Table of Contents
BOOK SIX: The Apprehension
Chapter 1—Righteously Execute
Chapter 2—Tenderly Promise
Chapter 3—Ecstatically Prepare
Chapter 4—Violently Captured
Author’s Notes
More Books by Shay Savage
About the Author
BOOK SIX: The Apprehension
With two traitors removed from their midst,
Branford and Alexandra rekindle their faith in one
another. Branford insists on remaining at
Alexandra’s side at all times to protect her as he
rallies his allies against King Edgar and the
kingdom of Hadebrand.
Alexandra’s grace and humility touch the
hearts of the people of Silverhelm, and the couple is
surrounded by the love of their people. When the
long-awaited news of an heir on the way reaches
the people of the kingdom, all rejoice along with
their king and the commoner queen.
But treachery still lives in the hearts of
those who wish to see the destruction of Silverhelm
and they would be willing to cause Alexandra harm
to achieve their goal. King Edgar still will not
relent, but will his role in past events be exposed?
Branford is not invincible, and despite his vows to
keep his wife safe, Alexandra is still vulnerable.
When the unthinkable happens, Branford may not
be able to survive the loss.
Chapter 1—Righteously Execute
I felt as though my insides had dropped
from my body into my feet. My throat closed up
on me, and I could not draw a breath. I could see
Whitney out of the corner of my eye as she stepped
from one foot to the other and twisted her hands
together. I looked at Nelle on the floor at
Branford’s feet and tried to comprehend what she
was saying.
Handmaid?
Witch’s tea?
My head reeled, cycling through all the
times Janet had brought my tea to my rooms—
every morning, often staying to make sure I drank
it. I remembered when Hadley first came to
Silverhelm, and how Janet had immediately offered
her the same tea she made for me though she had
never offered to make it for anyone else.
I glanced up at Branford as he stood there
beside me, his face ashen and his eyes wide as he
glared down at the woman near his boots. His
mouth opened slightly then closed again as the
fingers of his hand twitched—as if trying to grasp
something out of the air.
“What tea?” he uttered quietly.
Nelle simply stared up at him.
“I said what tea?” He bellowed as the
woman startled. She tried to push herself
backwards on the ground, but Parnell held her in
place. As he tightened his grip on her shoulder, he
angled her body to one side, and I could see he held
a sharp blade at her back.
“Janet makes me tea in the morning,” I said
quietly.
Branford turned his head toward me with a
snap.
“She what?”
“I…I said…she makes my morning tea,” I
whispered. My gaze didn’t leave Nelle’s.
Branford turned from me back to Nelle and
then to Edgar.
“This has been your doing all along,”
Branford stated as he took a slight step toward the
other king. “This is why you have pressured my
court to have me secure an heir. You knew
Alexandra would not bear my child because you
made sure she would not.”
“Do not be absurd,” Edgar said with a wave
of his hand.
“No…not absurd,” Branford said. He
shook his head. “Actually, it all makes sense now
where it did not before. You have lied to this court,
and you have plotted against another royal.”
“Surely you do not believe the mutterings of
this woman,” Edgar said with a sneer. “She is
obviously mad.”
The murmurs of other court members
became louder, and the anger in their tones was
apparent. Edgar glanced around nervously as he
pulled his daughter close to his side. Even I could
see the guilt in his eyes.
“Get out,” Branford said darkly. “Leave
here now while you still can.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Branford—”
The sound of a sword leaving its scabbard
echoed around the chambers as first Branford’s
sword was raised to King Edgar, and then King
Edgar’s guards did the same, only with the intent to
shield Edgar from Branford’s blade. The guards
behind me stepped around with their own weapons
drawn as did Lord Williams and Sir Rylan. Soon, it
seemed every man had a sword drawn and pointed
toward either Edgar or Branford.
Branford moved his gaze in a circle from
King Edgar to Nelle to me and then back to Edgar
again. Branford lowered his sword only a fraction
and then snarled through clenched teeth.
“Get out of my kingdom.”
