The Sword and the Sylph (Elemental Series) (11 page)

“’Twould be a shame on your part, as I have offered you much. What you would gain from this marriage is what every man would be willing to give up his right arm for. Don’t let me down, Sir Braden.”

“Of course not, my lord. You can count on me.”

“Fine then,” he said, giving Braden a slap on the back. “Now, I think ’twould do you good to get away from Banesmoor for a day or two.”

“My lord?” he asked, not understanding what he was suggesting.

“I want you to go up the mountain to Calila and bring back that traitor, the stablemaster. Once you accomplish that, I am certain there would be no more idle tongues wagging about my decision to let you wed my daughter. With that one noble deed, you would prove yourself not only to me but also to the entire castle.”

“I would go anon, my lord.” As Braden walked away from the man, he heard him call out behind him.

“And bring back that girl spy while you are at it. I think it would fare well with the rest of my men if we had a double hanging.”

Braden didn’t answer to that. He couldn’t. For there was no way he would ever bring Portia-Maer in front of Lord Solomon and reveal her as the spy – even if she’d done him the same favor.

* * *

Portia had done her best to ignore the disgusting man that she was to marry, and now hid in the hen house. The door opened and she kept silent, until she heard the voice of the old woman.

“Portia, I know you are in here, I saw it in my gazing crystal. Now come out and talk to me, please.”

“Juturna?” She ran to the woma
n and threw her arms around her, chickens squawking and fluttering out of her way as she rushed across the floor.

“You cannot hide forever, my child.”

“Not forever,” she said. “I am only hiding until I regain my strength and am able to remain invisible for longer periods of time.”

“This is your father’s castle, and you are his daughter. You need to stand up to your stepmother and
state the way you feel.”

“I tried that yesterday,” she told her. “It not only led to an argument, but much groping from that man as he tried to take me right there in the great hall at the main meal, and my lovely stepmother did naught to help me. I only wish my father would recov
er. He would help me. Juturna. What is wrong with him?”

“He has suffered many illnesses over the years, Portia-Maer. And while yo
ur kiss can heal wounds, it cannot mend broken hearts or cure illnesses deep within the body.”

“But my mother could heal any illness with her kiss.
I saw her do it many times when I was just a child.”

“Yo
ur mother was of pure Fae blood. You, my child, are not. With each mixed generation the fae’s power dwindles. Your friends Brynn-Riletta and Rae-Nyst have found the same about their own powers as well.”

“Would that I could be with them right now, Juturna.
I’d really like to talk to another fae. I have felt so alone for such a long time.”

“Aye, and you will be able to do that soon
, my dear. But right now you need to be at your father’s side and also to handle his affairs while he is not able to do it.”

“And how do you suggest I do that when my stepmother has
not only promised me to a Klaren, but brought in more mercenaries and scoundrels than the castle can hold?”

“I’ve seen the damage done by the Klarens while at my stay in Thorndale Castle. I thought
most of them were killed by Dracus the dragon, but obviously they have replenished their troops. If they are here, their intentions are dishonorable, I can tell you that much, my dear.”

“I feel so drained. And I don’t know who to look to for help.”

“Don’t you? Who is the bravest knight you know?”

“You are speaking of Sir Braden, aren’t you?”

“He has the power of Lord Solomon’s men behind him as well. And if need be, you know your fae friends’ lands of Thorndale and Manterra would send in their troops to protect Calila as well. You only need to ask.”

“I don’t want anyone else to die, Juturna.
I would not call in their people only to place them in danger. I only wish Sir Braden were here right now. He would know what to do.”

“You seem
drained of your powers, Portia. Why don’t you go up to the top of Mount Calila for a day or two and replenish yourself in the fresh mountain air? Then you’ll know what to do, I promise.”

“Aye, Juturna, I would do that. And please watch after my father while I am away, as I do not trust that the countess would not have him killed by her command as soon as she finds out I am gone.”

“I would not tell anyone where you are my dear. Now go, and be one with the element which guides you and you would find your answers.”

Chapter 11

The meal was finished and Braden danced with his betrothed as instructed,
but his mind was on Portia and he couldn’t bring himself to smile. Then again, something seemed to be bothering Lady Christabel more than usual as well, as she didn’t smile either. Of course, not that she ever did anyway.

“My lady, are you feeling ill tonight?” he asked.

She kept glancing at the corridor and he wondered what took her interest.

“Nay . . .
I mean aye,” she said. “I think I would like to stop dancing Sir Braden, if you don’t mind.”

He didn’t mind at all. Matter of fact, he liked the idea, and was glad she suggested it.

“Well, should we retire to the garden for our evening walk?” he asked.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to stop at the garderobe first,” she said quickly.

“Of course, I would wait here for you, my lady and then we’ll continue our courtship.”

She rushed away and he wondered if she was just trying to get away from him or if she really needed to use the garderobe that desperately.

He made his way back to the dais, waiting at the entranceway to the hall, watching the merriment but feeling none of it in his heart. The gallery was filled with lords and ladies all dancing to the musicians’ music. A jongleur wandered through the hall, singing songs he created on the spot and spouting stories and poetry that might have been romantic if it were told to the right couple. He watched the happy people swirling and twirling about the floor and felt an emptiness within him now that he hadn’t seen Portia in two days time. He never should have let her go, but he’d been so angry with her that he couldn’t wait to get away from her. He’d needed to distance himself from her little games and get out of the blasted uncommon weather as well.

