Tributary (River of Time 3.2 Novella) (10 page)

He jumped her swooping lance and smiled at her in triumph. “
There ‘tis
.” He struck again, and she blocked it, then the next two, in quick succession, up high, down low, in the middle. Then she turned and rammed her lance toward his back, belatedly seeing that he’d tossed his own aside, and caught her wrist with both of his hands. He swiftly twisted the lance from her grasp and swung it back around, directly at her head. She crouched, sliding one leg to the right, feeling the
whoosh
of the lance brush past.

“Do you intend to kill me?” she sputtered.

“Not yet,” he said, ramming the lance down again, missing her by inches when she whirled away.

She rolled and grabbed hold of the other lance and quickly gained her feet. A knight—many encircled them now—whistled in low appreciation. Marcello and Lord Greco were there too. Luca came after her again, fast. Striking, striking, striking. She parried, parried, parried, until her strength gave out and she stumbled backward, only rising as far as her elbows before Luca had his lance at her throat.

“Luca!” Lia cried. But Marcello physically held her back, as deadly serious now as his cousin.

“Tell us, Signorina Donatelli,” Luca said, panting, and taking a knee beside her. “Why did you hide your prowess with weapons? So that you might plunge a dagger, sink an arrow, when we least expect it? Might you have only been waiting for access to our armory?”

He stared down at her with squinted eyes, trying to decipher the secrets she held back from him. And for the first time, she feared the captain of the Forelli guard. Feared he’d figure out what she was after, her intent. And then she feared for her life.

“I know not of what you speak,” she tried, using her most plaintive voice, staying still. “I only wish to return home, to my family.”

“Luca—”

He lifted a hand to Evangelia, cutting her off. Slowly, he lifted his lance and then knelt beside her. “We saved you, woman,” he said quietly. “Lord Marcello extended you and your family friendship, binding his life to your own. But if you intend to harm the very hands who nursed you to health, you will not find mercy in us again.”

His green eyes locked with hers, waiting.

“I understand,” she whispered. She remained perfectly still, fearful he might turn and pierce her with the lance, if she dared move.

Then he rose. “To the barracks to change, and then the hall for your noon meal,” he said to the men, still staring at Alessandra like he couldn’t tell if she were a snake about to strike, or slumbering in the sun. “Be ready to ride out to your afternoon’s assignments within the hour.”

He turned from her then, walking off with Marcello as if nothing at all had just transpired. The others gradually peeled away, doing as he bid. She closed her eyes, feeling alternately hot with fever and bitterly cold, as if she were about to faint.

“Rise,” commanded a voice.

Her eyes sprang open. Lord Rodolfo, offering his hand. With a quick glance to her right, she saw Lady Evangelia with her mother’s arm around her shoulders, apology in her eyes, as she was led away.

Alessandra sighed and accepted the nobleman’s hand, coming to her feet.

“You are no spy,” he said softly, still holding her hand. “But you were foolish, thinking you could deceive us. The Forellis have not held this castle for generations by being fools.”

She said nothing for a moment, only pulled her hand from his to brush the dirt from her green gown’s soft sleeves. It irritated her that he drew her in some visceral way, even in this moment. “What does it matter, be I adept or weak with weapons? I have none at my disposal.”

“It matters,” he said, following her as she trailed the others toward the living quarters of the castello. “There is no cause for your actions unless you have devious intent.”

She picked up her pace, scurrying across the yard. Dario, shadowing their movement, gave her an odd sense of security with Lord Greco in such close proximity. Right now, all she wanted was to be away, away from this towering knight who sent her heart to hammering. She reached for the latch of the turret door and heaved it open, but he slammed it shut. She could feel his chest behind her, his head to one side of hers. But it was his arm, and the sleeve that fell down past his elbow that drew her attention. Just peeking out was the faded blue ink of a tattoo. So he was marked too—

He saw her staring at it and with one swift move, grabbed hold of her arm and whipped her around, pinning her against the wall. “
Are
you a spy? Were you sent here to infiltrate us?”