Edgar’s guards moved closer together,
further shielding their king from the sharp end of
Branford’s sword.
“Now!” Branford shouted. “And do not
return!”
Edgar’s eyes narrowed, and without a word,
he took a few steps backwards. Two of his guards
stayed in front of him while the other two took
positions at his back, ushering Princess Whitney
into the protected area. The first of the guards
continued to walk backwards with his sword drawn
until the group from Hadebrand was outside of the
great hall.
“Parnell, follow them,” Branford said. His
gaze moved to Nelle. “Once they have left the
castle gates, have Brigham take nine others with
him to make sure they pass our borders. Six should
stay behind as additional border guards. No one
from Hadebrand is to cross. Understood?”
“Yes, my king,” Parnell replied with a quick
bow. He pulled his arm away from Nelle’s back
and sheathed the knife he had in his hand. He
turned on his heel and quickly followed the
retreating Hadebrand royalty. Sir Rylan took a step
closer to Nelle and put his hand on her shoulder to
hold her in place. Lady Suzette stepped off to one
side, carefully watching Branford.
“Dunstan, fetch Janet.”
“Yes, sire.”
“Do not say a word to her,” Branford said
as Dunstan started toward the back staircase.
“Only state Alexandra requires her presence.”
“Of course, my king.”
Branford turned to me then, his eyes dark
and his expression not one I had seen before. The
green in his eyes seemed to have been
encompassed by black, and his brows were drawn
together in a scowl.
“She prepared tea for you?”
“Yes, Branford,” I said, barely able to force
my voice above a whisper.
“Every day?”
“Yes.”
“And you said nothing of this?” His tone
sharpened. “For how long? Since she arrived?”
Branford’s voice rose again, and he took a
step toward me.
“You drank tea prepared by her every day
for years and told me nothing of it?”
“Branford, I…” I had no idea what to say
to him. I had never mentioned it because it had
seemed such a…a feminine thing.
His eyes further darkened, and the door
behind us opened. Dunstan emerged with Janet in
tow. My husband spun around on his heel, took
two steps toward Janet, and grasped her arm
roughly. Janet let out a surprised squeal but was
quickly cut off as Branford’s fingers reached up her
neck and tightened around her throat. He lifted her
in his grasp, and her toes barely touched the floor.
“You fed my wife poisoned tea!” he
screamed, his face mere inches from hers.
I could see her frightened eyes as they
sought me.
“Not…poison…” she whispered. Her
fingers clawed at Branford’s hand but to no avail.
“She stands…”
“You made her tea?” Branford snarled.
“Every day?”
“Y-y-yes!”
“This tea kept her from having my child?”
Branford turned to Nelle on the ground. Janet tried
to speak further, but Branford’s grip did not allow
enough air. Nelle nodded. “And Edgar knew of
this?”
Nelle’s gaze flickered to the door through
which Edgar and Whitney had departed. Her head
nodded slightly.
“Kimberly came up with the idea after we
were banished from Silverhelm. When we arrived
in Hadebrand, Whitney said it was the perfect plan
to fit in with what she wanted…which was
Branford, of course. Kimberly and Sir Leland
worked with Janet to get her inside Silverhelm
Castle, and then after the war started, and it was
clear Silverhelm was losing, Edgar heard Whitney
talking with Kimberly. He said the lack of an heir
would allow him the opportunity to exploit
Silverhelm from within. As long as you had no heir,
the court of Silverhelm would be in panic and more
likely to listen to his demands. Eventually,
Whitney would end up on the throne next to you.”
Branford loosened his fingers from around
Janet’s throat and dropped her back to her feet.
“You knew of all of this,” he stated.
Janet shook her head.
“I did not know what it was supposed to
do…”
“Yet you gave it to her anyway!” Branford
screeched.
Without warning, Branford reached out and
grasped Janet’s wrist. She gasped, pulling slightly
though she had no means of escape. I could see the
muscles in his arm as they tensed, and he gripped
her tightly as he began walking quickly with
purposeful strides down the length of the great hall,
dragging Janet behind him.
