“He won’t. I swear to you, we just have to be quick,” Cleopatra said as her eyes shifted around, wondering who else may have heard their conversation. Her heart jumped for joy at the prospect of being able to go outside, even if it was just for a few moments.
It wasn’t that the castle was small, it was quite grand, compared to her father’s estate and there was still plenty of rooms for her to explore and get lost in, but nothing compared to the freedom that she felt seeing the open sky and hearing the birds chirp and the bees buzz.
As she quickened her pace and scurried down the hallway, she kept her head on a swivel, glancing into each room before she passed through open doors. She wondered whether or not Jude would catch her. Although she knew that her husband-to-be wouldn’t be too harsh on her, she did wonder what he would do to Felix if he ever found out.
I must be smart about this. Cunning like I had been in my father’s house. Although, at my father’s house, there weren’t a lot of people looking out for me. Still, I think I can do this. And it won’t be for very long. If we are caught, I will say I needed fresh air and the door was the closest thing to open.
As they reached the end of the corner, she paused and glanced about. The side door was but a few feet from her and she could almost smell the freshly trimmed grass and the sweet perfume of the flowers that were in bloom. Quickly she shuffled across the hallway and put her hand on the doorknob.
Pulling in a deep breath, she started to turn the knob but noticed it moved on its own. Retracting her hand, she whipped her head to Felix to shoo him back just as the door flew open. Her eyes widened as she stepped back; with his arms crossed over his chest and eyebrows arched Jude stared at her, a crooked little smile drifted over his lips as she stepped back from him.
“Are ye goin’ somewhere?” Jude asked as he shifted his gaze from Cleo to Felix and back again.
“No, just needed some fresh air is all,” Cleo said sharply as she turned on her heels and began walking away. There was no hiding her irritation with Jude. After all, it had been weeks since she spoke to him after he made his decree. Deep down she understood why Jude put her under lock and key, but it still didn’t feel right.
“Cleo,” Jude called for her but she did not stop. She kept moving further away, wondering if she would be able to make it to the other end of the castle and slip out the opposite side door before Jude caught up with her.
“Cleopatra, ye can stop now.” Jude’s tone was harsh, and it startled her to hear it.
Instantly she paused and turned to face Jude. He was closer than she expected him to be. He reached out and curled his fingers around her arm ever so gently for a moment. She wondered whether or not he was going to pull her back into her room and make her stay there. She could feel the rage boiling in her just waiting for him to give the order that would force her back into her confinement.
“I ken ye’re goin’ stir crazy,” Jude said in a soft tone as if Felix wasn’t even in the room or anywhere near them. It was almost as if it were just him and her standing before each other like they had done so many times before. She could feel the tension mounting around them as she tried not to let her irritation with him show.
“I have a surprise for ye,” Jude said.
“What if I don’t want it?” Cleo said shifting her gaze away from Jude onto anything other than his face.
“I think ye’re goin’ to like this one,” he said.
“Is it another distraction to keep me content locked up in the room?” she asked as she nudged her arm out of his grasp.
Jude rolled his shoulders as he straightened his stance. She could hear him breathing heavily and feel his eyes on her. Slowly she looked up at him and noticed that there was no anger in his stance or in his face. In fact, his entire demeanor had softened.
“I ken it’s been unfair of me to keep ye locked in the house for so long,” he said, “but ye ken I was just tryin’ to keep ye safe.”
“So, you locked me in the house with the potential murderer, and you find that safe?” she asked. “That makes no sense at all. If anything, you would want us out of the castle and at some other grounds where the perpetrator is not there.”
“I could do that, but then I’d never see ye,” he said. “So, I’ve come up with a compromise.”
“Have you now?”
“I can teach ye how to defend yerself so that way I don’t worry about ye.”
Cleopatra’s eyes narrowed as her eyebrows arched. She stared at him suspiciously, trying to figure out what it was that he was planning.
“You want me to learn how to use a sword?” she asked with a half chuckle. Jude shook his head as his crooked smile pulled at his lips.
“Daenae be absurd, ye would never be able to swing one even if I showed ye how to use it. Ye’re much too fragile. However, the bow and arrow may just be the weapon for ye. It’s light and easy to use,” he said, “would ye care to learn?”
“Is this something that can be done outside. Or are you going to set up the targets in the grand hall?”
“Actually, I have them set up outside in the courtyard. I wanted it to be a surprise for ye.”
“You’re allowing me to go outside today?”
“I figured ye would be with me. Plus, Felix and