She huffed a laugh, even though her whole body stiffened with fear. “Nay! How could I possibly do that? How could I orchestrate a fall that took me to death’s door for days? Whatever his intent, God himself sent me here. To you.” She stared back in his dark eyes. “I am Fiorentini. Make no mistake about it. Will I tell my people that Castello Forelli intends to expand? Certainly. That Lady Evangelia is as good with her arrow as they claim, but hesitates at shooting a hare? Yes. Not
all
of us wander from our loyalties, Lord Greco.
I will remain true to my people.”

His dark brown eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, for several breaths. “Your people—some of your people…” He abruptly dropped her arms and paced in front of her, rubbing his face. “Signorina, you do not know of what they’re capable. What extent they’ll go to, to bring these people—my people now—to the
gallows
.” He raised his hand and waved over the entire part of the castello that held the living quarters. “These people who
saved
you. Fed you. Tended to your every need. Those in power in Firenze would gladly kill every one, given the chance.”

“The men I know are honorable and true. They shall meet you in battle. But they will not try and kill innocent women…and children.” She paused, considering. The Ladies Betarrini? The child Gabriella carried? Would they be spared? A shaft of doubt pierced through her.

“I know good and true men among the Fiorentini too,” he said, softening, as if remembering people he loved. “But the men you are about to know are far from honorable. Trust me. You
must
trust me. You arrived as a farmer’s daughter, a misplaced huntress. But you shall leave our gates a
pawn
.”

“Nay,” she said, shaking her head. “I do not believe you. You have been soured in your thinking, in your beliefs. They’ve turned you completely against us.”

“If only you knew,” he said, such sorrow in his face that Alessandra fought an unreasonable desire to try and comfort him.

He searched her eyes, and his expression took her breath away. There was no trace of threat left within him. Only dread. Fear. Longing for understanding…

A shiver ran down her back and she wanted to run, she was so confused. What was he doing to her? Making her feel for him? Confusing her? Forcing her to question everything she’d known, trusted, believed?

He stepped aside, looking over at Dario, standing several paces away, then back to her. “See Signorina Donatelli to her room. And make certain that she does not leave it until I come to fetch her for supper.”

***

~EVANGELIA~

I left my mother and followed Luca into the stables, barely able to stay silent until we were alone, but then, once we were, too furious, too confused to figure out where to begin.

“You’re angry.” He lifted a gentle hand to brush aside a strand of my hair, but I batted it away.

“Yes!”

“You do not understand why I had to be so harsh.”

“Nay!”

He put his hands on his hips and waited for me to look up at him. “Evangelia, if you wish to put weapons in that woman’s hands, I had to be certain you and the others were safe. That is my charge. If I cannot do that then I do not deserve to be captain of the Forelli guard.”

“I understand that,” I said, pacing back and forth in front of him. “But did you have to be
that
harsh with her?”

“Yes,” he said calmly, leaning back against the wall. “I could see she was hiding her ability. Deliberately missing her targets. And that alarmed me more than if she’d hit them as well as you. She’s clearly not as swift, but I’d wager she has aim that rivals yours, my love.”

“Don’t call me that!” I said, angry still, but his words made me begin to question her too. Why had she hidden her ability? Why not use the moment to show off? Unless…

“Don’t call you what?” he said, moving away from the wall, toward me. He lifted his hand to my face again, as if approaching a skittish horse. I hated that I shifted away, but not out of reach. I felt powerless to avoid the draw to him. Gently, he edged over to me again and cupped my cheek. And slowly I looked up to meet his eyes. But I did not lift my lips, did not offer him the awaited kiss. I was still too angry for that.

“Just as I have to see through my duties, I also must claim what you are to me, Evangelia. And if someone endangers you—or anyone else in Castello Forelli—you shall see my ire sparked beyond all measure.”

His green eyes hardened and I grabbed hold of some of his fury, using it to pull away. “There could have been another way to get the information you needed.”

“Was there?” he asked quietly.

I couldn’t think of any suggestions, and that only infuriated me all the more. I stalked out of the stables, hoping my anger at least made Luca think twice the next time he decided to take down one of our guests.

Gabi’d heard. She met me in the halls and together, we walked down to Alessandra’s quarters.

