Read Online Requiem: The Fall of the Templars by Robyn Young - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robyn Young
Ads: Link
height and the slimness of her figure. Her gold hair whipped about her in the breeze coming off the water and she pushed it back in a swift, impatient movement. Her face was pallid and a little gaunt, prominent cheekbones emphasizing a strong chin. The sight of that face hurt him; both in its strangeness and familiarity, it hurt him somewhere vital.
“Rose.”
She stopped short, but he went the rest of the way and drew her to him.
Her hair was soft and smelled of woodsmoke. It was two years since he’d held her, but it felt much longer.
“I was starting to wonder if you were coming.”
“I have duties,” she replied, pulling away with a glance at the palace.
Will drew in a slow breath. He shouldn’t have expected her to come rushing to meet him; their parting had not been easy and in the time he’d spent on the road since he’d had no chance to contact her. “How are you?” He tried to sound bright, but regretted the question immediately. It was so formal, so in-sipid.
Rose gave a tight shrug.
“Because Andreas assured me you would be given a good position here. In his letter he said he had written to the queen, asking if something suitable could be found for you.” Will stared at the muddy ground, unable to look at her rigid face. “He promised me you would be taken care of, that he had the influence to make certain of this.”
“Then I suppose it must be fine,” she retorted.
The wind lifted her hair and she pushed it back again. As she did so, Will saw the scars on her hand, where she had been burned. Her skin was raw-looking and shriveled. She caught him looking at it and folded her arms. “I want to know that you’re happy,” Will said, aware of how helpless he sounded.
She made a sharp, scornful noise. “So you don’t have to think about me 36 robyn
young
anymore.” Her dark blue eyes were cloudy with anger. “So you don’t have to feel guilty for sending me away.”
Her words stung him, filled with venom and truth. He put his hands on her shoulders. She had grown tall. How old was she now? Seventeen? No, she would have turned eighteen last month. “I know these past few years must have been difficult for you, but . . .”
“Diffi cult? You have no idea! As soon as we landed on Cyprus you left me.
I hardly saw you for months.”
“What else could I do?” said Will quietly. “On the ship from Acre people just assumed you were another orphan rescued from the city, but when we reached Cyprus I had no choice but to leave you.” He stared out across the green Seine flowing silently beside them. “I would have been expelled if the others had found out about you, if they knew I had a daughter. You know that.” He looked back at her. “But I made sure you would be cared for.”
She scoffed again.
Will’s expression hardened. “I did the best I could. You had a good life with Elias.”
“Yes! And then you forced me to come to Paris!”
“Elias had told me he was planning to come here and Grand Master de Molay began preparing his progress through Christendom as soon as he was elected. I couldn’t abandon you in Limassol knowing we would all be leaving.
Paris offered you the best chance. I knew Andreas would be able to use his contacts with the royal family to help you find decent work.” Will shook his head. “Other children who survived Acre weren’t so fortunate, Rose. They lost both their parents and were forced to beg on the streets. Or worse.”
“I know how they feel. I lost my parents too.”
Will felt as though she’d just slapped him. He was silent, staring as she half turned away, unable to meet his gaze, her cheeks flushing pink. He tried not to say it, but couldn’t help himself. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” murmured Rose.
“I want to know what you meant by that.” He didn’t. Yet, still, he asked the question again.
Rose turned on him. “It means my parents died at Acre. Both of them!”
For a moment, Will saw someone
“Rose.”
She stopped short, but he went the rest of the way and drew her to him.
Her hair was soft and smelled of woodsmoke. It was two years since he’d held her, but it felt much longer.
“I was starting to wonder if you were coming.”
“I have duties,” she replied, pulling away with a glance at the palace.
Will drew in a slow breath. He shouldn’t have expected her to come rushing to meet him; their parting had not been easy and in the time he’d spent on the road since he’d had no chance to contact her. “How are you?” He tried to sound bright, but regretted the question immediately. It was so formal, so in-sipid.
Rose gave a tight shrug.
“Because Andreas assured me you would be given a good position here. In his letter he said he had written to the queen, asking if something suitable could be found for you.” Will stared at the muddy ground, unable to look at her rigid face. “He promised me you would be taken care of, that he had the influence to make certain of this.”
“Then I suppose it must be fine,” she retorted.
The wind lifted her hair and she pushed it back again. As she did so, Will saw the scars on her hand, where she had been burned. Her skin was raw-looking and shriveled. She caught him looking at it and folded her arms. “I want to know that you’re happy,” Will said, aware of how helpless he sounded.
She made a sharp, scornful noise. “So you don’t have to think about me 36 robyn
young
anymore.” Her dark blue eyes were cloudy with anger. “So you don’t have to feel guilty for sending me away.”
Her words stung him, filled with venom and truth. He put his hands on her shoulders. She had grown tall. How old was she now? Seventeen? No, she would have turned eighteen last month. “I know these past few years must have been difficult for you, but . . .”
“Diffi cult? You have no idea! As soon as we landed on Cyprus you left me.
I hardly saw you for months.”
“What else could I do?” said Will quietly. “On the ship from Acre people just assumed you were another orphan rescued from the city, but when we reached Cyprus I had no choice but to leave you.” He stared out across the green Seine flowing silently beside them. “I would have been expelled if the others had found out about you, if they knew I had a daughter. You know that.” He looked back at her. “But I made sure you would be cared for.”
She scoffed again.
Will’s expression hardened. “I did the best I could. You had a good life with Elias.”
“Yes! And then you forced me to come to Paris!”
“Elias had told me he was planning to come here and Grand Master de Molay began preparing his progress through Christendom as soon as he was elected. I couldn’t abandon you in Limassol knowing we would all be leaving.
Paris offered you the best chance. I knew Andreas would be able to use his contacts with the royal family to help you find decent work.” Will shook his head. “Other children who survived Acre weren’t so fortunate, Rose. They lost both their parents and were forced to beg on the streets. Or worse.”
“I know how they feel. I lost my parents too.”
Will felt as though she’d just slapped him. He was silent, staring as she half turned away, unable to meet his gaze, her cheeks flushing pink. He tried not to say it, but couldn’t help himself. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” murmured Rose.
“I want to know what you meant by that.” He didn’t. Yet, still, he asked the question again.
Rose turned on him. “It means my parents died at Acre. Both of them!”
For a moment, Will saw someone
Similar Books
