Free Her Knight's Quest: A Warriors of the Mist Novel by Alexis Morgan Page A

to see me?”
    She studied him for a long second, her gray eyes seeing far more than he liked. “Why?”
    If he confessed the real reason, she’d likely refuse. On the other hand, he hated the idea of lying to her about anything. She’d been mistreated enough by a man who should’ve cherished her. He spit out the truth before he could stop himself.
    “I need to walk for a while to build up my strength, but I don’t know how far my legs will carry me. Averel can make himself useful for once and catch me if I fall. Of course if that happens, he’ll never let me forget it.”
    Instead of protesting, Alina actually smiled at him. Nothing he’d said was amusing. “What?”
    She closed the distance between them to give him a careful hug. “That is the first time you’ve sounded like yourself since you were hurt. I’ll relay your request to Sir Averel. I’m sure he’ll be happy to escort you for a few laps up and down the hall.”
    She gave him a narrow-eyed look. “Before that, though, you should eat something. I’ll have a meal brought up.”
    Then she was gone.
    Women. Did they ever make sense? One minute she was questioning whether he should be out of bed at all, and the next she was almost dancing because of something he said. Rather than ponder a mystery he’d likely never solve, he walked back inside.
    He made it as far as the door, which opened out into another room. It held a single bed for the other patient Alina had been tending. From where Murdoch stood, the man appeared to be asleep, but his breathing pattern gave him away. He was alert and well aware of Murdoch’s approach.
    “Give it up, man. I know you’re awake.”
    Slowly, the duke’s man turned his head in Murdoch’s direction, his eyes cold with a predator’s gaze. “What do you want?”
    Under other circumstances, Murdoch would’ve wanted him dead. But regardless of what the man had done in the service of his master, Duke Keirthan, he had saved Alina’s life and quite possibly Murdoch’s as well. For that he owed the bastard.
    “I want to know why.”
    The trooper gave him a blank look. “Why what?”
    Murdoch curled his hands into fists, wishing he had a suitable target for his frustration. Well, he did, but he wouldn’t hit a man who couldn’t even sit up, much less stand on his own two feet. Murdoch yanked a chair over beside the bed and slowly lowered himself down. When he was seated, he tried again.
    He enlarged upon his question, spitting out each word slowly and clearly. “Why did you betray your liege lord? The man is a bastard and not worthy of a warrior’s loyalty, but yet you served him.”
    The trooper closed his eyes and turned away. Murdoch thought he was going to refuse to answer. Finally, the man turned back, the expression in his eyes bleak.
    “I’ll tell you the same thing I told your captain: I don’t know.”
    Murdoch could imagine how well that answer would have settled with Gideon. “You don’t know why you not only betrayed Duke Keirthan but also Lord Fagan, the man the duke sent you to defend?”
    The man flinched as Murdoch’s words lashed at him, his pale skin flushed as if feverish. He clutched the top of his blanket, his knuckles white with the effort.
    “And you know for certain that I served these men?”
    Murdoch nodded. “You were seen leading the duke’s forces, and you wore his symbol on a chain around your neck.”
    “So I’m a traitor, a man without honor.”
    On one level, Murdoch agreed with his assessment, but something about the man’s reaction rang wrong somehow. He needed more information.
    “I would hear your version of the events of the other night.”
    The trooper stirred restlessly, trying to push himself up. Murdoch leaned forward and helped stuff another pillow under his head. He understood the need to not appear helpless. He hated that they had even that much in common.
    When he was settled again, the trooper said, “I will tell you what I know. It’s not