Dario stubbornly stood between us and the door. Gabi looked at him steadily. “Stand aside.”

“M’lady, I do not think Lord Greco intended for the woman to see anyone until supper.”

My sister drew herself up, every inch the lady of the castle. “Lord Greco can speak to me directly if he takes issue with it. Now stand aside.”

Reluctantly, Dario did as she bid and we entered.

We stared at the empty room as seconds ticked by. “Alessandra?” I tried, hoping against hope that she was under the bed, or hiding behind the settee, but my voice echoed about the empty chamber.

“Lia,” Gabi whispered, nodding to the high, small window. Alessandra had dragged a table beneath it. Was it even possible to squeeze through? Reluctantly, I allowed the truth to settle. She was small. It would have been tight, but possible.

“She was probably frightened. Maybe she was worried the men did not intend to release her now. If she gets home and reports that—”

“Or if she broke her neck coming through the other side…” I added in a whisper, staring at Gabi. Terror waved through me.

“Or if the Fiorentini find her, fleeing from our men…” Gabi said, bringing a hand to her lips.

“We have to find her and bring her back,” I said. “Fast.”

“Before supper,” Gabi said. “They come to get her tomorrow. And if she’s not here…”

I nodded. “Alessandra, please allow us to help,” I said a tad loudly, feigning conversation for Dario’s benefit.

Gabi smiled, looking a bit like her old self. “Come now,” she added, equally as loud. “Surely you can see—”

“Very well. Mayhap you’ll feel better after a rest.” I lumped some blankets under another, roughly forming a body in case the guard peered in. “You’ve been through a great deal.”

“Are you certain you do not have need of anything else?” Gabi said, by the door now, not quite as loud, gesturing for me to hurry. Who knew how long she’d been gone?

We slipped out the door, giving Dario an exasperated look. “There’s no reasoning with her,” Gabi said. “The best thing for her is rest. See that she is not disturbed.”

“Yes, m’lady.”

We walked away down the hall, fighting not to appear hurried or harried. “The guys are gonna so kill us when they find out.”

“They’d better not,” she returned. “It’s their fault. If they hadn’t pushed her, pressed her as they did…”

We paused in the courtyard. “I’ll get the horses ready. You fetch your sword?”

Gabi nodded, understanding my reluctance to enter the armory. We divided, trying to act as natural as possible. But adrenaline surged through my veins. If we didn’t take care of this fast, we were sunk.

I entered the stables, cautiously looking around for Luca, and relieved to find him gone, gestured to two squires. “Lady Gabriella’s and my mount, quick as you can.”

The boys ran off and I moved to the saddles, thinking about ditching them, but then deciding we had to depart on side-saddle, as if we had all the time in the world, or the guards would know something was up. Just an afternoon ride out to the construction site...I rehearsed it in my head, practicing tone, phrasing. Second-guessing myself.

Gabi arrived then, her sword already in its traditional place; in a sheath at her back. But when she turned, I could see she’d also brought a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

“Gabs…” I shook my head. “It’s one thing to mess around in the courtyard but another to—”

“C’mon. Take them. You know that we’re going to get hassled, trying to ride out without a posse. Put it across your shoulders. A costume, of sorts. We’d be idiots to head out unarmed.”

She was right, of course, and precious minutes were passing. I shouldered my bow and quiver, then helped the squire toss the saddle across my mare’s back, as Gabi did with her own. Then, as I was about to mount, I stopped cold.

“What are we doing?”

“What?” she asked.

“You can’t come with me,” I whispered. “Gabs, your preggers, remember? And I’m pretty sure riding a horse at a gallop, chasing someone down, isn’t on the list of recommended exercises in
What to Expect When You’re Expecting
.”

She paused and frowned. “I’ll be okay. It’s so early—”

“No, it’s not,” I said, mounting, gathering confidence when she still hesitated. It was so un-Gabi, I had to be right. “You stay here. Get me through the gates. Cover for me. I’ll bring Alessandra back.”

“I can’t send you out alone,” she said.

I gathered the reins and urged my mare forward, passing her. “I won’t go far. I’ll surely catch up with her, long before the border. And with our patrols out, the woods have to be clear.”