Page 137 of Come the Morning

Ulric had given no thought to the murder. None at all. It had meant nothing to him.

The dead man fell. Ulric reached out for Eleanora, dragging her back against him. “Traitors, all! I will suffer no ill fate, Mellyora, for I am an English subject, while all of these people are treacherous bastards, cloying to the Scot’s king in times of trouble! I will give you just enough time to come out of the gates, lady. If I do not see your beautiful blue eyes before me in a matter of minutes, I will slash Eleanora’s throat. Your husband’s mistress, some say, eh? Will you let her die for such a sin? Or is the daughter of the great Adin too honorable to condemn her for such a reason?” he taunted.

Waryk would come, Waryk would come …

Aye, she could hold the fortress. The fortress could hold itself. She had always wanted to prove herself, and she’d had no choice but to do so, but now …

“You know that I will do this thing!” Ulric thundered.

“Aye, you’ll do it, we’ve seen that, Ulric!” she called out to him. She tried to keep her voice as cool as his. “But you’re right; Eleanora was long my husband’s mistress, while I am lady here, and Waryk’s wife.”

“My lady! The ice in your heart makes me crave you all the more!” he cried out with mock gallantry.

“Nay, Ulric. I will come out—”

“Oh, madam, what a wise thing to do! Your charity toward those who have wronged you is most exemplary. I meant to give Eleanora one more chance. See whom I would have let die for her next!”

Mellyora bit deeply into her lower lip as Ulric motioned to one of his men.

Ewan, still weak, barely able to stand, was dragged forward. Her heart skipped a beat. Ewan, still loyal, still proud. To be dragged forward, threatened anew …

“You would kill a man half dead already?” she demanded.

She could see Ulric’s grin. “Aye, lady—”

“Let him!” Ewan cried out with a sudden burst of strength. “Don’t surrender the fortress, Mellyora, don’t—”

He broke off as Ulric spun around, striking him with a heavily gloved fist with such that he fell, knocked unconscious.

“Half dead, all dead … what will it be, Mellyora MacAdin? The Lady Eleanora has a throat, so slim, so easy to cut …”

“I told you that I’m coming out. But I want Eleanora and the rest of your prisoners. The gates will not open unless you make this agreement. I will not come with you to watch others coldly murdered after I have surrendered myself.”

Ulric grinned, amused. “The other prisoners are but added weight. In good faith, I’ll send them toward the gates now. Eleanora comes when I see you through the gates.”

“I will wait between the gates. When all your prisoners have entered past the portcullis and it has been closed again, I will come to you.”

Mellyora backed away from the wall. Jon reached for her. “I can’t let you do this.”

She shook her head. “I can’t let him butcher Eleanora or anyone else in cold blood like that, my God, did you see what he did to that poor man—”

“Aye, a warrior, willing to die for Eleanora of Tyne, he was so sworn. You cannot die for her, Mellyora—”

“He doesn’t want to kill me, Jon. He wants to use me. Against Waryk.”

“And that he will.”

Mallory stood at the wall with them, brooding over the matter. “We’ll offer him a ransom.”

“He doesn’t want money, Mallory. He is seeking vengeance.”

“You can’t go to him.”

“But if I go to him, it will buy time. We have to have that time!”

“I can’t let you go—” Jon began again.

“What do we do against this enemy? He will kill, and kill again. He will bring forth all our people, and slay them one at a time before these walls. And I don’t really intend to go, Jon.”