“Branford!” I called out as I hurried after
him. Sir Rylan hauled Nelle from the ground and
pulled her along with him as he followed me. I
heard the footsteps of the other nobles as they
raced out of the great hall, through the doors, and
outside the castle.
With my skirts gathered up, I still could not
catch up to Branford though I continued to call out
to him. I could hear Janet’s cries and see her
struggle against the grip of his hand as he pulled her
through the marketplace. The shoppers and
merchants all stopped their transactions to watch as
we hurried by, many of them dropping their wares
and following the procession as we all followed
Branford and Janet through the castle gates and out
to the field where Branford trained his army.
Still many yards ahead of me, Branford
stopped near a practice dummy—a burlap bag
stuffed with scraps, made vaguely into the shape of
a man’s head and torso, and staked into the
ground. Archers as well as swordsman used such
things for target practice. As Branford’s feet
stilled, he hauled Janet up close, and I saw his arm
rise high above his head before he brought it down
to her face. Janet screamed as she dropped to the
ground.
Branford reached around the target,
unwrapped a sturdy section of rope from around
the base, and pulled the end of it loose. He reached
for Janet’s ankle as she tried to crawl away from
him, pulling her back and wrapping one end of the
rope around her leg. Again, his arm rose and he
beat down on her.
Before I could reach the edge of the
practice field, I felt strong arms around my waist as
my forward progression was halted.
“Release me!” I cried out as Rylan pulled
me against his chest. Dunstan was nearby with
Lady Nelle’s arm in his grasp.
“No, good queen,” Rylan said. “You should
not be here at all, and come what may—I will not
allow you closer. Not now.”
“Branford!” I yelled out again, and I saw
his shoulder’s tense as his gaze flickered to me
briefly.
He did not halt his movements.
The rope was tied around Janet’s other leg
and then around her waist as she was strapped to
the dummy. I could hear her cries and pleas as well
as the smacking sound of Branford’s hand across
her mouth. There was blood on her lips as he
wrapped the rope around her again.
I struggled against Sir Rylan’s grip, and just
when I thought I would wriggle from his grasp,
there were other hands on me, pulling me slightly
backwards. Dunstan moved in front of me, trying
to block my view.
“Let me go!” I cried out again, pushing
against the strong arms of the soldiers around me.
“Please, Queen Alexandra,” Dunstan
pleaded.
Branford’s hands flew rapidly as he wound
the rope around Janet’s form, further securing her
as she cried for mercy. He yanked roughly at the
binds and then turned to walk several feet away to
a large stack of firewood, stockpiled for the winter.
He piled it at her feet.
“No! Branford, please!” I screamed, but he
would not even turn to face me.
Janet, however, did look toward me.
“Lady Alexandra!” she cried out. “I did
not know—I swear I did not! Please! Please!”
Branford signaled one of the other guards,
and a moment later, the sentinel handed him a
brightly burning torch. He moved close to Janet,
and I could hear her pleading with him. His chest
rose and fell, his eyes narrowed, and he dropped
the torch into the dry wood at her feet.
“No!” Janet cried out. “I did not know! I
did not know!”
“Die, you witch!” Branford growled and
spat in her face. He took several steps backwards
to avoid the flames as they spread around the
practice figure, the dry wood, and my handmaid.
Though his back was still to me, he was at least
close enough I knew he could hear my words.
“Branford—what if she truly did not
know? You cannot—you cannot do this if—”
He wheeled around suddenly, his bright
green eyes blazing with fire and hatred.
“Did not know? Did not know?” he
screamed as he shook his fists. “She was taking
direction from my enemy! She knew exactly what
she was doing! She used you, used your kindness,
and plotted to destroy us, Alexandra!”
The flames grew brighter as Janet’s screams
grew louder. I yelled at Branford to stop what he
was doing, but he turned back to me with eyes as
bright as the flames behind him. Branford’s body
was shaking as he cried out.
