Her touch was like a slow flame, consuming him. She was a physical torment, tempting him in a way he couldn’t resist.
Raine shut his eyes, forcing himself to remain utterly still. Though Carice was pressed up against him, he did not touchher, nor did he let himself imagine anything more. It was nearly an hour before he managed to calm the urges of his body, and even longer before sleep came.
But when it did, the nightmares returned.
Chapter Five
He heard the sound of screaming. Raine bolted awake in his chamber, not knowing what was happening. He dressed quickly, not even bothering with armor, and seized his sword. His heart thundered with worry for his family or worse, their liege. King Henry was visiting Peventon Castle, along with fifty of his soldiers and servants. The scream was a woman’s, but whose?
Raine hurried down the stone stairs, his weapon drawn. He froze at the sight before him, unable to believe what he was witnessing. His father’s face was purple with rage, and he clenched a dagger in his fist. King Henry held his own blade and stared back at Neil de Garenne with arrogance.
“You dare to draw your weapon before me?” Henry said, his voice icy.
A sinking feeling caught in Raine’s stomach, a rise of mingled fear and nausea. To threaten the king was a death sentence. His father knew that, so why would he do such a thing?
“You dared to touch my wife,” Neil shot back. “I care not that royal blood runs through your veins. If you have harmed her, I will spill every damned drop.”
Only then did Raine notice his motherweeping in the corner. Estelle sat on the floor, holding her knees, her clothes torn and in disarray.
God help them all.
Raine started to move toward her, but a soldier caught him by the arm. “Stay out of this.”
He ignored the man and wrenched his way free, moving toward his mother. Tears streamed down her face, and her expression was filled with terror.
“She knows better than to deny her king. Sheathe your weapon, de Garenne, and apologize.”
But his father lunged at Henry, a war cry roaring from him. One of the king’s soldiers came from behind and stabbed Neil.
Raine froze in place. His limbs felt as if they were iron, bolted to the floor. He stood in shock as his father’s blood spilled over the stones. Estelle rushed forward, reaching for her husband.
And though he knew he had to move, had to help them, he could do nothing.
Too fast. It had all happened too fast for him to respond.
Then Raine watched in horror as his mother seized her husband’s knife and stabbed herself.
Raine gasped for air, jerking awake.
Carice startled at his motion, and realized that he was sweating, his breathinguneven. “What is it?”
When he didn’t answer her whisper, it seemed that he was still under the spell of a bad dream. “It’s all right,” she murmured, touching his shoulder. “I am here.”
The top of his tunic had come unlaced, and her palm brushed his bare skin. He jolted as if she’d burned him, but his eyes flew open. Even then, he did not appear aware of who she was. “It was only a dream,” she whispered, reaching out to stroke his cheek.
He gripped her wrist roughly and shoved it against the coverlet. “Do not touch me.”
His abrupt transformation frightened her. In his eyes, she saw a wildness of a man who was gripped with visions that were all too real. She pulled back, bunching the covers around her. This time, he got out of bed and donned his chainmail once more, adding the leather corselet atop it.
“What were you dreaming of?” she asked.
But he would say nothing about the nightmare. Instead, he ordered, “We should leave now. It’s nearly dawn.”
She wanted to argue with him, but the look in his eyes was shielded, as if he were holding back terrible memories. Instead, she rose from the bed, reaching for her shoes. She found that she was hungry again, and she took some of the food he had brought last night. Though her weakness lingered, at least the vicious stomachaches had abated.
Carice drew her cloak over her gown, tying it closed. Raine eyed her appearance, his expression stoic. “You won’t be warm enough in that cloak. It snowed last night.” He gave her his own outer garment, before he dragged one of the blankets off the bedand draped it around her shoulders. Carice gathered it up like abratand added the extra layer.
“You should take back your own cloak,” she insisted. “You’re only wearing chainmail armor.” She couldn’t imagine that he could stay warm in that, despite the leather corselet.
