Page 123 of Dark Rival

Aidan stood, but glanced upward in the direction of the tower room where Royce had spent the night. “He broke down an entire wall. Blackwood is furious.”

Allie hated the idea of leaving Royce alone, even though he was far calmer. “You should stay with him. I can take an escort of knights to the village. I won’t be long.” She didn’t think she needed much of an escort, as the village was about five minutes on foot from the moat. On the other hand, it couldn’t hurt to play it safe.

Aidan appeared relieved. “I dinna think it wise to leave him. He’s quiet now, but I have never seen him so enraged. I wish to stay with him.”

Allie took a long glance at his handsome profile. He was a medieval playboy, with all the charm a man could possibly have, but he was as loyal as a man could be toward Royce. Last night had shown her that. “Thank you.”

He finally smiled as he walked with her to the front door. “I’m yer Knight of Swords, lass. I haven’t forgotten.”

He had forgiven her! Allie was relieved. She did not want to lose his friendship, not now, not ever. Impulsively she faced him so they halted. “I wish I could undo what happened last night. I wish I had understood better that the standards I live by are not valid here, in this world, for men like you and Royce. I wish I hadn’t gone behind Royce’s back!”

Aidan’s gaze was searching. “We live by our word, Lady Allie.”

There was no possible response to make to that.

He guided her outside. Allie found herself in the midst of six English knights. They were clad from head to toe in armor, and even with their visors up, they looked like mean fighting machines. She hadn’t expected a fully armored escort.

She had just mounted a small gray palfrey when she felt Royce’s power. She tensed and glanced up at the tower.

Instantly she saw Royce standing at the embrasure, staring toward her. Her heart turned over with so much love and fear, and real, clawing despair. Don’t do this, she thought silently, begging him now. Don’t turn away from me. I love you!

He vanished from the window.

She inhaled, because no answer could be more eloquent. She hadn’t felt any emotion at all—not anger, not pain, not even the flicker of male desire. He was closing himself off from her completely.

“Godspeed, until the afternoon, then,” Aidan said. He nodded at the foremost knight, and the small retinue moved out.

Shaken, Allie let her mare follow the chargers, glancing worriedly back at the tower. Royce remained gone from her sight.

A moment later, they were trotting over the drawbridge, the first wattle huts ahead. Children appeared, dancing about the edge of the road, calling out to the knights.

Allie couldn’t smile. If Royce remained set against her, she might never smile again.

They halted before one of the huts, a gray-haired man pacing before the doorway. Allie slid down from her mare, trying to focus on the task at hand. Instead all she could think of was Royce and how he was determined to blame her for a betrayal she had not committed.

“Lady, thank ye fer coming,” Kenneth cried, his face ashen with fear and worry.

Allie shoved all thoughts of Royce aside. “It’s my pleasure.” She touched him and this time smiled with warmth that she meant. “Don’t fear. Your wife will be fine.”

His color became even paler.

Allie glanced into the dark interior of the hut, but saw nothing but shadows. She became aware of a woman’s suffering. It was slight, and blended with a small pain. The woman was hardly ill at all.

“I’ll only be a moment,” she told her escort. She smiled and faced the husband. “Please wait outside.”

He nodded, ghostly white now, shaking.

“She will be fine,” Allie said, and she strode across the dirt yard and entered the hut.

It was dank and dark inside. Smoke made it difficult to breathe. It took her a moment to adjust her eyesight to the darkness. Then she saw the woman, lying on the floor, her hands and legs bound.

Evil began swiftly filling the hut.

Allie realized it was a trap. The woman wasn’t sick—she’d been hurt and tied, so Allie would feel her suffering. The woman was bait.

Kenneth wasn’t afraid for his wife—he was afraid of the lord of darkness.

Allie turned to flee.