Hunted (The Scottish Falconers Book 2) by Diane Wylie Read Free Book Online Page A

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    Looking around by the dim torchlight, Isobel finally located the keys. Luckily, there were only a few rings hanging in a neat row on pegs driven into the stone wall. Isobel took them all.
    * * *
    Derek had been working on freeing himself by sawing at the rusty weak spot in the iron ring when he heard someone humming. The strident snoring continued, so he knew it wasn’t the guard who made a happy tune.
    He stopped working, threw straw over the spot in the ring, lay down, and pretended to sleep.
    “Derek, ’tis me Isobel.”
    His angel’s voice was barely a whisper in the dank air. He was so hungry that he thought he may have imagined it in his slightly disoriented state.
    Then he heard the soft jingle of keys and stood. Going as close to the door as his chain would allow, he called, “Try the large one with the fleu-de-lis design.”
    A heartbeat later, he heard the tumblers in the lock give way, and the door swung open slowly. Belle squeezed inside when it had opened far enough.

Chapter 7
     
    It was as if the sun had risen inside the dungeon as soon as he saw her. Grinning widely, he opened his arms and she ran into his embrace despite his soiled condition.
    But before he could bend his head to kiss her, she backed away again.
    “Hurry. We need to get you out before someone comes.” She held the key rings up. “Do ye ken which one opens the lock on yer chain?”
    “Aye.” Derek held out his hand, and she gave him the keys. “This one.” He showed her the simple black iron skeleton key, inserted it in the lock, and popped it open. Seconds later, he was free.
    “Put these on and give me your old clothes.”
    His face burned with humiliation as he shucked off his stained and torn clothes, and donned clean clothes over his filthy body. Body odor rose from him in disgusting waves, but Belle didn’t react at all, other than to give him a tiny, sympathetic smile.
    As soon as he handed over his soiled shirt, she went to work stuffing it with hay. When she finished, it looked as though he lay there, all curled up. The light was too dim to tell the dummy had no head.
    “Truly excellent or Gu taghta math , as my Gran used to say,” he whispered in Belle’s ear, then took her earlobe in his mouth for a quick nibble before releasing it.
    To his delight, she shivered and sighed. “Time to go.”
    “Aye, but first …” Derek locked the leg chain again, and after they crept into the hall, he relocked the heavy cell door.
    “Give them to me and wait here. I’ll put them back.”
    He did as she asked, then leaned against the cold stonewall. Even that small exertion taxed his strength. He prayed they’d both get through this unscathed.
    Shadows danced and wavered on the walls, and Derek had to concentrate hard to ensure that the movement was not caused by someone approaching. The shadow of a new design flickered along the floor. It was Belle returning.
    “Let’s go.” She took his hand. “This way.”
    Instead of leading him toward the guard, she took him deeper into the bowls of the castle dungeon. Before long, the passageway grew smaller and darker, and they were forced to release hands. He only knew that she was still ahead of him by her breathing.
    The floor sloped downward, and they splashed though an occasional puddle.
    “Where does this lead, Belle?” Derek asked between gulps of dank air. He was tiring fast. Gone was the stamina and strength he had before the injury.
    “It comes up again under a table in the kitchen. We have to hurry before everyone comes back from the tournament festivities. The kitchen staff is busy roasting pigs over an outside pit. The kitchen should be empty.”
    All light was gone now, and Derek knew there was likely to be all manner of creatures down here.
    Belle gasped and he felt her shudder.
    “What is it?”
    “Spider web in my face. Ugh.”
    “Trade places with me, mo leannan. ” With that, he took hold of her waist and gently urged her behind him. It took a bit of