Crystal Moon by Elysa Hendricks Read Free Book Online

her alone with Kyne.
    She stared at him, but kept her expression neutral.
    “I suggest you refrain from comment or protest. My temper
    is none too even at the moment. You have no choice in
    accommodation. If the castle boasted a dungeon, I’d as soon
    house you there, but my father’s ancestors didn’t believe in
    imprisoning their enemies beneath their feet. As Graham said,
    the castle is fair to bursting, and I’m not so foolish as to leave
    you unguarded.”
    “I never supposed you were. However, I had no intention
    of protesting.” At his side she would be safe and could learn
    more about him, but.... “Your plan is sound, though it does have
    its flaws. You will protect me from your people by posing as
     
    my...lover.” She hesitated on the word. He thought her
    dangerous. Let him wonder how much. Standing in front of
    him, she met his glare. “But who will protect me from you?
    And...” she cocked her head to one side and gave him a small
    smile, “who will protect you from me?”
    She knew it foolish to deliberately taunt him, but his shocked
    look made it worth the risk.
    ***
    Kyne kept remembering the provocative sway of the
    woman’s hips and her saucy words. Did she deliberately taunt
    him? Had she discerned his desire for her and now attempted
    to set spark to kindling? Which was she, innocent or wanton?
    Kyne had bitten his lip to keep from calling her back and
    demanding an answer.
    As they approached, the blue stone of Castle Vareck
    shimmered in the late afternoon sun, appearing whole and
    formidable in the distance. Closer in, the broken ramparts and
    crumbling walls became apparent. Though Kyne had repaired
    and rebuilt what he could of the ancient structure, he knew
    only the castle’s isolated and unknown location prevented
    DiSanti from attempting to capture it.
    Generations past, his ancestors had built the castle to block
    the one accessible pass through the mountain from a neighboring
    enemy. Then over a hundred years before a tremor shook the
    mountain and blocked that pass, rendering the fortress
    unnecessary as well as nearly unreachable.
    Now this crumbling edifice served as the last stronghold of
    a desperate people, a people pushed to the edge by an unyielding
    despot determined to squeeze the very life from them. More
    and more came, forced from their lands by unrelenting taxes.
    Faced with being coerced into service in DiSanti’s army, their
    families held hostage, many stole away in the night with nothing
    but the clothes on their backs.
    How many more could he feed and house? Graham was
    right, they must make their move before winter set in or face
    starvation when snow blocked the trails.
    Kyne felt the woman straighten behind him and catch her
    breath.
     
    “Beautiful,” she whispered in awe. “It glows like it’s made
    of blue crystal.”
    Built of the same blue stone as Vareck Castle, Kyne’s family
    home in the Shula Valley had been modeled after the stronghold.
    A place of peace, love and laughter for generations, now only
    rubble remained, along with broken dreams and ghosts who
    cried out for vengeance.
    Justice, my son. Not vengeance, his father’s voice echoed
    in his mind. Justice or vengeance, it mattered not. Kyne vowed
    to make DiSanti pay for his treachery.
    In the castle courtyard people crowded around them as
    Kyne dismounted. Old men, women and children, this ragtag
    army looked to him to topple the current regime and set them
    free. Would he lead them to freedom or to death? Despair
    threatened to overwhelm him.
    Graham pushed his way to Kyne’s side. “Rul Cathor has
    come a long way. Let him refresh himself and have last meal
    before you descend like locusts upon him. He’ll see to your
    needs later. Be gone.”
    “Father! Father!” A child’s high, piping voice broke through
    the babble as the crowd dispersed.
    Kyne turned, and a small body catapulted into his arms.
    The little girl showered his face and neck with moist, sticky
    kisses. Gloom