Free The Devastation: Unexpected Circumstances Book 7 by Shay Savage

looked back out to the other men with me in the field.  I took a long breath to try to steady myself before I called out to them.
    “Parnell!  Rylan!  We must ride to Sterling!  With haste!”
    The horses’ hooves pounded against the road, but still we could hear the sound of rock smashing against rock—evidence of Wynton’s devices at work—as we rode away.  I turned to look over my shoulder just in time to see one of the large towers crumble into rubble.  By this time tomorrow, Hadebrand Castle would be nothing but dust.
    *****
    As we rode from Hadebrand to Sterling, I could not help but think of the first ride I took with Alexandra.  She had clung to me with such insecurity, I could not help but feel the desire to protect her.  I had held her close to my chest, silently wishing I had not so much metal between my body and hers.  For most of the ride, I thought of taking her body on our wedding night.
    And then I had not done so.
    I wanted to.  It had been my right.  I surprised even myself when I did not just slow down and take her anyway, but the look in her eyes made me stop.  She had been terrified of me.  I knew immediately that I did not want a wife who feared me.  I did not want this young, precious girl to dread my presence in our rooms, but rather I wanted her to desire me as I desired her.
    Over the next few days, I had thought I was going to lose all semblance of sanity in my unrequited lust.  By the time we had actually consummated our marriage, it ended up being one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and each moment with her since then had only increased those thoughts.
    I knew I had made the gravest mistakes during our time together, many of which were not even known to my wife.  Making war without a full understanding of my enemy’s capabilities had been foolish at best, and that had set the stage for the rest of my downfall.  For the first time, I had let my guard down and allowed someone I did not know close to my family—and Alexandra had paid dearly for it.  I did not keep Alexandra close to me the one time she needed me to do so.  My downfall had been the downfall of my wife as well as all of Silverhelm.  Though I thought at the time I was doing what was best for my family and my kingdom, I knew now how wrong I had been.
    I wanted to do better—both by Alexandra and my people—but I had no one left to guide me.  Camden had tried to make me understand so many times, and I had refused to listen to his advice.  He had coddled me, I knew this now, and when I desperately needed him, he was no longer there.
    My introspections were cut short as the broken walls of Sterling Castle came into view.
    There were forces guarding the front entrance though only very few.  Most of the men there appeared to be carpenters and masons though what they were doing there I still didn’t know.  The east tower was completely gone, and nothing but the rubble from the structure itself, furniture, and similar items seemed to be left.  We easily disposed of the men and entered the castle through the hole where the tower used to be, immediately beginning our search.  The upper rooms were cold and empty, and I tried not to stare too long at the bed where Alexandra and I had spent our first night after our wedding.  I knew this castle like the back of my hand, and soon all the main rooms had been searched, save one.
    Parnell joined me as we approached the great hall that had served as a meeting place for my father and his small court when he was Lord of Sterling.  Parnell dispatched two men to guard the outer doorway, and we both entered the large room.
    “Alexandra!” I screamed out.
    There was a small part deep inside of me that knew I was near my breaking point.  It was the part of me that never actually left the hiding place below the bench seat where I was entombed while my mother was brutalized.  That part of me was trying to pull the rest of me back down into the darkness