Knowing Yourself - A Medieval Romance

Chapter 14

Chapter 14  

Em settled onto a stood at Kay’s side, examining at the injury with attentive eyes. “Oh, Kay, what happened this time?” she sighed, shaking her head. “This is far beyond a minor scrape.”

Kay winced in pain as Anne worked on the wound, biting back a cry. “It was Reese who saw them from the high road,” she informed her sister, her breath coming in short, shaking draws. “We rode to the chapel for arms, then on to confront Galeron.”

“And Galeron attacked you?” snapped Em, her voice harsh.

Kay shook her head. “To be fair, he asked for us to part ways without swords,” she explained. “We could hardly allow that, given the knowledge he has about the keep!”

She gasped as something was pressed against her leg, her breath leaving her in a sharp exhale.

Em looked up. “How is she, Anne?”

“She will mend,” the maid muttered, focused on her careful wrapping of the cloth bandage. “At least she might, if she would only stay still for a few weeks.”

“A few weeks,” ground out Kay, shaking her head. “We will be lucky to have a few hours.” Her eyes glanced toward the door. She gave a long sigh of relief. “At least I will be able to end this charade with Reese. It has gotten so difficult, these past days.”

Em shook her head with a deliberate movement. “No, not now,” she corrected in a steady voice.

Kay’s eyes shot to her sister’s, her face creasing in agony. “What good could it possibly do to keep up the farce now?” she insisted. “The game is over! Our keep is about to be under assault!”

Em took Kay’s hands in her own, her face somber. “I know how you feel, but think about it,” she soothed, holding her sister’s eyes with her own. “What if we are overrun? Reese is a man of honor, and you are relying on his ability to deceive with absolute perfection.” Her gaze became more serious. “Just one mistaken word will reveal all. Galeron’s attention to detail is staggering. One glance, one movement, could alert him.”

Em gave a gentle squeeze to Kay’s fingers. “If Galeron realizes he has two hostages, and not just one, imagine what he might do.”

“I cannot put you at risk,” ground out Kay. “If anyone is to be taken for ransom, it should be me.”

A slight smile eased onto Em’s face. “What, and you will somehow convince Galeron that I am not worthy of holding? Remember, he knew about the blonde sister Mary. He knew Mary was pregnant. The moment he sees me, and you at my side, he is going to know who we are.” She shook her head. “Our only hope is to hold off that knowledge for as long as possible. I need to stay hidden, and you need to stay in place as Kay, my maid. If he thinks he only has one hostage to chase down, it gives us an advantage.”

“I trust Reese with my life,” vowed Kay, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Em shook her head again. “I am afraid that I do not. Again, it only takes one word, one mistake to undo this. We have been very lucky so far, that everyone has done so well with the names. We only need to keep this up for another two days, until Father arrives. Remember, he is already on his way to us. It is best we stay with the status quo as best we can.”

Kay’s stomach knotted in frustration. It went against every fiber of her being not to tell Reese the truth.

Em’s hands tensed on her own, and she looked up. She saw the worry which swirled in her sister’s eyes. Her gaze dropped down to the unborn child swelling within her sister’s body, innocent and helpless.