Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101336 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 405(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Sky stopped, worried. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing I cannot fix,” he said and opened the keep door, thinking how he would arrange it so that he and his wife would be able to share a bedchamber without anyone knowing.
“Euniss!” Slayer called out upon entering the Great Hall.
Sky was amazed at the size of the room. It was large and adorned with colorful banners that hung from the wood rafters and beautifully crafted tapestries graced the stone walls. A huge fireplace occupied almost a whole wall, its firelight, along with the candles burning in several tall, iron candelabras cast sufficient light around the room. There were too many trestle tables and benches to count, and none were occupied. A dais that sat six people was at the far end of the room and draped with a pristine white cloth. Tapestries depicting battles graced the entire wall behind it.
“Euniss!”
Slayer’s repeated shout gave Sky a start and she watched as a stout woman, her plump cheeks glowing red, a pleasant smile on her aged face, and a head full of short, gray curls entered the room and hurried toward Slayer.
“We need food and see that a bath is prepared and have clean garments made available for Sky,” Slayer ordered. “She is under the clan’s protection and will be staying with us indefinitely.”
“So, the battle was more a skirmish and victorious as usual, I hear,” Euniss said while staring at Sky. “Goodness gracious, your eyes don’t match in color. I have never seen the likes of that before now.”
“Will you never learn to hold your tongue,” Slayer admonished, the few servants in the room halting their tasks to glance at Sky.
Euniss turned a quick look on Slayer. “If I haven’t learned by now to hold my tongue, I never will. And why should it matter.? I say aloud what others will think but will not have the courage to say when they look upon her.” She glanced back at Sky. “Are you a witch?”
“Euniss!” Slayer snapped angrily.
The woman folded her arms over her ample breasts. “I promised your dear mum, God rest her soul, on her deathbed that I would look after you. That is a sacred vow I intend to keep.” She turned a squinting brow on Sky. “Well, are you a witch?”
Sky smiled at the blunt woman, though not without trepidation. “Nay, I know no witchcraft, nor do I know why I was born with two different colored eyes.”
“Well, if you’re not in cohorts with the devil then the good Lord must have given them to you for a good reason.” Euniss shooed her away. “Go sit by the fire. You look worn out and in need of a good soak in the tub. But first you will eat.” She shooed at her again and pointed. “Be off with you, over there.”
Shock had Sky not moving. No one had ever suggested her mismatched eye color came from good and not evil, though her mum had assured her that with her kind heart evil could never exist in her.
Slayer pressed his hand lightly on her back and got her moving to a table nearest to the fireplace.
“Euniss has her say more often than she should, and I tolerate her because of her word to my mum. She also oversees the keep and does an excellent job. She is a good soul, and you can trust her.”
“I appreciate you telling me that,” Sky said as he sat down beside her on the bench, pressing his leg against hers beneath the table. She kept a soft smile on her face as she spoke with a whisper to him. “I miss the intimacy of the cottage already.”
He missed it as well, yet he never had any intention of it turning out the way it did. It had simply been part of a plan conceived out of duty. But somehow that had changed, and he was not sure how to adjust to it.
He let her know he felt the same by pressing his leg firmer against hers and she graced him with a lovely smile and damn if it didn’t tug at his heart.
Bowls of food and jugs filled with ale and cider were placed on the table in front of them. Sky wasn’t sure she had an appetite. She had been so anxious about her arrival here that she feared her desire to eat had all but vanished. But the delicious aroma of the food made her think twice and she eagerly reached for a small meat pie.
As soon as Slayer speared a piece of meat with his knife, one of his warriors approached the table. “A few mercenaries survived, my lord, though for how long is questionable. They will be here soon, and there is no word on the archer yet.”
Slayer nodded. “Let me know when they arrive. I will question them.”