Foremost (The Lost Princesses Book 2) Read online

  “We have to return to the caves.” I broke from Edmund and began to scramble up the hill.

  “The cougar won’t come back today.”

  My heartbeat drummed at double speed. “Someone is here and saw me upon the rock.”

  The rapid crunch of gravel behind me told me Edmund sensed the urgency of our situation. “What direction?”

  “To the southeast. Down near the ravine.”

  “How many did you see?”

  “Just one. But there could be others in hiding.”

  “Was it a soldier?”

  “He was wearing a black cloak.” I grasped a rock ahead for leverage, and my fingers trembled within my mittens. Everyone knew King Ethelwulf’s elite guard wore black. And if the figure belonged to the king’s specially trained soldiers, then we weren’t safe. Not in the least.

  Chapter

  2

  Edmund

  “We need to get the women into hiding,” I called to Wade as I entered the enclosed forge.

  In front of his anvil, Wade’s hammer froze in midair. The light from the blazing charcoal stove broke the darkness of the windowless cave and made the sweat on his face and bald head shine. The room was warm even in the depths of winter and caused my frozen fingers and toes to tingle with the thawing they needed.

  As a former elite guard during the days of King Francis’s reign, Wade had been one of the fittest, strongest, and fiercest warriors in all of Mercia. His bulky frame hadn’t changed much over the years. He was still nearly as strong and well-built as the day he’d pulled me out from behind the barrel where my father had shoved me on the way to our execution.

  “We have no time to waste.” I grabbed my sword from the ladder-like hooks on the wall where we kept the weapons we’d forged.

  If my order regarding hiding the women was shocking, my willing retrieval of my sword must have been even more so, for Wade took a step back from the anvil. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on, lad?”

  Although I had to disclose the truth sooner rather than later, I hesitated. I never liked disappointing Wade. But what was done couldn’t be undone, no matter how I might wish it. “During our excursion, Maribel spotted a man in a black cloak.”

  Wade’s glistening muscles visibly tensed. “Please assure me you didn’t let him see the two of you.”

  I wanted to drop my head in disgrace, but I refrained. I wasn’t a little boy anymore, even if I had broken all the rules today. The truth was it was getting harder for me to say no to anything Maribel asked of me. And this wasn’t the first time I’d gone along with her schemes and taken risks in being seen.

  Sensing my unspoken answer, Wade tossed his hammer down with a clatter and strode to the sword rack. “I hope you at least covered your tracks.”

  I twisted my sword aimlessly. “I was in a hurry to get Maribel back.”

  He stopped short, and his dark, bushy brows came together in a glare—a glare I’d oft earned over the years. He couldn’t fault himself that I hadn’t become the warrior he’d expected. He’d tried hard to train me as he’d once been trained. But I hadn’t been able to physically accomplish the feats or endure the rigors required of an elite guard.

  While I was grateful for the many skills Wade had given me, I’d long since realized my strengths were different from his. I felt no shame in the man I’d become. And I think Wade mostly accepted me for who I was now too.

  But there were times, like now, when I knew he wished I was more like him.

  With a shake of his head, he quickly donned his chain mail and then his belt, all the while muttering under his breath. “Well, don’t just stand there,” he barked at me finally. “Arm yourself.”

  I did as he said and within minutes was prepared to fight. The two of us together would be able to hold off any invaders for a short while, at least until the women had sufficient time to hide.

  Our weapons clanked against our chain mail as we ducked into the main tunnel that connected the various areas of the convent. Torchlight down the corridor revealed Maribel already going from room to room and whispering instructions for the nuns to follow her.

  “Oh, Edmund.” Colette glided away from the others and approached me, her sweet face puckered with worry. “Maribel said we may have an unwanted visitor and that we need to take precautions and hide.”

  “Until we know we’re safe.” My gaze strayed to Maribel. She’d tossed back her hood, revealing the silky blond hair she always wore in a single plait down her back. I dreaded the day she would cut it all off, not just because she would shear her beautiful hair as was required of nuns but because she would be cut off to me forever.

