The Lady Katherine Chronicles, Number 18
Lady Katherine And The Ruthless Ritual
By Sazzy
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Codes: |
uber J/7 |
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Rating : |
NC-17 |
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Setting: |
July 1192, |
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Thanks: |
MercyCroft, Solise and MF for beta reading this for me :) |
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Disclaimer: |
This is a work of fan fiction but uses characters that bear a striking resemblance to those that are copyright of Paramount Pictures. No infringement on their copyright is intended by the author in any way, shape or form - this is just a bit of fun. This story includes an all female relationship, so if you don’t like that then look away now. |
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The scream was raw as it ripped from Katherine’s throat. Her heart broke into a thousand tiny pieces as she helplessly watched Anne’s body floating face-down on the river, disappearing into the distance. Katherine pulled futilely at those restraining her as her hysterical cries continued. Her tears were slipping relentlessly down her cheeks and into her open mouth.
“Oh, do be quiet!”
The slap across her face was so hard that she would have fallen down if the strong arms weren’t still gripping her tightly.
Katherine stared balefully back at Kirby. “Murderer!” The word rasped from her lips, mingling with snot, tears and fresh blood
Kirby merely laughed at the accusation, looking to the men behind Katherine. “You can let her go now,” he instructed them.
They flung her to the ground and Katherine didn’t wait a second. She was quickly up on her feet and running for the side of the boat, intending to leap in after Anne, hoping against all hope that she could do something if only she could get to her. She had almost made it when she felt the hand grabbing her collar. She was nearly garrotted by her own clothes as she came to an abrupt halt before being hauled backwards and hurled onto the deck once more.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” demanded Kirby, standing over her.
“I’m going after her,” cried Katherine obstinately. She was back up on her feet and trying for the side again.
Once again Kirby tackled her, attempting to grab onto her flailing arms. “You’re bloody crazy,” he said as she battered at him, “You can’t do anything for her now, even if you didn’t drown yourself in the process.”
“No, I don’t believe you!” screamed Katherine, all reason gone now. She was a whirling, fighting mass of pain and fury. She had to get over the side; she had to get to Anne.
Kirby continued to wrestle with the obdurate woman. “Stop, for god’s sake!”
“I will not!”
“Fine!”
Katherine had a moment to see Kirby’s fist before it hit her in the side of the head and then everything was black.
……………..
Anne’s first conscious thought was to note that there was water lapping against her cheek, slapping coolly against it with each wave. Her second was to wonder how come she was still alive.
Groggily her eyes struggled open, but she found it hard to focus, everything seeming to be a white blur above her. She blinked a few times but it didn’t help so she closed her eyes again, and tried to recall what had happened to lead her to be lying on her back in the shallows. The last thing she remembered was Kirby pushing her off the boat after he had stabbed her. Yet she couldn’t seem to feel any kind of injury. In fact she couldn’t feel much at all. It was as if her whole body was numb. She knew there should be pain, and lots of it; if she was alive.
“You are not dead.”
Anne’s eyes flicked back open at the sound of the woman’s
voice. Her head had lolled to the side, so
all she could see was a pair of bare feet, the water from the river washing
over them. Anne turned her head up, the
sky still a hazy white behind the figure.
She had to squint to make the person out, finally seeing a strangely
familiar face staring back at her. The
last time she had seen it was in the water at
“Who are you?” asked Anne.
“You do not know my name?”
“Would I ask if I did?”
“I suppose not,” conceded the other woman, “I am Axia.”
The name stirred something in the back of Anne’s mind, but she couldn’t quite grab the tentative strands of memory. “Have we met before?”
“In a manner of speaking, but there will be time for explanations later. My time is short and I needed to tell you to ask for me.”
Anne was confused. “Ask for you? When? Where?”
“You will know, just hang on, help is coming.”
The woman’s form started to blur around the edges as if she was blending into the starkly bright background.
Anne tried to reach out but found herself unable to move from her prone position. “Wait!”
The woman had almost disappeared now, her final words whispering to Anne’s ears. “Just…hang…on…”
As the last word reached her the light all around flared, forcing Anne to shut her eyes. For a moment there was calm and then suddenly searing, biting pain flared in Anne’s stomach. She screamed. She tried to put her hands over it, to somehow contain the pain, but her right arm wouldn’t move. A throbbing in that was barely detectable over the overriding anguish. Tears slipped out between her clenched eyelids as she fought to breathe. It was so hard, just forcing out one breath after another. She couldn’t move, all she could do was lie there and wait to die.
Images of her life started to flash randomly through her
mind – her childhood…her parents…dark figures looming in a shrine…Anne cried
out again. Futile, gasping cries. Still the pictures came –
“Katherine…forgive me…” The words were to no one but herself.
She could hear the nearing of the death rattle in her breaths. She tried to concentrate on the sound of each one, anything to keep from fading away to nothingness. It took a moment for her to hear the other sound over the top of them. It was a splashing noise and it was getting closer. Then suddenly there were hands upon her.
“Anne! Oh my god! Anne, wake up!”
Somehow Anne managed to summon the strength to open her eyes. Kneeling next to her was Henry, his young face creased in a mask of shock and concern.
“Yes, that’s it!” he cried on seeing she was still alive. However, he seemed at a loss as what to do next. She could see him glancing down at her body and then back at her face his expression growing ever more desperate. “All right…you just hang on…I’ve got a horse…”
Anne couldn’t reply. She couldn’t even muster a nod. As her vision began to dim she hoped his horse was close by.
……….
Katherine swam up into consciousness. For a moment she forgot where she was and what had happened, just noting that she was lying on a forest floor near a fire. Then her memories came crashing back in and she wished she hadn’t woken at all.
“Ah, sleeping beauty awakes.” The voice came from above, Katherine raising her head to see Charles Kirby hovering.
Katherine hauled herself into a sitting position, and rubbed at her sore eyes. The skin around them was raw, though her tears had finally dried up. That had probably been some time shortly after Kirby had knocked her unconscious back on the boat. She supposed that was probably wise of him, else she might have killed him with her bare hands or at least given it a good go. As he waited now, she didn’t deign to reply to the man she hated more than anyone she had ever met. Instead she glanced around her, able to see the other men in Kirby’s party close by, sitting round the camp fire eating and drinking.
“It’s the strong and silent treatment is it?” asked Kirby when nothing was forthcoming from Katherine.
Katherine’s eyes fixed on him in a look of utter loathing. Her hate was all she had left to give; all her other emotions had shrivelled up and died in the emptiness of her soul.
Kirby actually looked uncomfortable under the penetrating, accusing gaze, shifting uneasily on his feet. Nervously clearing his throat he offered her a bowl of food. “This is for you.”
Katherine immediately swatted it from his outstretched hand. The bowl thumped into the forest floor and spilt its content. “I don’t want your food.” Her voice was low and deadly, mirroring the look in her eyes.