Well, he thought,
at first light he planned on going to Calila to bring back the stablemaster, and he’d have a chance to see her then and hopefully clear things up. Now, he only wished he had the gift of invisibility because he had no idea how he was going to sneak into the castle and back out with the traitor in his grip, without getting caught.

He
waited for a long time, and still Lady Christabel had not returned. Then, wanting to breathe in the fresh air, he decided to wait for his lady in the garden. The courtyard was nearly empty as most the inhabitants were inside making merry. If only he could feel the joy as well.

He strolled across the bailey toward the gardens, looking up to see the full moon shining down upon him. This would be a romantic night indeed for two people –
who were in love, that is.

He walked through
the gardens, feeling very lonely indeed. The grounds were beautiful with a maze of shoulder-height bushes leading to a tall carved stone in the shape of a stag in the center. Many patches of flowers in colors of blue, purple and pink, lined the stone walkway, filling the air with a sweet scent and making it look magickal. Still, he found it wasted on him at the moment, as he was here but with a woman he did not love. But he was a knight and a man of his word. He could not walk away from a promise he’d made to Lord Solomon, nor would he.

He stood in the shadows and waited, then heard whispering from behind the trellis of roses. Curious, he walked forward slowly, seeing the back of his betrothed in the shadows of the willow tree. He was about to call out to her when he noticed a pair of hands on her
waist. He ducked behind a blooming bush and watched as she reached up and kissed someone. The man bent forward to greet her in the moonlight and as the moonbeams lit up his face, he could see ’twas none other than the traitor.

“I followed you and your betrothed on your outing,” he told her. “I could not bear seeing you in another man’s arms.”

God’s teeth, thought Braden. How many people were on that outing spying on him while he’d tried to court the woman? Naught was private around here, and he did not appreciate his every move being watched by one person or another. Not wanting or needing to see more, he decided to put an end to this little secret rendezvous.

He pulled his sword from his sheath and rushed forward, now holding the tip of his blade against the man’s throat.

“I should have known you were a traitor in more ways than one,” he ground out.

The man raised his hands above his head and Lady Christabel stepped back and looked at him with pleading in her eyes.

“Please, Sir Braden, let him go. He is unarmed and means no harm.”

“No harm?” He almost laughed at the irony of it all. “Because of him I was almost captured and executed. And now he tries to steal from me my betrothed as well. I
cannot let you escape, traitor,” he told the man. “I have made a promise to Lord Solomon to bring you to him and I plan to uphold it. Now come with me, as I am sure my liege lord would be very pleased I’ve caught the traitor right inside his castle walls.”

Lord Solomon walked out into the gardens just then with Sir Samuel and two other knights following. “Sir Braden, what is all the commotion?” he asked. “Is everything all right
between you and my daughter?”

“I have caught your traitor, my lord.”
He grabbed hold of the stablemaster and shoved him forward, presenting him to his lord.

“So you have,” he said with a pleased nod of approv
al. “And I would have him executed just as soon as you return with the girl spy as well. We would have a double execution, and put an end to this deceitfulness forever.”

Braden felt his heart sink within his chest. This isn’t what he expected his liege lord to say. But now that he’d been given his order, he needed to carry out the wishes of the man to which he
now paid fealty.

“Aye,” he answered, hating himself for agreeing. “I would leave at first light to go and collect the girl.”

“Do not let me down, Sir Braden.”

“Nay, my lord
,” he answered, saying the words expected of a knight is his position. “I would not let you down. You know you can count on me.”

Chapter 12

Portia sat atop the highest peak of Mount Calila the next morning, her face turned upward toward the sky. She breathed in the fresh, virgin air, feeling her body fill with the essence of the wind, strengthening her powers of being an elemental of the air. Spending the night in nature had made her feel refreshed and alive again. She was happy that Juturna had given her the suggestion, as ’twas exactly what she needed all along.

She wove mountain flowers into a crown and placed it on her head. She
felt so alive atop the peaks, and knew she was safe here from her ruthless stepmother as well as the Klarens who had all but taken over her father’s castle. She was able to climb the hills easily with the help of the breeze, and she knew the element of air would protect her and keep anyone from following.

She stood atop the cliff
and stripped the gown from her body. She never liked the way clothing felt against her skin. She was a sylph and needed to feel the air all around her in order to really feel alive. She raised her arms over her head and paid homage to the sky. Then she lay atop a soft patch of grass and stared up into the swirling depths of blue and white.

The clouds drifted by, taking on shapes
, and she played the game she’d loved as a child. With her mind she moved and shaped the clouds into anything she wanted. She started out by forming them into a swan and then a castle with two high turrets. And when she’d meant to create a flower next, she knew her mind was obviously playing tricks on her, as instead of a flower the clouds above her molded into the face of Sir Braden.

She though it odd that the clouds would take on an image of their own, but realized she must have been thinking about him an
d done it unknowingly. She felt so relaxed and was happy with her decision to come up to the mountain. This was just what she needed to regain her strength. She had just about fallen asleep in the fresh air and sunshine, when all of a sudden she had the feeling someone was watching her. She jumped to her feet and turned around to see who it was.

Braden made it up the mountain easily, as he was a skilled climber having spent his childhood being in nature as much as he could. He made it to the top of the highest peak, being directed here by Juturna. He had been surprised to find her in town, and was also happy to see her once again. She had told him where to find Portia and he was pleased he’d be able to talk to the fae in private, away from everyone else.