Serial Story: Under His Wing, Part 13
This story is presented weekly in draft (unedited) form. Enjoy!
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 |
Dunning Manor, Book 1
Under His Wing
Part 13
Thomas hesitated just long enough that he could hear Katie’s footsteps behind him on the stairs before continuing to the bottom. He hoped she wouldn’t press him for details, because he had no intention of telling her the final requirement to earn his freedom. He’d made that mistake a several times in the beginning, and each time what felt all too real had turned out to be cruel tricks that resulted dashed hopes and painful consequences.
In the last case, it had cost a woman her life.
After that, he’d vowed to remain a ward of the castle for eternity, or until the Dunning brothers finally broke their curse. He would not willingly see another woman suffer on his behalf.
“It must have been bad,” Katie commented as she joined him in the hall. He peered down into her insightful gaze and raised a questioning eyebrow.
“What’s that?”
She didn’t buy his innocent act, he knew. But perhaps if he parried enough, she’d grow tired of the game.
She shook her head, disappointment in her eyes. “Whatever happened the last time you tried to complete the second part of your penance.” She stepped closer, raising a hand cup the side of his face. “You think you can hide it behind that stone facade of yours, but the pain and fear are etched into those little lines beside your eyes.”
He moved away, her gentle caress too exquisite to bear. She let him, cocking her head to the side - a gesture he found far too endearing.
“If you won’t tell me the requirement, at least tell me what happened. If there’s a chance it could happen to me, I think I deserve to know.”
Thomas shook his head and looked her in the eyes. “You will not be affected by the curse beyond the assistance you require. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some preparations to make in advance of tomorrow evening. You can find your way back to your room, I trust?”
Katie nodded. “Go ahead. I promise I won’t get lost.”
She turned and walked away in the opposite direction from her quarters. He almost stopped her, but Zariah appeared from a doorway further down the hall and nodded to him. She’d make sure Katie found her way.
He went down to the main floor and through the kitchen to the basement stairs, and descended into the dungeons. The stone and iron cells hadn’t housed prisoners for centuries, but served instead as storage for clothing, tools and weaponry collected throughout the years. Thomas wasn’t sure where it all came from, and Zariah wouldn’t say, but occasionally he availed himself of a modern tool or weapon to dispatch an enemy.
This time, however, he made his way to the very last cell in the row. Stepping inside, he found the items he needed and carried the lot upstairs to his temporary quarters. By this time tomorrow, the requirements for assistance would be met, and he would escort Katie to her home.
Then the battle would begin.
Enjoy
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 |
Dunning Manor, Book 1
Under His Wing
Part 13
Thomas hesitated just long enough that he could hear Katie’s footsteps behind him on the stairs before continuing to the bottom. He hoped she wouldn’t press him for details, because he had no intention of telling her the final requirement to earn his freedom. He’d made that mistake a several times in the beginning, and each time what felt all too real had turned out to be cruel tricks that resulted dashed hopes and painful consequences.
In the last case, it had cost a woman her life.
After that, he’d vowed to remain a ward of the castle for eternity, or until the Dunning brothers finally broke their curse. He would not willingly see another woman suffer on his behalf.
“It must have been bad,” Katie commented as she joined him in the hall. He peered down into her insightful gaze and raised a questioning eyebrow.
“What’s that?”
She didn’t buy his innocent act, he knew. But perhaps if he parried enough, she’d grow tired of the game.
She shook her head, disappointment in her eyes. “Whatever happened the last time you tried to complete the second part of your penance.” She stepped closer, raising a hand cup the side of his face. “You think you can hide it behind that stone facade of yours, but the pain and fear are etched into those little lines beside your eyes.”
He moved away, her gentle caress too exquisite to bear. She let him, cocking her head to the side - a gesture he found far too endearing.
“If you won’t tell me the requirement, at least tell me what happened. If there’s a chance it could happen to me, I think I deserve to know.”
Thomas shook his head and looked her in the eyes. “You will not be affected by the curse beyond the assistance you require. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some preparations to make in advance of tomorrow evening. You can find your way back to your room, I trust?”
Katie nodded. “Go ahead. I promise I won’t get lost.”
She turned and walked away in the opposite direction from her quarters. He almost stopped her, but Zariah appeared from a doorway further down the hall and nodded to him. She’d make sure Katie found her way.
He went down to the main floor and through the kitchen to the basement stairs, and descended into the dungeons. The stone and iron cells hadn’t housed prisoners for centuries, but served instead as storage for clothing, tools and weaponry collected throughout the years. Thomas wasn’t sure where it all came from, and Zariah wouldn’t say, but occasionally he availed himself of a modern tool or weapon to dispatch an enemy.
This time, however, he made his way to the very last cell in the row. Stepping inside, he found the items he needed and carried the lot upstairs to his temporary quarters. By this time tomorrow, the requirements for assistance would be met, and he would escort Katie to her home.
Then the battle would begin.
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