WolfeStrike (De Wolfe Pack Generations #2) - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,37
friends, so he honestly couldn’t believe that Powell knew nothing. After a moment, he waved them off.
“Go,” he said. “Out of my sight. But do not leave this castle. I may have more questions. Do you understand me?”
The five of them nodded fearfully. “Aye, my lord,” Powell said.
Dismissed, the five knights nearly ran from the room. An enraged de Royans was never a good thing. Four of the knights headed out into the bailey to tend to their horses but Powell paused a moment in the entry, sighing heavily as he ran his fingers through his dark hair. He felt as if he’d barely survived his bout with an angry lord. In fact, the entire situation had him reeling. Just as he went to follow his colleagues outside, he heard someone hissing.
Turning towards the sound, he could see an older knight standing in a doorway that led to a servant’s passage. The man was hissing at him and Powell looked startled to see him. His eyes darted around to make sure no one was watching before he swiftly headed in the older knight’s direction. When he drew close, the man reached out and grabbed him, pulling him into the darkened passage.
“What happened?” he hissed. “Where is Steffan?”
Powell sighed sharply. “Dead,” he said. “The de Wolfe pack caught up with him and when he refused to return to marry the de Wolfe girl, he was killed.”
The older knight’s breath caught in his throat. That wasn’t the answer he had expected. His eyes widened and he slumped back against the passageway as the color drained from his face.
“Nay,” he breathed. “Tell me it is not true.”
“It is true,” Powell whispered. “I just lied to de Royans, Joah. I told him I knew nothing of Steffan’s activities and thank the sweet Lord that he believed me. Or mayhap he did not. I suppose time will tell, but I will deny any knowledge to my grave.”
Joah de Brayton put his hand over his mouth, closing his eyes as tears popped forth. He lost his composure while Powell stood there, completely unmoved by the tears. In fact, he yanked Joah’s hand from his face, his eyes blazing.
“Don’t you dare act as if you are crushed by this,” Powell hissed. “This was all a plot between you and Steffan to get your hands on a de Wolfe dowry and Steffan lost his nerve. I wish you had never spoken of it because now I am part of this… this dishonorable mess.”
Joah was a master knight at Netherghyll, a man with twenty years of training and battle experience. His credentials were good. But he was also a man who had grown disillusioned with his post. For the past few years, he wanted something better, the opportunity for riches and leisure. He found a partner in that dream, and in his bed, in Steffan de Featherstone.
But clearly, that dream had somehow shattered.
“You were agreeable enough to be part of it with the promise of the reward,” Joah reminded him. “You are not innocent, Powell. You overheard Steffan and me speaking of the de Wolfe lass and the dowry she would bring. You were eager enough to be part of it when we offered you a prestigious post with the de Wolfe army once Steffan married her. Nay… not only are you not innocent, you are complicit. Remember that.”
Powell knew that. God help him, he did. But he felt as if he were getting sucked deeper and deeper into a quagmire that he would have no hope of ever escaping. Joah and Steffan had been conniving, unscrupulous men and being young and ambitious, Powell had fallen into a dangerous trap.
Now, he was part of that filth.
“I have not forgotten,” he said after a moment. “But Steffan must have had a change of heart and ran out on the marriage at the last minute. We did not have time to speak in private before he was killed. We’ll never know why he decided not to marry the de Wolfe lass.”
Joah’s eyes started to well again as he thought on his lover. “How… how did it happen?” he asked. “His death, I mean. How was he killed?”
Powell couldn’t help the disgust in his eyes. “I do not know,” he said. “It looked as if his throat had been slit, but that was the only obvious wound. I do not know who did it, but we were set upon by the House of de Wolfe. They were all de Wolfe men.”