  The day she took her vows was the day I would lose her. Never again would I be able to spend time alone with her or talk to her or go on outings like we had today. Never again would I get to make her laugh or make her happy.

  Maribel slipped her arm around the stooped back of the oldest nun, Sister Margaret, and gently led her. As she turned to hand the torch to the nun following them, I glimpsed her heart-shaped face, her cheeks pink from the cold mountain air, her blue eyes so bright, and her perfect lips uttering whispered words of encouragement.

  There were times when I couldn’t seem to get enough of her, when her loveliness seized my heart into a tight grip and wouldn’t let go.

  Colette wrapped her arm through mine, gaining my attention once more. “I want to stay with you, Edmund.” She peered up at me with a trust and devotion I wasn’t sure I deserved. “Please, I would feel much safer with you.”

  Wade snorted and strode ahead, leaving me behind with Colette. I loved Colette like a sister, but sometimes—especially in recent months—I’d found myself irritated by her growing clinginess. Like now.

  I pried her arm out of mine. For a young woman as short and petite as her, she had surprising strength and didn’t release me easily. “If Wade and I have to fight off any intruders, you’ll be safer in the hidden caverns.”

  Her eyes widened. “Do you think we shall have fighting?”

  I bit back a groan. I shouldn’t have mentioned the possibility. Now Colette would be even more frightened. “Go on.” I maneuvered her toward the sisters. “You must stay with the women.”

  She reluctantly joined the others but cast a furtive glance over her shoulder at me. I nodded at her in encouragement, and thankfully she continued on her way. Her appearance and bearing couldn’t have been more different than Maribel’s. The two were as dissimilar as an eagle and a mouse. Nevertheless, their friendship had always been strong, mostly because Maribel was easy to be with.

  I gave myself one last look at Maribel before sprinting the opposite way. When I caught up with Wade, he was already at the cave entrance.

  He raised a brow at me. “You should just ask that poor girl to marry you and put her out of her misery.”

  The comment, though slung in jest, threw me off guard. “Marry her?”

  “Aye, you’re old enough to get married now.”

  I couldn’t think of a response. As one of the king’s elite warriors, Wade had never considered marrying, having pledged celibacy. I’d assumed he’d expected the same of me.

  “You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.” He hefted the stone doorway and rolled it slightly open.

  Had I considered it? I suppose in some part of my mind I’d harbored hope she’d decide not to take her vows, that we could stay as we were, that I wouldn’t lose her. I’d even contemplated the possibility that I’d take care of her and protect her. But marry her? I shook my head. She’d never agree to it.

  Would she?

  My heart gave an extra thump at the thought. “Do you think she’d want to marry me?”

  Wade snorted again. “Of course she would. She can never do anything without coming to you first.”

  Now it was my turn to snort. “Maribel? Hardly. She’s got a mind of her own.”

  Wade paused in his effort to open the door and studied my face. “I wasn’t referring to Mari
bel. I was talking about Colette.”

  “Oh.” Under Wade’s scrutiny, I felt myself grow warm. To hide my embarrassment, I dropped my shoulder against the stone door and added my muscles to his effort. Within seconds, the door slid open, and frigid mountain air engulfed us.

  Thankfully, Wade’s attention shifted to the landscape. He was too alert to the danger in our situation to say anything more about my marriage prospects. He scrutinized every detail of the crags surrounding the entrance. The large boulders rose out of the ground all around, making the area difficult to traverse. Wade motioned to me. “You scout the east side, and I’ll scout the west.”

  I nodded and then followed Wade’s lead, crouching low and darting behind the nearest boulder. We split ways, and I scurried behind outcroppings, attempting to assess whether King Ethelwulf’s men had pursued our trail up the mountain. I earnestly prayed they hadn’t, but I also realized the king had Fera Agmen working for him training wolves and dogs to sniff just about any scent. If he’d sent such animals, they’d soon discover our whereabouts.

