Read Online Red Deception by J.C. Murtagh - Free Book Online

grew colder.
    She wondered if the baron was going to help her after all.
    What if he changed his mind?
    She held back a scream when his leather-gloved hand clasped her shoulder and his warm breath traveled over her neck. “I hope I did not keep you waiting long.”
    A smile creased her lips. “I’d wait forever for you.”
    She turned to him and kissed him, savoring the warmth of his mouth against hers.
    He gathered her into his arms and carried her to his horse. They rode along the path that led through the village of Caldwell and beyond.
    A fog had settled onto the road, and suddenly the smell of fire choked her. It always brought her back to the fateful night she lost everything. Sadness filled her heart at the thought of some poor family’s life going up in flame as hers had.
    She clutched her heart as she realized the direction the smoke was coming from-- the Timbolt cottage. 
    Panic racked her body.
    “Cal, the cottage is on fire!” She pointed to the orange light dancing between the trees in the distance, confirming her suspicion.
    Cal gave his horse a few swift kicks and they galloped ahead.
    When they rounded the bend, they found the home engulfed in black smoke and hot cinder.  
    “Sam!” she screamed, dropping from the horse and running to the front door.
    “Judith, wait!” Baron Blacwin yelled behind her.
    She ignored his pleas and threw herself through the front door.
    Hot cinders blew into her eyes and smoke choked her. She held her sleeve over her mouth and nose, trying to hear her son crying.
    Please, God, let him be alive, please!
    She rushed to the ladder and screamed his name.
    She heard a soft cry behind her and saw Sam crouched in the corner, holding his knees.
    She ran to him and scooped his soot-covered body into her arms. Pulling her cloak over her shoulder, she held it against his nose and mouth.  
    She stumbled toward the door with him, feeling faint with relief when she saw Cal waiting for her. He reached his arms out to take Sam from her.
    She passed him to the safety of the baron’s arms, and something caught her leg. She stifled a scream as she peered down at her father-in-law’s bleeding face and his meaty fist gripping her ankle. He was crushed under a pile of burnt debris.
    “Help me, witch!” he choked.
    “Let me go!” she cried, afraid she might meet the same fate if she remained in the smoke-filled air.
    “You’ll burn in hell with the rest of us!”
    Judith screamed as ceiling debris rained down around them and blocked her way to the door.
    A spray of orange sparks ignited her cloak. Her heart could not possibly beat any harder as she swatted at the smoldering material attached to her neck.
    It was becoming increasingly hard to breathe.
    Smoke burned her eyes and filled her lungs, weakening her. She fell to the ground.
    “Mummy!” Sam screamed from the doorway.
    “Judith!” the baron yelled. “Get out of there!”
    Bart’s grip on her ankle was still firm. Too weak to fight, she feared she would not escape alive.  A tear streaked her cheek as her son screamed to her from the doorway where the baron held him.
    ‘I am so sorry, Sam ,’ was her last thought before the smoke consumed her. 
    ***
    The heat and smoke were gone, but she could still smell it. Her lashes parted slowly and sunlight scorched her eyes. Something warm brushed her cheek.
    She jerked her face away, snapping her eyes shut. “No!”
    “Judith, shh, you are safe,” the baron said.
    She peered up to see Baron Blacwin leaning over her, his dark eyes full of concern.
    She blinked and looked around to make sure she was not dreaming…she was in his solar.
    Was she dreaming?
    So many questions sprung into her mind at once. The memory of her last moments in the fiery hell flooded her mind. Most important, where was Sam?
    “Where is my son?” She sat up to see Sam sitting on the foot of the bed playing with some wooden toys, clean and content.
    “Sam!” she cried holding her arms out to