Strangclyf Secret (42 page)

Aurick rolled his eyes at
the impudence as relief flowed through him. “Druce, go with Medwyn
to alert the centurions,” he ordered. “We ride when I return.
Balen, you stay to guard the ladies..”

Balen hesitated, his
uncertain gaze drifting toward Lucretia. “I would like to go to my
brother’s aid.”

“
I shall stay with the
ladies,” William offered. “I will also ride with you when you meet
Orlege. I look forward to pulling that Saxon thorn out of my
arse.”

“
By you leave, Your Grace,
I would join Aurick and Balen.” Geno said.

“’
Tis what I expected of
you, Geno. Manuel,” King William said, turning to the young boy and
placing a hand on his shoulder. “Guide them well. You are my
youngest warrior now.”

“
Aye, Sire,” Manuel puffed
out his chest and turned to Aurick. “Commander, we got to go
through the shed. ‘Tis the only way I know.”

“
Then lead the way.” Aurick
lifted Intrepid from the boy’s grasp. “We are right behind
you.”

~ * ~

Melita’s bare foot landed
on a piece of sharp debris. She stumbled and clenched her jaw to
keep from crying out. Sidney jerked on the arm he held twisted
behind her back, keeping her upright and drawing forth the whimper
she had tried so hard to suppress.

Her mind spun in a
maelstrom and she couldn’t focus beyond the pain shooting from her
shoulder down to her fingertips and the prayer that she kept
repeating in her head,
Dear Lord, please
save my Bernon.

They arrived at the site
where the passage branched into three tunnels, and she slowed her
pace. “We have to stop a moment. There are traps.”

Sidney halted, briefly
pushing up on her arm. She knew he did it just for the sheer
pleasure of hurting her. “What kind?”

Melita closed her eyes,
fighting tears, and sucked in a breath. “Lethal.” He jerked on her
arm, and she released a pained squeal. “’Tis all I know. I have to
disarm them before we go farther.”

“
Then do it,” he
hissed.

“
I need both arms,” she
said and sensed his hesitation to release her. “I shall not run. I
promise.”

“’
Twould do you no good to
try,” he snarled then snorted a laugh as if he thought his remark a
jest and shoved her away from him.

Melita faltered then
caught her footing and rubbed her aching shoulder. She bowed her
head, so he couldn’t see the pain in her watery eyes burst into a
wrathful blaze. She was sick of the brute treating her so. She was
valuable, rare, and precious, dammit, and she didn’t deserve the
abuse that he had heaped on her for her whole life.

Her hands trembled as she
opened the wall and pulled the lever, disarming the traps. The
metallic groan echoed in the passage, sounding to her like a
thousand jeering voices mocking her for cowardice and betrayal of
the Strangclyf legacy. Her eyes narrowed. She would prove those
jeering accusations wrong. She didn’t know how, but damn if she
wouldn’t!

“
Which way?” Sidney asked,
reaching for her.

Sidestepping him, she
clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head in the
submissive manner he had always demanded of her. “The tunnel to the
left.”

She hurried into the
passage, praying he would follow without grabbing her aching arm
again. He seemed content with her taking the lead at this point.
Melita took some deep even breaths. She had to calm herself and
come up with a plan. She could not let Sidney win this time and she
had the advantage. In addition to being valuable, rare, and
precious, Bernon had said she was brave too, and Sidney didn’t know
about these important strengths.

There were plenty of
weapons in the coffers, and the treasure should distract him.
Mayhap she could grab a dagger and stab him. Or better still, she
could run while he was occupied with the riches, seal him inside
the coffer, and bring back help. She nodded. Aye, ‘twas a good
plan. Now if her feet and arm would just quit hurting, then mayhap
she could carry it out.

Was that a scurrying
behind them? Nay, ‘twas her overwrought imagination. Sidney would
surely act alarmed if the noise were real and his hearing was
better than hers, after all. Melita snorted. ‘Twas the reason she
hadn’t known the slimy serpent was slithering up behind her in the
bath.

