Remembered (38 page)

She was stiff from terror. Her lips wouldn’t move even if
she had wanted them to. Lionel was too far gone beyond insane to reason with.

“I shall take the lack of response as an agreement,” Lionel
announced. “You don’t want your pathetic husband to discover your real desires,
do you? But we can’t have him accusing me of rape, Annella, can we?”

“I’ll do whatever you want,” Kellus announced desperately.
“Anything, just don’t hurt her, please.”

“Yes, you will do whatever I want,” Lionel agreed. “And then
perhaps I will spare her life. But nothing you say will stop me from having her
now.” Done with merely taunting, Lionel grabbed her around the waist violently
and threw her onto the bed. “Watch and learn, Kellus,” he taunted before
climbing on top of her.

She heard the most tortured, agonized sob burst from Kellus.

She struggled with every ounce of strength she could muster,
kicking frantically, beating her arms wildly against Lionel—despite the pain in
her right wrist—as he tore at the front of the uniform she wore.

Somehow she managed to break out from under him.

She ran to the wall, but Lionel was beside her in a second.

He turned in Kellus’s direction once more. “Are you crying?”
he asked with great amusement. “Are you sobbing like a little baby who can’t
bear to watch another child play with his favorite toy?” He laughed out loud.
“Well, this is just perfect. The handsome and self-assured Mr. Kir, the brave
and witty Kellus, the first born of the wealthiest family in Vistira, is
nothing more than a spoiled rotten, sniveling little boy, as I suspected.” He
turned his look on Annie. “Do you see this pathetic child you married? This is
what you have been forced to endure for a lover. Now tell me you wouldn’t enjoy
the feel of a real man inside you for once?”

Annie had had enough. She put the fingers of her uninjured
hand on Lionel’s face and felt his skin tear under her nails.

“You fucking whore!” he screamed. This time, his hand hit
her already sore face with such force that her head snapped back, then flopped
forward. Her tooth slid into her lip, slicing it opened. She saw stars behind
her eyes momentarily. She felt her eyes sting, and a strange feeling of release
in her nose before blood poured down her face and down the back of her throat—filling
her mouth with a salty, metallic taste, causing her to gag.

She struggled to breathe as Lionel grabbed her around the
waist and began towing her back to the bed.

She mopped at the fountain of blood that was covering her
face, and wiped her eyes, instantly blinding herself. She continued to pull
away from Lionel, but her will to fight was crumbling.

She could hear Kellus desperately trying to free his hands,
moaning fiercely.

She wiped her eyes one last time, wanting nothing more than
to see him, to tell him with her eyes that she was sorry for what was about to
happen. But what she saw through her veiled sight gave her the strength to
continue struggling.

Markum rose slowly from the floor, unnoticed by Lionel who
had his back to the opposite wall. He staggered forward, picked up the sword,
and with one slash, he cut the ropes that bound Kellus’s hands.

Kellus grabbed the sword and faced Lionel’s back. “Get your
fucking filthy hands of my woman!” he demanded.

Lionel turned to face Kellus. Quickly, his hand reached to
his ankle, and within a split second, he had pulled a dagger and held it to
Annie’s chin. “Drop the sword, Kellus,” he yelled. “I’m not ready to kill her
just yet.”

Kellus hesitated then let the sword fall from his hand. He
saw no other way. The sword clattered against the stone floor.

“Well done,” Lionel said quietly. “I haven’t had the chance
to enjoy her yet. I don’t want to slit her throat at this moment. I don’t want
to end her in the same manner I ended Loc—that rule abiding dimwit,” he said
mockingly. “It seems that you left a purse, with some coins, in the dining room
last Friday, Kellus. Loc ran after you to return your money, but you were
already near Sarry Road in your father’s carriage. The fool ran after you, but
when he reached the bank, he realized that he would not catch up.

“It was then that he overheard two elderly women talking.
One asked if that was Kellus Kir that had just passed. She expressed sympathy
for the loss of your wife months ago. That’s when Loc heard the other lady
explain that Mr. Wellum—that annoying fish monger—had been telling people that
Annella was back. She had returned and claimed that she was taken against her
will.”

They listened to Lionel’s confession in silence.

