Knowing Yourself - A Medieval Romance

Chapter 13

Chapter 13  

Kay cantered down the road from the chapel through the brilliant morning sunshine, her heart soaring, her skin glowing, the dewy trail leading her back to her keep, her home. Today would be the day. Today they would gently ask Galeron to leave, and she could admit the truth to Reese, could leave behind all the curtains and hiding. She would hold nothing back and give herself to him fully.

A shadow seemed to drift across the sun, and she shook off the cold chill. She glanced over her shoulder at the chapel, a long sigh escaping her. She would have to give that up. She knew Reese’s feelings about sword fighting. She adored the exercise, the feeling of control – but all of that paled before her love of Serenor and her feelings for Reese. She could make that sacrifice.

The gates of the main wall moved over her head. She pulled into the bailey as if she were floating, handing the reins off to Stephen with a wide smile, moving with light feet up the main steps, over to the long spiral. It seemed only seconds before she was stepping through the ornate oak door, coming up to stand before Em, her heart pounding in excitement.

But … Em was not smiling. Her face was somber, her eyes holding Kay’s with concern.

“What is it?” cried out Kay in alarm, her eyes dropping immediately to Em’s round belly. “Is something wrong with the baby?”

Em shook her head slowly, taking a step forward.

“Kay, it is Reese. He came by to see me earlier, while you were at the chapel practicing.”

“What, alone? Why would he do that?”

Em took in a deep breath, then let it out again. “He has withdrawn his name. He is no longer interested in being Lord of Serenor.”

Kay felt as if she had been punched in the stomach, and she nearly doubled over with the pain. Em came to her side immediately, supporting her, and it was several moments before Kay could catch her breath to speak.

“Where is he?” she gasped out in shock, her mind frantic. He could not leave, could not abandon her.

“Stephen sent word that he has left the keep,” explained Em sadly. “I am so sorry, Kay. I wish -”

Kay did not hear the rest of her sentence. She was running, tumbling, racing down the stairs as fast as she could go, taking them two at a time, her breath coming in great heaves. She could not lose him, not now.

Her horse was just being led into his stall as she raced into the stables. Stephen took one look at her face and spun the steed in place, bringing him back out as Kay slipped the bridle over his head, setting the bit in place. In a few moments the horse was resaddled and she was vaulting on top of him, pulling hard on the reins, wheeling him out of the doorway and thundering through the main gates.

Her horse flew across the road at a gallop, and she urged him harder, leaning low over his mane, craving every last ounce of speed, every extra second to get to Reese before he vanished, before he disappeared from her life, left her alone, alone …

She rode up over the crest of the hill, and suddenly a grateful relief washed over her. There he was, far ahead, his horse cantering along the road with steady rhythm. She dug in her calves, and they were flying, soaring, racing down toward Reese as if nothing else mattered in the world, as if her reaching his side was the only thought that existed.

Reese spun as she drew near, standing up in his stirrups, pulling into a halt. By the time she wrenched her reins to a skidding, spinning stop near him, his face was tight with anger.

“What in God’s teeth are you thinking, riding like that?” he shot out, pulling alongside her with a snap of his reins. “You could have been killed!”