“She took my dignity…she took the shine
from your eyes when you knew I was leaving to try
to father a child by another. She nearly destroyed
me, and I will watch her burn for it!”
He turned back to the scene in front of him,
and Janet’s eyes looked around my husband,
searching me out as she fought uselessly against her
bonds. I twisted my body in an equally fruitless
attempt to disengage myself from the grip of our
neighboring knight.
I could feel something sharp sticking into
my side—something from Sir Rylan’s belt, I
thought—as I watched the wood catch fire and the
flame grow larger around the feet of the girl who
had stayed with me many nights when Branford
was not there. It was the same girl who brought me
breakfast and made me eat even when I did not feel
like it. It was the same girl who had tried to win the
acceptance of my husband over and over again,
always trying harder when he ignored her.
And the same girl who brought me my
morning tea every day without fail.
“Please, no…” I heard myself whisper.
There was no way she could have possibly known
what she was doing. Edgar must have threatened
her—given her no choice in her actions. I could
see her trying to kick out at the burning logs, but
Branford knocked them back toward her, snarling
words I could not hear. I watched with wide eyes
as her head tilted backward, and she let out a long
howl. The flames had reached her legs, the flesh
blackening as her skirts burned away.
She screeched once more, and then Janet’s
innocent, frightened eyes transformed into an
expression I had not seen before. They narrowed,
darkened, and glared in my direction as her lips
turned up into an inhuman grin. She shook her
head wildly as she looked into my eyes and
screeched across the field.
“You are an idiot!” she screamed. “You
will believe anything!”
I felt the hard steel of Rylan’s armor as I fell
back against him, and it felt as though the words
coming from the mouth of my…of my friend…
were burning me as surely as the flames from the
fire singed her skin.
“I knew!” The frightening image from the
middle of the flames screamed out to me. “Every
time you drank that tea, I knew it was killing any
child that would try to grow within you! I knew his
seed would never find purchase in your body! I
knew it, and I was glad!”
I tried to step back further, the horror of her
words hitting me dead center in my chest and
knocking all breath from me. As I moved
backwards, I was again met with Sir Rylan’s
armored chest and strong arms as he held me
against him and tried to turn me from the view of
the field.
Janet laughed maniacally until the flames
licked higher. She screamed as the fire burst out
along the clothing around her chest and arms and
then her hair. The brisk wind carried the smoke
and filled the area, causing my eyes to clench shut
when the smell of burning hair reached me. I could
still hear her screaming though Rylan’s body now
blocked my view.
The screams abruptly stopped though the
crackling of the fire continued for some time. The
stench covered us all, and I tried to block it from
my mind as tears streamed down my face. I felt a
new set of arms on my shoulders, and Rylan
released his grip as I fell into Branford’s embrace.
“It’s over,” Branford said, his voice
expressionless. “She cannot harm you again.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he
pulled me against his body as I sobbed into his shirt.
“I thought…I thought she was my friend,” I
whispered through my tears. The repulsive smell of
charred flesh attacked my nose and made it sting.
“I know,” Branford said as he pulled me
tighter against his chest. “I have felt that same way
before.”
“Why? Why would she, after what we did
for her?”
“I do not know,” my husband said, “but I
intend to find out.”
His gaze fell to Nelle, still on the ground
with two of Branford’s soldiers standing over her.
Rylan was close by, his sword drawn to keep her at
bay. Branford approached the prostrate woman
and glared down at her.
“Tell me everything,” Branford said through
clenched teeth.
Nelle’s gaze flashed from the charred
corpse on the field back to Branford.
“Will you burn me, too?”
“I have not yet decided,” Branford said
with a sneer. “It depends on what you reveal.”
I reached out and placed my hand against
his arm, but he shook me away.
“Tell me everything. Now.”
Nelle sobbed and placed her hands over her
face.
“It was Kimberly’s idea!” she moaned
between sobs. “Kimberly and Whitney planned it
all!”
“Planned what?” Branford yelled. He took
a step toward her and kicked her with his boot as
she tried to protect herself with her arms. “Tell
me!”
