Page 76 of The Herald's Heart
“He’ll never believe you. Too many folk know you for a liar, like all women. Liars and bitches who’ll spread their legs for any man.” Le Hourde stepped within a hand’s reach of her.
“You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you?” She sneered, as ready to defend herself as she ever would be.
“You dare to mock me, whore!” His hand came up to slap her.
Larkin dropped her skirts and deflected the blow while she swung the lantern at his head.
Metal, glass, and hot oil hit their target with a loud crack. Le Hourde howled, dropped his lantern, and staggered into her.
“Bitch. I’ll take you in the dark.” His hands ripped at her gown.
“Nay.” She clawed at his face.
He gripped her throat in one hand, the other fumbled at his waist.
Larkin kicked at him and pried his fingers loose.
“I’ll kill you, but not until I fuck you first.”
She turned, falling as much as running into the opening. Pain scored her from behind, and she stumbled over a rock, landing on her bottom.
“Where are you, bitch?”
Larkin stood, picking up the rock and holding it over her head. “Here,” she gasped, hoping that she faced the opening Le Hourde would come through.
She heard him pant. He was behind her. She whirled.
“So you decided to cooperate. I thought my blade might persuade you.”
The pain in her back threatened to undo her. “Aye,” she grunted. He had to come closer.
She felt his breath on her cheek.
“Well, here’s some more persuasion.”
She brought the rock down on his skull at the same time that he sank his dagger into her shoulder. White-hot agony seared through her.
The blade and Larkin struck a second time, but she was beyond feeling. She struck once more. Le Hourde crumpled to her feet. The dagger pulled from her shoulder and clattered against the stones.
She slumped, dropping the rock, and climbed past Le Hourde into the next cavern. Had she killed him or merely knocked him out? Better to run fast and far than to linger. But how to find her way in the dark? Which direction led back to the main passage between the sea and the keep? She couldn’t recall. Pain increased her confusion. “Holy Virgin, help me find my path.”
She stumbled across the cavern into solid wall, bruising her face and other shoulder. She felt along the stone until she came to an opening. Praying that she’d found the right one, she followed the narrow passage until it widened.
In complete darkness, she had no idea if she was any closer to the keep. Her wounds made her dizzy, and she had to stop often to rest. Just as often she heard the fall of rock both before and behind. She could wander the caves for days until she died. Nature would do Le Hourde’s work for him. Surely someone would miss her. The guard at the cavern door if no one else.
She was so very tired. She had to find a safe place to wait to be found. Le Hourde was still too close. She didn’t think she’d killed him, and she could not risk him finding her. Just a bit farther. Put two more turns between yourself and that madman. She prayed that her strength would last.
She made one turn, then came to a sharp split in the passageway. Uttering another prayer for guidance, she took the left passage. She regretted her choice, for more rocks littered the ground here than she’d yet encountered. She was about to turn around when the ceiling rumbled and rock rained around her. She threw herself to the side and curled her head toward her knees, letting the stones batter her back.
How long the rocks continued to fall she could not tell. When they stopped, she tried to move and discovered herself imprisoned. Had she escaped murder only to die in a rocky grave? Would she bleed to death or suffocate from lack of air? Pain throbbed with every thought. Living hurt. Perhaps it hurt less to die. She did not want to pass from this life, she had so much left to do. She had to tell Talon he was right. Their trust problems could be worked out.
• • •
Amis had agreed to take Talon’s messages to the king, but Talon had not wanted to wait to write the missives at Rosewood. He needed to see Larkin and assure himself that he still had a chance to persuade her of his trust. Despite urging every bit of speed from their mounts, Talon and Amis arrived after dark.
They galloped into the bailey. Talon leapt from his lathered mount and rushed the stairs to the great hall. “Cleve!”
They found the guard captain too busy shouting at a guardsman to hear Talon’s command.
