A Dark Guardian (2 page)

It was unlike him, and it disturbed him. He jerked his hands away from her and took a step back. “Where is everyone?”

She turned and pointed to the stable. “You can put your horses there. There is a lad that will care for them, but you must hurry and get inside.”

“We will see to our mounts,” he said and leisurely turned to his horse.

Mina knew she should hurry into the castle, but she got her first good look at the men she had led to Stone Crest and was mesmerized. Hugh’s men remained atop their mounts and glanced around the bailey as if they were waiting for something.

Had she seen them earlier as she saw them now, she doubted she would have gotten on Hugh’s horse. The men were warriors. Not the regular knights that were stationed at the castle, but the warriors one heard about that could—and would—conquer anything that got in their way.

Not only was each man an incredible specimen that would make any woman sigh with pleasure, but they were unlike any knight she had ever known. They did not wear the armor she was accustomed to seeing, though they each bore a large shield. Their clothing was simple and unadorned, but it wasn’t of the poor class, nor was it of the nobility.

They wore their long cloaks like armor, but beneath them she caught glimpses of their tunics and pants. Leather boots that reached their knees, which was out of place with the short leather shoes that men now wore. All in all, they didn’t quite fit in with the day’s fashions.

But what she recognized without a doubt was the weapons, and each seemed to favor one above another.

The man farthest from her held a two headed flail that was larger than anything she had ever seen, with spikes longer than her hand. The next one had a wicked halberd with a downward curved spike on the back. Gabriel gripped a unique bow that made her want to take a closer look at its odd shape. A double-headed war axe that had to be at least two feet across could be seen strapped to the back of the next knight. The man closest to her, the one with the charming smile, had many daggers peeking out of his clothing. Her eyes went to Hugh’s horse and took in the sight of the crossbow slung next to his saddle. It was bigger and thicker than the ones she was used to seeing at Stone Crest.

The superior weapons of the men gave her pause, as well as spotting the hilts of swords. These men were certainly warriors of some kind, but of what she had no idea.

“There you are,” a surly shout sounded from above them.

Mina took a deep breath and counted to ten. Twice. She had hoped to get inside the castle with her new guests before either her brother or sister saw them. Luck, it seemed, wasn’t on her side.

Hugh glanced at Mina before turning his head upward. “Who is that?”

“My brother, Bernard, Baron of Stone Crest.” Hugh knew that circumstances, as they were, could turn many a good man into a coward, but his instincts said this situation existed before the evil had befallen their village.

Like it or not, he would have to face the young baron. Better now than later. He felt the reins tug in his hand and turned to find a young lad with bright red hair waiting to take his horse.

“Hello, John,” Mina said with a smile. She turned her gaze to Hugh. “He’s wonderful with horses, though he cannot speak.” Hugh smiled at the lad and handed him the reins. He leaned down close to the boy. “Watch the roan,” he warned of Val’s horse. “He’s got a nasty bite if you aren’t looking.”

The lad gave him a bright smile and pointed to his bay. “Oh, this one is as gentle as a lamb. As long as you give him a good rub and extra oats,” he said with a wink.

After John had departed with the horses, Hugh straightened and found Mina staring at him oddly. “Is something amiss?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Most people avoid talking to him.”

“I’m not most people,” he replied. “Now, let us meet your brother.” The hall was quiet and nearly deserted except for the two wolfhounds that slept by the hearth. Mina led Hugh and his men to a table and bade them sit while she found a servant.

Hugh took the seat that faced the stairs in which Bernard would descend, for he had no doubt the young baron would be down shortly, once he was informed of their arrival.

When he should have been watching the stairs he found himself studying Mina.

He smiled when he saw her pull her loose strawberry-blonde hair away from her face to fall in a thick, long braid down her back. Her face was smudged with dirt, but hidden beneath the mud were bright blue-green eyes that took in all around her.

She walked with the grace of a lady and the dignity of a queen, despite her manly attire. It was then he noticed the blood on her arm.

He reached out and grabbed her good arm as she walked past him. “You should have told us you were injured.”