Through her sobs, Nelle told us how she and
Kimberly went to Hadebrand after their exile.
There they spoke with Princess Whitney and a
young man who apparently wished to win her favor
—Sir Leland. He had a young cousin who knew
the ways of witches.
“She knew,” Nelle whispered. “Kimberly
knew what happened to your mother. She thought
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E-book english 
Unexpected Circumstances Book Six: The Apprehension Shay Savage
Copyright © 2016 Shay Savage All Rights Reserved Editing : Chayasara All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without the express permission of the author, Shay Savage —except in the case of brief excerpts or quotations embodied in a review or critical writings. The characters and events in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
Table of Contents BOOK SIX: The Apprehension Chapter 1—Righteously Execute Chapter 2—Tenderly Promise Chapter 3—Ecstatically Prepare Chapter 4—Violently Captured Author’s Notes More Books by Shay Savage About the Author
BOOK SIX: The Apprehension With two traitors removed from their midst, Branford and Alexandra rekindle their faith in one another. Branford insists on remaining at Alexandra’s side at all times to protect her as he rallies his allies against King Edgar and the kingdom of Hadebrand. Alexandra’s grace and humility touch the hearts of the people of Silverhelm, and the couple is surrounded by the love of their people. When the long-awaited news of an heir on the way reaches the people of the kingdom, all rejoice along with their king and the commoner queen. But treachery still lives in the hearts of those who wish to see the destruction of Silverhelm and they would be willing to cause Alexandra harm to achieve their goal. King Edgar still will not relent, but will his role in past events be exposed? Branford is not invincible, and despite his vows to keep his wife safe, Alexandra is still vulnerable. When the unthinkable happens, Branford may not be able to survive the loss.
Chapter 1—Righteously Execute I felt as though my insides had dropped from my body into my feet. My throat closed up on me, and I could not draw a breath. I could see Whitney out of the corner of my eye as she stepped from one foot to the other and twisted her hands together. I looked at Nelle on the floor at Branford’s feet and tried to comprehend what she was saying. Handmaid? Witch’s tea? My head reeled, cycling through all the times Janet had brought my tea to my rooms— every morning, often staying to make sure I drank it. I remembered when Hadley first came to Silverhelm, and how Janet had immediately offered her the same tea she made for me though she had never offered to make it for anyone else. I glanced up at Branford as he stood there beside me, his face ashen and his eyes wide as he glared down at the woman near his boots. His
mouth opened slightly then closed again as the fingers of his hand twitched—as if trying to grasp something out of the air. “What tea?” he uttered quietly. Nelle simply stared up at him. “I said what tea?” He bellowed as the woman startled. She tried to push herself backwards on the ground, but Parnell held her in place. As he tightened his grip on her shoulder, he angled her body to one side, and I could see he held a sharp blade at her back. “Janet makes me tea in the morning,” I said quietly. Branford turned his head toward me with a snap. “She what?” “I…I said…she makes my morning tea,” I whispered. My gaze didn’t leave Nelle’s. Branford turned from me back to Nelle and then to Edgar. “This has been your doing all along,”