“Fine, starve then.” Kirby moved away a short distance but close enough to keep a watchful eye on her.
Katherine considered trying to goad him further; perhaps then he might hit her. If she was lucky it might be hard enough to knock her out again. She couldn’t even be bothered to do that though, instead slipping back onto the ground and pulling her legs up towards her chest to try and ward off the numbing icy chill that was sweeping through her.
……..
There were voices. Anne could hear voices. They were muffled and indistinct. She strained to hear them, finally recognising the stern tones of Tobias. She wasn’t dead yet then, she surmised, unless this was some sort of hell. The other voice was that of Pierre, the French nobleman whose hospitality and help they had recently made use of. Anne caught the end of his latest sentence.
“…we have parties out searching, but so far there is no word.”
“And has she said anything yet?” Anne guessed Tobias was talking about her.
“No, she has been unconscious since your man brought her
here.”
“No.”
Anne surprised herself and the two men with her obstinate
word. They turned to see that she had
opened her eyes and was staring back at them.
Beyond them, Anne could see through the window to the skyline of
Anne tried to speak but her mouth was too dry and all that came forth was a croaking whisper. Meanwhile, Anne could see Tobias standing behind the other man, looking stern as always. He caught her eye for a second, the look darkening momentarily. Anne wondered if he actually thought she might be the one to have betrayed Katherine. However, she had no strength to point out the ridiculousness of such a supposition at that moment in time.
“I am afraid there is nothing we can do apart from summon a priest to administer the last rights.”
“Keep your bloody priest!” said Anne with as much strength as she could muster. The outburst led to a bout of coughing that racked her already battered insides. “I don’t believe in your god anyway.”
Anne managed to move her one good arm to catch hold of his sleeve. “I need you to find someone, her name is Axia.”
“And where is this person?”
“I don’t know.” Anne closed her eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate her muddled thoughts. “Nearby. In the city.” She didn’t know how she knew, she just did.
“This is a waste of time!” interjected Tobias, “We should be out looking for Lady Katherine, not hunting down old friends for her to say goodbye to!”
Anne fixed him with the steeliest look she could muster. “Just…get…her…” Each word was forced out.
As he placed her hand back down and left the room, Anne sincerely hoped that he was wrong.
…………
Katherine shivered, not knowing if it was the outward chill or the one in her heart causing it. She supposed she could move closer to the fire now that evening had drawn in, but that would mean moving closer to Kirby and she wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Katherine had contemplated making a run for it, but deemed that pointless. For a start they would catch her within seconds and for another where would she run to? It wasn’t as if she had anywhere to be, anyone to be with.
She swallowed hard to stop the tears from coming again. During the long day she had resolved that there was only one purpose left in her life now. That was to stop Kirby and his Syndicate. If in doing that she could make him suffer then all the better. In the mean time she would play along, ensuring she remained alive long enough to see his downfall. After that she couldn’t care less what happened to her. She didn’t even want to think about the abyss of lonely time stretching beyond that. For now she would concentrate on her task and forget that such a thing as the future existed.
The sound of someone approaching thankfully saved her having to think about it any more. Kirby and his men rose, alert and weapons ready. Katherine watched from the edge of the camp as another hooded figure arrived. Obviously he was known to Kirby as the knight lowered his sword and directed his men to do the same. Kirby and the new arrival moved to the side of the camp, huddled in conversation. Katherine noted that whoever the man was, he was making a deliberate effort to keep his head turned away from her so she couldn’t see his face.
Intrigued, she started edging closer, close enough to hear their voices. Kirby’s was the first she heard.
“…I don’t know why you’ve gotten so squeamish now. You’ve earned your money.”
“You didn’t say you were going to hurt them!”
Katherine froze where she was. She knew the voice. Sickness welled in her stomach as she realised she had been betrayed by one of her own. That quickly turned into a burning rage. Her emotions were so raw she had little control on them at present. She leapt to her feet, running for the man. Surprised by the suddenness of her actions, no one could stop her reaching him and yanking back his hood. He recoiled now his face was revealed. The desperate eyes of her young knight Thomas turned to her.
“I’m sorry…”
“You bastard!” Katherine flew at him. She managed to rake her nails down his cheek before Kirby joined the fray and hauled her off the stunned knight.
Thomas clutched at his face, a couple of angry red welts now marring his skin. “I really am sorry, I didn’t know…”
“Shut up! Just shut up!” Katherine screamed. She didn’t want to hear his pathetic excuses. “How long have you been working for them?”
Thomas couldn’t hold her fierce gaze. He looked at the ground, the red of shame burning in his marked cheeks. Instead it was Kirby who answered for him.
“He’s been helping us out for months now, and very useful it’s been too.”
Katherine struggled in Kirby’s grasp, her anger still white hot. She couldn’t believe Thomas had done this. She had trusted him. It was almost worse than what Kirby had done. At least he had never pretended to be loyal to her. She could hear the smug satisfaction in Kirby’s voice as he continued.
“It seems everyone has their price.”
Shoving Katherine over to be restrained by one of the other soldiers, Kirby fished out a purse, throwing it at Thomas’ feet. The young man seemed reluctant to pick it up. He glanced once at Katherine who returned his look with one of pure venom. He quickly looked away again.
“Go on, you earned it,” said Kirby.
Thomas paused for a moment before quickly snatching it up. Now he had what he’d come for it appeared he didn’t want to stick around. Not daring to look at Katherine again he walked swiftly back the way he’d come.
“Enjoy your money while you can!” Katherine shouted after his fast retreating form, “Because when I next see you, I’ll kill you!”
She surprised herself with the fact that she meant it.
…………..
Anne didn’t know how long she had been unconscious for, but it was dark outside by the time she awoke. She supposed she should be thankful that by some miracle she was awake at all. There were candles lighting the room, flickering in the warm breeze that came through the window. She felt so tired and part of her wanted to just close her eyes again and drift off into the never-ending sleep. Yet the greater part of her knew she had to hang on. Somehow she had to get up off her bed and find Katherine, before it was too late. Instinctively she knew the other woman was still alive, but she didn’t want to bet on how long Kirby and his Syndicate would keep her that way.
The candle nearest the bed danced more rapidly, signalling
that the door had been opened. It took
no small effort for Anne to turn her head to the side to see who had
entered. Every tiny movement was
laboured and painful. Through the dim
light she saw that
It was strange to finally see her in the flesh. Yet she was no less serenely beautiful than when Anne had seen the visions of her before. Her brown eyes held great sadness as they surveyed Anne’s battered body, lying impotently on the bed. She turned to the guard who had escorted her in. “Can you leave us alone?”
He simply nodded and departed. The intense brown eyes now turned downwards. “Hello, Anne.”
It took a moment for Anne to find her own voice. “You are real, then, I thought perhaps I was going mad.”
A tiny smile flickered at Axia’s lips. “Yes, I am very real.” The other woman’s voice was accented like
“Who are you?”
