Page 55 of Betrayal from Beyond
She looked up, trying to apologize, but the fog rolled over her and all the shrieking and sobbing retreated, sounding so very faraway. The light tunneled around her until she abruptly tumbled into the dark.
Chapter Fifteen
Lord Charles Osbournewas dead.
Niall watched Gyda, who bent, sobbing over his still, sprawled form. His heart broke for her, even as he thanked all the deities in every heaven that Kara still lived. She had passed out in his arms, but she breathed. He whispered her name as he tapped her face gently. Looking up into the remaining group of horrified faces, he barked out orders. “Bring me water and cloths!” He glanced over at Gyda once more. “And someone find the Duke and Duchess of Stratton.”
A footman came out of the service door that Petra had used to escape.
“Is anyone else back there?” Niall demanded.
“No, sir.” The servant stared, dismayed at the scene.
“Where does it go?”
“Down to the kitchen and on this level, out to an alley in the back.”
Niall cursed, but the water arrived, and he pulled off his neckcloth. Wetting the end, he used it to bathe his wife’s face. “Kara? Darling? Come on, now. Wake up.”
She began to stir. Her eyes still closed, she frowned.
“Kara?”
Her eyes opened, but her hand fluttered up to cover them.
“Kara?”
“A moment,” she whispered. “Too many of you.”
Lying very still, she breathed deeply. He waited. When she took her hand away at last, she looked up at him and nodded. “All right, then. Back to one of you.”
She let out a gasp and tried to sit up, but fell back at once. “Oh, saints!” she cried. “Charles?” She rolled to her side—and moaned at the sight of Gyda bent over the man’s body. “Oh, no.” She started to cough, and alarm shot through Niall when she drew her hand away speckled with blood.
“Kara!”
“Never mind that. Niall, it was Petra! She was here!”
“I know. I saw her.” He sighed. “She got away.”
“Oh, God. She killed Charles, didn’t she?” Tears started to roll down her face. “He’s dead.”
Suddenly the crowd parted to allow the Duke and Duchess of Stratton through. The duke drew up short. “What’s this? What in hell is going on?”
But the duchess knew. “My boy!” she shrieked. “Charles! Charles!” She dropped to her knees, shoving Gyda out of the way as she ran her hands along his face and shoulders. “Charles? No! How did this happen?” She let out a great, racking sob. “My boy!”
The duke knelt behind her, holding her and gazing at his son while silent tears ran down his cheeks.
Gyda moved back and climbed to her feet. She stood there, her head bowed and her hands covered in blood.
Kara moaned again. “Gyda!” She tried to sit up, but began to retch, helpless as her body convulsed.
The sound of it broke through Gyda’s grief. Moving slowly, her head still turned toward Charles, she crossed to them.
“I’m so sorry,” Kara croaked. “I didn’t know he was behind the door. If I had known, I would never have gone near it.”
Gyda turned to look at her, and Niall tensed. His assistant’s eyes were blank, numb with shock. But slowly, she took in Kara’smisery. She fell to her knees. “This was not your fault. Petra took aim at me. Charles charged out of there to stop her.” She started to shake. “He died trying to save me—but it’s not my fault, either.”
Gyda’s head dropped. After a moment, she reached out to take both of Kara’s hands in her bloodstained grip. When she looked up, the numbness was gone. Fury lived in her gaze instead. “We have to stop her,” she said fiercely. “No more.”