Branford stated as he took a slight step toward the other king. “This is why you have pressured my court to have me secure an heir. You knew Alexandra would not bear my child because you made sure she would not.” “Do not be absurd,” Edgar said with a wave of his hand. “No…not absurd,” Branford said. He shook his head. “Actually, it all makes sense now where it did not before. You have lied to this court, and you have plotted against another royal.” “Surely you do not believe the mutterings of this woman,” Edgar said with a sneer. “She is obviously mad.” The murmurs of other court members became louder, and the anger in their tones was apparent. Edgar glanced around nervously as he pulled his daughter close to his side. Even I could see the guilt in his eyes. “Get out,” Branford said darkly. “Leave here now while you still can.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Branford—” The sound of a sword leaving its scabbard echoed around the chambers as first Branford’s sword was raised to King Edgar, and then King Edgar’s guards did the same, only with the intent to shield Edgar from Branford’s blade. The guards behind me stepped around with their own weapons drawn as did Lord Williams and Sir Rylan. Soon, it seemed every man had a sword drawn and pointed toward either Edgar or Branford. Branford moved his gaze in a circle from King Edgar to Nelle to me and then back to Edgar again. Branford lowered his sword only a fraction and then snarled through clenched teeth. “Get out of my kingdom.” Edgar’s guards moved closer together, further shielding their king from the sharp end of Branford’s sword. “Now!” Branford shouted. “And do not return!” Edgar’s eyes narrowed, and without a word,
he took a few steps backwards. Two of his guards stayed in front of him while the other two took positions at his back, ushering Princess Whitney into the protected area. The first of the guards continued to walk backwards with his sword drawn until the group from Hadebrand was outside of the great hall. “Parnell, follow them,” Branford said. His gaze moved to Nelle. “Once they have left the castle gates, have Brigham take nine others with him to make sure they pass our borders. Six should stay behind as additional border guards. No one from Hadebrand is to cross. Understood?” “Yes, my king,” Parnell replied with a quick bow. He pulled his arm away from Nelle’s back and sheathed the knife he had in his hand. He turned on his heel and quickly followed the retreating Hadebrand royalty. Sir Rylan took a step closer to Nelle and put his hand on her shoulder to hold her in place. Lady Suzette stepped off to one side, carefully watching Branford. “Dunstan, fetch Janet.”
“Yes, sire.” “Do not say a word to her,” Branford said as Dunstan started toward the back staircase. “Only state Alexandra requires her presence.” “Of course, my king.” Branford turned to me then, his eyes dark and his expression not one I had seen before. The green in his eyes seemed to have been encompassed by black, and his brows were drawn together in a scowl. “She prepared tea for you?” “Yes, Branford,” I said, barely able to force my voice above a whisper. “Every day?” “Yes.” “And you said nothing of this?” His tone sharpened. “For how long? Since she arrived?” Branford’s voice rose again, and he took a step toward me. “You drank tea prepared by her every day
for years and told me nothing of it?” “Branford, I…” I had no idea what to say to him. I had never mentioned it because it had seemed such a…a feminine thing. His eyes further darkened, and the door behind us opened. Dunstan emerged with Janet in tow. My husband spun around on his heel, took two steps toward Janet, and grasped her arm roughly. Janet let out a surprised squeal but was quickly cut off as Branford’s fingers reached up her neck and tightened around her throat. He lifted her in his grasp, and her toes barely touched the floor. “You fed my wife poisoned tea!” he screamed, his face mere inches from hers. I could see her frightened eyes as they sought me. “Not…poison…” she whispered. Her fingers clawed at Branford’s hand but to no avail. “She stands…” “You made her tea?” Branford snarled. “Every day?”