Axia smiled again. Somehow it was reassuring. “In a moment. First we must fix this.”
Anne gave a rueful laugh and then wished she hadn’t. The hacking coughs hurt more and more each time. “Good luck!”
Axia didn’t say anything further. Instead she closed her eyes, put her hands together at her lips and started muttering something to herself. Anne strained to make out the words, just catching a few pagan terms. Suddenly Axia’s eyes flicked back open, sweeping round the room. They halted when they reached a table in the corner and a fresh smile edged across her face. She went over to pick something up off it, Anne only able to see what when she came back into the young woman’s limited field of vision. Axia held up a small statuette.
“Dianecht, the god of healing,” she stated, “It is good you have this, it may make this easier.”
“Katherine bought it for me.”
There was a stab of pain in Anne’s chest as she spoke Katherine’s name out loud. Anne recognised it as the anxiety of separation and uncertainty. At the same time, Anne was surprised to see something flicker across Axia’s face at the mention of the other woman’s name. It was gone just as quickly, but there had definitely been a reaction.
Axia reverentially placed the small carving by the bedside, before resuming her chanting, slipping into a trance-like state. The words were soothing to Anne, forming a sort of lullaby. She felt calm, relaxed. She barely noticed when Axia placed her hands on her stomach. What she did feel was the warmth spreading through her whole body. Suddenly she felt suffused with energy. Anne closed her eyes, letting the sensation wash over her. It was so intense that she couldn’t help tipping her head back and gasping. It was almost orgasmic.
Then suddenly it was gone. Anne felt a small pang of disappointment. She opened her eyes to see that Axia was resting against the bed, breathing hard. Looking down at her own body, Anne was amazed to find that her flesh had been knitted back together, smooth skin now visible through the gaping hole in her shirt. The only trace of her wound was the blood that discoloured the material.
Tentatively Anne tried to sit up, unsure of her body. Yet it willingly obliged. Once in a sitting position she looked to her right arm, finding the gash on that had disappeared too. She stroked the skin, not quite believing it.
“Did you think you were the only one with special powers?”
Anne’s eyes shot to Axia who looked like she was about to fall down. Anne knew how much energy it took to heal someone, she had done it herself in the past. “You are like me?”
“Yes, nature speaks to me too.”
“And this feeling I have, that we’ve met before?”
Axia smiled. “This is the first time that we have met in the physical sense, but you are correct, we have met before, on the spirit plane.”
Anne drew in a breath. The spirit plane was somewhere she had visited as a child and a few times more recently. It was beyond normal consciousness yet permeated the fabric of the world, like a parallel world beyond the reach of those without the ability to sense it. “Then how come I can’t really remember?”
“It was during the period when you were trying to deny your powers. Though you may have been able to suppress them while awake, your unconscious mind still sought to harness them and be free.”
Anne wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. From the time her parents had died when she was eleven until only recently she had tried to pretend that she wasn’t any different to anyone else. However, it seemed her own mind had been disobeying her wishes.
“Though your subconscious visits ceased around springtime last year,” added Axia.
Anne knew it could be no coincidence that was when she had met Katherine. Had her mind stopped seeking something else beyond her senses once she had found what she was looking for in the real world instead?
“You cannot deny who you are.”
Anne felt a gentle hand touching her, seeing that Axia was now sitting beside her on the bed. Anne withdrew her arm, becoming ever wary of the conversation.
“I gave up my abilities though, so how come you were still able to communicate with me?”
“Still trying to pretend they aren’t there?” questioned Axia with a small shake of the head. “We both know your powers have been returning gradually returning the past few months. They will eventually be fully restored.”
Anne was stunned to get the confirmation of what she has suspected. “But how? I sacrificed them in order to live.”
“That’s not entirely true, is it?”
Anne looked to the other woman, seeing the doubting raised eyebrow. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The real reason you sacrificed them,” prompted Axia.
Anne held Axia’s gaze for a moment. How did she know so much?
“You sacrificed them for love.”
Anne felt the heat behind her cheeks. Not that she was embarrassed to admit that was exactly why she had given up so much; she just didn’t like someone else knowing such intimate things about her. She also got the oddest sense that Axia disapproved in some way.
“Either way I made a deal,” said Anne, “I gave them up and in return I got to live. As far as I know death isn’t usually generous when it comes to such things.”
“You are correct, there is a price.”
“Really? You surprise me,” said Anne sarcastically.
“But it was necessary,” continued Axia, “We needed you to have your abilities, there is a battle coming and you must be ready.”
“Yes, I know, with the Ares Syndicate,” Anne replied tersely. She was getting anxious to be on her way and dealing with that very problem now.
“No, not that battle, that is her battle.” Again the disapproving tone was there in Axia’s voice. “This is something you must face.”
“Bloody hell! You don’t believe in giving a girl a rest do you. So what’s this mysterious something and when’s it coming because it might have to wait until I can fit them in to my busy schedule of fighting cults, nobles and the like.”
“This task may not be for some time.”
“As in not in the next few days? Months?”
“It may be years.”
Anne sighed in exasperation. “So in the mean time I have to wait?”
“In the mean time you have to live,” corrected Axia, “And be careful.”
“That might be tricky!” Anne laughed ruefully. “In case you hadn’t noticed Katherine and I have a bit of a habit of getting into trouble.”
Anne felt a fresh wave of unease churning in her stomach as she mentioned Katherine again. It concentrated her thoughts on the fact that every moment she spent talking to Axia was wasted time when she could be out searching for her beloved.
“We had noticed.”
Now Anne knew she wasn’t imagining it. Axia didn’t like Katherine. Obviously they had never met, but something was going on there. She decided not to press for now, picking up with something else that was bothering her.
“Who is this mysterious “we” you keep referring to. Who else are you talking about? Other pagans? Others with special abilities?”
“I promise you will know everything in time. But you are not ready now, you have other priorities.”
“Yes, I do,” agreed Anne, having finally had enough of the evasive conversation, “And sitting round here talking isn’t getting me closer to them.”
Anne hopped off the bed, searching out some fresh clothes to replace the blood-stained ones. Luckily Henry had obviously found their belongings as well. She went to take off her shirt, but paused when she realised Axia was studying her intently. Anne wasn’t normally one to be bothered about privacy, but something in the gaze made her want to turn away and get undressed with her back to the other woman. Once in clean black clothes Anne headed for the door, only pausing to speak once she was on the threshold.
“By the way, what was the price?”
Axia gave her a bemused look.
“For regaining my powers, what did you have to relinquish?”
Axia paused and for a moment Anne thought she wasn’t going to answer. “Time,” she finally said.
“Time?” repeated Anne in confusion, “What time?”
Axia didn’t answer. Even worse her eyes drifted from their previous unwavering and intense regard of Anne.
“I said, what time?”
