Beloved in His Eyes (Angel's Assassin #2)(32)

“The Hungars went that way. They are between us and the castle.”

Aurora glanced toward the castle in horror.

“We’ll have to find some other way.”

“My people...”

“Will have to wait. If those Hungars find you...”

Aurora’s face drained of color. She had seen what they would do.

Justina nodded. “We’ll stay in the forest as long as we can. These are your lands. You know them. Is there somewhere we can go? Somewhere safe?”

Aurora looked at her and there was sadness in her eyes. “The waterfall.”

“There’s fresh water there?” Aurora nodded, and Justina continued, “I worry the Hungars would go there looking for water. Where else?”

Aurora looked down in thought. She opened her mouth and then closed it, scowling. “I thought my entire kingdom was safe. I just...”

Justina grabbed her shoulders. “We don’t have time for doubt. The Hungars are out here. We have to find somewhere safe to hide.”

Aurora shook her head. “I don’t... I just...” Then her eyes lifted to meet Justina’s. “Not far from the castle. There’s a copse of trees surrounded by boulders.”

“Boulders?”

“There are a lot of hiding places tucked in the boulders. The children like to play on them.”

“How is that going to help us?”

“If we’re lucky, the guards from the city wall will be able to see us.”



Gawyn was familiar with the path he steered his horse through. The trail was on the way to McGregan Clearing, a favored picnic spot.

They had searched the waterfall earlier that day and found nothing. The only other spot Gawyn could think of for a picnic was McGregan Clearing. As the moon rose high in the sky, Gawyn led his horse down the forest path. When he heard talking in the distance, he tied his horse to a tree and continued on foot. He knew he couldn’t leave Damien alone for long. He was out of his mind with remorse. He would do something foolish, Gawyn was sure.

But Gawyn had to search for Justina. He felt compelled to know she was safe. He had to find her. He would search around the clearing. Perhaps she was hiding with Adam in the forest somewhere. But why hadn’t she returned to the castle? That’s what worried him.

He would be lucky to find her, he knew. Especially if she were walking. It was unlikely they would bump into each other. The forest was too big. He walked further, keeping his eyes and ears open, scanning. Movement sounded to his left and he paused. But then he heard the scurrying of an animal. He relaxed slightly and continued forward, moving from tree to tree. He would stop, scan, and move. Until he saw an unnatural bump on the ground. The shape looked like a large person. Slowly, he drew a dagger from his belt. He waited, listening. Was it someone sleeping?

He inched forward. The man, it was obvious the rotund figure was a large man, did not move. The smell of blood was strong. When he stood over him, Gawyn saw the fur he wore across his large shoulders and recognized him as a Hungar. He glanced around to be sure there were no others. His gaze fell upon another dark form on the forest floor. Smaller. Much smaller.

Gawyn leaned close to the big man. No snoring. He leaned closer. No breathing. It took a moment to notice the ground beneath the man’s head was slick with blood. He was dead. Gawyn pulled back to look at him. It was difficult to see anything but shadows in the dim night, but Gawyn made out a dark slash across the man’s throat. His eyes narrowed slightly. Killed. By whom? Soldiers would inflict sword wounds.

Gawyn turned to the other form and approached the small shape. Before he got close, he could smell it. He had smelled death several times in his life and he would never get used to it. He stopped when he could see the outline of the small, thin body on the forest floor. A boy. His entire body clenched in dread. He bent beside the body, moving close to see his features. His eyes were open, staring off into the night sky. Gawyn recognized him immediately. Adam. He steeled himself against the agony that welled up inside him and shook his head in regret.

He whirled. Where was Justina? He circled the small area and couldn’t find any more bodies. He stopped at Adam’s side again. Had Adam killed the Hungar? No. Adam was too inexperienced to be of any threat to a warrior. It was probably the Hungar that killed Adam. Gawyn glanced back at the lump of a man. Then who killed the Hungar? Someone had slit his throat.

A noise from the clearing beyond caught his attention. A rustling sound. He bent and stealthily followed the trampled leaves to the clearing. As he stepped from the trees, the moon broke through the clouds to shine down. Bodies lay scattered all through the clearing. The grasses were trampled around the corpses. Gawyn steeled himself and moved into the clearing. He walked to the first body. A woman. He gently turned her over. Lady Cathleen. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted in a silent scream.

Gawyn forced himself to be numb. He had seen death before. Even innocent death. But this, this was slaughter. An unnecessary killing. He clenched his free fist. Brutal. Women were no threat to armed soldiers. He slowly rose and looked around the clearing.

There were so many bodies and he would have to check every one, no matter how difficult it was. He had known these people, spent days with them. They were close friends of Aurora’s. Aurora. Her body would be here, too. He forced emotion aside. At least he’d be able to return it to Damien for a proper burial.