“I walked into Loc as he ran back to the Citadom in a hurry
to relay the news to the Master. I convinced him to convey the story to me
first.
‘It’s a lie, Loc, you must not repeat it.
Think how it would
wound poor Kellus if he heard such rumors.’
I told him. He only half obeyed
me. He told no one but the Master. He was suspicious of my reasoning.”

Markum stood next to Kellus and placed his hand on his
brother’s shoulder.

“Nordorum approached me later,” Lionel continued. “It was
clear to me that he, too, was growing suspicious. I knew then that I would have
to rid myself of both these threats. It was easy to convince Loc to drug your
wine after I explained to him that poor Kellus had indeed heard the vicious
rumors that his wife had returned from the dead. Loc was more than willing to
ease your suffering. He was glad to slip what he thought was a mild sedative
into your cup.”

Lionel’s face glowered with malice. He held no semblance to
a man of the Citadom; he had been overcome with his corrupt schemes.

“I kept Nordorum alive, however. He had information that we
needed, although, he is hidden somewhere no one will ever find him. He is most
likely dead by now,” he shrugged his shoulders callously.

“Nordorum’s alive,” Markum said tauntingly. “Annella knew of
the secret passage. We found him hours ago. He’s resting in the hospital.”

“Is that so?” Lionel said, turning to face her. “You are
full of surprises, young lady.”

At that moment, the door burst open.

Danus stood with his sword facing Lionel. “Take that dagger
away from the girl, you murderous demon!” he yelled.

And then Lionel made a terrible mistake. He turned his body
around to see who had entered the room, turning his back on Kellus and Markum.

Kellus had less than a second to act. He picked up the sword,
with both hands, and shoved the blade between Lionel’s shoulders.

Lionel’s face registered the shock of his error, and then
terror. He looked down to see the tip of a sword come through the front of his
charcoal gray uniform. His eyes bulged. He opened his mouth to scream, but
blood poured forth, rendering him silent, except for a repulsive gag. He moved
as though to stand, but could not manage to balance. Slumping down, he took his
final breath.

Kellus continued to shove the blade forward. His jaw locked,
his arms shook with bitter vengeance, causing Lionel’s corpse to vibrate
violently.

Annie screamed and leapt away.

“Enough, brother!” Markum yelled, placing his hands over
Kellus’s. He pried his brother’s hands from the hilt. “He’s dead, Kellus.
Enough.”

Kellus seemed to snap out of the murderous rage instantly.
He turned towards Annie, and the blood drained from his face. He gripped the
bedpost for support. “Oh, Annie,” he moaned.

He was not the only one that stared at her in horror.

Both Markum and Danus stood frozen in place, appalled by her
appearance. She could only imagine what they were seeing. She was aware that
her entire face and front of her hair was covered in blood, as was the front of
the uniform.

“It’s just a nosebleed,” she assured them. “I’m not badly
injured.”

“Are you sure?” Danus questioned.

“My wrist may be broken, and my lip is badly cut, but other
than that, it’s not as bad as it looks.”

Kellus still stood frozen to the spot, glaring at her. After
a long moment, he shook his head and walked forward. He gathered her into his
arms but said nothing, too overcome with emotion.

“What happened to the krogs?” Markum asked.

“We downed two. The third ran off,” Danus answered.

“And the woman?” Markum asked.

“She’s not here,” Danus responded. “She ran from the house
at the same time that you and Annella ran in. We witnessed her running out the
backdoor. She fled with the remaining krog on horseback.”

“She got away?” Kellus said over Annie’s shoulder.

“Tilidus and Borm have gone after them, but they had a fair
start,” Danus answered. “Either way, we’ll have to find her. She can’t get away
with the crimes she committed against you two.”

“I’m sure she won’t be causing any more trouble,” Markum
said. “She must know by now that the Citadom is aware of the truth, that she is
a wanted woman.”

“I hope you’re right,” Kellus mumbled.

“Let’s get out of this fucking place,” Markum suggested with
a look of disgust on his face.

“There are a couple of horses in the barn. It’ll save us the
long walk back,” Danus announced. “And, Kellus, I think you should grab a
blanket; it’s cold outside.”

“I’ll deal with the cold,” he answered. “I couldn’t bear to
have my back covered at the moment.”