Still Axia didn’t speak. Anne’s nervousness was growing. Now she had to have an answer. She moved back across the room to be nearer the other woman. “What time?” she asked again.
“Time from your life.”
The answer had been so quiet Anne wasn’t sure she’d heard correctly. Axia was looking pensively at the ground. Anne grabbed her about the shoulders, jolting her from her study. “Look at me! What do you mean ‘time from my life’?”
Axia slowly met Anne’s stare. “Death had to be compensated in some way,” she said slowly, “So in return for your life and allowing you to regain your abilities we had to sacrifice some of your life energy.”
Anne could only look at Axia with a mixture of revulsion and anger.
“You will age twice as fast as a normal person,” added Axia in further explanation.
Anne let go of the other woman, taking a few steps backwards in shock.
Axia took the silence as indicating she needed to clarify things further. “For every year you live, you will actually age two.”
“So in ten elapsed years I will actually age twenty?” asked Anne incredulously. “In ten years time I’ll be the equivalent of forty-seven rather than thirty-seven?”
Anne couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She was on a fast track to another meeting with death.
“You had to have your powers back...”
“And I didn’t get a say in this?” exclaimed Anne, cutting Axia off. The other woman actually flinched at the harsh tone. “I can’t believe this!”
It was too much to take in right now on top of everything else. Anne couldn’t deal with it at this moment. So she decided not to. She simply turned on her heel and started heading for the door again.
“Anne, please…”
Axia made a grab for her arm to stall her. Anne quickly shook the hand off, rounding on Axia once more.
“Let go of me! What gives you the right to interfere in my life? I don’t even know you!”
“But you do…”
“Just stop it with your cryptic claptrap!” Anne made it to the door this time before delivering her last word on the matter. “Thank you for saving my life this time, but in the future just stay out of my mind and my life!”
……..
Anne was still fuming as she descended the stairs. It didn’t take her long to locate the others, the sounds of heated debate audible coming from the main hall. She stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Pierre and Tobias arguing over how best to proceed. Henry was the first to spot her, nudging Nicholas in the ribs and then simply starring in wonder. It didn’t take long for Tobias and Pierre to notice the men’s distraction and follow their gaze to the young woman at the door.
“Mon Dieu!” exclaimed
“That is an interesting question,” added Tobias snidely, looking Anne up and down with disdain.
Anne didn’t like his tone and moved quickly over to him. She pushed right up in the knight’s face. “And what is that supposed to mean?” She could feel her anger simmering dangerously. It had already been brewing before she’d even spoken to Axia. Lying on that bed, she’d had nothing to do but turn over events again and again in her mind. One thought that kept coming back to her was how stupid it had been to leave Katherine alone at all. If only she’d stayed in the camp, or made Katherine come with her. She’d cursed her own foolishness repeatedly, growing ever more angry with herself as she did. Racked with guilt Anne realised she’d allowed herself to become too relaxed and it had cost her. She feared exactly how high the price might be. The mixture of anxiety, regret and anger was already fermenting within Anne when Axia had come out with her revelations. The intensity of those feelings and her burning desire to just go and find Katherine meant it had been hard to process the other woman’s words with any clarity. All they did was serve to stoke Anne’s emotions further. Now it seemed Tobias wanted to fan the flames.
“Someone betrayed her ladyship, and now here you are, all fine and well again.”
“How dare you!”
Anne managed to land her punch before Tobias could react. It smacked him right between the eyes. The knight staggered back a couple of steps before he gathered himself.
“So you reveal your true colours at last?”
Anne could barely contain herself, her conflicting emotions spilling over into pure rage. “I’ll show you bloody true colours…black and blue all over!”
She swung for the knight again, but he dodged this time. As she went for a third attempt, she was grabbed from behind, a pair of arms restraining her in a bear hug around her waist. At the same time Nicholas stepped across in front of Tobias who looked like he was about to retaliate.
“How about we all calm down?”
“He was the one who started it!” Anne gestured to Tobias as she struggled against the grip of Henry. She knew it sounded childish, yet she couldn’t think properly with her warring emotions overwhelming her. For his part Henry stood surprisingly firm, keeping his head low to avoid her swinging arms.
“You started it sixteen months ago, when you came into our lives.”
“Now we get the real answers!” Anne yelled back at him. “Is that it, have I taken your place? Is that why you hate me so much?”
“I did not like you because I knew it would come to this, you betraying her ladyship.”
“How many times do I have to tell you, it wasn’t me!”
Anne felt her blood boiling. Somewhere deep down she knew it was exactly what Tobias was aiming for and also that none of this was going to help them find Katherine. Yet at the same time that reasonable part of her mind was overcome by her anger. Tobias gave her a convenient target to direct that at, rather than herself.
Tobias looked scornfully at her again. “A likely story.”
Anne tried to go for him once more, managing to haul Henry a few steps across the flagstones with her. Nicholas in turn had to hold back the knight.
“This really isn’t helping,” tried the outlaw in desperation. However, with no Katherine to bring cohesion or calming sanity to the group, it was quickly disintegrating, the rivalries drawn along class and status lines surfacing.
Fortunately the whole messy debacle was disturbed by a bang from the door as it whacked into the wall. Everyone turned to see Thomas stumbling in, obviously drunk and barely able to walk straight. He didn’t seem to notice the tense scene unfolding before him, instead staggering onwards and crashing straight into Henry and Anne. Henry was knocked to the ground, while Thomas bounced backwards, dropping something he had been clutching to his chest. The sound of coins hitting stone filled the room as the purse spilt its contents on the floor.
Anne stared down at the large amount of money for a moment, her mind not having to go far to reach a logical conclusion. If her anger at Tobias had been overpowering, then the anger now welling up was all consuming. Thomas looked at her feebly.
“What?”
Anne could see there were two angry marks on his cheek, obviously from someone’s finger nails. “It was you.”
Anne’s voice was so low and deadly Thomas had to crane his head forward to try and hear better. “Pardon?”
“You…betrayed…Katherine…”
Thomas met her eyes for the briefest of moments. It was all the confirmation Anne needed. She could see the truth in that desperate look.
Anne flew at him, quickly tackling him to the floor and getting her hands around his throat. Thomas gagged and coughed, his hands clawing at her arms as she squeezed.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t know what they were going to do!”
His plaintive cries fell on deaf ears. All Anne could hear was her own thoughts telling her to punish him, to make him pay. It was a hand on Anne’s shoulder that made her stop for a moment. She swung her head furiously round to see it was Tobias. For a second she was about to launch into another venomous tirade when she noticed the look of apology on his face.
“As much as I would like to see him get his just desserts, we may need him,” he said with calm reason, “He may be able to show us where Lady Katherine is.”