Arriving at the cavern at
the end of the passage, she went to the wall and opened the
entrance to the coffer. Sidney shoved her inside ahead of
him.

“
Son of a conniving bitch,”
he said in angry-awed tones as he held his torch aloft and glanced
about the chamber. “The old bastard thought to deny me this
wealth!” He turned hard eyes on Melita. “Get the
emeralds.”

“
Surely with all that is
here, you could—”

Sidney backhanded her,
cutting her lip and knocking her hip against the side of the desk.
“Do not deny me. I have never tolerated insolence from you, and
I’ll not start now. Now get the emeralds.”

Zut!
For her plan to work, she needed to stay near the entrance.
Holding a hand to her sore jaw, Melita bowed her head, crossed the
chamber to the cabinet, and removed the small chest. Sidney grabbed
the box from her hands and opened it. A sinister chuckle grated in
his throat as he stared at the gems through greedy eyes.

Melita inched backward
while the gems held his attention. O Lord, help her. This might be
her only chance. She turned and ran for the entrance.

Sidney caught her within
five feet of the door and jerked her around facing him, his face
contorted with rage. “You thought to trap me in here,
bitch!”

He slammed one beefy fist
against the side of her head. She fell and her back hit hard
against the side of the desk. The pain shooting up from her injured
feet caused her knees to buckle, and she slid to the floor. All her
bravery withered and she cowered back, desperately afraid. She
looked up and saw his beady eyes peering at her as an evil leer
twisted his lips.

“
What a perfect notion!” He
gloated while surveying the chamber then laughed. “I am sure your
precious Bernon will pay well to get you back. I shall gain more
riches by keeping you, so I can carry less now.”

Blood froze in her veins.
She backed away from him and drew her legs toward her, pressing
against the desk.
Zut!
If he took her with him, she would never see Bernon again.
Merciful God, help her think of a way out of this. She raised a
hand and rubbed the side of her pounding head. The hilt of a dagger
pressed into her opposite palm.

“
Shhh, Mama. Hide this
where he cannot see.”

Hearing Genius’ whisper
behind her set her heart racing anew. Now she had to protect him
too. Keeping watchful eyes on Sidney, she twisted the dagger in the
folds of her bath sheet and prayed the old snake wouldn’t notice
the gathered material when she stood.

“
If you cannot get him
before you leave,” Genius whispered, “then stay well behind him in
the tunnel. When he falls, run back here fast. I made a
trap.”

Melita nodded her
understanding then wished she hadn’t as the pounding in her skull
increased. She raised to a sitting position and couldn’t suppress
the moan that fell from her lips. At least Sidney still went for
the same ear.

Sidney turned and scowled
at her. “Get some of that cloth and fill it with jewels and coins.
I will need something to tide me over while we wait for your
husband to fetch you.”

Melita stood, swayed
slightly, and raised her hand back to the side of her head as she
leaned against the desk. She swallowed against sudden nausea and
took a deep breath
. I am valuable, rare,
and precious, and brave. I am...

“
I can see you missed me.”
Sidney chuckled as he shoved jewels and coins into his pockets then
he sneered. “Move, Barwolf!”

She staggered then caught
her balance and crossed the chamber to a pile of cloth, leaving
bloody footprints in her path. Grabbing a thick piece of ivory
wool, she placed the material on the floor beside an open trunk.
While moving the bounty from the chest to the cloth, she took
covert glances toward Sidney and found him staring at her.
Zut!
She couldn’t risk
going for the dagger with him watching her so closely.

With a considerable mound
of riches in the center of the wool, Melita stopped. “Do you carry
this or do I?”

“
What do you think?” he
asked with a sardonic snort.

She bowed her head, hoping
he would think her compliant. “I shall not be able to lift more
than this.”

“
You will fill it until I
tell you to stop or you will feel my fist again.”

