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’Twas a trap!
Chapter Eighteen
After having nearlydrowned and been subsequently resurrected, Henry counted himself fortunate to have full faculty of his person. However gazing up at the imposing walls surrounding the castle where he was raised, he almost wished he had died. At least it would have offered him some relief. Storming the castle was suicide. He may as well throw himself onto his own sword.
When Crispin realized Francis was hosting a feast in his own honor, he lost all sense of reason. Any caution disappeared in the darkness like a plume of smoke caught up by the slightest breeze. He thought to utilize the confusion inside the castle as a cover to slip inside unnoticed, but Henry found the plan reckless. How in the devil could he enter the castle unnoticed? He was the dethroned king and a wanted traitor.
Henry leaned against the tree. The horses were tied deep in the forest, close enough as to be retrieved quickly but hidden from view of anyone who may pass by. From a hundred yards, Henry could barely see the guards pacing the battlements. From the rear of the keep, torchlight illuminated the postern gate alone. Confused, he resigned himself to the fact Crispin must have an alternative option to breach the inner sanctum and retrieve Ruby.
Shadows played tricks with his vision. Perhaps he was injured worse than he believed. Even though his swollen eye hindered his line of sight, he was still able to use it. He squinted focusing harder on the wall outside the postern gate. A flicker of movement, then nothing.
Perhaps a closer look would serve him better. Careful to remain silent, Henry broke from his post and made his way across the gully at the base of the castle. From this vantage, he could see the postern gate clearly.
One of the guards stumbled through the door and glanced around. He swayed, bracing his hand against the wall. The door stood open behind him.
Henry considered his options. He could remain and wait for Crispin as he promised, or he could attempt to rescue Ruby. Before he could decide, the guard slumped to the ground with a muffled thud.
A hooded figure filled the door.Crispin.He rose from hiding and crept closer. The figure spotted him and drew their sword. Henry’s gaze rested on the blade. Most definitely not Crispin.
Henry raised his hands knowing he had been caught. How careless could he be? He cursed himself, and dread filled him at the thought of facing Francis on his knees once more.
A shout echoed from inside the wall. The figure rushed toward him, dragging him to the ground in the gully, pinning him down with their full weight.
His breath whooshed from his chest in a rush. The throbbing pain in his head returned as his head struck the ground. Henry lay there, stunned. He gripped the stranger’s cloak, bracing for a fight.
“Henry?” The soft, familiar voice fluttered down from the tangled fabric atop him.
He stilled instantly. Every alarm raised in his mind, he pushed himself away, clawing to free himself from her grasp.
The hood fell back, revealing luminous green eyes and chestnut locks.
“Ivy.” Her name burned his tongue with revulsion and reverence.
Her hands rested on his arms, pinning him to the ground beneath him. “Quiet.”
Henry stilled as the distant sound of voices and footsteps crunching on the dirt. He held Ivy’s gaze until the sounds faded once more. She relaxed and released her hold but remained, sitting astride him.
His breath came quicker, not from exertion but from pure need. She betrayed them. She left them for dead. The dueling emotions twisted and writhed like serpents in his chest battling for control. He longed to reach up and stroke her cheek. But the uncontrollable urge to wrap his fingers around her neck and squeeze the life from her enticed him with equal force.
“Forgive me,” she whispered. Slowly she slid off him and helped him to his feet. Her gaze shifted to the wall where the gate stood silent and undisturbed. A frown stole across her lips. “Come. We must take cover.”
Even though he did not trust her, he took her arm. With her aid, they hobbled back to the forest where he had been watching. He collapsed against the broad oak tree and allowed himself a few moments to recover his wits before facing her.
“What game are you playing, Ivy?” Exhaustion consumed him at the thoughts racing through his mind. A startling realization made his heart still within his chest. “Does Francis know we have escaped?”
