He marched from the room, leaning again on his sheathed longsword. Genevieve dared to breathe a sigh of relief as he went, but it was short lived. Altfor was already getting back to his feet, and his anger was palpable.
Get out, all of you! he yelled to the assembled courtiers. Out, and help my uncle put down this revolt, or help in the search for the traitor, but do not be here for me to ask it again!
They began to leave, and Genevieve started to rise to go with them, but she felt Altfors hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down.
Not you, wife.
As Genevieve waited, the hall emptied, leaving only her, a couple of guards, and worse, Moira watching from the corner, with a look that wasnt even trying to pretend sympathy now.
You, Altfor said, need to tell me what role you played in Royce getting away.
I dont know what you mean, Genevieve said. I have been here the whole time. How could I
Be quiet, Altfor snapped. If it wouldnt make me look like a man who cant control you, I would beat you for thinking me that stupid. Of course you did something; no one else who cares about that traitor is anywhere near here.
There are whole crowds in the streets who might prove otherwise, Genevieve said, pushing herself to her feet. She wasnt scared of Altfor the way she was of his uncle.
No, that wasnt true. She was scared of him, but it was a different kind of fear. With Altfor, it was a fear of sudden violence and cruelty, but appearing to submit would do nothing to deflect it.
The crowds? Altfor said. Youre going to taunt me with mobs now? I thought you had learned your lesson about crossing me, but obviously not.
Now fear did come back to Genevieve, because the look in Altfors eye was one that promised something far worse than violence toward her.
You think that youre so safe because I will not harm my wife, Altfor said. But I told you the things that would happen if you disobeyed me. Your beloved Royce will be found, and he will be killed, if I have anything to do with it, far more slowly than anything my uncle might have in mind.
That part didnt scare Genevieve, although the thought of any harm coming to Royce hurt her like a physical blow. The fact was that he was gone from Altfors grip; she had already seen to that. There was no way now that he or Lord Alistair would be able to catch him.
Then there are his brothers, Altfor said, and Genevieves breath caught.
You told me you wouldnt kill them if I married you, she said.
But now you are my wife, and you are a disobedient one, Altfor countered. Already, the three are on their way to their place of execution, there to sit in a gibbet on the killing hill and starve until they are devoured by beasts.
No, Genevieve said. You promised.
And you promised to be a faithful wife! Altfor shouted back at her. Instead, you continue to help the boy you should have put aside all thoughts for!
You I didnt do anything, Genevieve insisted, knowing that admitting it would only make things worse. Altfor was a noble, and he couldnt do anything to her directly, not without proof, and a trial, and more.
Oh, you still want to play these games, Altfor said. Then the price for your betrayal has gone up. You have too many distractions in the outside world, so I will take them from you.
What what do you mean? Genevieve asked.
Your sister was an amusement for a brief moment the first time you disobeyed me. Now she will die for what you have done. So will your parents, and everyone else in the hovel you called home.
No! Genevieve shrieked, grabbing for the small eating knife that she wore. In that moment, all sense of restraint or need to be careful fled from her, driven out by the horror of what her husband was about to do. She would do anything to protect her sister. Anything.
Altfor was faster though, his hand closing over hers and dragging it away. He shoved her back to land heavily on the floor, standing over her. He glared down at her, and only Moiras touch pulled him away from doing more.
Remember that while she is your wife she is noble, Moira whispered. Harm her and you would be treated as a criminal.
Do not presume to tell me what to do, Altfor snapped at Moira, who leaned in even closer.
I am not telling, merely suggesting, my lord, my duke. With a wife, and in time an heir, and the law on your side, you will manage to take that all back.
And why does that matter to you? Altfor asked, looking over at her.
If Moira was hurt by that, she didnt show it. If anything, she looked triumphant as she looked over to where Genevieve lay.
Because your brother, my husband, is gone, and I would rather continue to be the lover of a powerful man than a woman without power, Moira said. And you you are the most powerful man I have met.
And I should want you, rather than my wife? Altfor asked. Why should I want my brothers cast-offs?
Even to Genevieve, that seemed a cruel game to play when Genevieve had already caught him with Moira.
Again though, whatever Moira felt was carefully hidden.
Come with me, she suggested, and Ill remind you of the difference while your men go about killing all those who deserve it. Your men, not your uncles.
That was enough for Altfor to pull her to him, kissing her even though Genevieve and the two guards were right there. He caught hold of Moiras arm, pulling her off in the direction of the great halls exit. Genevieve saw Moira glance back, and the cruelty in her smile was enough to chill Genevieve to the bone.
Right then, Genevieve didnt care. She didnt care that Altfor was about to betray her in a way that he obviously already had so many times before. She didnt care that shed nearly died at his uncles hands, or that both of them clearly saw her as an inconvenience.
All she cared about then was that her sister was in danger, and she had, had to find some way to help her, before it was too late. Altfor was planning to kill her, and she had no way of knowing when it would happen.
CHAPTER THREE
Royce ran through the forest, feeling the crunch of branches underfoot, clutching his sheathed sword to his side so it wouldnt catch against any of the trees. Without the horse hed stolen, he wasnt moving fast enough. He needed to go faster.
He ran faster, spurred on by the thought of getting back to the people he cared about. The Red Isle had taught him to keep running, regardless of the way his heart hammered in his chest, or his legs ached. Hed survived the trap-filled run across the island, so forcing himself to run further and faster through a forest was nothing.
The speed and strength that he possessed helped. Trees flashed by on either side, branches scraping at him and Royce ignoring them. He could hear woodland creatures scurrying to get clear of this thing running through their territory, and he knew that he had to find a better way to make progress than this. If he kept making this much noise, he would attract every soldier in the dukedom.
Let them come, Royce whispered to himself. Ill kill them all.
A part of him wanted to do that and more. Hed managed to kill the lord whod put him and his friends in the fighting pit; hed managed to kill those guards who had come at him but he also knew that he couldnt take on a whole lands worth of enemies. The strongest, fastest, most dangerous of men couldnt fight more than a few enemies alone, because there would simply be too many places that a blade could come from unexpectedly.