Sworn Loyalty - A Medieval Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

at Mary.
    “I assume we go up?”
    “Up we go,” agreed Mary with a weary smile. “And then we sleep.”
    His arms were around her, and she could sense the exhaustion which traced through every motion he made, but his steps were steady as he moved them up the long spiraling steps. Thin arrow slits let in glimmers of light, but the stairs were dark and dusty. He was careful to feel for each step with his foot, ensuring his stability before moving up another stair. It seemed hours later that they came to the shallow landing, to a sturdy wooden door.
    Mary’s mouth quirked into a wry grin. “And here we are. Our home away from home for the next week.”
    Erik maneuvered her forward, taking the latch with his left hand while balancing her off to the right, and then swung the door open.
    He stopped, his eyes widening in surprise.
    Mary’s eyes followed his gaze, a sense of satisfaction warming her. She had done everything she could to prepare the room for an escape, and by Erik’s reaction her efforts had not been in vain. The one full window overlooking the front courtyard was shuttered, but not solidly, so streams of moonlight lit the room in silvery streaks. To the right was a large, low bed, mounded with four thick royal-blue blankets. A pile of pillows stretched across its headboard.
    A table with two chairs stood along another wall, and beside it shelves were stocked with apples, turnips, wheels of cheese, loaves of bread, and a wealth of other food stuffs. Large barrels were marked as ale, mead, and wine.
    The third wall’s shelves held the other supplies. There was a stretch of bandages, needles, herbs, and ointments. One shelf held clothing and a pair of folded cloaks. Another contained sword-sharpening stones, polishing cloths, as well as a collection of daggers.
    Erik’s voice held respect. “You really are prepared,” he murmured.
    Mary smiled despite her exhaustion. “I tried to be.”
    He moved over toward the bed, dropping to one knee, using his left hand to pull back the blankets. She rolled gratefully onto the thick mattress, sinking into it, and when he lay the blankets back over her it was all she could do to remain conscious. It seemed a heaven on earth.
    He glanced over at the cold fireplace, his brows creasing. “We cannot risk a fire.”
    “No, we cannot,” she agreed. She put a hand out to him. “We will have to keep each other warm; these blankets should be more than enough.”
    He glanced again at the fireplace, then the closed shutter, and nodded. He stood, going to the door, closing it and dropping the bar in place. He lay a hand on it for a long moment, as if willing it to provide the final layer of protection for them. Then he turned and came to the other side of the bed, easing beneath the covers, drawing her back against his chest.
    To Mary they were together on the horse again, his sturdiness protecting her, his careful attention aware of danger. She was safe.
    In a blink she was gone.

Chapter 3
    Mary couldn’t breathe. The thick, billowing smoke filled her nose with its acrid stench. The scorching wooden walls of the grain box she hid in blistered her skin. All around her she could hear the agonized screams of her friends and family.
    She slammed her hands over her ears, gasping for breath, and she was burning … burning …
    A cool cloth was gently pressed to her forehead, and she struggled to open her eyes. It was late afternoon, judging by the streams of sunlight coming through the chinks in the shutters. Erik had a thick, dark brown cloak over his shoulders as he carefully patted down her face. The frosted edges of his breath made plain the chill of the day, but her skin flamed with crackling heat.
    Erik’s eyes creased with concern. “You have a fever,” he murmured. “I need to take a look at that leg of yours, now that you are awake.”
    She nodded, and he helped her wriggle into a sitting position, handing over a mug of mead for her. She gratefully drank it down, the