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“What do you say to my bargain?” Sir Rylan asked quietly.
I felt Branford’s body stiffen, and he was as still as a statue for several moments. He glared down at the woman in the straw, and the muscles of his jaw clenched.
“I will lift the bounty,” Branford said softly, “but that will not spare Sir Leland’s life should I come across him personally. Whether he is in my lands, in your own, or at tournament—if I see Sir Leland again, he will die by my hand.”
“Understood, King Branford.” Sir Rylan took a step forward and offered Branford his arm. Branford reached out and grasped the other knight’s forearm.
My husband took a slight step toward the cart, and I could see Lady Kimberly’s body still and her eyes widen as he approached. The side of her face was bruised, and there was a small cut on her lip from where I had hit her. He looked down at her with as much hatred as I had ever seen.
Branford brushed his hand down my arm.
“Alexandra,” Branford said softly and without looking in my direction, “return to our rooms.”
“I want to stay,” I told him. I reached up to brush tears from my face.
“No,” Branford said with a shake of his head.
“She did this to me, too!” I yelled back at him suddenly, and Branford turned—his fingers gripping my shoulders.
“You are not staying for this, my wife,” he said most adamantly. “After Janet, you had nightmares, or do you not remember? I will have nothing jeopardize my son!”
I glared up at him. It was true. I hadn’t slept for a week after Janet’s execution, and every time I walked past a fire, the smell of charred flesh invaded my memory.
“I want to stay,” I repeated.
“Absolutely not.” Branford called over to Michael to take me back to the castle, refusing to look me in the eye.
I grabbed for Branford’s hand and moved myself back into his line of vision.
“I am not to leave your side,” I reminded him.
He looked directly at me.
“Alexandra,” he repeated, “I want you to return to our rooms. Stay there until I come for you. Michael will accompany you and remain outside the door.”
“What are you going to do?” I demanded.
Branford’s eyes blazed for a moment but then tightened and darkened.
“I’m going to slowly and publicly torture her to death,” he stated. “I do not want you to see what is going to happen to her. Once her head is on a pike at the front of the castle, you’ll be able to see the results, just as everyone will.”
I steeled myself and tried to stand up taller.
“I want to be there,” I insisted again. “I want to know what is done to her.”
“I will tell you,” Branford said, “but you will not watch.”
“What will you do?” I asked, pressing him for an answer.
Branford’s eyes further darkened.
“She is going to suffer,” Branford said as he snarled through clenched teeth. “She is going to suffer because you have suffered. Because I have suffered. Because all of Silverhelm has suffered for what she did.”
“But I am not to be away from you!” I said again. “If you are there, I must be there as well.”
“I want her blood on my hands.” Branford growled low as he stared at the helpless woman in the cart. Kimberly’s eyes brimmed over with tears as she cried almost soundlessly into the cloth tied around her mouth. “But it is not a good place for you…for our child.”
“Branford…you promised,” I whispered and immediately looked away from him. I could feel the heat in my cheeks as the words came out of my mouth. What I was doing was horrible, but I could not bear the thought of him doing such a thing without being there myself. If I had to use his words against him to make sure I also witnessed her punishment, I was willing to do so.
