Page 79 of While Angels Slept
Cantia’s lavender eyes were sorrowful yet relieved. “I will not,” she said quietly. “But we will have to think of something to tell Hunt. He loves his grandfather, you know. He has lost his father and now will lose his grandfather. That is much loss for a child.”
“I know it is, but we will explain the situation to him the best way we can and he will accept it. He is young and resilient, and this is where this conversation shall end for now. It is late and I want you to go inside and go to bed. I will join you in a while.”
Cantia resisted. “I would like to see to Val first, if I may.”
Tevin knew that neither his sister nor Cantia would sleep well without having seen each other and gaining reassurance that everyone was well and whole. He gestured towards the knight’s quarters.
“She was in there the last I saw,” he said. “I do not know if they have moved her.”
Cantia cocked a disapproving eyebrow. “You put her in that musty place?” she scolded him. “Shame on you, Tevin. I will see her removed immediately and put in the keep where she belongs.”
Tevin put up his hands as if to defend himself. “It was not my doing, but de Lohr’s,” he said. “And before you become too angry with me, know that Val seemed to want it, too.”
She looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?”
He puckered his lips wryly. “I mean that you were right,” he said, lowering his voice as he moved towards her and captured a soft hand. “There is something between them, although Val would not admit much to me. Perhaps she will tell you all of it.”
Cantia grinned as she watched him kiss her fingers. “She will tell me everything,” she said confidently. “But I will not tellyou.”
He lifted a dark eyebrow. “You had better tell me everything if you know what is good for you.” He winked at her when she giggled. “But move her into the keep if it pleases you.”
“I will.”
Cantia removed her hand from his grip and headed towards the knight’s quarters but Tevin called out to her.
“One more thing,” he said.
She paused and turned to him. “What would that be?”
His eyebrow was still lifted, almost in disapproval. “Putting aside the question of how the subject was even broached with that outlaw, you and I will have a conversation about what, exactly, you told him about my reasons behind not being able to marry you.”
She knew the subject would come up. She was frankly surprised it had taken this long, and her good humor fled. “And you and I will have a discussion about why you told him you are the Earl of East Anglia.”
“Because I am.”
She was serious. “I was thinking all the way back to Rochester that you would not have returned us if Geoff was still in residence,” she said quietly. “What happened to him?”
“He is dead.”
“How?”
“He attacked me and I killed him in self-defense.”
Cantia sighed, thinking of the greater implications of that softly-uttered statement. “I suppose I should be happy about this but I can see by the look on your face that you are torn,” she said softly, perhaps with sympathy. “What are you feeling, sweetheart?”
He hadn’t really thought about it since it happened. There had been so much else on his mind. After a moment, he made his way over to her and put his arms around her, pulling her close. In the shadow of Rochester’s mighty keep, he hugged her tightly.
“I am not sure,” he replied. “It all happened so fast… Geoff was furious because I had sent you and Val away, and you were abducted, and he refused to let me send out men to search for you. We argued and he attacked me with a dagger. As I was deflecting his blow, I snapped his neck. I did not mean to do it but it happened. I cannot understand why I am not deliriously happy about it, but I am not. Geoff was a vile creature and we are better off without him. I know that better than anyone.”
“But he was your cousin, your blood, and for that reason alone you are torn.”
“Perhaps. But it is done. I will not linger on it.”
Cantia hugged him close. “This means a great many things will change for you.”
“That is true,” he whispered. “But it all means nothing without you by my side. You are my all for living, Cantia. Always remember that.”
She pulled her face from the crook of his neck, smiling up at him. “As you are mine,” she whispered. “We will speak more of all of this later, but for now, I wish to see Val and then I wish to sleep for the next hundred years. I am exhausted.”
