Torgrin nodded.‘I promise.’
‘She’s tough and brave in many ways, but not with her heart.So don’t fuckin’ break it,’ he warned Torgrin.
Their faces blurred in front of me as I fought back tears.
‘Same goes for you, Blacksmith.Don’t do anything that’s going to get you killed,’ Torgrin ordered.
Cillian gave him a stiff nod.‘I’ll see you in Capita.’
Then he was gone.
†
This was our last day of travel.With Cillian and the others gone, our group felt smaller.
I found myself lost in thought as I rode next to Bethel, who kept her eyes on the road and refused to reply when I asked what growing up in Capita was like for her.Her recent warmth towards me had clearly faded.
Torgrin rode in front of me with the remainder of his soldiers.It had only been hours, but I already missed Cillian, Tomas and Rhett.
My feelings for Cillian ran deep, but I felt too afraid to dream of a future together, worried that fate would snatch it away before it came to fruition.And then there was Torgrin, who was invading my thoughts far more than he should.
The burn marks I’d left on the walls and bedding at the inn scared me.If my Curse was out of control because of my emotional turmoil, I would need to avoid a particular dark-haired man who had a talent for fuelling my emotions.
No more burning walls or turning people and their weapons to ash.Our mission was to keep Bethel safe in King Hared’s castle and keep a low profile – Lord Warwick did not want us starting a battle for the throne that he could not win.
Capita came into view as we crested the stony hill.The city unfolded below us in the shadow of towering spires and ivy-covered turrets.Encircled by a fortified wall, the city was a labyrinth of cobblestone roads guarded by an iron gate that evoked both grandeur and foreboding.
We stopped at the macabre sight that greeted us inside the imposing city gates.Soldiers moved among an uneasy crowd gathered in front of the gallows where the bodies of three women hung.
I felt sickened by the unnatural angle of their broken necks.Standing behind the dead women, like carrion crows, were several men dressed in long, black robes.They had the same shaved crown as the curator, leaving only a halo of hair.The Order of Men.The robed men looked out at the crowd, indifferent to the wails of grief and angry stares.
Cillian’s familiar blond head rose above the gathered witnesses.He was walking rigidly away from the women, who were still swaying at the ends of their ropes.I briefly held his steely gaze before he pushed out of the crowd and disappeared down a narrow alleyway.
I refrained from outwardly reacting to the ghastly sight of the hanging women, but I sat upon Nightmare, unable to tear my eyes away from where Cillian had been standing.I had never asked if he had seen his wife on the gallows.
My stomach churned with guilt because I couldn’t even comfort him.
‘Keep moving,’ Torgrin ordered, his hand brushing my knee as his horse passed me.
Cillian’s haunted eyes stayed with me as we rode through the busy cobblestone streets to Capita Castle.
The sun was setting, and in the gloomy light of dusk the castle was a looming masterpiece of stone and spires, crowned with imposing battlements.I felt watched by the many dark windows.Still, we rode unheeded by the knights clad in shimmering armour standing sentinel, their eyes scanning our banner and uniforms before fixing back on the horizon.Within the walls was a bailey – a courtyard echoing with the clinking of armour and knights on guard.
Our tired group stopped, and servants came to meet us, taking our horses and leading us to our rooms.Plush wool carpet lined the way, muffling our footsteps as we walked through the cold, cavernous passages.
For Bethel, this was like coming home.She relentlessly questioned the woman leading the servants who carried our dusty packs.Who had arrived for the wedding celebrations?What dances and dinner parties had they planned for the week?
I did my best not to show how impressed I was with our surroundings.Intricately carved wooden panels concealed hidden alcoves, and the flickering light from the torches revealed glimpses of rich tapestries and gilded molding.
My role here was to be Bethel’s lady-in-waiting.I had to be believable as a lady of a poor but noble family who would have beento the castle at least once.We had come up with my cover story in Murus, prepared should anyone enquire.I had recently become a ward of Lord Warwick’s after the death of my parents, and I was here to escort Bethel as etiquette demanded.
Still, as we arrived at the series of rooms reserved for Warwick family members, I couldn’t hide being astounded by the luxury surrounding us.The room we entered had a grand entry and living space with settees and chairs.I tipped back my head to look at the domed ceiling.Swathes of fabric in Warwick blue ballooned out from a tiered chandelier crafted with bands of iron and the antlers of what must have been several majestic stags.There had to be at least a hundred candles lit within it.
We moved further into the room, which was filled with the rich scent of old tapestries, and soft, enormous woven rugs underfoot.Placed in the only wall without doors was a fireplace big enough for me to stand in.A fire was already ablaze, warming my bones, which had yet to become accustomed to the colder climate of the north.
Above the grand mantel was a gold-framed portrait of two noble women.I could see Bethel’s resemblance to one woman who had the same black wavy hair and green eyes.The other woman was taller and had the same jade eyes, but she was even more beautiful.Her hair fell in golden waves around a regal face, her smile was wide and generous, and there almost seemed to be a wicked glint in her eyes as if she were teasing the artist who painted her.This must be Queen Yaris and her sister, Princess Hera – Bethel’s mother.They looked to be the same age Bethel and I were now.
I could sense Torgrin beside me, looking at the painting too.He was studying the young queen’s face intently.I nudge him from his reverie, but he seemed to look right through me.I raised an eyebrow as his eyes found focus again.
