Page 77 of The Guardian's Witch

The forest sped by in a drab brown blur as Alex and Jamie, their horses lathered and blowing hard, tore down the trail at breakneck speed. He trusted the Scots but feared this path would take too long. He was anxious to reach the meadow where he could let Prime fly over the ground.

What’s she doing?He focused on Lisbeth. Her thoughts came to him as easily as he felt his own.No!He forced himself to concentrate. Did she have any idea what she was doing? He had to reach her. She would force the king’s hand and give him no alternative.

The towers of Glen Kirk came into view. The destrier eagerly responded to his prodding as if he knew what was at stake. In a burst of speed, horse and rider sprang forward across the meadow, leaving Jamie behind.

Alex brought Prime to a quick stop at the edge of the forest when he saw Bryce’s men in the distance at Glen Kirk’s gate and the king’s men standing guard with his own.

Jamie rode up beside him. “You can’t go in that way. If Bryce knows you escaped from his trap he’ll have his men cut you down before the others can do anything.”

“I can’t let Lisbeth go through with her plan, Jamie.”

“Can you go in the way you came out?”

“Yes, follow me.”

They came to a halt by the garden wall and dismounted. The garden was deserted. They went over the wall and ducked into the secret entrance. They quickly navigated the passage and carefully entered the dungeon. It was deserted. They started up the stairs but stopped when they saw soldier’s shoes through the space under the door. Jamie tapped Alex on the shoulder and they went back to the dungeon.

“I wondered why the garden entrance wasn’t guarded. There’s another way,” whispered Jamie. “Come with me. This leads to a bolt-hole in the keep.”

In one of the far corners of the dungeon storage room Jamie cleared baskets and debris from the floor. He swept away the moldy straw and revealed a trapdoor. The two men heaved it open.

“Where does this lead?” asked Alex.

“The tunnel leads to a door under the grand stairs in the castle.”

Alex went in first.

Before Jamie climbed down the ladder, Alex stopped him. “I need you to set this all back so no one follows.”

Jamie hesitated.

Alex couldn’t guarantee Jamie’s safety, and the big Scots was as dear to him as any of his brothers. No, he had to keep Jamie out of this so he could see to Lisbeth if...

“I will get Lisbeth to safety. But if anything happens to me take care of her.”

“You never have to worry about that. Now go, I’ll bring the protectors to the Great Hall as we planned. And Alex, don’t trust Bryce. He’s a desperate man.”

“I know. And thanks.” He vanished into the passage.

* * *

Small tendrils of fog laced their way to the Great Hall entrance and pooled there. No one took notice of the usual phenomenon. Except this time it glittered like the ethereal thing it was. Soft wisps reached out and wrapped around Lisbeth as she stared at the great doors. One by one the room’s occupants fell silent, stepped back, and gave way until she stood alone in the center of the Hall standing on a sparkling cloud, her eyes fixed on the doorway. All eyes followed her stare and darted between her and the entrance. The sense of confusion was palpable.

“What’s happening?” she heard the king’s courtiers ask, Gareth’s gloves momentarily forgotten.

“It’s a peculiarity of our hall. When the weather and wind are right, a mist gathers here. I’ve never seen it shimmer so,” said one of the villagers.

“Usually it stays to the floor,” said another.

“It fills the entrance,” commented one of the Glen Kirk soldiers.

Lisbeth stared and waited. She imagined the carriage bumping and jolting down the rutted trail. She envisioned the horses’ eyes wild with terror as they ran out of control. The carriage leapt forward. The frightened team raced on.

She brought the ghost carriage down the hall on the gathering mist. The apparition grew larger and gathered speed as it barreled down the castle corridor just as it had raced down the trail years ago. Her head echoed with the sound of the frenzied horses and the carriage breaking.

She felt her parents’ panic and terror as they struggled to protect her. Pain laced through her when she caught a whiff of her mother’s perfume. Her heart pounded in her chest until she thought it would burst but she could not stop. With renewed focus she brought the image on.

The king rose from his chair. Lisbeth didn’t need to follow his glance. He stared at the entrance to the hall, disbelief on his face.

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