The Lady Knight

Chapter 17

The empty courtyard was lit by the glow of the moon, sounds of dripping water echoing around the pillars.

Alex ducked behind a nearby bush as a pair of knights doing nightly rounds came by. She held her breath until they passed her and let out a silent sigh when they were out of sight. She knew that she did not need to hide, but Blade's words echoed through her mind. She didn't understand what he wanted to say that the others couldn't know about.

She stood, lightly brushing the dust off her legs. It was nearing midnight, yet Blade was nowhere to be seen. He hardly looked like the type to be late, especially when he arranged it himself.

As she slowly made her way around the courtyard, she let her mind wander. So much had happened in the past week, it made Alex's head spin. Not only had she been accepted by King Orpheus, one of the twin legendary swords had chosen her as its wielder as well. As soon as the twins had brought her to her room, she unpacked her necessary items from her bag. She still donned the Éjszaka suit, not willing to take it off quite just yet. It had an air of authority to it. To pass the time, she had explored her room, taking note of all windows and possible escape routes. She desperately wanted to go and visit Nightmare but she knew that he was in the good hands of the stable boys.

Hours later, here she was, circling the outer edge of the courtyard and waiting for Blade to make an appearance. He was an odd one, and it confused Alex. She remembered the light shining on his golden armour as he had stepped into the light. The blond hair on his forehead seemed to glow in the afternoon sun, making a halo around him. Those emerald eyes....

A pair of unseen hands grabbed her from behind, dragging her back. A large hand reached up and covered her mouth while the other pinned her hands together. Alex felt her back hit one of the stone pillars as her attacker pinned her with his body. Snapping her head up, Alex stared into the very same eyes that she had just been thinking of. She shook her head, willing her inappropriate thoughts to leave.

Blade didn't look at her, his eyes glancing out at the courtyard. Alex stayed still, even though every fibre of her being wanted to bite his hand and shove his warm body off of her. She tried to ignore the pounding of her heart and instead focused on what Blade was glancing at. Another pair of circling knights passed them, chatting casually. Had Alex stayed where she was, she would have been discovered. Alex mentally chastised herself for letting her guard down.

When the knights had disappeared completely, Blade slowly turned back to Alex. Instead of struggling, she simply raised an eyebrow at him. He took away his hand and took a step back. Alex immediately missed the warmth but didn't say anything. She needed to stop herself before she was in over her head.

Blade casually looked over Alex's attire and she felt her cheeks beginning to flush. She clenched her jaw and straightened.

"Well? What is it?" Alex asked, grateful that her voice did not waver. He stayed silent as he gazed at her for a moment. Without a word, he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the dark staircase at the edge of the courtyard. She followed quietly but palmed a blade just in case. Regardless if he was a knight or not, he was still a stranger.

Blade led her up flights of stone stairs, the night chill decreasing as they entered the base. The torches in the halls were unlit and obviously had not been lit for quite some time. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling and looked foggy in the dust-filled air. Blade stopped suddenly, turning and putting a finger up to his lips. Alex nodded in understanding. She peeked over his shoulder as he nudged a stone out of place and reached his hand inside the hole it left. He retracted his hand and Alex saw the familiar flash of metal before he grabbed her wrist and continued onward.