She rubbed the side of her
head then put more jewels onto the growing pile. Mayhap she could
get him to answer some of the questions that plagued her. Sidney
liked to brag, after all. “’Twas you who tried to kill Bernon in
Londontown and here, was it not?”

Sidney grunted. “’Twas
Gremian in Londontown. I would not have missed. ‘Twas also that
stupid fool who tried to drown you. Only an idiot would do such a
thing without having you lead us here first.”

“
But ‘twas you who threw my
dagger that night?” she persisted, dropping another handful of
coins onto the cloth.

“
Of course. Gremian has not
the arm for such a throw.” He turned a derisive grin toward her.
“’Tis ironic. You of all people actually had me worried you might
die that night.”

“
How did you get away
without anyone finding you that night?” She stood up straight and
looked at him, furrowing her brows in bewilderment. “If you do not
know the maze, then I cannot figure out how you could just
vanish.”

“
The maze is not the only
passage in this old pile of stones.” He gloated and leaned against
the side of the desk.

“’
Tis another?” she asked
surprised, forcing herself not to take nervous glances around the
chamber for Genius.

“
An old servants’ passage
runs through the walls at every level. I forbade its use after your
grandfather died and everyone has forgotten its existence.” He
chuckled. “My inspiration finally paid off. I’ve been able to come
and go as I please with no one the wiser.”

Melita glanced down at the
mound of riches on the cloth. “I do not wish you to strike me
again, but I truly cannot carry more. I have my doubts about this
much.”

Sidney straightened and
glowered at her. “Then grab it and let’s go.”

She gathered the corners
of the wool and tugged, unable to lift the bundle. “I have to drag
this.”

“
Do what you must—just
come. I want to be well away from here before Orlege arrives.” He
turned and headed toward the entrance.

She gaped at him in
dismay. “Orlege comes to Strangclyf today?”

“
Aye.” He halted and a smug
grin spread across his face. “I had to kill one of your enemies, so
you should be pleased with me.”

“
What are you talking
about?” she asked cautiously. He sounded like he enjoyed the
killing.

“
Lady Lucretia. The bitch
was going to tell Bernon our plan for you and about Orlege. I
couldn’t let her spoil my triumph. All that was denied me will be
mine.” A crazed chortle escaped him, an then he scowled at her.
“Move.”

“
All right.” Melita grunted
and tugged on the cloth, pulling the bundle along in short
measures. “When we get to the branch in the tunnel, we have to take
the far passage to leave near the back dock.”

Sidney grabbed the torch
from the wall and preceded her out of the chamber. At the tunnel
entrance, he turned back and scowled over her slow progress across
the small cavern. “Hurry up, wench.”

“
I am moving as fast as I
can.” She glared up at him then swiftly bowed her head. “I am small
and this is heavy.”

“
Just keep moving. Your
size always did make you inferior.” He headed into the tunnel,
stopping every few feet to glower at Melita and wait for her to
catch up.

She hauled her burden and
grunted behind him. What did Genius do that made him so certain
Sidney would fall? And how much farther did they have to go before
they reached Genius’ trap? Her head pounded so hard that she wanted
to vomit. She was beginning to feel faint too. What if she passed
out before Sidney fell? She mumbled to herself, “I am valuable,
rare, and precious, and brave. I am valuable, rare, and precious,
and brave. I am not going to vomit. I am not going to vomit. Oh
Lord, I think I am going to toss up everything.”

Letting go of her burden,
Melita stopped and leaned her brow against the cool stone wall.
Taking a few deep breaths, she swallowed hard against the bile
rising in her throat and pressed her hands against her cheeks. She
looked toward Sidney.
Zut!
He was only about twenty feet in front of her.
She should throw the blade Genius had given her and make a run for
it. She pulled the dagger from the folds of her bath
sheet.

“
Damnation!” Sidney
hollered, tripping over the spear that Genius left propped across
the tunnel.