“Y-y-yes!” “This tea kept her from having my child?” Branford turned to Nelle on the ground. Janet tried to speak further, but Branford’s grip did not allow enough air. Nelle nodded. “And Edgar knew of this?” Nelle’s gaze flickered to the door through which Edgar and Whitney had departed. Her head nodded slightly. “Kimberly came up with the idea after we were banished from Silverhelm. When we arrived in Hadebrand, Whitney said it was the perfect plan to fit in with what she wanted…which was Branford, of course. Kimberly and Sir Leland worked with Janet to get her inside Silverhelm Castle, and then after the war started, and it was clear Silverhelm was losing, Edgar heard Whitney talking with Kimberly. He said the lack of an heir would allow him the opportunity to exploit Silverhelm from within. As long as you had no heir, the court of Silverhelm would be in panic and more likely to listen to his demands. Eventually,
Whitney would end up on the throne next to you.” Branford loosened his fingers from around Janet’s throat and dropped her back to her feet. “You knew of all of this,” he stated. Janet shook her head. “I did not know what it was supposed to do…” “Yet you gave it to her anyway!” Branford screeched. Without warning, Branford reached out and grasped Janet’s wrist. She gasped, pulling slightly though she had no means of escape. I could see the muscles in his arm as they tensed, and he gripped her tightly as he began walking quickly with purposeful strides down the length of the great hall, dragging Janet behind him. “Branford!” I called out as I hurried after him. Sir Rylan hauled Nelle from the ground and pulled her along with him as he followed me. I heard the footsteps of the other nobles as they raced out of the great hall, through the doors, and
outside the castle. With my skirts gathered up, I still could not catch up to Branford though I continued to call out to him. I could hear Janet’s cries and see her struggle against the grip of his hand as he pulled her through the marketplace. The shoppers and merchants all stopped their transactions to watch as we hurried by, many of them dropping their wares and following the procession as we all followed Branford and Janet through the castle gates and out to the field where Branford trained his army. Still many yards ahead of me, Branford stopped near a practice dummy—a burlap bag stuffed with scraps, made vaguely into the shape of a man’s head and torso, and staked into the ground. Archers as well as swordsman used such things for target practice. As Branford’s feet stilled, he hauled Janet up close, and I saw his arm rise high above his head before he brought it down to her face. Janet screamed as she dropped to the ground. Branford reached around the target,
unwrapped a sturdy section of rope from around the base, and pulled the end of it loose. He reached for Janet’s ankle as she tried to crawl away from him, pulling her back and wrapping one end of the rope around her leg. Again, his arm rose and he beat down on her. Before I could reach the edge of the practice field, I felt strong arms around my waist as my forward progression was halted. “Release me!” I cried out as Rylan pulled me against his chest. Dunstan was nearby with Lady Nelle’s arm in his grasp. “No, good queen,” Rylan said. “You should not be here at all, and come what may—I will not allow you closer. Not now.” “Branford!” I yelled out again, and I saw his shoulder’s tense as his gaze flickered to me briefly. He did not halt his movements. The rope was tied around Janet’s other leg and then around her waist as she was strapped to
the dummy. I could hear her cries and pleas as well as the smacking sound of Branford’s hand across her mouth. There was blood on her lips as he wrapped the rope around her again. I struggled against Sir Rylan’s grip, and just when I thought I would wriggle from his grasp, there were other hands on me, pulling me slightly backwards. Dunstan moved in front of me, trying to block my view. “Let me go!” I cried out again, pushing against the strong arms of the soldiers around me. “Please, Queen Alexandra,” Dunstan pleaded. Branford’s hands flew rapidly as he wound the rope around Janet’s form, further securing her as she cried for mercy. He yanked roughly at the binds and then turned to walk several feet away to a large stack of firewood, stockpiled for the winter. He piled it at her feet. “No! Branford, please!” I screamed, but he would not even turn to face me.
Janet, however, did look toward me. “Lady Alexandra!” she cried out. “I did not know—I swear I did not! Please! Please!” Branford signaled one of the other guards, and a moment later, the sentinel handed him a brightly burning torch. He moved close to Janet, and I could hear her pleading with him. His chest rose and fell, his eyes narrowed, and he dropped the torch into the dry wood at her feet. “No!” Janet cried out. “I did not know! I did not know!” “Die, you witch!” Branford growled and spat in her face. He took several steps backwards to avoid the flames as they spread around the practice figure, the dry wood, and my handmaid. Though his back was still to me, he was at least close enough I knew he could hear my words. “Branford—what if she truly did not know? You cannot—you cannot do this if—” He wheeled around suddenly, his bright green eyes blazing with fire and hatred.
