Beloved in His Eyes (Angel's Assassin #2)(5)

Exhausted, Gawyn entered Castle Acquitaine, heading for his chambers. He had ridden all night and planned to sleep after he told Damien the farm girl was no threat. He had been unable to stop thinking about the young woman for the entire ride home. She was an enigma for a farm girl. Where had she learned to defend herself like that? Of course, he would never tell Damien that she had managed to land him on his back.

He skirted servants rushing down the corridor, hurrying to prepare for the day. He took the spiral stairway two at a time. He was not surprised to see Aurora and Damien at the top of the stairs. Aurora rose early, like the sun; Damien accompanied her.

“Good morn, Gawyn,” Aurora greeted cheerfully. She scowled, her gaze perusing his face. “You have not been to bed, have you?”

Gawyn glanced at Damien and then back to Aurora. “Not yet. I had a pressing matter to attend to.”

“Is it taken care of?” Damien asked.

“There is nothing to take care of. There is no threat.”

Damien nodded. “Thank you, brother.” He put a hand on Aurora’s back to steer her toward the stairs.

Gawyn stepped before them. “There is no immediate threat, but I was informed that an Auch farm had been raided by the Hungars.”

Aurora turned to him in surprise. “Why were we not notified of this?”

Damien stepped toward him, a scowl marring his brow. “When?”

Gawyn looked at Aurora. “It takes a day’s walk to get to Acquitaine from Auch. Many of the farmers don’t have steeds to ride. A day’s trip deprives them of priceless time away from their crops and animals.”

Aurora’s brow furrowed in concern.

“Don’t we have sentries or men there to protect them?” Damien demanded.

“They were attacked recently. The other day, I believe,” Gawyn answered. “Auch needs reinforcements.”

“Take a squadron and set up a perimeter,” Damien said. “I don’t want the Hungars on Acquitaine lands.”

Aurora nodded in agreement. As Gawyn moved to pass them, she lay a gentle hand on his arm. She advised, “But first, get some rest.”



Justina awoke and was out of bed at dawn. She still didn’t like the idea of some man lurking in the forest, especially if he was the captain of the guard. All she needed was him to be killed by bandits on the way home and a storm of Acquitaine guards would swarm down on the farm. Maybe his presence should have been reassuring to her, as protection from the Hungars. But he was only one man. A man whom she had seen speaking with a monster.

She winced. She never should have agreed to take Adam into town. How did the captain of the guard know that monster?

She took a bowl from the table and filled it with porridge from the brewing pot in the hearth. Then she sat at the table.

Adam strolled into the room, yawning, and stretching. He picked up a bowl, filled it with porridge, and sat across from Justina. He took two sips before commenting, “You were up late.”

Prickles raced along her spine. She tried not to show her alarm. “I was checking on the pigs.”

“No, you weren’t. You didn’t go to the sty. You circled around the other way.”

She looked at him. “How do you know that?”

“I followed you.”

She froze in dread. With the captain of the guard hiding in the brush, he could have been hurt! Damn. She took a sip from the porridge, trying to remain calm. “You shouldn’t be out so late.”

“Who was that man?”

Adam had seen him! She clenched her teeth and wiped her mouth with her sleeve to hide her uncertainty. She could lie to him, but she wasn’t certain if he had heard their conversation. She sighed. “No one of import.”

“He said he was the captain of the guard.”

Justina put the bowl down. “Why did you ask if you already knew the answer?”

Adam sipped his porridge. He ran a sleeve across his mouth. “What did he want? Did he come to take you to the dungeon?”

“No, no, nothing like that.”

“Then what did he want? Why was he out there in the middle of the night? Why didn’t he just come and talk to Uncle Bruce?”

Justina took a deep breath. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. He won’t be back.” She sipped some porridge from her bowl.

“He’s the captain of the guard! Are you in trouble for bumping into Lady Aurora? Are you going to be arrested?”

Justina shook her head. “Everything will be fine, Adam. Don’t worry. Where is Uncle Bruce?”

“He is out with the geese and pigs.” Adam sat back in his chair, his meal forgotten as his mind raced with horrible possibilities. “He found out where you live. They’re going to come back and arrest you. You were right! We have to –”

“He’s not going to arrest me.”

“What else could it…?” He lifted his gaze to hers. His brown eyes were wide and alarmed. “You’ll be thrown in the dungeon and then what shall I do?”

“Adam! I will not be thrown in the dungeon.”

Adam scowled and stared at his porridge quietly for a moment, thinking. Then, his eyebrows shot up. He leaned forward in his chair. “Maybe Uncle Bruce can’t pay the tithe. Maybe they won’t come for you, but for him!”