Redemption by M J Marlow (librera reader .txt) 📕

child, Your Majesty,” Barnabas said as he looked at his victim. “Once I have made her my wife, I will teach her to see the truth.” He turned to Tavin, who was glaring at him coldly. “You and your men will be caged as the animals you are, prince Tavin; to await execution.”
Marit was shoved into her room and was surprised to see that she was not alone. Her ladies and their husbands were also there. She saw Lorenz and beckoned to him. He handed her the key when she asked for it. Then she asked them all point blank what they felt about the king’s latest edict against the people of Stormkeep. She was pleased to hear that their disagreement was why they were all locked in the room.
“I need a length of leather or cording, Sysha,” Marit asked her lady. “No,” she said as she stumbled and they stepped towards her, “I will be fine.” She looked at her companions and friends. “I am going to get some help.”
She put the key on the cording and went out on the balcony. She climbed up on the railing and looked for a way. Then nodding to her astonished friends, she jumped onto the parapet, and climbed over the crenellations and down the wall outside. She was so happy to be out of that place, she almost forgot what she was doing. Only when she hit the edge of the forest and found herself facing Tessa and the men of Stormkeep and Northfell, did she remember. She lead them to the waterfall and in through the tunnels. She took the key and unlocked the door. When they came out into the dungeons, Marit found the keys to the cells and let her father’s men out. They told their rescuers where Barnabas had posted his men and they all moved out. All save Tavin’s sister, Tessa and Marit, who could not help but notice the look that passed between Tessa and Justin before he left with the men. Something was going on between them, and Marit wondered why she wasn’t the least bit jealous. She found her eyes going to Alexander and remaining on the stairs long after he had gone.
“This we leave to the men,” Tessa told her cousin, as she held Marit back. “You and I must be in position to help your sire.” She smiled at Marit’s look of anger. “It may seem that the males are getting to have all the fun, but that is not so, cousin. We have the honor of taking down the monster!”
Marit smiled at that thought and led Tessa up the back stairs that the men had said were clear and watched Tessa as she walked past the guards on her chamber door. They went after her and Marit went into her chamber. She told Lorenz and the others what was happening and the men left, smiling broadly. Tessa came back, looking inordinately pleased with herself. Marit changed in a simple wool gown and slippers and nodded to her ladies. They marched down the main stairs and entered the Great Hall.
“How did you get out of your chambers?” Barnabas roared as she appeared.
“I asked your guards ‘nicely’ to let me and my ladies out,” Marit replied sweetly. She nodded to Tessa, who drew a dagger and put Barnabas on his knees, with the blade to his throat. “They were quite displeased to hear your appraisal of our gender, my lord.” She turned to her father and went to his side. She healed him until she saw the blankness lift from his eyes. He blinked and looked at her, momentarily confused.
“You do your father proud, my daughter,” he said as he pulled her into his arms. “I assume you did not come alone?”
“No, Father,” Marit replied. “Warriors of Northfell and Stormkeep accompanied me here.” She saw Barnabas blanch. “We were taking no chances with your safety.” She nodded towards Tessa. “I don’t believe you’ve met princess Tessa; Taryn’s daughter?”
“A warrior of Stormkeep?” Marius was impressed. He bowed his head to the girl. “We are honored by your visit, princess.” His eyes went cold as he saw Barnabas on his knees at the girl’s feet. “You can let the man up, princess. I have a feeling we are secure now.”
“Then you would be wrong, Majesty,” Barnabas snarled as he grabbed Marit the moment he was free. He held his own dagger at Marit’s throat, and pulled her with him as he backed away. “Your daughter comes with me now.”
“No!” Marit shook her head as she dug her nails into his arm. She forced his hand down and he was stunned. Then she twisted in his hold. “This ends here!” she cried as she drove the dagger into her own side. She fell to her knees, stunned by the pain. But not as stunned as Barnabas, who looked from her to the dagger. He dropped it and ran, just as the doors opened and Alexander, Justin and Tavin and their men came in. Alexander ran to her side and she smiled up at him. “Don’t look so worried,” she sighed softly as she began to lose consciousness. “it’s just a little prick.”
The pain of the knife wound broke through her controls over the toxin flowing through her system and Marit began to scream. Tessa and Tavin, understanding what was happening, took Marit to her rooms and locked themselves in with her. They refused to allow anyone to enter as Marit went through her first shift, accompanied by agonizing pain. Her body felt as if it were being ripped apart as the transformation progressed. Tessa stroked her brow with a cool cloth. Tavin held her down as the worst of the pain struck. For two days, she writhed in agony. When it was over, she opened her eyes to see her cousins looking at her in confusion.
