Lion's Bride - Iris Johansen [54]
“I believe the Grand Master was frustrated by my eluding him for such a long time and gave the order for the massacre to show me his power.” He smiled bitterly. “He knew the villagers were no danger. I’d been very careful after Phillipe. They died only because I was still alive.”
“So much hatred,” she whispered. “Why?”
He didn’t speak for a moment. “There were tales…. Jeffrey was curious and persuaded me to go down to the caves below the Temple. We saw something there we weren’t supposed to see.”
“What?”
He shook his head. “I’ve said enough. I’ve told you this much only because you deserve to know why you’re threatened. If I don’t tell you any more, it may save you.”
“It didn’t save your friend Phillipe.”
“No, and it wouldn’t save you from the Grand Master, but Vaden is different. If you could convince him you knew nothing…” He shrugged wearily. “I don’t know. He might let you go after I’m—”
Dead. He stopped before he could say the word, but his meaning could not have been clearer. The same inevitability had rung clear with one of his remarks before. “Stop that,” she said sharply. “You speak as if you’re already dead.”
“I’d be a fool not to. I have the greatest soldiers in Christendom trying to kill me.” His tone became fierce. “But I won’t let them take me without exacting my due. A man should leave a mark on the world, and I’ll carve mine deep.”
She shivered. “With a sword? That’s not a mark, it’s a scar.”
“Then so be it.” He smiled recklessly. “It’s the only remembrance I’m being allowed to leave behind. Better a scar than nothing at all.” He met her gaze and asked mockingly, “And how do you feel now? Do you still wish to be my friend? Do you wish to join Phillipe and those poor souls at Jedha?”
He thought she would say no. Heaven help her, she wanted to say no. She wanted to run away from Dundragon and this man who thought he was doomed. Life and freedom were just opening to her. “I don’t want to die.”
“I thought not.”
“Wait. Hear me out. I don’t like it, but you bought my friendship with your deeds, and now I’ve no choice.” She glared at him. “But I won’t give up as you’re doing. I have too many things to do with my life. I won’t be killed and I won’t let Selene be killed. So you’d better find a way to save us all. Do you hear me?”
He blinked, and then a slow smile lit his face. “Oh, yes, I hear you.”
“And you can stop behaving like a bad-tempered oaf. It appears I’m going to have enough trials to suffer without putting up with—”
“Churlishness?” he finished for her.
She nodded. “Exactly. I’ll expect to see you here in the hall tomorrow morning to bear me company while I’m doing your accounts.” She rose to her feet. “And now I’m going to my bed. I’d advise you to do the same.”
“Go to your bed?”
“No, and I’ll not have you saying things intended to make me uncomfortable. I may have to make a place for you in my life, but it will only be on the terms of friendship and respect I choose.” She moved toward the door. “You knew very well what I meant.”
“Yes, I knew what you meant.” She glanced over her shoulder to see him smiling curiously. He said, “But I believe I’ll stay here awhile and ponder your tender words of camaraderie.”
“There’s nothing to ponder. I believe I’ve made myself clear.”
As she left the hall, she heard him murmur, “Oh, but there’s much to ponder, Thea.”
WARE WAS NOT in the Great Hall when Thea arrived there the next morning. However, the account books were stacked neatly on the long table.
Her lips tightening grimly, she went in search of him. The courtyard was filled with mounted men, and she found Ware in the act of mounting his horse. “I told you that I needed your help with the accounts. Where are you going?”
“Nowhere.” He looked down at her impassively. “Would I dare to abandon you when you gave me a command?”
“I did not—Well, perhaps I did, but you had already shown yourself entirely too eager to abandon