Haunted by Annette Gisby Read Free Book Online Page A

but didn't make any other sign of his distress.
    Kestan was not at all sure how to deal with the wounds he discovered
marring the young man's back. There seemed to be so many. "What
did he use?" he asked instead.
    "A whip. He likes to whip me," Aedyn said breathlessly.
    Kestan mopped up some of the blood with Aedyn's nightgown, knowing
they wouldn't be using it again. He tore off the sleeves and made
makeshift bandages out of them, wrapping them around Aedyn's torso in
order to stop the worst of the bleeding and prevent the blood seeping
through onto the new clothes. Kestan wasn't a healer, he had no
medical training whatsoever, he didn't even know any of the usual
healing spells. He'd been a battlemage; he had no affinity for
healing magic. Kestan didn't know if he would in fact be making
things worse. He had some laudanum which he used to help him sleep
sometimes and he offered some to Aedyn; it was the only thing he
could think of to do.
    Aedyn took a sip and thanked him.
    "You can't stay here any longer. We're leaving, now. Tonight."
    Kestan had no idea where they were going to go but he could not allow
Aedyn to spend another second in this house with that awful man. One
day, Grunhall would end up killing him, Kestan could almost guarantee
that.
    "I can't leave," Aedyn said softly. "He's always hurt
me more when I've tried to run away."
    "We'll go somewhere where he can never find you," Kestan
swore. "He will not touch you again."
    "You promise he won't be able to find me? That he won't hurt me
again?"
    "I promise with all my heart." Kestan dressed quickly and
helped Aedyn dress in one of his tunics and a pair of his breeches,
for they couldn't very well travel anywhere with Aedyn dressed in
nothing but a nightgown. Kestan'ss clothes were too big for Aedyn,
but they made do by rolling up the sleeves of the shirt and the
bottoms of the trousers so at least he wouldn't trip over. Shoes or
boots were another matter; there was no way Kestan's shoes were going
to fit him. "Wait here," said Kestan. "Don't make a
sound."
    Aedyn nodded and watched with frightened eyes as Kestan left the room
to go downstairs.
    Kestan went quickly this time, knowing they had to leave as soon as
possible. Ordgar the Younger was around Aedyn's height and size and
Kestan remembered that he and his father always left their boots in
the scullery each night; so Kestan headed straight there and found a
pair of Ordgar's boots. It was another rush back up the stairs with
the boots in his hands. He found Aedyn anxiously pacing the room
awaiting his return.
    "They might still be a bit large for you," said Kestan.
"But we can stuff the front with stockings to help."
    "Thank you, Kestan. For everything."
    "Thank me when we're far away from here." Kestan knew they
weren't out of the woods yet.
    Aedyn sat down on the bed as Kestan knelt in front of it and placed
the boots on Aedyn's feet; the stockings did help, but they weren't
an exact fit. If Kestan managed to stay out of prison, he wanted to
make sure that Aedyn got to a tailor and a cobbler and had clothes
and shoes that fitted him perfectly. Aedyn deserved the best of
everything.
    "I'm scared, Kestan," Aedyn admitted, looking down at him.
    "I am too, but I won't allow anything to happen to you. I swear
it." Kestan reached up and caressed Aedyn's undamaged cheek, not
wanting to hurt him further.
    "When my face heals, you're going to have to kiss me again,"
said Aedyn firmly. "That's the only promise I want from you."
    "Aedyn, you don't know what you're asking."
    "I do. I know what I want. I want you to kiss me again. I'm not
leaving this room until you promise me that."
    "I can be stubborn too, you know. I can also lift you like a
sack of potatoes and carry you out of here if you won't go."
    "You wouldn't dare!" protested Aedyn.
    "I would dare anything to get you away from here."
    "Please, Kestan. I can't stop thinking about it, how you kissed
me. How much I liked it. I want you to kiss me again."
    "Very