Reckless (Age of Conquest #5) - Tamara Leigh Page 0,44

seen to that, and for no good reason.

Remembering what caused him to be ejected from Wulfen and returned to his sire who beat him for not being more discreet, he sucked breath between his teeth.

The girl had been to blame. She had smiled, trailed him about the castle, and boldly followed him outside the walls when he decided to see how far she would venture—which proved all the way to the deep of the wood.

He could not have known she was ten summers aged. She had looked a dozen, and since all knew she was ill-gotten, the harlot was in her blood. Only when she realized they were no longer alone had she screamed.

The girl had been an invitation issued and accepted, and yet he was the one humiliated and punished, Lady Hawisa’s sire agreeing with Vitalis that Daryl was unworthy. At last, the youngest Wulfrith trainer had rid Wulfen of its most promising warrior in training, all because he disliked Daryl whose family had won a land dispute against his own family. Thus, what harmless lies and trifling theft had failed to do, the supposed ravishment had done. But now…

“This day, Vitalis.” He nodded, and though he felt the regard of those behind, did not lower his voice. “This day so sooner my sire may torment you in hell.”

“Aye, ’tis just ahead.” Having risen to sitting despite Nicola’s protests, Zedekiah hooked an arm over the boat’s railing to steady himself. “Turn right into the cove and go around the bend. There the dock.”

Nicola shifted her gaze to the hooded Vitalis whose sleeves rhythmically moved up and down his wrists as he worked oars that had forcefully propelled them through the water for two hours.

His tanned hands and blunt fingers intrigued her nearly as much as the upper arms straining his sleeves’ seams. Her brothers and cousin, Maël, were of enviable size and muscular build, but this warrior…

Perhaps it was exaggeration to equate him with Goliath of the Bible, but it was not natural he was so tall and broad.

Sensing his gaze, she resisted the impulse to avert and looked up his beard, mouth, nose, and into eyes she had thought only deepest brown. With sunlight glancing off them, she saw they were softened by rays of gold. But soft only in color.

His eyes were not as hard as they had been previous to Zedekiah’s awakening when she also feared his friend would not regain consciousness, but they continued to reflect dislike. And harder and colder they would become if his man did not survive.

Nicola returned her attention to Zedekiah. There was hope in that no longer was he on his back, but from the pale of his face and rasping breath, likely determination was responsible.

Please, Lord, seam his insides as I seamed his flesh, she prayed again. Do You not restore him, Vitalis will be alone.

Not if you remain with him, the thought startled, then repelled for how impossible it was. Should Zedekiah pass, the longest Vitalis would tolerate her was until he passed her into the hands of her family—providing he could stay true to his word.

Slowing the boat, deftly he worked the oars to turn them into the cove.

Zedekiah gave a sigh of relief, possibly over confirmation he had not guided Vitalis wrong, possibly over the prospect soon they would ride upon Wulfen Castle.

As Vitalis maneuvered around the bend, she saw his eyes searched for enemies in this area of the fens where more trees and foliage took root than upon Ely.

Reminded there would be no safety until they reached Wulfen, Nicola peered out from beneath her own hood. Unlike the land directly bordering the waterway, much of what lay before them was cleared of dense vegetation on both sides of a sizable structure erected a short distance from the dock. As the grass was long and the ground ascended from the bank, only the building’s upper portion and roof were visible.

Dismissing it, she aided Vitalis in searching left and right, looking for signs they were watched by any who intended harm by way of blades rather than teeth and claws. There was movement, but it was flitting and fleeting and either well above or well below the height of a man.

Vitalis having concluded the same, he traded oars for the ash pole that would move them through shallow water to bring them alongside a dock infected by mold and rot.

When another breath of relief slumped Zedekiah’s shoulders, Nicola set a hand on his arm. “Hold, mighty