Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
“As much as I enjoy spending time here,” Skye smiled, moving toward the door, “I’ve arranged for a light lunch on the west terrace.
It’s lovely there this time of day and I thought you might enjoy eating a meal somewhere besides your chamber.
” She turned at the door to face him. “If that suits you.”
“It suits me,” he replied, joining her. “Besides,” he teased, “I’m still your prisoner, bound to do your bidding.”
She glanced up at him, an irritated retort forming on her lips, before she saw his face and realized he was toying with her. “Be careful,” she laughed, “or I might begin to think of you as one.”
Laughing with her, he opened the door and followed her into the corridor where Keir anxiously waited, his face troubled.
“Ahh…Mistress Skye, I didn’t wish to disturb you, but—”
“What’s wrong?”
“There are…visitors. Your father wishes—”
“My family?” Noah interrupted, his heart lodged in his throat. They couldn’t possibly be back this soon, unless… “Has there been trouble?”
“This does not concern you, Outsider,” Keir warned before turning back to Skye.
“Your father wishes you to confine your guest to his chamber for the remainder of the day. And he suggests you remain in the library or retire to your own chamber. He leaves that choice up to you but asks that you do not wander the corridors or appear in the public places.”
“But…” Her look of confusion turned to determination. “I’m sorry. I’ve made arrangements to occupy the west terrace for an hour or so. We’re having lunch there. We’ll be of no consequence to my father or his visitors out there.”
Keir’s face morphed from shock to fear. “No, Skye. He specifically said—”
The look on Skye’s face stopped him cold. Noah could sense the wheels turning behind the panic in Keir’s eyes. Should he obey the mistress he serves, or the master? Despite Keir’s clear distress, they all knew ultimately there could only be one answer.
“Perhaps I should speak to him myself,” Skye suggested. “Where is he?”
Keir shook his head. “I think not…uh…in this instance,” he added hastily.
Skye’s eyes narrowed, piercing Keir with unquestionable authority. “Who are these visitors?”
Keir swallowed, aware he couldn’t please both Skye and her father. “Only one confers with your father. His…companions…await him in the area outside the southern kitchen. Devouring what might be the entire contents of the storeroom,” he muttered under his breath.
“I see,” Skye nodded her understanding, her mouth tightening with barely masked distaste. “Considering the…associates…you describe, I presume it’s Austin who meets with my father.”
The look on Keir’s face was answer enough as Noah’s pulse raced with alarm. Could there be two with that name and a repugnant following, in this strange world?
“Austin?” He pierced Keir with a demanding stare. “Austin…Williams?”
Skye gasped, eyes wide as Keir’s brows crunched above his scowl.
“You’re familiar with him?” Keir challenged.
“Not with him. Only of him,” Noah explained, shifting his focus to Skye as memories of Paige’s sorrow-filled tales of growing up in foster homes waiting for Austin to rescue her, and ultimately sacrificing everything to follow and search for her missing brother, literally through time.
A search that led her and Taran to Havenwood and ultimately trapped them there, only to have Paige finally find Austin and be rejected all over again.
Austin had taken part in forming the ragtag group of outcasts, The Others, into a terrorizing group of plunderers and thieves. He was a user. A taker. What business could he possibly have with The Keeper?
“He’s my mother’s brother. Estranged brother. Are you well acquainted with him?” he asked Skye. “Does he come here often?” A multitude of nefarious scenarios vied for attention in his mind.
Skye’s eyes widened. “That’s quite an…interesting coincidence. Austin is one of my father’s most trusted administrators. His companions are…tolerated. The cost of doing business, my father says.”
“Mistress Skye,” Keir interrupted. “Your father…I must insist… If you’ll wait inside, I’ll escort your guest back to his chamber and then come back for you if you wish to retire to yours.”
Noah could see the flicker of determination behind Skye’s eyes as she turned to Keir and straightened her spine with quiet authority.
“I promised a surprise, and I intend to keep that promise. We’ll continue with our plans for the west terrace.
My father and his companion can’t possibly be disturbed by a simple luncheon. ”
Noah fought to keep his expression neutral, but something warm unfurled in his chest at her defiance.
Here was a woman used to navigating the treacherous waters of her father’s commands while finding ways to bend without breaking.
Not unlike the delicate balance he himself had tried to strike between obedience and protection when Taran first took him and Emily in.
Keir’s face was a mask of pure fear. “But—”
She sighed in concession. “If it will ease your distress, we’ll take the small corridor past the kitchens and use the servants’ entrance to the terrace. That route goes nowhere near the meeting hall, so we can’t possibly disturb my father, or his guest.”
“But…” Keir’s face fell, knowing he had lost. “If that is what you truly desire, I will escort you there and make sure you are not disturbed by the…uh…additional guests.”
Skye’s face softened as she smiled at Keir. “I realize I’m putting you in a difficult position. Forgive me. But I see no harm in my decision.”
Keir nodded, his face grim. “I pray your father does not as well.”
Noah watched their exchange with interest. Skye asserting her power was clearly a rare thing. And Keir’s compliance underscored his loyalty to her, despite his obvious fear of consequences from The Keeper.
All useful information Noah filed away. Mapping the people in the Citadel was just as important as mapping its layout.
And he realized the more he learned about Skye, the more he craved to know.
There was something about her…something captivating.
Something he couldn’t quite define but fully intended to.
As Keir led them down a dim hallway, Noah noted several corridors that branched off in all directions. Some were wide and well-lit, but several looked as if they’d been unused for centuries, dark and dusty, swallowed by shadow. A veritable maze that might have been designed to confuse intruders.
