Lord of Illusion by Elizabeth Rose

Author:Elizabeth Rose
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Medieval
Published: 2013-04-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Madoc knew something was not right as soon as he heard the commotion in front of his home. He’d changed out of his disguise and back into his own clothes before coming here. He’d snuck into town using the hidden hole in the wall covered with vines that he’d discovered years ago instead of by using the front gate since he was now a wanted man. He hid under the hood of his cape so as not to be seen, and surveyed the crowd of people from two streets away. He crept closer to find out details.

He could see Dion, the master tailor and William’s mentor, who must have just returned from his journey. The aging, short man held his hands up to hold back the crowd. They were shouting and he shouted back.

“We want him out of here,” said one man.

“Our children are no longer safe,” added a woman.

“Please,” said Dion. “I fear for our safety just like the rest of you, but you cannot blame Madoc for this.”

“’Tis his fault your lover is near death,” shouted a man. “You should hate him more than the rest of us.”

Madoc’s heart raced. Something was wrong and it had to do with his mother. He slipped behind the houses and ran until he came upon his own back yard. He scurried up the back staircase, only to be stopped by the silence of his birds. He wanted to go check them, yet at the same time, he couldn’t waste a moment. Instead, he rushed into his home to find his mother.

“Mother?” he called, scoping the room with his eyes, but not seeing her. “Mother?” he repeated a little louder.

That’s when the butcher’s wife, Imogen, came out from his mother’s bedchamber. She was followed by a young woman that he knew was her daughter.

“Do not even come near here,” Imogen warned him. “’Tis your fault she is near dead.”

“What happened?” asked Madoc, ignoring her warning and pushing past her into his mother’s room. He saw her then and he froze, unable to move. His mother lie atop the bed, bruised, swollen and obviously beaten. Her body was wrapped with cloth bandages to stop the flow of blood. By the stains upon them, he knew her wounds were many. Her cheek was swollen. Her face was purple and black from the beating she’d endured.

“God’s bones! Who did this to you?” He ran to her then and tried to take her in his arms. Tears filled his eyes and he didn’t understand any of this. She stirred, and opened her eyes. The fear and despair he saw there just about broke his heart.

“It was a band of thieves,” the woman’s daughter told him.

“They came here looking for you,” Imogen added.

“Gruffydd,” Madoc ground out, wanting to kill the man for what he’d done.

“They stole what little your mother has, and also saw to ransacking Dion’s store,” Imogen said, crossing her arms over her bosom.

“Was Dion attacked as well?” he asked.

“Nay,” answered her daughter. “He had not yet returned from his trip at the time.

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