Anne glanced from Tobias to Thomas and back again. Her anger was raging and she tried to push it down to allow her mind to think rationally. She closed her eyes for a moment so she didn’t have to look at Thomas. Slowly Tobias’ logical words permeated the barrier of fury. Anne opened her eyes and nodded her head in acknowledgement. It pained her, but she relaxed her fingers, supposing there would still be time to punish the young knight later, once they had found Katherine. If any harm had befallen her, then Thomas had better pray for divine intervention.
After Anne had gotten up off him Thomas seemed reluctant to stand, glancing warily at those in the room. The last gaze he fell upon was that of Beatrice. Anne could see the other woman had a look of utter contempt and loathing on her face. The maid took two steps towards the man and flattened him with a single punch. She threw the ring he had given her at his unconscious form and then stalked from the room.
…………
It was early the next morning when Kirby and his party arrived at their destination. Katherine had been woken just after dawn by Kirby poking her with his boot. She was amazed to find she had nodded off at all after trying unsuccessfully for hours, plagued by visions of Anne. After she had eventually drifted off due to exhaustion, her sleep had been fitful, her waking thoughts carrying over into nightmares where she repeatedly saw Kirby stabbing Anne, and the young woman’s body floating out of reach down the Seine.
They hadn’t travelled far from their camp to their current location, which was a small castle, surrounded by a wide moat and towering walls. Katherine remained quiet as they marched over the drawbridge and into the courtyard, studying her surroundings in case she needed the knowledge later. At some point she vowed she would escape, and then she would get a sword and ram it into Kirby’s heart. Once such bloodthirsty thoughts would never have crossed her mind, but she was beginning to see the appeal of killing now. Some people didn’t deserve to live. However, for now she would bide her time until she could work out how to also retrieve the Ares weapon and keep it from Kirby and his friends. If nothing else came out of this, then she would do that much.
She watched the knight now, talking with some of his men. She wondered if she could kill him just by drilling her eyes into his back strongly enough. Kirby turned, as if sensing the glare, immediately catching Katherine’s eye. He couldn’t maintain it as he approached, but then he always had been a coward.
“We have somewhere cosy for you to stay while we wait for the Arbiter.”
Katherine digested that bit of information without reply. The Arbiter was the leader of the Syndicate. It was the position her father had held. She had thought that perhaps Kirby was the current one, but supposed he really wasn’t clever enough to have orchestrated all this. It seemed the Syndicate had been toying with them all along, paying her own people to spy on her. In fact she and Anne had done all the hard work for the Syndicate in finding the Ares objects and now the Syndicate was going to reap the rewards.
Kirby tried to take her arm, but she shook it off, preferring to willingly go where they wanted than feel his touch. She followed the guard ahead inside. The corridors were dark and narrow, barely having enough room for one person to pass along them. Whoever owned the castle didn’t believe in comfort. They took a downward turn before coming to a halt before a plain wooden door. Kirby pushed it open.
“After you m’lady.”
Katherine stepped inside, not deigning to look at him as she passed. The room was bare and windowless. Kirby dismissed the guard and followed her inside.
“How long are you going to keep this up?”
Katherine kept her back to him, not answering. Kirby roughly grabbed her arm and yanked her round to face him.
“I asked you a question.”
Katherine stared defiantly up at him. “For as long as it takes.”
Kirby released her arm with a sigh. “You’re not holding out hope of being rescued are you? Even if anyone knew where you were, this place is impenetrable.”
Katherine returned to giving him the silent treatment, turning away once more.
“Or perhaps you’re pining for your outlaw friend.”
Katherine tried to ignore his insidious comments. She could feel him coming closer. Hands slipped onto her shoulders. “She’s not the only one who could give you what you desire…”
Katherine cringed as his fingers slid down her arms, but still she refused to speak. Eventually Kirby removed his hands and Katherine let out an internal sigh of relief.
“She put up a good fight, I’ll give her that,” he said. Katherine heard the sound of a sword being drawn and a brief skitter of fear shot through her. “It’s a beautiful weapon.”
Katherine couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder. Kirby was studying a sword. Katherine immediately recognised it as Anne’s. It was the one she had dropped on the boat, just before…
“That doesn’t belong to you.”
Kirby gave a nasty smile. “It doesn’t belong to anyone now.”
Katherine briefly wondered if she could snatch it from his hands and impale him on it, before thinking better of it. He was too far away.
“Why don’t you just admit that you’ve lost?” Kirby edged closer, close enough for the odour of sweat to waft up Katherine’s nostrils. Unfortunately she noticed he had sheathed the sword again robbing her of the chance for quick revenge. She met his gaze with determination.
“Never.”
Kirby dared to laugh. “Fine. But the Arbiter will be here tomorrow, and then you will have lost, whether you want to admit it or not.”
He left the room, slamming the door and turning the key. Katherine was plunged into total darkness. Now Kirby was gone she allowed herself to slump to the floor, burying her head in her hands.
……………
Anne rested her chin on her upturned palms, closing her eyes. She attempted to find a point of calm meditation where she could reach out beyond her immediate surroundings. As she sat she could feel the warmth of the early morning sun on her face, hear the chattering of the birds in the trees above, sense the presence of the rest of her group close by, but there was nothing else. There was no sense of the rhythm of the earth beneath her sitting bottom, no feel of the heartbeat of nature, no inkling of that world beyond the conscious one. Once before she had been able to actually communicate with Katherine across the spirit plane; she had been hoping that maybe she could do it again. If only she could speak to her and let her know that they were coming. Unfortunately that occasion had been before Anne had sacrificed her abilities. Yet Axia claimed those powers were returning. If that was the case why couldn’t they help her now, when she really needed them?
Anne resigned herself to having to rely on her many other
skills for the time being. Letting out a
silent curse on all things pagan, Anne opened her eyes. The others were still drinking from the stream
and she wondered how much longer they were going to be. Every minute they wasted was time Katherine
was left alone with the Syndicate. God
only knew what Kirby might be doing to her.
Anne didn’t want to think about it, but couldn’t help the dark images
rearing up in her mind. She wished more
than anything she could communicate with Katherine, just to know she was all
right. It had been torture having to
wait for morning to depart
Anne saw he was currently sitting on his own at the edge of the group, head bowed in shame. She had no sympathy for him, only contempt. Tobias was hovering close by the young knight, no doubt making sure the man didn’t try to make a run for it. Anne couldn’t picture him getting far if he did. If she didn’t stop him herself, then the way Tobias’ hand rested on the hilt of his sword suggested he swiftly would.
Their group was rounded out by Nicholas and Henry, and
Pierre and a garrison of his troops.
Beatrice had remained behind in
“You should drink some. It’s going to be hot and this could prove an arduous day for a maid.”
Anne made a rueful laugh. “I think you and I both know that I’m not a maid.”
A smile flickered across
“How long have you known?”
“That you are Katherine’s…companion?”
Anne couldn’t help giving a small half smile at the polite term. She simply nodded.
“From the first moment you arrived here and I saw you giving me that deathly stare.”