He made a mental note to add the passage locations to the developing map in his chamber.
They rounded a corner leading to what Noah presumed was the west terrace when the corridor suddenly widened into a central area with entrances to several rooms. Through one of the wide open-arched doorways, Noah first heard, then glimpsed a group of men seated at several long tables, more ragged and wild-looking than the Citadel’s usual inhabitants, but far better dressed and fed than The Others who had attacked them in the forest.
With a curse on his lips and eyes wide in alarm, Keir hurried to stand in the opening, failing in his attempt to block their view as he urged Skye to take the door to their right.
“Skye?” A tall man with a deep voice and a tone far too intimate to suit Noah separated himself from a group of men and walked toward them. “Surprising to find you here.”
They both halted as Skye looked past Keir, quickly masking the flash of regret on her face while Keir, with his back to the man and his followers, visibly cringed.
“Austin,” she smiled tightly. “How nice to see you again. I heard you were here, but I thought you were in meetings with my father.”
The man was leaner than Noah had imagined, with close-cropped hair and an expression of calculated privilege on a face that bore the stamp of Paige’s features but held none of her softness or warmth.
He carried himself with a wary confidence, his eyes constantly scanning his surroundings.
His clothes were of far better quality than those worn by the men raucously indulging in their meal.
There was something almost refined about him, but at the same time, profoundly dangerous.
The impression was punctuated by a wicked-looking knife that hung at his belt, its wooden hilt worn smooth by frequent handling.
“On my way there now,” he said, brushing past Keir and Noah to take Skye’s hand. Rather possessively, Noah noted. “But you know my visits here are never just to meet with your father.”
The implication hung in the air as Skye extracted her hand and nodded toward Noah. “Austin, this is Noah Wheeler. He’s—”
“Just passing through,” Noah interjected, not ready to divulge his relationship to Paige just yet. “And fortunate enough to garner a brief respite here.”
Keir moved closer, frowning at Austin. “Under my charge, of course. As you’re aware, no one roams the Citadel alone.” He looked around. “And it appears you’ve somehow lost your escort. As soon as we have our other guest settled, I can return and show you to the meeting room.”
“No need,” Austin’s smile was almost predatory.
“I’m familiar with where they are, and Skye can escort me there.
” He took her hand once more and tucked it beneath his arm.
“Shall we, my dear? I’m eager to discuss my plans for a rather lengthy visit where we can spend a good deal more time together.
” He leaned closer. “I believe your father wishes it as much as we do.”
“Perhaps another time,” Skye smiled weakly. “I’ve a previous commitment at the moment.”
Austin gave Noah a loose appraisal before turning back to Skye.
“Nothing that Keir can’t handle, I’m sure.
When I was here last, your father assured me you and I would dine together on my return.
I’m looking forward to that…and more.” He placed his free hand possessively over hers on his arm as he looked down at her.
“As you can imagine, I’ve been looking forward to collecting on that promise.
Both your father and I would be gravely disappointed if it were somehow disrupted. ”
Noah could see Skye visibly submit. Her earlier confidence and control seemed to wilt under Austin’s dominance. With a sigh, Skye sent Noah a look he couldn’t quite decipher, perhaps somewhere between helplessness and an apology.
He tensed, ready to intercede when Keir’s hand shot out to grasp his arm. “Be still,” he whispered low. “Do not bring her father’s wrath down on her head with more disobedience.”
Noah watched them walk away, Skye’s shoulders tense as Austin chatted on. It was all he could do to stand still and watch her leave. Especially with Paige’s traitorous and clearly controlling brother.
“Let it be,” Keir advised as he led Noah down a different corridor to his chamber. “Whatever you’re thinking will only hurt Skye. If you want to help her, then you must trust her to do what she feels is necessary.”
Noah felt the flex of muscle in his jaw and realized his fists were still curled at his sides. Protective instincts, he told himself. But he knew it was a jagged shard of jealousy that had stabbed him in the gut. It was like nothing he’d experienced before.
He didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one bit.
For the first time since he and Emily had landed in this other-world, Noah was at a loss. What was he supposed to do with such a weak and useless emotion? How would that help Emily? How did it get him closer to finding the portal?
It wasn’t as if he had options. He was, in fact, a prisoner here.
Subject to the whims of The Keeper and now forced to endure those of a man who’d proven over and over that he lacked any hint of a moral compass.
One who clearly had his greedy sights set on Skye.
How long before he would destroy her, too?
With extreme difficulty, Noah forced himself to set his feelings for Skye aside for the moment and review and catalogue everything he’d seen and learned.
If Austin and his ragtag band truly worked for The Keeper, that explained many things.
With The Keeper’s resources, spies to be more accurate, it wouldn’t be that hard to keep track of when the crops were ready for harvesting in Havenwood and where the guards were posted.
Or when they were low on supplies or had other weaknesses to exploit.
And how The Others always seemed to be one step ahead of the village’s defenses.
A disturbing thought struck him regarding that strange, inhuman howl that had stopped The Others’ attack in the forest. Could Austin have had something to do with that?
Had he possibly recognized Taran and Finn?
Had the Keeper known they were coming here all along?
If so, Austin knew exactly who Noah was and why he was here.
And what of Austin’s relationship with Skye?
Were they as close as Austin would have him believe?
Had she been informed of their imminent arrival as well and been directed to send them away?
If so, why had the Keeper agreed to let them bring Emily back here?
Or…had he? Was having Emily treated here one of Skye’s acts of rebellion they would all pay for? Especially Emily?
Too many unanswered questions.
And despite the leanings of his misguided heart, he knew it was foolish to trust her.