AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 26
When I woke, I looked out the window and saw that the rain had completely let up. Rays of sunshine fought the few passing clouds over the dominance of the sky. I stared out the window for a moment longer before smiling and turning to Alrick. But instead of finding him next to me, on the blankets in front of the fireplace, I found him standing fully dressed at the table, placing two metal plates next to an iron-cast pot on the table.
“It’s not much, but I found eggs, and we still have bread,” he said. I sat up and pulled the wool nightgown over my head to cover my naked body.
“Not much? I am delighted.” My hunger from the night before had returned with a vengeance. There was also the fact that Alrick had prepared it, which was most unusual for a man.“You cook?”
“I’m not afraid of pans and pots. Besides, every soldier knows how to prepare food. We have to.”
“You truly are one of a kind, Alrick, Lord of the mighty mountains of Kulgrat.”
I walked over to the table. Alrick pulled me into his arms the moment I was within reach. He kissed me softly.
“At your service, Your Highness,” he whispered with a smile against my lips, then sat down at the table.
I grinned like a little girl and took the seat next to him. There were no cutleries, but eating with my hands, something that would have been unthinkable weeks ago, didn’t bother me at all now.
“When do you think they will be back?”
“Later this afternoon, if all goes well.”
I nodded. This was wonderful news. “Will you return to your estate or join me at my cousin’s for a few days?”
What I was actually asking was if he would be there to announce our marriage. In the back of my mind, I wondered if he had truly meant what he’d said last night or if it had simply been a man speaking out of lust.You’re not worthy of his love,the Night Queen whispered to me.
“Given the most pleasurable events of last night, I shall join you. I need to be at your side when we announce our marriage.”
Chewing on hard bread and eggs, I grinned again.
“Although...we might have to wait with marriage,” Alrick said, making me cough up a piece of egg. Was he changing his mind?
“I do need to meet with your father first. He needs to approve this marriage.”
I sighed and cleared my throat. “He will be delighted. Believe me.”
Alrick thought about it, then smiled at me. It looked as if he was about to say something when we heard the neighing of horses in the distance. I exchanged looks with Alrick, my eyes wide in confusion.
“They are back so soon. I thought you said—”
He placed a finger on my mouth, the cheerful morning mood wiped off his face. Before I could even process what was going on, Alrick grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me to the door. He grabbed his sword leaning against the wall, then let go of my arm to tear open the door.
“To the woods. There’s no time for the horses,” he instructed in a low voice.
The cold morning breeze and the adrenaline of fear prickled against my skin and twisted my stomach as I stormed out of the hut and onto a grassy patch surrounded by trees. The rough ground punctured the soft skin of my bare feet as I thundered over rocks, roots, and grass. I almost fell but managed to regain my balance, my eyes set on the line of trees only a few yards away from me. We were about to make it to the safety of the forest when a barbaric battle cry reverberated through the air and down my spine.
I turned to find a group of men, all dressed in black, wearing skull-like face coverings. They rode toward us on horseback, their swords drawn high above their heads.
“In there,” Alrick yelled, pulling me by my arm into the first patch of thick brush and bushes. Thorns and sticks poked and grabbed me, cutting my exposed skin. But I didn’t stop. With sheer force, I pushed through the brush and into the narrow rows of trees behind it. From there, I ran again, but not fast enough. The clanging sound of metal and shouts made my feet freeze beneath me. I spun around.
One of the men had already jumped off his horse and was engaging Alrick in battle only a few feet behind me. Alrick deflected the other man’s swing and, in a fluid motion, rammed his own sword into the man’s stomach. The Northman collapsed to his knees with a grunt.
“I said run!” Alrick yelled at me as two more men made it through the bushes on foot, swords swinging at Alrick. I watched in utter terror how Alrick fought for our lives. He had just brought down one of the two attackers and injured the second one when more men appeared out of nowhere.
I turned around to face the empty forest behind me.Run, Alrick had said, and what could I do for him anyway? Nobody would judge me for running. I wasn’t a soldier; I had never even held a sword. Yet, my feet wouldn’t move. How could I just leave him to die here alone? There were too many of them, and they would catch up with me anyway. So why not die here, by his side? Maybe even in his arms?
The ice-cold fear of death pumped through my veins. I could taste bile on my tongue. I made a single, trembling step forward when a man the size of a bear rushed toward me, his sword held high. My arms shot up to cover my head, to prepare myself for the deadly blow when he was pierced from behind. I jumped sideways to avoid his body collapsing on top of me. Alrick appeared right behind the man, his hands and face covered in blood. For the blink of an eye, he stared at me, a mixture of love, frustration, worry, fear, and pride in his eyes.
“I told you to run!” he yelled again, taking his place by my side.
