Chapter Six A Night on Silken Sheets #2
Lord Draw came closer, illuminating us in full. “It’s very common for witches and wizards to walk while they’re sleeping, spitting nonsense. All that built-up magic in their heads.” He snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. “Wake up, witch!”
I was fantastically annoyed with Draw for painting me as some kind of idiot, but at least it was a way out. I made my eyes go blurry, then snapped to attention. “Huh?” I asked innocently.
“We should have her chained up at night,” Ironclaw growled.
Anger flared, but as I opened my mouth to rebuttal both of them, a star sailed through the night and landed on the stable roof.
A fire arrow.
Ironclaw raced toward it as Draw grabbed my arm. “This is the part where you and I leave,” he said.
I heard metal clang and chanced a look behind us where Ironclaw had already disappeared.
Scattered across the courtyard around the stable were warriors in the Dark Mage’s black.
A towering woman swung a war hammer, and I watched as it arced through the air and smashed a man’s head in.
She yanked it from his falling body before swinging at another.
Draw shifted his grip to my hand and rushed us into the darkness. The shouts became muted with distance, replaced by our heavy breathing.
“Will they get far inside the castle?” I asked. “Won’t they leave once they have Issa?”
“Turn here.” He shoved me down a corridor, his breath coming hard.
“Their numbers must be small to have climbed the cliffsides, otherwise they would have been spotted on the bridges before breaking entry. They’re only here for Lady Issa, correct?
” He turned down another hall, this one noticeably stuffy compared to the night air in the courtyard, and shook his head.
“Wait, why are you asking me? Don’t you have the witch’s prophecies? ”
“Well, yeah, but it wasn’t exactly like she told me all the details.”
“But the final battle’s not now?”
“Yes.”
“The final battle’s here?” he exclaimed. His mouth hung open, his eyes overwhelmed with shock.
“No. Yes, the final battle is not here.”
“Celestial cats,” he swore. “Now is the time to be specific, Lady Mayfair.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Back to the Maidens’ Chamber.”
“Not there.” I kind of envisioned myself in a high tower, able to see what was going on, or hide if necessary.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Draw sneered. “Did you want to go to the queen’s private quarters?”
“If that’s safest...”
He huffed. “We’re here. Get in.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?” A lock of shaggy black hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat.
“You’re a solicitor. You can’t fight.” I dragged him through the doorway by his arm. The wooden door thumped behind us and I felt for the wood bar to slot it in place.
Draw whispered partly to himself, “I really shouldn’t be in here.”
“‘S’what’s going on?” someone murmured. I thought it might be Denise.
“The castle’s under attack,” I said, my voice too loud for the space. It was better that they know though.
Everyone sat up, murmuring. Meg turned the oil lamp up.
“Lord Draw?” Lu asked. Her red curls were tied up in a silky handkerchief.
“Good evening, ladies.” For once it seemed he was at a loss for words.
“You have to sell it a bit,” I muttered under my breath. Then more clearly, “He came to protect us.”
The women glanced at each other uneasily.
Finally, Meg said it. “But he’s not a knight.”
Lord Draw darted a nasty look at me. “If the enemy comes to this door, I can negotiate with them.” He cleared his throat and looked down. “I shall avert my eyes.”
“Listen, it’s fine.” I turned to the room. “He’s our good luck charm for the night. The witch said to keep him close.” I felt Lord Draw’s eyes on the back of my neck but the other women seemed to accept my word.
“Let’s just sit and wait for news,” Draw said, pained.
I didn’t know how long we sat there. The only sound was breathing and the occasional shift of a mattress. Some of the women even fell back asleep. Maybe soldiers storming the castle was a common occurrence.
I noticed Ariana’s empty bed. She must have left after I did. Perhaps to attend the queen when she heard the commotion
Draw stood at one of the thin windows, looking out. After some time, I went and stood by him.
“Naught to see,” he whispered.
I made a noise in my throat. “How long do these things usually take?”
“With Ironclaw involved, not long.”
“That reminds me,” I said. “Can’t you tell your cousin we’re on the same side?” Ironclaw’s threat that I be locked in at night was oddly severe. I was going about this all wrong. I should have claimed to be a simple trader or something.
“What would possibly possess you to look for a knight in the dark, the night of an attack?”
“I’ve heard a lot about him,” I said carefully. Inside I was pouting. Sorrel had better not send me home after one night.
He shook his head, making sure to keep his voice low. “I knew it. I had you pegged from the moment you saw him. Let me guess—you’d like just one night with the hero of Landsome.”
What did it matter if Draw knew? All this was imaginary.
“Maybe two,” I murmured.
“It’s wild what hair that long on a man will do for a woman.” He shook his head. It was clear he’d seen it all before. Many times. Too many times.
“It’s not just how he looks. Remember the time he left the sacred Circle of Azel to save that little girl? I mean,” I stuttered as I tried to make my insider knowledge plausible, “the whole queendom was talking about that.”
He squinted. “Word certainly gets around.” I thought the conversation was over until he said, “It’s just...he’s quite daft you know.”
My eyebrows lifted. “Ironclaw?”
“He thinks the sky has a hole in it.” A corner of Draw’s mouth twitched. “That’s how we see the sun.”
I snorted, trying not to laugh.
Ironclaw, a himbo? I had to admit, it had a ring of truth to it. He was certainly turning out to be different in real life. Or imaginary life, as it were.
After that, we sat quietly. I could tell Draw was restless by the way he studied everything around him, save the sleeping women. His eyes were on me often—looking at the make of my boots, even the tiny scar just below my ear.
Finally, he stood. “I’m going to go look.”
I grabbed my bag. “I’m coming too.”
He eyed me. “Of course you are, Apprentice Witch of Mayfair.”