Beneath a Midnight Moon - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,93
not dare to show his face here,” Hardane said, his gaze fixed on the man’s face, his sword steady at his throat. “Bourke and the Interrogator would kill him on sight.”
The man nodded. “As I plan to kill them.”
“Maybe he’s telling the truth,” Sharilyn mused.
Hardane grunted softly. “Maybe, but there’s no way to prove it.”
“Let’s take him with us.”
“Very well. Bind his hands and we’ll take him along.”
The man shook his head. “I came here to kill my brother, and I’m not leaving until it’s done.”
Hardane took a step forward, the tip of his blade pricking the skin at the man’s throat.
“You can come with us, or die here. The choice is yours.”
“I’ll go,” the man said, and stood quietly while Sharilyn bound his hands behind his back.
Handing his sword to his mother, Hardane settled his father over his shoulder once more and they made their way toward the shore where Jared waited with the boat.
Jared jumped to his feet, his sword in his hand, as he heard the sound of footsteps. He stared into the darkness, and then frowned.
“What the devil!” he exclaimed upon seeing the prisoner. “Bourke! You brought Bourke here?”
“He claims to be his brother, Carrick,” Hardane said. “Here, help me get my father into the boat.”
In moments, they had Kray settled in the bow, his head cradled in Sharilyn’s lap. The prisoner sat on the deck in the stern while Jared and Hardane rowed out to sea.
“What’s going on?” Jared asked. “What happened to Lord Kray? Where’s the Interrogator?” He jerked a thumb in the prisoner’s direction. “Where did you find him?”
“Enough,” Hardane said, exasperated. “I don’t have all the answers myself. But I intend to get them as soon as we reach the ship.”
Kylene was waiting for them topside. She ran forward, her cloak falling unheeded to the deck as she threw her arms around Hardane.
“Are you all right?” she asked, pressing kisses to his lips, his chin, his cheeks.
“I’m fine,” Hardane assured her. He took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “But my father’s ill. Go with my mother and see what you can do for him. I’ve got to talk to Kruck. I’ll join you as soon as I can,” he said, releasing her hand. “Jared, take the prisoner to the brig.”
Hardane gave Kylene a quick kiss on the cheek, and then headed for the bridge.
It was only when Jared gave the prisoner a shove toward the forward hatch that Kylene took a good look at the man’s face.
“Jared, wait!”
She took a step forward, her narrowed gaze probing the man’s face. Was it possible? Could it be . . .
“Papa?”
“Selene! What are you doing here?”
“I’m not Selene,” she replied, disappointed that he didn’t recognize her even though there was no reason why he should.
“No, it can’t be . . . Kylene, my dear girl, is that you?”
“Papa? Oh, Papa!” She threw her arms around him, her joy at his presence overshadowing a lifetime of questions.
“What’s going on?” Hardane threw a glance at Jared, and then stared at Kylene, who was hugging the prisoner for all she was worth.
“Seems this is the long-lost Lord Carrick, after all,” Jared replied with a grin. “Should I cut his throat or cut him loose?”
An hour later, Kylene sat beside her father, unable to take her eyes from his face.
Earlier, Hardane had cut Carrick’s hands free and had allowed him to bathe and change into clean clothes, and now they all sat in Hardane’s cabin while Carrick told of what had transpired since Bourke usurped the throne. He told of being hunted, of hiding out in caves and abandoned buildings, of having to scavenge like a predator for food.
“But Selene said you were dead,” Kylene exclaimed, taking her father’s hand in hers. “That you’d died in a cave.”
Carrick shrugged, not wanting to believe that his daughter had coldbloodedly left him in that cave to die.
“I’d been sick with a fever,” he said slowly. “Drifting in and out of consciousness. Perhaps she thought I was dead when she left me there.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t die, sick as you were, with no one to help you,” Hardane remarked, still doubting the man’s identity.
“I had someone to help me,” Carrick answered.
“Oh? Who?”
“A wolf,” Carrick said, his gaze moving from Hardane to Kylene.
“A wolf?” Sharilyn leaned forward in her chair, her eyes suddenly alight with interest.
Carrick nodded. “A she-wolf found me there. She shared her kills with me.” He shrugged. “The raw meat restored my strength.”