  As I moved along the ridge, I considered calling Sheba. I’d sent her away once Maribel and I had reached the convent. I could use her as my eyes to scout from the sky. And as a loyal and true friend, she’d willingly do just about anything I asked of her. But I hesitated, not sure I wanted to put her in harm’s way.

  From the opposite rim of our mountain home, Wade motioned in the warrior sign language he’d taught me. His message was clear: he’d spotted someone. But only one person.

  We both sat silently in the cold, waiting, attempting to gauge if our visitor was truly alone or only the forefront of a much larger contingent.

  Finally, Wade signed again, this time conveying that the person had given the secret hand signal for St. Anne’s.

  St. Anne’s?

  Of course Wade would know the signal. King Francis’s elite guards had been trained in more than just fighting. They’d memorized maps, routes, secret hideaways, tunnels, and anything that could be useful in the defense of king and country. In addition to the elite guards, the only other people who knew the secret hand signal for St. Anne’s Convent were nuns who’d once lived there before moving to the Highland caves and calling it the Highland Convent.

  It could be a trick, I signed back to Wade.

  He nodded, knowing better than I did the deceits involved in warfare. King Ethelwulf could have learned the secret gesture from one of the nuns he’d captured and tortured in his efforts to track down all his enemies—namely the lost princesses of the former king.

  When King Ethelwulf of Warwick had attacked Mercia, he’d enlisted the aid of the fierce, seafaring Danes and the stealthy, lethal Saracens. With his army of mercenaries, he’d been unbeatable. He’d surrounded the royal coastal fortress at Delsworth, and within weeks he’d penetrated the walls.

  During the battle, Queen Dierdal had died after giving birth to twin babies, and King Francis had succumbed to mortal wounds. Without the king to lead, the fortress had fallen within hours.

  Tales abounded regarding what had become of not only the twin babies but also the crown princess, who’d been two or three years of age at the time. Some said King Ethelwulf had already found the heirs and had put them to death to eliminate any competition for Mercia’s throne. Others speculated the princesses had been smuggled to safety in lands far away. And still some believed the princesses were hidden here in Mercia.

  Six months ago, when Wade had returned from his most recent trip into town, he’d brought back news of the oldest princess—how she was alive and safe in Norland, the kingdom to the north of Mercia. Apparently, rumors were circulating regarding the possibility she was forming an army of rebels over the border and was planning an attack on King Ethelwulf in the spring or summer.

  I’d expected Wade to scoff at or dismiss the rumors. He was always so rational. But to my surprise, he’d exuded an excitement I’d seldom seen him display. I’d even begun to wonder if he might leave and attempt to find the so-called rebel army. Although he’d never admitted his desire for ousting King Ethelwulf, I knew it was one of his greatest wishes. So when he’d lingered at Highland Convent with no mention of departing, I’d been surprised again.

  Wade cautiously peeked over the top of his hiding spot before ducking and signing. Watch my back. Then he slipped around the boulder and began the descent toward the lone figure.

  I unsheathed my dagger. While I wasn’t nearly as skilled as Wade, I could still hit a target several dozen paces away. Wade had made sure of that. He’d drilled me until I could do it without thinking.

  Surveying the barren land once again, I searched for anything unusual, any sign of movement, any spot of color out of place. From all appearances, the cloaked figure was alone.

  With a sixth sense I’d honed over the years, I attempted to gauge the presence of any animals in the area other than Sheba, any I’d trained that I could call upon for help. In the cold depths of winter, most creatures still hibernated, although it wouldn’t be long before hunger drove them out of their warm dens.

  If in a bind, I could call Barnabas. The young gray wolf was loyal to me since I’d trained him from birth, even more so since I’d rescued one of his pups from a ravine last autumn.

  I remained tense and alert, my weapons at the ready. Wade approached the intruder cautiously, his sword in one hand and his mace in the other. When he was only six paces away, the person tossed off the hood of his cloak.

