Hazel's Promise by Emily Larkin

Author:Emily Larkin
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Medieval
Published: 2016-08-21T18:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

HAZEL’S THOUGHTS KEPT returning to the expression on Drewet’s face when he’d recognized her, the amusement, the contempt. I was nothing to him. And then memory showed her Drewet reeling from Tam’s first punch, his nose spraying blood, his eyes wide with astonishment. “Thank you for hitting him,” she said, after they’d gone a mile.

“It was my pleasure.”

Hazel kicked a stone off the road. She was mortified with herself. No, more than mortified—furious. Drewet, handsome Drewet, wise Drewet, wonderful Drewet, the man she’d given her body to, pledged her heart to, the man she’d held faithful to for ten years—ten years—was shallow and fickle and faithless. “I can’t believe I fell in love with him.”

“You were thirteen.”

“Thirteen and stupid.” Another stone, another kick. “He made the village boys look so callow! I was flattered by his attention. Flattered!”

“Stop wallowing.”

“Wallowing?” She looked at him indignantly.

“You made a mistake. You were only thirteen. You hadn’t the experience to recognize Drewet for what he was.”

“A mistake I held on to for ten years,” Hazel said bitterly.

“Because you honored your pledge. That’s something to be proud of, Hazel.”

Hazel kicked another stone. She wasn’t proud of herself.

“If you met a man like Drewet now, you’d see who he was in an instant,” Tam said. “Be glad he didn’t make you pregnant. Be glad you didn’t run off with him.”

Hazel glanced at him.

“It could be a lot worse. As it is, no real harm came from it.” And then Tam grinned. “Unless you count all the hearts you’ve broken.”

Hazel tossed her head. “No one’s heart was broken. It was my face they fell in love with, not me.”

“Then it’s just as well you refused them all, isn’t it?”

She gave a half-laugh, and then scowled at him. “Damn you for making me laugh.”

Tam’s grin widened. He pulled her close for a quick hug. “Be glad it’s not worse.” And then he kissed her forehead, a light, brotherly, affectionate kiss. “Come on. Let’s see if we can reach Glade Forest before dark.”

At this reminder, Hazel cast a fearful glance over her shoulder. The road was clear behind them, but dread sat in her belly like a fist with sharp, bony knuckles. It was all too easy to imagine Tam hanging from a gallows, the lean body dangling, the laughing mouth silenced. Crows would peck out his eyes.

She pushed the image resolutely out of her mind, and lengthened her stride, walking faster. Tam was right: it could have been worse. Much worse.

I’m free of my pledge. She could marry whomever she wished. And this time she’d choose well. Someone she could trust. Someone who wouldn’t flatter her, or lie to her.

Someone like Tam. Who made her feel safe. Who made her laugh. Who would slay her dragons for her.

Tam, with his shabby clothes and tousled tawny hair and laughing blue eyes. I like him a lot. And she’d used him poorly, dragging him all the way to Mottlethorpe and back. He’d looked after her, risked his neck for her.

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