“’Tisn’t much. I will tend to it when I reach my chamber.” He ignored her words and called over his shoulder. “Gabriel, your healing skills are needed.”

Gabriel moved away from the hearth and hurried to the table. He turned Mina’s arm this way and that as he examined it. “It’s deep. I’m going to need a bowl of water and a towel to wash away the blood.”

It only took one look from Hugh to get the servant who had brought the drinks to gather the materials Gabriel had requested.

Hugh looked up to find Mina’s face ashen. He rose and pushed her into his chair.

Gabriel took the seat next to her and pulled out the black packet hidden in his tunic.

Hugh never tired of watching Gabriel sift through the unlabeled herbs and grab a pinch of one or a leaf of another.

This time, Gabriel gathered three herbs and began to crush them. Once that was done, he placed two more in a goblet of water. Then, he turned and reached for the towel the servant had brought and wet it. Gabriel’s big, war scarred hands were gentle as they washed away the blood to reveal a three inch long gash on Mina’s forearm.

Hugh noticed the rest of his men had come to watch Gabriel work. He placed his hands on Mina’s shoulders to keep her still so Gabriel could tend to the wound properly.

Hugh readied himself for her to jump when Gabriel began to pack the mixture of herbs into her wound, but she only twitched slightly.

Every once in awhile, Hugh would hear a sharp intake of breath, but she never cried out. Once Gabriel had wrapped the wound tightly, he grabbed the herbs mixed in the water goblet and handed it to her to drink.

“What is it?” she asked.

“It will help with the pain,” Gabriel told her while he rolled up his packet.

She sat the goblet on the table. “Pain lets me know I am still alive.” Hugh wasn’t surprised to find all five of his men raising eyebrows at her words.

At one time or another, all of them had said the same thing.

“It will also help to heal the wound,” Gabriel added after a brief pause.

With his words, she reached for the goblet and drained it. She placed it on the table and rose on shaky legs. “I thank you for tending me,” she told him. “I will see to your drinks now.”

“They’ve already been brought,” Hugh told her as he motioned to the table.

“Rest,” he said and took the chair on her other side.

No sooner had he reached for his goblet of ale than Bernard sauntered into the hall. Hugh felt Mina tense beside him as he rose to his feet.

“Mina,” Bernard bellowed and staggered against a table, knocking over a chair.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hugh saw Mina rise and walk toward her brother.

Bernard held out a goblet to her and waited. Hugh watched, fascinated, as they stared at each other before Mina finally filled the goblet.

“Have you taken to whoring?” Bernard asked after draining half of the drink.

“Nay, brother,” Mina replied stiffly. “These men brought me safely home, but then you would know that if you weren’t full of ale.”

“I see you are still alive,” Bernard said as he looked her over, his lip raised in a sneer. “Your plan didn’t work.”

It wasn’t a question. Just for a moment, Hugh saw Mina’s eyes flare with anger.

She took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest. “You ordered the men to return.”

Bernard laughed. “Of course I did, you silly girl. No one believed your plan would work.”

Hugh had had enough. “Her plan might, in fact, have worked had you given it a chance.”

The inebriated lord of Stone Crest turned toward him then. “You know nothing of what I speak of.”

“But indeed I do,” Hugh said and walked around the table toward him. “We came upon the creature after it had unhorsed your sister and was about to make a meal of her.” Bernard waved away his explanation. “She always gets away from the beast.

Tonight was her night to die.”

Hugh hid his surprise, but Mina’s gasp was heard loudly through the great hall.

Just what type of family had they stumbled upon?

“Why?” Mina asked.

“Why,” Bernard yelled as he rounded on her. “’Twas you who drudged up the demon. ‘Twas you it was after when it took our parents. You have been nothing but trouble since the moment you were born.”

A shuffle behind Hugh told him his men had just about reached their limit. When he turned his gaze to Mina, he was surprised to find her hands fisted by her side, as if she thought about attacking her brother.

Hugh decided to take matters into his own hands. He grabbed Bernard by the neck and dragged him outside. Even though the baron kicked and screamed, no one came to stop Hugh. He continued through the bailey until he came upon the water trough and dunked Bernard’s head.