Anne glanced at him, seeing that it was simply friendly teasing on his part.
“I thought it odd,” he continued, “And then I noticed the way you looked at her when you thought no one was watching, and how she looked at you in return. It was obvious. You cannot hide amour from the French!”
He laughed for a moment before leaning in closer to Anne, checking only they could hear his words.
“She’ll be all right.” He placed a comforting hand on her arm. “We’ll get there in time.”
Anne was touched by the show of compassion from the man she hardly knew. It was refreshing to find someone who wasn’t quick to condemn the nature of her relationship with Katherine. It was hardly something that was accepted by the world at large. Anne felt obliged to reciprocate with some honesty.
“I have something to confess,” she began slowly, “That time
you visited
It only took a few seconds for realisation to dawn on the Frenchman. “That was you?”
“I’m sorry. I let jealousy control my actions.”
“Outlaws.”
“I can see Katherine has her hands full with you,” said
Anne supposed that it was her anxiety giving her the oddest feeling that she wanted to cry at the simple kind words. She held back the urge. Luckily it seemed the rest had finally finished refreshing themselves so she was saved from battling her confused emotions further. Instead she could concentrate on their journey ahead.
…………..
Katherine wasn’t sure how much time had passed since she had been placed in the cell. It was hard to judge when there were no windows. It was eerily quiet in the enclosed space, any sound that there was amplified to fill the void. Those consisted mainly of her own breathing, a repetitive dripping coming from somewhere in the damp cell and the odd scratching noise. Katherine didn’t want to think what was making the last of those. A couple of time she thought she felt something brushing her foot and she would draw it back closer to her on the grubby floor. Her only respite from the darkness was when Kirby brought her food or water. Both of those sat untouched where he had placed them.
Yet in a strange way she liked the darkness. It enveloped her. It matched her mood.
In her solitude, Katherine’s mind kept tripping through the events of the last few days, jumbling them up, flashing them at her in random order. She had long since given up trying to maintain some sense of sanity through it all. Occasionally her thoughts would slip back further, tormenting her with what she had lost and what could never be again.
Katherine rubbed roughly at her face as another tear attempted to slip down her cheek. As she brought her hand downwards her fingers brushed over her chest, feeling the small bump under her shirt. Her breath caught in her throat as her fingers closed over the pendant that sat there. She couldn’t stop herself drawing it out. She held it reverentially in her hand, caressing it. Even though it was too dark to see she could feel its familiar edges. It was the piece of rose quartz Anne had given her on a midsummer’s eve that seemed a lifetime ago now.
Suddenly the emotions rushed up to ambush her as she recalled that night, and Katherine’s tears could no longer be held back. Anne had told her that the crystal represented love. If she closed her eyes Katherine could almost feel Anne’s hands placing it around her neck, lingering just that bit more than was necessary. It’s just in case you ever forget me, Anne had said. Katherine laughed to herself in the enclosed space. The sound echoed off the walls. Katherine laughed again, more manically this time. Before she knew what she was doing she was laughing repeatedly for no reason. She caught herself. In case you ever forget… If only she could. Then maybe it wouldn’t hurt so.
Why did it have to hurt so much? Why had Anne left her? Why was she on her own in this godforsaken place? It wasn’t fair! It wasn’t right!
“Do not give in to despair.”
Katherine’s eyes scanned the darkness, seeking the source of the voice, yet her logical mind knew there was no one in there with her. Unfortunately her logical mind was adrift at the moment, and she supposed she ought to be more concerned that she was hearing voices. “I wondered how long it would be before you turned up.”
A form began to become apparent in the gloom, shapeless at first, then coalescing into a face. Her father’s eyes bored into her.
“You must stop them.”
“I must stop them! I must bloody stop them! What the hell do you think I’ve been trying to do.” Katherine gave full vent to her anger, knowing somewhere in the recesses of her mind that it was actually herself she was arguing with. “And look where it’s got me! This is all your bloody fault. I tried to do what you wanted as always and I lost the only thing that really mattered to me.”
“You must stop them.”
“Shut up!”
Katherine put her hands to her ears, still clutching the pendant tight in her right fist.
“You must…”
“Shut…up!”
In a moment of fury Katherine tried to hurl the pendant across the room at him. It sailed through thin air and clattered into the far wall. Her father was gone now, leaving her alone once more. Katherine fumbled around in the dirt of the floor seeking the crystal. It was all she had left. All she had to remind her other than her memories.
Then suddenly it hit her, it wasn’t all she had left. Anne had given her something else. Katherine quickly sat back down, bringing her knees up so she could reach into her boot. Her fingers closed over the hilt of the dagger concealed there.
You’ll forget you’ve got it down there, Anne had told her, and Katherine had.
Katherine drew it out and clutched it like a drowning man clutching a piece of driftwood. Suddenly she had a purpose, something she could focus everything on. Next time Kirby came in he would get more than he bargained for.
……………
“We have to get in there?”
Nicholas was the one doubtfully voicing exactly what the rest of them were thinking. The group of would be rescuers were hiding in the cover of the treeline, studying the castle Thomas had brought them too. Anne viewed its high walls with trepidation. The setting sun lit them in sharp relief as if to deliberately emphasise their imposing nature.
“I didn’t say it would be easy.”
Thomas received a clip round the ear from Tobias for the remark. Anne wished it had been harder. She edged closer to Tobias
“Any ideas?”
Ever since it had been revealed that it was Tobias’ own man, and not Anne who was the informant in the group, the pair of them had been sharing an uneasy truce.
“Not immediately,” he confessed, “Any obvious attack would be pointless, we’d be cut down by the archers on the battlements in seconds. We could just wait until they come out.”
“If they come out.”
“True. We still don’t know what they want her ladyship for, but if they’ve got whatever it was they may no longer have any use for her.”
Anne wasn’t sure she liked the dispassionate way Tobias was talking about the possibility of Katherine being killed. She knew he rarely showed emotion and supposed that took some getting used to. Underneath the stoicism she also knew that he cared deeply for Katherine.
“I may have a suggestion.” It was Pierre who was crouching beside them now. “It is traditional for castles surrounded by moats to have an underwater passageway leading into the inner areas of the castle somewhere, to provide a source of water in the event of a siege.”
“And how might we find this passageway?” asked Anne.
“They are usually located on the north side, for the cooler water.”
“That would be to the left as we’re looking then?”
“Correct.”
Anne nodded, before starting to undo her belt in order to remove the sword Tobias had leant her.
“What are you doing?” asked
“I’m going down there to swim in via this tunnel.”
It was stated with absolute certainty, but still
“It will be hard, even if you could find the entrance it is then some distance to swim underwater. I do not think it a suitable task for a woman.”
Anne simply looked at him, all sorts of arguments against his chauvinistic point of view tumbling to the fore of her mind. She shoved them all aside. They were irrelevant. “I’m going.”