The sun was beginning to rise over Vistira, and the cold
morning air felt good on Annie’s sore face.

Markum and Danus rode ahead. She sat tucked in front of
Kellus, his left arm warm and protective around her waist. He spent the entire
journey back pecking little kisses on her blood soaked hairline, and whispering
‘I love you’
softly into her ear repeatedly. She leaned back into him
and felt her eyes begin to close.

“What happened to her?” she heard a voice holler. She opened
her eyes to see the peaceman Mandolis looking up at her from the ground. She
was back in the courtyard of the Citadom, and the sun was shining down fully.

“It was merely a bloody nose and cut lip. It looks worse
than it is, but I fear her wrist is broken,” Kellus explained.

Mandolis held out his hands to help her down. She eased
herself off the horse and onto solid ground. “Thank you,” she whispered, groggy
from sleep.

Kellus jumped from the horse and turned to stroke the
beast’s nose.

“Kellus, your back!” Mandolis bellowed. “Heavens above,
young man, what the hell happened to your back?”

“I had a disagreement with Lionel. He didn’t like to be told
‘no’
,” Kellus replied casually.

“Where is the bastard?” Mandolis asked through locked teeth.

“Dead,” Kellus replied sharply.

“How?”

“Kellus ran him through,” Danus said. “It was a much kinder
end than he deserved.”

They were ushered through the door and downstairs to the
hospital, were Nordorum lay sleeping peacefully. He was covered in casts and
tubes.

“How is he?” Kellus questioned Conor.

“Lionel tortured him,” Conor answered sadly. “He has four
broken ribs, three broken fingers, his left leg is broken, and he is severely
dehydrated. It’s a miracle that there was no internal damage done to the organs,
though. I expect him to make a full recovery.”

Conor examined Markum’s head and confirmed he had a
concussion.

Kellus’s back and wrists were treated with healing lotions,
and a thick, white bandage was tied around his back and chest.

Annie was ordered into a tub of water to wash the caked
blood off her face and hair before having her wrist set in a cast.

It was early afternoon when Tilidus and Borm ran through the
doors. “How are you?” Borm asked Kellus. “We heard you were injured.”

“Only a few lashes to the back,” he said. “Thank you both
for coming to my rescue,” he added, placing one hand on each of their
shoulders.

“We’re your friends, Kellus,” Tilidus answered. “We wouldn’t
abandon you.”

“What happened to Dinora?” Conor asked. “Did you catch up
with her?”

“Unfortunately, no, they had too much lead,” Borm replied.
“They made for the north. That’s all we can tell you.”

“That’s a pity. We’ll have to send a search party for her.
She must be brought to justice,” Conor answered.

Danus, Borm, and Tilidus were ordered to bed for the day.
They were given a hero’s salute by what was left of the ten senior peacemen
before departing for their rooms.

The apprentice Ciro was tasked with driving Annie, Kellus,
and Markum home.

As they made their way up the hill to their home, they
noticed the three carriages parked outside.

Then the front door opened, and five people flew out of the
house and down the hill to greet them, smiles of joy and relief spread across
their faces.

Annie jumped down into Kellus’s arms just as the other
members of her family reached them. She threw her uninjured arm around them,
one at a time. She, Kellus, and Markum were hugged and kissed repeatedly. Then
they—all eight of them—walked back up the hill together, elated that their
ordeal was finally over.

Once again, they were gathered around the dining room table,
and after Kellus and Markum had filled them in on the details of their night,
they feasted on an early dinner.

Annie could barely keep her eyes opened.

“So, what’s your plan, son?” Tol asked.

“Let me try this one more time,” Kellus replied with a
chuckle. “I plan to never let my wife out of my sight again.”

“Sounds good to me,” Tol answered. “I’m through with giving
advice.”

“And right now, I plan to get my wife upstairs to bed before
her face falls into her plate,” Kellus added.

“Poor child,” Annie heard Sara say through the haze of sleep
that was overtaking her. “Her face will be quite a mess by tomorrow.”

“No, it won’t,” Kellus argued, “she’ll be as beautiful as
ever.”

“Kellus, the skin around her eye is already turning purple,
and her left cheek and lip will swell further,” Sara contradicted.