- I know how persuasive you can be. - said smiling.
- I hate him with all the strength of my thought! - she fired and with a tug, released her wrist from my hands and stepped out hard. - I hate my life!
Annabel still screamed when she slammed the door to the salon. I closed my eyes trying to contain the pain I felt. Adelaide had crossed all the line even after I warned her.
- You have to do something about it! - Aideen fired. - Annabel is my sister and I will protect her from anyone, tooth and nail. I didn't ask anything about what I heard yesterday, but I'll want to know more about it later. Therefore, solve the mess you made, because if she suffers, I will kill her, Bruce.
Aideen left the room with hard, hurried steps. Probably going to meet Annabel.
- She's right! - said Alistair approaching. - Talk to Annabel before it's too late. You know how explosive MacBride is. I'm even scared for Ravenna when those girls find her.
I agreed, agreed with Alistair. I took a deep breath and walked to the fruit basket to get an apple.
- Can we change the subject now? - I asked in a serious voice. - There are more serious matters that I wish to deal with you and which require a lot of attention. It's a good thing Aideen left and didn't participate in them.
He frowned.
- That bad?
- Too much!
- All right! All right! Tell me, what are these matters?
I spent the whole afternoon talking to Alistair. We discuss matters of war. He decided to send a letter to Alec telling her that Annabel was safe in Dunhill and to be careful of Roy's men because they were disguising themselves as English, but he believed he already knew. Alec had nothing silly about him, and behind that seductive angel's face was a cold, cruel murderer. Only I knew this side of Alec, because I had experienced it before.
One night, while I was on patrol, I ended up following a hooded man. I knew he was a mercenary and I believed he was running, but no. The man took me straight to a camp, where several men slept. Among them were Morvan, Kaiser and a man named Oliver, who ran away when he realized that everyone was under attack. Yeah, it was a trap, but it wasn't promoted by me. I discovered a few minutes later that the man I had followed and who had deliberately led me to those mercenaries had been Alec. I was appalled when I saw him fight them and kill several men colder than me. When it was all over, and the few survivors escaped, Alec gave me Kaiser to bring to Dunhill for trial. Of course, I never accomplished that mission and I killed Kaiser before we arrived. That was our only secret and the lie about Alec being in a monastery to study politics had been kept.
Alistair had no idea that his brother was so close to the front, mixed with the mercenaries, pretending to be one of them, burning villages and looting. When I saw him, I realized why no one had recognized him. Alec was different with long hair and beard. No one would say that he was the prince and I believe that those who recognized him died or were unable to tell anything.
After a morning of racing, I decided to do the rounds around Dunhill to make sure Aideen and her baby were safe. That would make me forget a little bit about Annabel for a while. It would be the first night since I arrived at the castle. After hours of riding, I hadn't found anything and everything seemed safe. I decided to go back to the castle and take a bath to rest. I wanted to talk to Annabel after dinner. As I was passing through the village, a slender remnant covered in a hooded cape caught my attention. Franzi's forehead, because he knew that figure from somewhere. She walked hurriedly towards the inn and I watched her from afar. The figure turned to see was followed and his face found the light. I recognized Annabel's blue eyes and almost white hair.
- What the hell was she doing here? - I whispered between my teeth.
Passing my hands over my face, I breathed frustrated when she entered the tavern. That creature didn't know the dangers that awaited her in that place. Taverns were places where inconvenient drunks and vile men attacked girls like Annabel. Besides, there was still the fact that there might be mercenaries inside. Setting the horse in motion, I headed towards the tavern.
- That will be a long night!
Chapter 15
Annabel
- So, a tavern is like that! - I whispered with excitement as I contemplated the place.
There were tables in the center and a bar. Everything was illuminated by several candlesticks. A fireplace burned in one corner, further warming the place, which was quite spacious. I had the opportunity to visit a tavern when I was stuck in that village during the blizzard, but for fear of what I would see, I gave up. Following my impulses, I went down the hood and marched to the counter. Everyone stopped to watch me as I walked, maybe because they'd never seen someone like me in a place like that. Although I was dressed in a simple way, my restrained gestures and my delicacy, denounced me. Everyone knew that I was family with possessions and that made me a target for looters or perverts. I didn't really care, because I was carrying the beast I stole from Bruce and I wasn't afraid to use it. That night I just wanted