Taking that as settled with
She handed him the sword knowing it would be too weighty in the water. She would have to make do with her small dagger instead. “If I don’t come back within an hour or so you should probably wait until someone comes out, one way or another.”
Tobias nodded again. “Good luck.”
Anne sprinted to a small bush halfway between the trees and the moat, flinging herself behind it and simply praying none of the guards on the top of the castle had been looking that way at that precise moment. Since there were no arrows spearing her location she deemed it safe to proceed. Slowly she crawled out through the grass. It wasn’t quite long enough to conceal her, so she had to inch along being careful not to make any sudden movements that might draw attention from above. Her arms started to ache from the deliberate slowness of her movements, but she carried on regardless. Once at the water’s edge she risked a quick verifying glance upwards. She couldn’t see any figures overlooking that part of the moat. Still moving with great care she eased one leg into the water. It was a lot colder than she had expected and she had to resist the urge to gasp. Obviously the suns rays hadn’t warmed the waters to any great extent and she had to wonder how deep the moat was to cause it to remain so chill.
Lowering herself the rest of the way in, the water quickly
soaked through her clothes making them heavy and cumbersome. Anne took one stroke, allowing herself to
drift out into the water. Once close to
the wall she started to look for any signs of the tunnel
It was pitch black inside and all Anne could do was forge on as fast as she could and hope she got to the end before her air ran out. Ten strokes, fifteen…she knew she must have passed under the walls by now and yet there was no sign of any end.
Anne’s lungs were bursting. She needed to breathe. She had to breathe. Her lips started to part. She kicked one final time. Her head broke the surface and she took in a huge lungful of welcome air. It was stale and humid but she didn’t care. She bobbed on the surface of the water for a moment trying to orient herself in the darkness. She could just about make out the edge of the pool she had come up in and reached for it, hauling herself out of the water. As she went to stand a sudden wave of dizziness swept over her and she had to sit, breathing deeply. She now realised there was a pervading smell of decay in the fetid air too. Anne dug inside her vest for the flint and wood she had brought with her. After a few attempts she managed to get a spark to light the damp stick. As the light flared she almost dropped the torch, only just hanging onto it in her shock. Revealed in the dim light were rows upon rows of bones, topped off with ghoulish skulls.
It was obviously a crypt of some kind. Maybe those down there had met their end at the hands of the Syndicate. If so, the Syndicate obviously had a lot of enemies. Anne couldn’t help feeling the empty eye sockets were somehow watching her as she passed by them and she was glad to find some stairs and ascend from the creepy tomb.
Once near the top she extinguished her torch and flattened herself to the wall, creeping up the last few steps and remaining in the shadows. As she came to a halt the sound of the last few droplets of water plopping off her clothes and onto the stone floor was all she could hear. She risked a peering glance out into the dark corridor. There was no one about. That was good at least. Now all she had to do was find Katherine in the warren of corridors and rooms and avoid the Syndicate while doing it. Easy.
…………..
Katherine had been waiting for what seemed like hours, though it could have been minutes for all she knew. Time had no real meaning in the darkness. All she knew was that she had to wait for Kirby. That was her sole purpose in being at this moment. She caressed the hilt of the dagger again like a lover. In a way it was. Her thirst for vengeance was her only companion now. Then she heard it, a sound at the door. Katherine gripped the dagger tighter, feeling the anger and hate welling up inside her. She had no desire to force them back down. She was happy to let them consume her.
The door creaked open, and still she waited. Katherine maintained her position until Kirby passed the edge of the door, tensing her muscles in anticipation. The meagre light from the corridor framed a dark shape in silhouette. Katherine could feel the nervous sweat running down her back. Then she leapt.
She cannoned into Kirby, sending him crashing to the floor. Not giving him the chance to react, Katherine raised her dagger and struck. She slashed wildly at the form under her. The attack was frenzied, un-coordinated and Kirby frantically tried to defend himself by batting her hands away, trying desperately to keep the blade from striking. Yet Katherine was not to be denied. Fuelled by overwhelming hate, she knew only one thing – that she wanted to hurt him. She had to hurt him. Then she felt it, the tear of the blade through flesh. Kirby cried out, but the sound was wrong. It was so very, very wrong.
Katherine fell back in shock. It couldn’t be.
A light flared in the darkness as a candle was lit. The soft orange light flickered over smooth feminine skin and ice blue eyes.
Katherine was frozen. Her body refused to move, her mind was unwilling to work. All she could do was stare dumbly.
“Katherine, it’s me.”
The voice was so familiar it hurt. The stabbing sensation in her chest made it hard to breathe. Yet Katherine knew it couldn’t be true. No matter how much she wanted it. The spectre edged closer, reaching out a hand. Katherine flinched back.
“Stay away from me! What are you? A ghost? An hallucination? First my father and now you! That’s it, isn’t it, I’ve gone mad!”
As if to prove her point Katherine started rubbing crazily at her head, ruffling up her short hair. She scrunched her eyes shut for a moment, willing it to go away, but when she opened them the apparition was still before her.
“Can’t you leave me in peace!”
The ghost refused to obey though, moving closer once more. Katherine backed up until she was against the wall with nowhere left to go. She tried to pull away but the ghoul slowly reached out to take hold of her hands. Katherine steeled herself for the icy touch of death, but instead the hands were warm, gentle. She looked numbly down at them. She had been living on so much grief, pain and hate, she couldn’t quite comprehend anything else at that moment. She didn’t know if she dared hope for anything else.
Slowly her eyes came up, half-expecting to see that the woman before her had vanished. But she was still there, staring intently back. Her blue eyes holding Katherine’s gaze with such sincerity and belief that Katherine was left in no doubt as to the truth. This was no ghost. It was Anne.
“I saw you die…” Katherine’s voice broke, unable to continue.
Katherine could think of no other words. She couldn’t think of anything at all. All she could do was succumb to the tumult of emotions surging up within in her. Emotions she had been trying so hard to suppress. She let the chaotic mix envelop her. As it did she collapsed forwards, knowing that Anne would catch her.
………….
Anne could hear Katherine crying quietly against her chest, the proud woman no doubt trying to hide that fact by keeping her head bowed. Anne just tightened her embrace and rested her head against Katherine’s, not needing to say anything for now. She didn’t want to let go, yet she knew that only half her task was complete. She took a moment to feel the touch of Katherine’s hair against her cheek, rubbing it back and forth in a soothing motion. Anne felt the surge of familiar desire as Katherine’s body pressed up against her. It was instinctual, even at a time like this when they were in imminent danger. She realised Katherine was now looking up at her like she hadn’t seen her for months, rather than two days. Anne was captured by the blue-grey eyes. She was helpless to resist. It seemed completely natural to dip her head and gently press her lips against Katherine’s.
