Vengeance 03 - Believe In Me by Lana Williams Page A

nose suited her perfectly. Her hair was braided loosely but still came nearly to her waist. She slept on her side, knees up, her hands tucked under her chin as though to protect herself.
    He wondered how her future would unfold. What the coming months would bring for her. He hoped the pain of losing her mother would ease. Warm thoughts of his own gave him great sympathy for Cristiana’s loss but she needed protection—the bishop was her best choice. Or rather, her only choice.
    At last he felt his body relax and let sleep take him.
    It seemed he’d rested only a short time when he heard a rustling sound at the back of the tent. Immediately, he awakened, certain Cristiana meant to escape after all.
    A glance to his side proved him wrong.
    The lady slumbered on.
    He held still, trying to determine the source of the noise. Without warning, a blood curdling scream rent the air above him. The flash of a knife blade coming at his head had William scrambling to his knees, putting himself between the attacker and Cristiana.
    He grabbed the man’ s arm, easily halting it and caught his other arm as well. The ragged form before him was small, wrapped in tattered garments. He couldn’t see his face as it was covered, except for eyes. Eyes more frightened than fierce.
    “What the hell?”
    “Are you all right?” Cristiana asked from behind him.
    “Aye. No thanks to this one,” William said. He dragged the struggling man out of the tent toward the fire so he could see who it was.
    “Lady Cristiana! Run!”
    Not a man, but a woman, William realized at the sound of the feminine voice.
    Cristiana gasped. Instead of doing the attacker’s bidding, she rushed out of the tent to stare at the woman. “Branwen?”
    “Run!” the woman commanded again. She struggled against William, kicking with all her worth. “I will stop him. Go!”
    “Branwen, cease this madness!” Cristiana demanded.
    At once the woman quieted, breathing hard from her frantic attack. “But, my lady—”
    “You know her?” William asked as he kept a tight hold on her arms.
    “Where have you been?” Cristiana drew nearer, completely ignoring William as she stared at the woman in shock. “We thought you dead.”
    Bran wen’s face crumpled and William released her at last, deciding she could do little harm. He took her knife, but she didn’t seem to notice.
    “ ’Twas terrible. Demons flew out of the night and attacked us.”
    Cristiana drew the shaking woman into her arms. “Demons?”
    “Aye! Great black-winged beasts on horseback. They carried swords. They came at us out of nowhere. The blood. ’Twas everywhere.” She glanced down at her clothing as though expecting to still see it.
    Tears filled Cristiana’s eyes as she glanced at William. The worry on her face tugged at him. She swallowed hard as she guided Branwen to sit by the fire. “Why didn’t you come back to the manor? Did they take you?”
    “The demons...they left me for dead. I pretended I was until they rode away.”
    William watched the woman closely, still uncertain who she was. Henry stood nearby, watching the scene with interest. The man-at-arms who was supposed to be guarding the camp finally awoke, stumbling to his feet as he realized something had happened.
    “Some guard you are,” Sister Mawde berated him from the comfort of her tent.
    “Your mother,” the woman continued, tears streaming down her face. “’Twas terrible. They got her first. I couldn’t stop them.”
    Cristiana’s lips trembled. “Of course not.”
    Branwen pointed at William. “Is he one of them? I’m not sure. Tell me if he is and I’ll kill him now.”
    “Nay,” Cristiana said quickly. She looked as confused as William. “He’s not one of them. They aren’t here.”
    “Are you sure? My knife is sharp.” The woman’s lip trembled. “I didn’t have a knife that night. But I do now. ’Tis sharp. I’ve learned to use it well.”
    William touched the blade. It felt as though she’d