Master of Craving by Karin Tabke

Author:Karin Tabke [Tabke, Karin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2010-08-13T03:00:00+00:00

THIRTEEN

“What have you done, Stefan?” Tarian demanded, barging into the small chamber down the hall from her own. He winced as Edith bit off the last stitch she had resewn. He did not know what balms she concocted, but the right side of his face had gone completely numb before she began her repair. A much-welcomed respite from the last week of pain.

He looked tiredly up at Wulfson’s lady. “Whathave I done?”

“Aye, what have you done indeed? She is a princess, for God’s sake! A royal Dinefwr!”

He scowled.

“Ah! Do not look at me so, I did not mean you are not worthy of her, but she is betrothed!”

Stefan laughed, and dragged his fingers through his hair. “I asked Wulfson the same thing about you.”

Her face crumbled at the mention of his name. She grabbed his hands and sat down beside him on the short bench. “Tell me of my husband. Tell me all.”

Edith moved from them, giving them privacy. Stefan took a long, deep breath, then exhaled. “We were outnumbered. The battle was lost before it began.”

“Why then did you engage?”

Stefan’s head snapped back and looked hard at her. “Normans do not turn tail!”

“Aye, God forbid your pride should suffer!” “ ’Twas not like that, Tarian. We had the cavalry, we had the castle, we had the archers. Once we had engaged, we had to send more men onto the field, or it would have been a complete slaughter.”

“Where are the Blood Swords?”

“All but myself and Rhys, whom I have not yet found, reside in the dungeons of your dear ex-uncle Rhiwallon.”

“He would slay Wulfson!”

“He may wish to, but he has grander plans.”

“Tell me!”

“I overheard a Welshman speak of your uncle’s glee in capturing six of the Blood Swords. He means to taunt William with their lives.”

“He will only bring the wrath of Normandy upon his head!”

“Aye, but he does not seem to care. Methinks he will use them as leverage to keep us from his borders and, I suspect, to make a treaty on behalf of Edric.”

“For what?”

“Herefordshire.”

“William will not give it up!”

Stefan smiled slowly. “Rhiwallon is wily, to be sure, but I have a golden snare.”

Tarian sat silent for a long moment as his words penetrated her mind. “How came you by the princess?”

Stefan grinned and told her, leaving out the more intimate details of their encounter.

Tarian smiled knowingly. She knew him too well.

“What do you plan to do with her, Stefan?”

He grinned wider. “Fate delivered her into my arms. We must use her wisely.”

“I understand your fascination with the lady, but my concern is how to restore my husband and your brothers.”

“The answer lies abed just down the hall. A princess for the Blood Swords.”

Tarian gasped. “ ’Tis brilliant!” Just as quickly, her brows knitted together in thought. “How do you know they will trade for the princess?” “She is to meet and marry Magnus, a great jarl of Norway Olaf’s cousin in Yorkshire. Olaf, milady, is Thorin’s half-brother. The Norse desire allies to the west. ’Twill put William in the middle.

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