The touch was tentative at first, a delicate caress. Anne’s eyes slid shut and she felt herself falling, falling into the moment. The kiss deepened of its own accord, both women seeking to reaffirm that which had been lost if only for a short time. Anne had to actively remind herself of the situation lest she be swept away by the pounding beat of her heart. Against all her instincts she she forced herself to pull back.
“We have to go.”
Katherine continued to strokr her hands over Anne’s still damp shirt, stopping where Kirby had stabbed her not two days before.
“How did you…?” Katherine left the question unformed.
“Some pagan magic.”
Katherine’s brow creased. “But I thought you couldn’t heal yourself?”
“I can’t.” Anne didn’t think now was a good time to get into a discussion on what Axia had revealed to her. “It doesn’t matter for now, what matters is us getting out of here before Kirby or anyone else comes back.”
The mention of the man’s name seemed to galvanise Katherine. “You’re right, though how did you get in here?”
“The same way we’re going to have to get out,” replied Anne, “How do you feel about a short swim?”
At least this time Anne knew there would be an end to the tunnel. Katherine was a competent swimmer so they should be able to make it. Anne got to her feet, offering a hand to the other woman. Katherine hesitated and the young woman realised she was looking at Anne’s forearm. Anne had completely forgotten the gash from Katherine’s dagger.
“It’s nothing,” said Anne dismissively. She offered her other hand instead. “Come on.”
Katherine allowed herself to be pulled up but before Anne could move towards the door, the other woman caught her arm.
“Hang on, what about the Ares items?”
Anne couldn’t hold back the exasperation in her voice. “Katherine…”
Katherine quickly cut her off though. “We have to find them. We can’t let all this be for nothing. We can’t let the Syndicate find the weapon.”
“All right,” conceded Anne, knowing that there was little
point arguing with the obstinate woman.
She thought quickly. “Did you
come straight here from the
“Yes.”
“Then they probably haven’t followed the last clue of the trail yet, presuming they know what it is.”
“They should do,” said Katherine, “They had a spy in our midst.”
“I know, Thomas. He’s
outside right now, with Tobias and a garrison of
“He led you here?”
“After a bit of…persuasion.” Anne only wished she’d had the chance to ‘persuade’ him a bit more, but he’d been in a repentant mood and had given in easily. “Though now I come to think of it, if Thomas had already told them the answer to the riddle what did they kidnap you for? I originally thought they wanted you to show them to the location of the weapon, but if they know that already…?”
Katherine shrugged. “Who knows, maybe it’s just Kirby’s idea of a bit of fun to keep me locked up here?”
“Or maybe he has an ulterior motive,” said Anne, “He’s always had a bit of a “thing” for you. Whatever his motives the fact of the matter is that the Syndicate still need to leave the castle in order to get the weapon. So if we can get outside to join the others, we can ambush them then. In fact we could use them for once – follow them right there and then get the weapon off them.”
“Though they’re bound to notice I’m missing,” pointed out Katherine, “So will be on their guard.”
“True, but I think it’s a better option than us stumbling around the castle trying to find the objects. It was more luck than judgement that I found you before I came across any of the Syndicate. I don’t want to chance my hand further.”
“All right. Where do we need to go swimming?”
…….
Katherine had to blink a couple of times as she stepped from the dark cell. It wasn’t much lighter in the corridor outside but enough to take some adjusting to. Next to the door there was a guard slumped on the floor. The man’s head was lolling at an unnatural angle.
Anne caught the other woman looking. “He was in the way,” she said without apology.
Katherine didn’t question her further. Now wasn’t the time for another lecture in morality, especially not when she herself had been thinking murderous thoughts. Katherine was shocked at how fast she had descended into a rage fuelled insanity when she’d thought Anne was dead. She had been fully prepared to kill Kirby and anyone else that stood in her way. It scared her. She’d never experienced such urges before. Then again she’d never lost someone she loved so completely before. That was even more terrifying, the insight she’d had into a barren world without Anne in it. She didn’t want to see that world again. Yet at the same time she knew that was all part of love. When you gave your heart away there was always the chance it could be broken. That was the great risk and the great thrill of it. Luckily for her this time she’d been able to patch the shattered pieces back together and she was determined to keep them that way.
Anne took the lead as they crept down the corridors, pausing occasionally to check for sounds or movement. For her part Katherine couldn’t stop her eyes from drifting to Anne every few seconds, just to check she was still there. There was an irrational fear in Katherine’s mind that Anne might just suddenly disappear and this would all turn out to be an apparition of her demented mind. She just about managed to resist the urge to reach out and touch Anne to make sure she was real.
Anne glanced round at her as if sensing the perusal. “Not far now, it’s just round the next corner.”
Katherine simply nodded. She was still unable to resist watching Anne as she snuck up to the corner in order to peer around it. Katherine was so busy studying how the slightly damp material of Anne’s black trousers clung to her bottom that she neglected to notice that Anne had suddenly tensed. Katherine only realised something was amiss when the other woman turned and started sprinting in her direction.
“Run!”
Katherine guessed they had been spotted and did as instructed. She was glad she was still wearing her travelling clothes rather than one of her cumbersome dresses as she dashed down the passageway. Behind them she could hear several sets of chasing footsteps. Unfortunately the corridor was quickly coming to an end. Katherine made a snap decision to go up the stairs. She took them two at a time, her legs straining at the effort after having been sedentary for the last day or so.
Once at the top she sprinted as quickly as she could away from the stairs and the pair of them scooted round an open door and pinned themselves to the wall. Outside Katherine could hear shouts and running, though none close by. She had to take a few deep breaths before she could speak.
“I’m guessing our escape route was cut off?”
Anne was peering through the crack between wall and door. “Yes, there were four guards loitering and unfortunately one of them spotted me.”
“Then I suppose it’s onwards and upwards instead.”
Anne turned back to her, a doubtful look on her face. Katherine shrugged. “It worked at Loughborough,” she said in reference to when they had leapt from one of the towers there into the moat.
Anne still looked unsure but resigned. “I guess it’s our only option.” She gave one last verifying look through the small gap. “Ready?”
Katherine nodded and they darted from the room, running for the stairwell to go up higher. They’d almost made it when more guards appeared coming up the stairs, cutting them off. Anne skidded to a halt ahead of Katherine, quickly drawing out her dagger to combat the men. She shot a look over her shoulder.
“Go!”
Katherine hesitated. The men were already upon Anne. Go? Not bloody likely!
Katherine charged back down the corridor, barrelling into
the nearest man and bashing his head hard into the stone wall. He slumped to the floor and Katherine wasted
no time reaching down to retrieve the dagger from her boot again. She swiped it in a wide arc, catching the
hands of a couple of the guards who were reaching for her. At the same time Anne had used her own weapon
to good effect. One man was staggering
back clutching his face while another lay on his back, eyes staring vacantly at
the ceiling. Katherine could see there
were more coming up the stairs. They
were being overwhelmed. Still Anne
fought on defiantly. For Katherine it
was all too reminiscent of being on that boat back on the