Page 7 of Kingdom of Chains
She ran a finger over the rough skin on her left hand, a permanent reminder that she had tried to get into that room before Hodge had dragged her away through the thick smoke.
‘It was locked,’ Isabel whispered, stroking the eagle’s back. ‘That door was never locked.’
Margery turned her head, blinking at her.
‘I suppose you are sick of hearing about it,’ she said as she tucked her arms beneath the blankets to warm them. The eagle took that as her cue to sleep. The pair had slept together every night since Isabel’s father had rescued the nestling—until they came to Hampstead Keep.
‘Sweet girl,’ she said when soft feathers brushed her forehead. ‘I wish I could come with you.’
‘Isabel!’
Isabel startled awake at the sound of Hodge’s voice, then shot upright, looking around for Margery. The eagle was nowhere to be seen.
A fist pounded on the door. ‘Are you in there?’
‘One moment!’ The sun was blaring through the open window, confirming that she had overslept. Pulling the sheet from the bed, she threw it over the cage to hide the fact that it was empty. She then yanked the first dress she reached from its hanger and wrestled it on.
‘Are you all right?’ Hodge called through the closed door.
She swished some vinegar and mint in her mouth and spat it into the basin. ‘Just putting on my shoes!’ After stepping into some boots, a few frantic moments of hair brushing ensued before she ran to open the door.
‘Good morning, my lord,’ she said breezily. Her chest was rising and falling harder than it ought to. ‘You are up bright and early.’
He frowned as he offered her his arm. ‘I am up at the same time every day.’ His gaze drifted past her. ‘Why is the cage covered?’
She grabbed her cloak from the hook and swung it around her shoulders while pulling the door shut behind her. ‘Margery is still sleeping.’
‘Sign of a bird that is too well fed. If she were out in the wild, she would be up hunting at first light.’
It was as though he had forgotten that he was the reason she was locked up.
Isabel took his arm and led him away from the door. ‘Did I hear that there are Chadorian defenders arriving this afternoon?’ That was her attempt at changing the subject.
Hodge placed his hand over hers, then, feeling her scars, withdrew it again. ‘Commander Tatum and his unit. Defenders are notorious for their tracking skills. Imagine the progress we could make with an army of men like that. They would weed out the ruffians in no time.’
It was a sore point for Hodge that two main groups remained at large.
‘Is that why they are coming?’ she asked.
‘I suspect King Becket wants to get a handle on the situation first.’ They headed down the steps at the end of the corridor that led outside. ‘But do not worry. He will be most impressed with the progress we have made.’
They reached the gravel pathway that circled around the castle.
‘Is it necessary to find these groups?’ she asked. ‘Are they causing problems?’
‘Absolutely necessary.’
She drew her cloak tighter around her as the cold hit. ‘Why? Are they stealing from the camps? Terrorising villages, perhaps?’
One corner of his mouth lifted. ‘My beloved, there are no “villages” in the wastelands. There are only those living safely in the camps, contributing to our efforts, and those who evade us.’
She looked up at him. ‘If that is true, then surely you can understand the reason for their evasion. You know, I think you will find that if you simply let them be, most would eventually return to their previous village or settle somewhere new.’
‘The people of Carmarthenshire have proven themselves dangerous, untrustworthy, and incapable of making good decisions.’
That stung. ‘Perhaps you forget that I grew up in Llanelieu, in the heart of the region.’
‘I forget nothing. You are lucky we got you out before King Edward withdrew his troops. That is when things got truly bad. Your family was one of the lucky few. If it were not for our generosity, you would all be either dead or living in a camp by now.’
