Read Online Suzanne Robinson by Lord of the Dragon - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lord of the Dragon
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did when I kissed your hand.”
Hyssop
This herb healed all manner of evils of the mouth and slew worms in a man. If it was drunk green or in powder, it made a man well colored
.
• Chapter 5 •
WATCHING JULIANA WELLES MARCH BETWEEN the campfires and tents in front of the castle, Gray de Valence found himself unable to look away from the sway of her hips. She’d forgotten her cloak in her haste to get away from him. He noticed that she’d worn another of those old gowns that made her look like a peasant. It hung loosely over a plain undertunic, and a leather girdle clung low on her hips. He watched the band of leather undulate as she walked and suddenly felt himself rouse at the sight. Just God! How had she captured his desire so easily?
He deliberately turned his back and went to Imad. He ran his hand through his hair, impatiently thrusting the heavy locks back from his face as he studied the boy. Saladin had given Imad to him when he left Egypt, and he felt responsible for the youth, troublesome as he was. Imad had insisted upon jumping into that icy stream to help him bathe this morning even though he was already sickening, and this was the result.
Gray listened to Imad’s breathing as the maid Alice moved a steaming pot closer to the patient. He took the cup of herbal brew from her and fed it to the boy himself. Imad coughed a little, but not as violently as before Juliana had treated him. The churning anxiety that had sent him rushing from the hall faded as Imad began to breathe more easily.
“Master, you should be abed.” Imad was looking at him through heavy jet eyelashes.
“You’ve worried us all, you stubborn whelp.”
“It’s this cursed chilly land of yours, master. The noble Saladin has condemned me to suffer great tribulations by sending me to this kingdom of ice and barbarity.”
Gray looked down at his servant through half-closed eyes and smiled. “You’re free to leave.”
“I’m a true believer, master, and I’ll not be free until I’ve repaid my debt to you. Please, take to your bed. I know how important this tournament is to you.” Imad paused to cough again. “How will you—”
Gray held up a hand to silence the boy. He waved the maid out of the tent, then came to sit on a stool beside Imad.
“How will you practice your vengeance, master?”
“I’m going to make him wait for it,” Gray said.
Imad coughed and smiled at the same time. When the spasm was over, he said, “You mean you’re going to make him watch you destroy man after man until he near pisses himself with fear.”
“It’s the only way I can draw out his suffering.”
Gray held the cup full of herbed wine to Imad’s lips. Imad finished the drink and sighed. He closed his eyes. “The lady works great magic with her herbs, praise be to Allah.” He opened his eyes to slits and looked at Gray. “A most spirited woman.”
“Go to sleep, Imad.”
“Allah is merciful to bring such a healer to me in this land of savagery.”
Gray slanted a distrustful look at his servant. “I’ll have none of your meddling. Mistress Juliana isn’t—she plays no part in my plans. Do you hear?”
“I hear, master.”
“But do you obey?”
“Is it not the will of Allah that I obey my master?”
Leaning over the boy, Gray fixed him with a viper’s stare. “Don’t give me that Eastern answer that is no answer, you little catamite. If you interfere I’ll send you back to Saladin. I swear it.”
He got no answer, and his attempt at intimidation failed, for Imad had fallen asleep, either from exhaustion, the medicine, or guile. Leaving the tent, Gray signaled for Alice to return to her vigil. He went to his pavilion where he lay on the folding bed one of his squires, Simon, had prepared. As Simon put away clothing and extinguished candles, he threw an arm over his eyes and tried to rest.
He was so impatient for dawn. With it would come his opportunity to torment Richard Welles. At the same time he was going
Hyssop
This herb healed all manner of evils of the mouth and slew worms in a man. If it was drunk green or in powder, it made a man well colored
.
• Chapter 5 •
WATCHING JULIANA WELLES MARCH BETWEEN the campfires and tents in front of the castle, Gray de Valence found himself unable to look away from the sway of her hips. She’d forgotten her cloak in her haste to get away from him. He noticed that she’d worn another of those old gowns that made her look like a peasant. It hung loosely over a plain undertunic, and a leather girdle clung low on her hips. He watched the band of leather undulate as she walked and suddenly felt himself rouse at the sight. Just God! How had she captured his desire so easily?
He deliberately turned his back and went to Imad. He ran his hand through his hair, impatiently thrusting the heavy locks back from his face as he studied the boy. Saladin had given Imad to him when he left Egypt, and he felt responsible for the youth, troublesome as he was. Imad had insisted upon jumping into that icy stream to help him bathe this morning even though he was already sickening, and this was the result.
Gray listened to Imad’s breathing as the maid Alice moved a steaming pot closer to the patient. He took the cup of herbal brew from her and fed it to the boy himself. Imad coughed a little, but not as violently as before Juliana had treated him. The churning anxiety that had sent him rushing from the hall faded as Imad began to breathe more easily.
“Master, you should be abed.” Imad was looking at him through heavy jet eyelashes.
“You’ve worried us all, you stubborn whelp.”
“It’s this cursed chilly land of yours, master. The noble Saladin has condemned me to suffer great tribulations by sending me to this kingdom of ice and barbarity.”
Gray looked down at his servant through half-closed eyes and smiled. “You’re free to leave.”
“I’m a true believer, master, and I’ll not be free until I’ve repaid my debt to you. Please, take to your bed. I know how important this tournament is to you.” Imad paused to cough again. “How will you—”
Gray held up a hand to silence the boy. He waved the maid out of the tent, then came to sit on a stool beside Imad.
“How will you practice your vengeance, master?”
“I’m going to make him wait for it,” Gray said.
Imad coughed and smiled at the same time. When the spasm was over, he said, “You mean you’re going to make him watch you destroy man after man until he near pisses himself with fear.”
“It’s the only way I can draw out his suffering.”
Gray held the cup full of herbed wine to Imad’s lips. Imad finished the drink and sighed. He closed his eyes. “The lady works great magic with her herbs, praise be to Allah.” He opened his eyes to slits and looked at Gray. “A most spirited woman.”
“Go to sleep, Imad.”
“Allah is merciful to bring such a healer to me in this land of savagery.”
Gray slanted a distrustful look at his servant. “I’ll have none of your meddling. Mistress Juliana isn’t—she plays no part in my plans. Do you hear?”
“I hear, master.”
“But do you obey?”
“Is it not the will of Allah that I obey my master?”
Leaning over the boy, Gray fixed him with a viper’s stare. “Don’t give me that Eastern answer that is no answer, you little catamite. If you interfere I’ll send you back to Saladin. I swear it.”
He got no answer, and his attempt at intimidation failed, for Imad had fallen asleep, either from exhaustion, the medicine, or guile. Leaving the tent, Gray signaled for Alice to return to her vigil. He went to his pavilion where he lay on the folding bed one of his squires, Simon, had prepared. As Simon put away clothing and extinguished candles, he threw an arm over his eyes and tried to rest.
He was so impatient for dawn. With it would come his opportunity to torment Richard Welles. At the same time he was going
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