“You never altered form, cousin,” Tavin frowned from where he stood by the balcony. He was actually quite disappointed. “You suffered through all the agonies of a shift but you never shifted.” He looked over at his sister. “It would appear that the myth is not without some basis in fact, sister.”
“You must look elsewhere for a mate, brother,” Tessa nodded. She watched him go, scowling. Then she turned to Marit. “You are rare among our kind, Marit. Only once before has there been one who reacted as you have. You will have all the benefits of an altered form without ever having to take on that form.” She laid her hand on Marit’s arm. “But it means that some of your offspring may never know that part of our heritage.”
“So your brother is abandoning his claim,” Marit asked her as she got up on her feet, still shaky, “because some of our children may never be wolf if he mates with me?” Tessa hung her head and then looked up in shock as Marit began to laugh. “But this is wonderful, Tessa! Don’t you see?” She had to sit down as weariness struck her. “Justin doesn’t want me because I am too much of Stormkeep; Tavin doesn’t want me because I am not enough of Stormkeep. Now,” she said softly, her mind spinning, “all I need do is find some way to keep the Emperor Alexander from insisting on an alliance, and I am free!”
“You are a strange female, cousin Marit,” Tessa smiled as she brought Marit a cup of fortificant. “How could you not want to be a wife and mother? It goes against a woman’s nature…”
“I still wish such things, Tessa,” Marit told her cousin firmly. “But I will not be treated like property.” She was remembering something Lorenz had told her. “I will be my own lady, until such time as I find a man who sees me as my self.”
“Noble sentiments, daughter,” Marius said as he came into the room at that moment. He kissed her on the forehead and Tessa left them alone. “Unfortunately, for you there is no choice.” He saw her shocked expression. “Your marriage, to the proper lord, is all that stands between us and chaos. I appeal to your sense of duty…”
“You ask me to agree to be some man’s wife,” Marit broke in harshly, “with the very real possibility that I will never be more to him than a symbol of power?”
“I am asking you to remember who you are, daughter,” Marius told her, his voice tight with censure. “There can be no alliance with Northfell now,” he said as he went to pour himself a cup of wine, “and Tavin will not have you, either. That leaves only one claim to consider.”
“No!” Marit cried, actually rising to stamp her foot like a spoiled child. “I will not consider it!”
“He cares for you, child,” Marius started to say only to watch her storm out of her room, her hair flowing behind her like a banner. “What a match that will be!”
Alexander was in the gardens when Marit found him. He rose to his feet, looking at her standing in the moonlight, her pale face illuminated by its touch. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life, and he knew he had to have her. She came up to him and he began to smile. But then she slapped him across the face and turned to go. He grabbed her hair and yanked her back; retaining a hold on it as he kissed her. He did not let her go until she surrendered.
“We will marry the moment we arrive in Trent,” he told her softly as she gazed up at him helplessly. “There will be no argument.”
“There must be other princesses that you could marry.”
“Of course there are,” Alexander nodded, loving her for her concern. She looked up at him, hurt. “But I only love one,” he continued as he pulled her close, “and she is standing here in my arms.” He cupped her chin in his hand and raised her eyes to his. “Say you will marry me, Marit.” He held her hand to his heart. “I shall die if you refuse me, my lady.”
“You are an idiot!” Marit laughed. She tried to remove her hand from his chest but he would not relinquish it. “Let go of me, Alexander.” He shook his head and she kicked him in the shins. Pain shot up her foot and she cried and sank down on the bench. “You brute!” she cried out in pain, as he looked stricken. “No,” she shook her head and shoved him away. “I don’t want you near me! Go away!” He picked her up in his arms instead and carried her out of the gardens. “What are you doing?”
“You’ve hurt yourself, beloved,” Alexander told her as he continued walking. “I am taking you to a healer.”
“Put…me…down!” Marit hissed with such venom that Alexander actually froze. He set her down on her feet, but did not release her. “I am a healer, Alexander! I don’t need to be taken to one!”
She hobbled away and he started after her. But the look on her face as she turned towards him stopped him. He fought hard not to laugh, she was so very serious about her need to be independent. He loved her even more at that moment than he had ever thought possible. He turned to go to his own rooms and ran into his aide, and cousin, Count Nikolas of Lancaster. His expression told Alexander that things were not going to go as smoothly as he might have wished.
“He is not pleased, cousin,” Nikolas told Alexander bluntly. “He had plans for the borderlands that did not include his heir marrying Marius’ heir.” He laid his hand on Alexander’s shoulder, smiling. “I, for one, am delighted at your choice.