Read Online Conquer the Night by Heather Graham - Free Book Online

her,” he said very softly, “it will not bring Alesandra back to you. Or the child that was lost with her.”
    Arryn didn’t reply at first, but after a moment he said, “In all of Kinsey Darrow’s offenses, he has cried out that he does justice in the name of the king of England, and the lordships of Seacairn. The lord, Kyra’s father, is dead—and until a wedding is carried out and legal, the lordship of Seacairn is a ladyship—the inheritance is hers. She has accepted her king with all loyalty, and such a man as Kinsey, apparently, in the same manner. She is as much the enemy as anyone.” He was quiet for a moment, inhaling deeply, fists clenching and unclenching, fighting to conquer the haunting emotions that could seem to paralyze his soul at any given time.
    Then he added, “You’re right, you do know me. You know that I will not set the lady ablaze.” The last was said very bitterly. “But there will be retaliation. For the moment, my friend, you will guard her, and guard her well. I intend to see that we are well secured at this castle. I don’t believe, however, that any force would test our own, other than a king’s army, and we know that Edward is in the field already. Still, I don’t care to be surprised at night by any other faction. I will return when I have seen to the security of the castle.”
    â€œAye, Arryn. Yet can we hold this fortress long?”
    â€œPerhaps not—if Edward himself decides to take it. We can withstand a fairly powerful assault, but still … it is important as well that the men immediately begin stripping the fortress of her assets.”
    â€œI will guard Kyra well, Arryn,” Jay swore. “She’ll not escape me again. I promise.”
    Arryn nodded. He worried somewhat that Jay, usually steadfast in all endeavors, seemed to have weakened toward this woman of Kinsey Darrow’s. But she resided in a locked tower with a good long drop to the parapets below. Unless she somehow managed to talk Jay into opening the door, there was no escape—and if she got past Jay, more of Arryn’s men were already busy occupying the guest rooms in the castle and staking out their claims to the choice spots in the stables and outer buildings. She could not go far.
    At the foot of the stone steps that led to the tower room, Arryn turned to the left, finding the broad passageway that led out to the parapets. From here he could look out at the courtyard of the castle, and to the stone wall some fifty yards away that guarded the outer circle of the defense works. Having seen, earlier that day, that he and his men were coming to attack, the farmers had herded their grazing animals inside the wall. Produce had been gathered inside to protect the inhabitants against siege conditions. Now the gates had been opened once more; animals were being herded back out of the inner tower courtyard, and the courtyard was being set to rights. Darkness had fallen, but after such a day, there was still a great deal of activity taking place. Some men hobbled about, injured in the fracas, but already fishwives were back in the courtyard, trying to make what sales they could of the catch taken even as the defenders had fought to save their castle. To the southeast of the castle, just below the circular walkway of the parapets, there was nothing but water, for that corner was protected by the river. Arryn knew that Seacairn had never been taken in such a manner, for to attempt to enter the fortress from the water would mean coming up the sheer stone of the wall. Stealth would be to no avail. Any assault or danger had to come openly, just as he and his men had come today, riding down hard from the north. It was folly to attack this place without a sound fighting force. It was only in the last months that he had gained a sound enough leadership to acquire the warriors he had needed for such a definitive assault.
    Seacairn …
    He