After counting to three he pulled him free of the water. Curses toward Mina burst from Bernard’s mouth, and Hugh dunked him again.

“Do you plan to drown him?” Val asked as he came to stand beside Hugh, his arms crossed over his chest.

“If need be.” He allowed Bernard another breath of air before dunking him again.

“We need all the men we can find,” Roderick stated.

Hugh sighed. He knew they were right. He released Bernard and let him fall to the earth coughing and gasping for air.

“Who are you?” the baron finally asked.

Hugh reached down for him and almost smiled when Bernard flinched. He didn’t answer until they were once again inside the hall.

When Bernard went to grab for a goblet, Hugh caught his hand. “’Tis the ale that has addled your brains. The world will be much clearer without the blur of it.” For a moment he thought, and hoped, Bernard would fight him, but in the end the baron withdrew his hand. Hugh sighed and returned to his seat.

“My name is Hugh.” After he introduced his men he said, “My men and I are called The Shields. We have come to kill the demon that troubles your village.” Bernard laughed. “We have tried for a month to kill that creature. What makes you so confident?”

“’Tis what we do,” Hugh stated.

The baron’s eyes grew round for a moment then he leaned back in his chair.

“Who exactly are you?”

“Knights. Of a sort.”

Bernard harrumphed and wiped his wet hair out of his face. “You’re not like any knights I have seen.”

“We’re knights,” Hugh repeated.

The baron’s blue eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. “How did you know about the creature?”

“Word travels fast these days.”

“And there are many of these creatures?”

“More than you could possibly imagine.”

“Then hasten and be done with it,” Bernard said with a wave of his hand as he leaned back in his chair. “I grow weary of its existence.” When Bernard would have risen and walked away Hugh stopped him. “Why do you blame Mina?”

“It wasn’t until she went exploring in the forest and the old ruins of an ancient Druid temple that the creature appeared,” Bernard explained through clenched teeth. “As usual, she was somewhere she had no business.” Hugh didn’t stop Bernard this time as he walked away. He and his men sat in silence for a moment until Darrick said, “I think there is more to this story than we’ve been told.”

“There is always more,” Val said cynically.

But he had a right to be cynical, Hugh thought. Val came from the time of the Romans. He was a fierce fighter that mastered any weapon placed in his hand, and he was invaluable to their group.

Talk halted as Mina came towards them. “I will show you to your chambers,” she said without looking at them.

They rose to their feet and followed her up the stairs. She stopped at the first chamber. “I apologize, but there are only three chambers available.”

“’Twill be just fine,” Darrick said. “We’re used to sleeping outside, so this will be a treat.”

Hugh watched as she gave Darrick a small smile. Val and Gabriel took the first chamber, and Roderick and Darrick the second. When they came to the third Cole went in ahead of Hugh.

Hugh waited for Mina to turn towards him. Before he could say anything she said, “I also want to apologize to you and your men for having to witness what happened between me and my brother.”

“There is nothing to apologize for.”

There was a sound behind him and when he turned to see who—or what—it was, he only found the darkened hallway. When he turned back, Mina was gone. He shook his head and entered the chamber.

“What do you think?” Cole asked him as the others walked into the chamber behind Hugh.

“I was hoping to find out more tonight, but it looks as if we must wait until morning.”

Val leaned against the closed door with his arms crossed over his chest. “I pray the sister is friendlier than the brother.”

“I have a feeling she is not,” Cole said and leaned back on the bed. “Still, you won’t find me complaining about sleeping in a soft bed.”

“That’s the truth,” Darrick grinned. “And speaking of, I’m headed to my soft bed.”

Hugh waited until the men had left the chamber before he let his mind wander over what had occurred that night. They hadn’t expected to come upon their quarry quite so suddenly.

Their orders had been brief and exact. Hunt down and slaughter the creature terrorizing Stone Crest.

“Your mind is going to explode with those deep thoughts,” Cole said.

Hugh turned to the bed. “Go to sleep.”

“Why?” Cole asked and sat up. “And leave you to your dark thoughts?”