Page 64 of Warrior’s Lady

"We both learned to survive," he said, cutting off whatever sympathy she might have offered. "Stay with Rhys while I gather a few men to transfer him. With the other warriors gone, we've extra pallets in the rooms above the stable." He stood. "There are guards at the door. You should be safe here for the short time I will be gone."

Rhiannon watched him go, leaving her alone with Rhys in the great hall. The flames in the fireplace licked greedily at the logs. A crackle and hiss pressed against the silence. Why had Orrin told her such a private detail about Camden's life? The information seemed a little too convenient. What did Orrin have to gain from her knowing such information? She released an exasperated sigh. Nothing.

Before she could consider other possibilities, the door to the great hall creaked open. Rhiannon could feel a presence, but could not see who was there. "Orrin?" she asked.

Silence.

Camden? She shot to her feet, her heart thundering in her chest. Had he returned so soon?

A dark shadow fell across the entrance to the great hall. "Not Orrin, my dear."

She could feel the blood drain from her face as she beheld Bishop Berwick in the doorway. "How did you get past the guards?"

"Holy men can do many things that regular mortals cannot." As he came into the light, she could see he was dressed in the dark brown robes of a monk.

That voice. She could not stop the chill that raced down her spine as recognition flared. That voice had ordered her to be burned alive. "You are no holy man."

"Your opinion of me matters not." His face contorted with disgust, then quickly shifted to benign superiority. "I am on a mission for the Church and I will not be distracted from my purpose."

"It would be impossible for you to slip past the guards at the gate, the wall breach, or even the door to the keep without help. Who helped you?"

He ignored her. "I've heard rumors of witchcraft being performed here this day." He continued to stride forward until he stood an arm's length from her. "The Church will have none of it. Such behaviors are punishable by death."

"There has been no witchcraft practiced today or any other day."

He held out his hand with its gold insignia ring for her to kiss. When she remained where she stood, irritation clouded his face.

"What do you want?" Where was Orrin? Where was anyone?

"I've come for the girl and the Stone. My sources assure me Lady Violet did indeed attempt witchcraft to try to bring a man back from the dead." His gaze dropped to the pallet on which Rhys lay.

Frustration and rage rose within Rhiannon, but she fought desperately to control her temper. "I will never hand the child over to you for punishment or anything else."

"No one is here to save you this time." He moved past her toward the stairs. Determination gleamed in his eyes.

"I don't need anyone to save me or Lady Violet." Lightning swift, she grasped an iron skillet from the cooking bench near the hearth. She lunged for him and swung the pan with all her might. It hit the side of his head with a resounding thump. The man's eyes flared. He swayed on his feet, then fell to the ground.

"Stay away from Violet," Rhiannon breathed as the man crumpled at her feet. A trickle of blood flowed from his forehead down across his face. The door of the great hall flew open, hitting the wall opposite with a thud, and Orrin charged into the room with a group of warriors. "Mistress Rhiannon?"

"It's all right. I took care of him."

Orrin raced forward. "How did he slip past the guards?"

Now that the danger had passed, Rhiannon set the pan down on the bench as a fatigue overwhelmed her. She staggered slightly as her gaze moved to the stairs, where Violet stood with her small bow and an arrow.

"I came to protect you, but you knocked him out before I could shoot," Violet said, moving to Rhiannon's side.

Rhiannon grasped the child to her in an emotion-filled embrace. "What a brave little girl you are."

Violet wiggled away. Setting her bow against the wall, she headed for the bishop.

"Lady Violet, what are you doing?" Rhiannon asked, suddenly terrified. She reached out, trying to stop the girl.

Violet stepped around Rhiannon's grasp, moving to kneel beside the holy man.

The bishop's eyes flickered open and his gaze clung to Violet. "There you are," he said in a silky tone.

"If you promise not to attack this castle again, I will heal you."