wall that held her tightly like a fisted hand. This would not stop her, she vowed. She had to get into the castle. She pushed and groaned softly.
Rafe pulled her. He placed a foot against the wall and tugged.
She heard a ripping sound and then she was flying through the air. She landed hard on a dusty floor on top of Rafe. She sat up quickly, apologizing, “I’m sorry. Are you alright?”
“Aye. Are you?” Rafe asked.
“Aye.” She looked up at the hole about three feet from the ground. She had done it!Theyhad done it! They were in.
Both quickly scrambled to their feet. Mercy could hardly see. Torchlight from a stairway down the hall was the only light. She wondered how he had found the exit. How he had managed to escape in such darkness. But as they walked toward the torchlight, she looked over her shoulder. Moonlight shone in through the hole in the wall. Mercy grinned. Rafe was smart and lucky. She had to admire him.
She reached out and captured his arm. “Rafe. I’m in. You should leave. I can do it.”
There was silence for a moment before Rafe answered, “I keep thinking of Will. The other boys will be just as afraid as he was.”
Compassion filled Mercy. If anything happened to Rafe, she would never forgive herself.
“I’m going with you.”
Mercy opened her mouth to object but then closed it. He could guide her. “If anything happens, if we are caught, I want you to run. Don’t worry about me. I want you to escape.” She couldn’t see whether he nodded or not.
He reached back and put his hand in hers before leading her to the stairway. He paused there and both of them looked toward the stairs. He waited only a moment before continuing up.
Tingles of trepidation shot across Mercy’s spine. She was no spy. This was so out of the ordinary for her. She hoped the bishop underestimated the lengths she would go through to get her son back. She hoped he was not as smart as she was. She hoped… Kit and Richard were alright.
She squeezed Rafe’s hand. He looked up at her. Shadows played across his face and his eyes were wide. Mercy wished he didn’t have to be here with her. She wished he had never been taken. She wished the bishop had never set foot in their village. The only thing she wanted right now was to make sure the ones she loved were safe.
She nodded to Rafe, and together they moved to the top of the stairs.
Rafe put a finger to his lips and listened for a moment. Then, he looked out of the opening first one way and then the other. He stepped out.
Mercy followed him into a corridor. They hurried down the hallway. Just a few torches in sconces on the wall lit the way. It was still dark but not as dark as the crypts.
He ducked into a spiral stairway and started up. Mercy followed. He paused at the top, listening, before continuing up to the next floor.
