Read Online Warped by Maurissa Guibord - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Maurissa Guibord
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pretty. “That’s more like it,” she murmured. But on the facing page another picture caught her eye. Interestingly, it was a picture of a tapestry entitled The Unicorn Hunt .
In this one a wavy-haired maiden with a pouty mouth and vacant eyes sat in a clearing in the middle of a forest. A silvery unicorn knelt by her side. And it was wounded; a long spear hung from a gash in its side. Its anemic-looking head was nestled in the girl’s lap. One of the girl’s tiny hands was resting on the unicorn’s head, as if she was petting its mane. The caption underneath read: Medieval legends tell of the unicorn being hunted for its horn or its blood. Both were said to cure disease and even bring immortality. Hunters could capture the unicorn only by placing a virgin in its haunts .
A virgin in its haunts. Tessa frowned. She’d heard about that part of unicorn legend before. But now something really bothered her about the whole thing: the cruelty of it. And just how did the unicorn know the girl was a virgin, anyway? Tessa glanced again at the maiden in the picture. She looked kind of spacey—she was gazing off into the distance. She didn’t seem to even notice that the poor unicorn was bleeding to death in her lap. What was her deal? Why would a girl do something so rotten as to trick a beautiful animal, to trap it?
Tessa closed the book.
A girl like that would have to be incredibly stupid, she decided. Or completely heartless.
Chapter 10
“M s. Gerome?” Moncrieff’s husky voice was deferential over the phone. A smile stretched Lila Gerome’s crimson lips. Even after all the years he had worked for her, Moncrieff maintained this formality. She knew it was because he was afraid of her. She liked that about him. It was his most dependable characteristic.
“I’ve found your tapestry and the book,” he said. “It took some time to track them down, but it seems a bookstore owner from Portland, Maine, bought them. As I said, it was an unfortunate accident. I’ll contact him and get them back.”
“Do it now,” Lila ordered. “Get them. I’m flying back immediately.”
“Yes,” Moncrieff said. “We’ll have to pay. Something considerable, perhaps.”
“Pay it, then. Whatever it takes. Just do it quickly and quietly. I don’t want to draw any attention to myself. You know that.”
“Yes. I know.”
HARTESCROSS
1511
The Earl of Umbric, Will de Chaucy’s father, slammed a flagon of wine to the table. The echoing clang rang against the stone walls of the great hall of Hartescross Castle.
“Has the whole bloody world gone mad?” he bellowed. “What do you mean the boy’s missing?” He righted a toppled goblet and said more quietly, obviously struggling to control his temper, “ How could Will just disappear without word, without trace?” His glance shot to Hugh, demanding answers.
“No one has seen him since we left for London,” said Hugh wearily. “Everyone at Hartescross assumed he accompanied us.” He pressed his knuckles against his tired eyes. He had not slept since returning from court. He had questioned every inhabitant of the castle, from the char sweep to the falconer, as to the whereabouts of his younger brother. Will was gone. As completely as if he had been spirited away.
“What of his horse?”
Hugh shook his head. “Gone.”
“A fortnight, then?” The earl’s fists tightened. “My son has been missing a fortnight while I have cooled my heels at court, waiting for King Henry to deign to see me?” He finished in a low mutter, “All to plead my case for my own bloody land.”
“There is more,” said Hugh.
The earl gave a curt nod for his elder son to go on.
“There’s been talk in the village.” Hugh’s usually ruddy face was pale, and the circles beneath his eyes told of sleepless hours. “Talk of a beast. In the northern woods.”
“What kind of beast?”
“A unicorn,” answered Hugh softly.
The earl stared for a moment, then let out a dismissive
In this one a wavy-haired maiden with a pouty mouth and vacant eyes sat in a clearing in the middle of a forest. A silvery unicorn knelt by her side. And it was wounded; a long spear hung from a gash in its side. Its anemic-looking head was nestled in the girl’s lap. One of the girl’s tiny hands was resting on the unicorn’s head, as if she was petting its mane. The caption underneath read: Medieval legends tell of the unicorn being hunted for its horn or its blood. Both were said to cure disease and even bring immortality. Hunters could capture the unicorn only by placing a virgin in its haunts .
A virgin in its haunts. Tessa frowned. She’d heard about that part of unicorn legend before. But now something really bothered her about the whole thing: the cruelty of it. And just how did the unicorn know the girl was a virgin, anyway? Tessa glanced again at the maiden in the picture. She looked kind of spacey—she was gazing off into the distance. She didn’t seem to even notice that the poor unicorn was bleeding to death in her lap. What was her deal? Why would a girl do something so rotten as to trick a beautiful animal, to trap it?
Tessa closed the book.
A girl like that would have to be incredibly stupid, she decided. Or completely heartless.
Chapter 10
“M s. Gerome?” Moncrieff’s husky voice was deferential over the phone. A smile stretched Lila Gerome’s crimson lips. Even after all the years he had worked for her, Moncrieff maintained this formality. She knew it was because he was afraid of her. She liked that about him. It was his most dependable characteristic.
“I’ve found your tapestry and the book,” he said. “It took some time to track them down, but it seems a bookstore owner from Portland, Maine, bought them. As I said, it was an unfortunate accident. I’ll contact him and get them back.”
“Do it now,” Lila ordered. “Get them. I’m flying back immediately.”
“Yes,” Moncrieff said. “We’ll have to pay. Something considerable, perhaps.”
“Pay it, then. Whatever it takes. Just do it quickly and quietly. I don’t want to draw any attention to myself. You know that.”
“Yes. I know.”
HARTESCROSS
1511
The Earl of Umbric, Will de Chaucy’s father, slammed a flagon of wine to the table. The echoing clang rang against the stone walls of the great hall of Hartescross Castle.
“Has the whole bloody world gone mad?” he bellowed. “What do you mean the boy’s missing?” He righted a toppled goblet and said more quietly, obviously struggling to control his temper, “ How could Will just disappear without word, without trace?” His glance shot to Hugh, demanding answers.
“No one has seen him since we left for London,” said Hugh wearily. “Everyone at Hartescross assumed he accompanied us.” He pressed his knuckles against his tired eyes. He had not slept since returning from court. He had questioned every inhabitant of the castle, from the char sweep to the falconer, as to the whereabouts of his younger brother. Will was gone. As completely as if he had been spirited away.
“What of his horse?”
Hugh shook his head. “Gone.”
“A fortnight, then?” The earl’s fists tightened. “My son has been missing a fortnight while I have cooled my heels at court, waiting for King Henry to deign to see me?” He finished in a low mutter, “All to plead my case for my own bloody land.”
“There is more,” said Hugh.
The earl gave a curt nod for his elder son to go on.
“There’s been talk in the village.” Hugh’s usually ruddy face was pale, and the circles beneath his eyes told of sleepless hours. “Talk of a beast. In the northern woods.”
“What kind of beast?”
“A unicorn,” answered Hugh softly.
The earl stared for a moment, then let out a dismissive
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