Queen of Lost Stars (Dragonblade Series/House of St. Hever) Read Online Free PDF Page A

skirmishes do not kill one of the best knights I have ever seen!”
    “I know.”
    “Nor do they wound, inarguably, the best knight on the Marches!”
    He meant Kaspian. Thomas was simply nodding his head, feeling Ewan’s angst. “I know,” he said again, patiently. “You remain here for Dolwyd. Help the man transport Kaspian any way you can. I must find Madelayne and deliver the news.”
    Ewan sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. “This will make her child come,” he said. “It will throw her into fits and cause her child to come.”
    Thomas’ gaze was on the keep as he put a hand on Ewan’s shoulder. “That cannot be helped,” he said steadily. “I will do what I can to ease the blow. Meanwhile, you make sure that Cairn is taken to the vault and properly presented so that his wife can see him.”
    Ewan nodded in agreement, watching Thomas as the man made his way towards the squat, green-stoned keep of Lavister. There was such shock in the air right now, shock at what had happened at Beeston, but Ewan knew that the shock would soon turn to grief and the grief to rage. For the past two days, the men had only been concerned with returning to Lavister with their dead and wounded as the Welsh had scattered back to their mountains beyond the Marches.
    But the threat of the Welsh was still very much prevalent, still lurking in their minds even as they made haste back to Lavister. Now that they were back within the tall walls and strong gates, the thought of the Welsh threat faded but the realization that they’d lost their two commanders was sinking in. Ewan looked around him; he could see that realization on the face of every man in the army. Lavister, in fact, was devastated. Ewan wondered if they would ever be able to pull themselves back together again, strong as they had been when Kaspian and Cairn commanded. It was difficult to shrug off the gloom.
    Thomas felt the gloom, too, as he made his way towards the keep. He was nearly to the door when he ran into Reece, who was flushed and winded. He indicated that Dolwyd was on his way down from the top of the keep. As Reece ran off, Thomas entered the low-ceilinged entry of Lavister’s keep, and nearly plowed into his wife as she came down the stairs with Dolwyd on her tail.
    Mavia’s eyes widened at the sight of her husband and she threw her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly.
    “Thomas!” she gasped. “God be praised! You have returned safely to me!”
    Thomas hugged his wife, accepting her kisses to his cheek. But her affection made him uncomfortable, as it always had, so he tried to discreetly push her away. “I have returned safely,” he said, looking between Mavia and Dolwyd as the old man hovered on the steps behind his wife. “But Cairn and Kaspian have not. Dolwyd, Kaspian is badly wounded. He is in the wagon. Ewan is standing guard. You must go to him right away.”
    Mavia’s expression slackened with horror. “Sweet Jesus,” she breathed. “What happened to him?”
    “He took a spear to the abdomen,” Thomas said with a surprising lack of emotion. “And Cairn is dead. Where is Madelayne?”
    Mavia’s hands flew to her mouth to stifle the sobs but they came anyway. Tears filled her eyes. “It cannot be!” she said through her fingers. “Please say it is not so!”
    Thomas nodded, unable to keep the grief from his features. “I wish it was not true, but it is,” he said. “I must tell Madelayne before she realizes the army is returned and goes looking for him.”
    As Mavia struggled not to openly weep, Dolwyd pointed to the floors above. “She will not,” he said because Mavia was unable to speak. “Lady l’Ebreux delivered a dead son this morning and is confined to her bed. It will be difficult for her to hear that her husband is dead as well.”
    The grief on Thomas’ features deepened and he shook his head sadly. “That is unfortunate,” he said. “Was there no hope for the child, Dolwyd?”
    The old physic shook his head.