“Did not know? Did not know?” he screamed as he shook his fists. “She was taking direction from my enemy! She knew exactly what she was doing! She used you, used your kindness, and plotted to destroy us, Alexandra!” The flames grew brighter as Janet’s screams grew louder. I yelled at Branford to stop what he was doing, but he turned back to me with eyes as bright as the flames behind him. Branford’s body was shaking as he cried out. “She took my dignity…she took the shine from your eyes when you knew I was leaving to try to father a child by another. She nearly destroyed me, and I will watch her burn for it!” He turned back to the scene in front of him, and Janet’s eyes looked around my husband, searching me out as she fought uselessly against her bonds. I twisted my body in an equally fruitless attempt to disengage myself from the grip of our neighboring knight. I could feel something sharp sticking into my side—something from Sir Rylan’s belt, I
thought—as I watched the wood catch fire and the flame grow larger around the feet of the girl who had stayed with me many nights when Branford was not there. It was the same girl who brought me breakfast and made me eat even when I did not feel like it. It was the same girl who had tried to win the acceptance of my husband over and over again, always trying harder when he ignored her. And the same girl who brought me my morning tea every day without fail. “Please, no…” I heard myself whisper. There was no way she could have possibly known what she was doing. Edgar must have threatened her—given her no choice in her actions. I could see her trying to kick out at the burning logs, but Branford knocked them back toward her, snarling words I could not hear. I watched with wide eyes as her head tilted backward, and she let out a long howl. The flames had reached her legs, the flesh blackening as her skirts burned away. She screeched once more, and then Janet’s innocent, frightened eyes transformed into an
expression I had not seen before. They narrowed, darkened, and glared in my direction as her lips turned up into an inhuman grin. She shook her head wildly as she looked into my eyes and screeched across the field. “You are an idiot!” she screamed. “You will believe anything!” I felt the hard steel of Rylan’s armor as I fell back against him, and it felt as though the words coming from the mouth of my…of my friend… were burning me as surely as the flames from the fire singed her skin. “I knew!” The frightening image from the middle of the flames screamed out to me. “Every time you drank that tea, I knew it was killing any child that would try to grow within you! I knew his seed would never find purchase in your body! I knew it, and I was glad!” I tried to step back further, the horror of her words hitting me dead center in my chest and knocking all breath from me. As I moved backwards, I was again met with Sir Rylan’s
armored chest and strong arms as he held me against him and tried to turn me from the view of the field. Janet laughed maniacally until the flames licked higher. She screamed as the fire burst out along the clothing around her chest and arms and then her hair. The brisk wind carried the smoke and filled the area, causing my eyes to clench shut when the smell of burning hair reached me. I could still hear her screaming though Rylan’s body now blocked my view. The screams abruptly stopped though the crackling of the fire continued for some time. The stench covered us all, and I tried to block it from my mind as tears streamed down my face. I felt a new set of arms on my shoulders, and Rylan released his grip as I fell into Branford’s embrace. “It’s over,” Branford said, his voice expressionless. “She cannot harm you again.” I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he pulled me against his body as I sobbed into his shirt.
“I thought…I thought she was my friend,” I whispered through my tears. The repulsive smell of charred flesh attacked my nose and made it sting. “I know,” Branford said as he pulled me tighter against his chest. “I have felt that same way before.” “Why? Why would she, after what we did for her?” “I do not know,” my husband said, “but I intend to find out.” His gaze fell to Nelle, still on the ground with two of Branford’s soldiers standing over her. Rylan was close by, his sword drawn to keep her at bay. Branford approached the prostrate woman and glared down at her. “Tell me everything,” Branford said through clenched teeth. Nelle’s gaze flashed from the charred corpse on the field back to Branford. “Will you burn me, too?” “I have not yet decided,” Branford said
with a sneer. “It depends on what you reveal.” I reached out and placed my hand against his arm, but he shook me away. “Tell me everything. Now.” Nelle sobbed and placed her hands over her face. “It was Kimberly’s idea!” she moaned between sobs. “Kimberly and Whitney planned it all!” “Planned what?” Branford yelled. He took a step toward her and kicked her with his boot as she tried to protect herself with her arms. “Tell me!” Through her sobs, Nelle told us how she and Kimberly went to Hadebrand after their exile. There they spoke with Princess Whitney and a young man who apparently wished to win her favor —Sir Leland. He had a young cousin who knew the ways of witches. “She knew,” Nelle whispered. “Kimberly knew what happened to your mother. She thought