  I shuffled back a step at the sight that met us. It wasn’t a man. Rather it was an old woman with a hunched back and deformed face. Her hair—at least what was left of it—was pure white and grew in strange patches on her scalp. The curves of her face were splotched with pink skin that stretched taut.

  Wade didn’t lower his weapons but instead sniffed the air and seemed to test for the presence of other invaders.

  The old woman spoke to him, but I couldn’t hear what she said. After a moment of conversation, Wade nodded and started back toward the convent, the woman following behind with slow, awkward steps as though walking presented the greatest of challenges.

  Wade signed for me to stay on guard outside.

  I nodded my reply, but couldn’t keep from wondering who the old woman was and why Wade was allowing her into our convent. After seventeen years without seeing anyone except the people here who’d become my family, I was unsettled by the prospect of a visitor, even if she was only an old woman.

  When they disappeared into the tall stones leading to the caves, I released a puff of breath.

  I didn’t want things to change. I preferred to go on living with Maribel the way we always had in the simplicity of our lives, without interference from the outside world. But I had the premonition our small corner of Mercia was about to be shaken and things would never be the same again.

  Chapter

  3

  Maribel

  I crushed the white willow bark and cat’s claw with the pestle and mortar. The tangy scent filled the apothecary around me.

  “Maribel,” came Colette’s short-winded voice from the doorway. “I should have realized you’d be here.”

  I didn’t have to see her face to know she was excited. She’d been fairly humming with anticipation from the moment word had reached us in the hidden caves that we could come out, that our visitor was Sister Katherine, a nun who had once served with Sister Agnes at St. Cuthbert’s in the Iron Hills.

  Dear Sister Agnes had always spoken fondly of the nun but had indicated Sister Katherine died after being captured by King Ethelwulf. The king had imprisoned and tortured many sisters during those early days of his reign, as he’d heard rumors the nuns had helped the lost princesses escape from Mercia.

  Apparently, Sister Katherine had indeed been within the king’s clutches and subjected to his brutal torture. Though I had yet to meet her, a few of the nuns who had already seen her were whispering about her battered condition.

  Wade hadn’t wanted to allow Sister Katherine i
nto the convent until he was certain she hadn’t been followed. But the abbess had taken one look at Sister Katherine, had broken down weeping, and had insisted her old friend be brought into the refuge of our cave home.

  The abbess and Sister Katherine had been closeted away in the abbess’s room for the past hour, and no one else had been allowed in.

  “All of the hustle and hiding has exacerbated Sister Margaret’s back pain.” I ground the two herbs into small particles that I could brew into tea for the older nun.

  “You will have to finish later,” Colette responded. “The Reverend Mother has asked for you specifically to come to her room.”

  My hands stilled, and my attention snapped to Colette. The light from the wall sconces reflected off her delicate features, outlining her luminous eyes and her anticipation. “Did she say why?”

  “No. I was hoping you might have a clue why you’ve been summoned.”

  “Perhaps to assess Sister Katherine’s physical well-being and administer any treatments that might help her?”

  Colette’s shoulders fell just slightly. Clearly, my practical answer disappointed her. I suspected my summoning had more to do with being the first to spot Sister Katherine. Even though my recklessness hadn’t caused disaster, I was sure to be chastised, if not punished, for giving away the location of our convent.

  I pushed aside the pestle and mortar on my worktable and straightened, careful to avoid bumping the bunches of herbs strung on twine similar to a laundry line. The combination of sage, mint, anise, and chamomile gave the room a homey, comforting appeal.

  The apothecary was the closest space to a home I’d ever known since it was where I spent most of my time. Wade had built shelves, which lined one wall of the cave. They were filled with meticulously labeled clay canisters and vials of remedies Sister Agnes had created as well as some of my own medicinal experiments.

  On the opposite wall, Wade had fashioned a stove for heating and distilling various concoctions, syrups, and tinctures. The rear of the room contained a raised pallet and a small shelf lined with surgical tools, bowls for bleeding, leeches in a jar, and an assortment of other equipment I used when performing surgeries or medical procedures.