Free Spectre of the Sword by Kathryn Le Veque

here.”
    “Your wife’s name is
Dustin?”
    “It is.”
    “Do you have any children,
my lord?”
    “Two daughters. And my
wife is expecting again.”
    Elizabeau turned to
David, waiting impatiently for his food. “And you, my lord? Are you married
with children, also?” she asked.
    David had slightly less
tolerance for conversation than his older brother.  He rubbed his eyes wearily.
“My wife is Emilie and I have a daughter also.”
    Elizabeau’s gaze moved
between the two men, her deep green eyes calculating. “Then tell me this, my
lords; if I was your wife, or one of your daughters, would you so easily send
me to a farm with no walls or an army for protection while trying to shield me
from a king who employs legions of assassins? Is that a truly wise move?”
    The de Lohr brothers
stared at her for a moment before Christopher finally answered. “I would trust
the life of my wife and daughters to Rhys without hesitation,” he replied
steadily. “And yes, I do believe sending you to a farm, where your uncle will
never think to look, is a wise decision. I am not in the habit of making
foolish ones.”
    Elizabeau’s resolve to
behave was quickly fading. She sighed sharply, making her disagreement obvious,
before returning her attention to the fire.  She wasn’t sure what more she
could say that wouldn’t turn into a fight. What concerned her most was that
Rhys apparently agreed with her; no walls, no protection, only a fortified
manor.  John’s men could get to her if she was discovered.
    David’s meal came and he
plowed into it, aided by his brother. While the earl and Rhys kept a quiet
conversation, Elizabeau stared into the hypnotic fire and pondered her dark
thoughts. Conrad is his name , she thought. The name of the man she would
spend the rest of her life with. She wondered what sort of man he was; most
princes she had heard of, or kings for that matter, had some manner of
perversity or dishonor associated with them.  It made her stomach twist with
apprehension, and the apprehension was her last coherent thought before the
world around her exploded.
    She heard a strange
noise off to her left followed by an even stranger wailing sound. Suddenly,
Rhys was throwing himself on top of her and she was in a heap beneath his
massive body.  She could hear Christopher snapping orders and saying something
to the effect that David had been hit by an arrow.  But she couldn’t see anything. 
Terror welled in her chest as Rhys abruptly pushed himself off of her, put both
armored arms around her in a bear hug, and pulled her with him behind an
upended table.
    More arrows were flying
over her head, crashing into the wall above the hearth.  Instinctively, she
yelped and covered her head, listening to the terrifying sounds of death that
were aimed at her.  Off to her left, she could see David sitting up against
another upended table with an arrow jutting from his shoulder.  But he was lucid,
and angry, and his sword was in his left hand preparing for the battle to come.
    More arrows flew
overhead, clattering to the floor when the met with the stone wall. Elizabeau
kept herself in a huddle, arms over her head, while Rhys kept his big arms
around her.  He couldn’t do much more than protect her from the projectiles,
watch David and take his orders from the man.  He couldn’t see the earl at all.
    The arrows stopped
flying and there were sounds of a sword fight. David leapt up, as did Rhys,
peering over the top of the overturned tables to see Christopher and two of his
knights engaged against several men. Rhys’ warrior instinct kicked in; he
vaulted over the top of the table, speaking to David as he flew.
    “Protect the lady,” his
tone was quiet, with force. “I will aid the earl.”
    David wouldn’t have been
much help to his brother with an arrow sticking out of him and he knew it. 
Rhys was an enormous man with enormous fighting ability, so David went over to
the lady as du Bois jumped into the