The weight of the journey, her ill health, her mental exhaustion and her physical encounters with both men had left her feeling like a wrung-out dishrag. She tried to open her eyes but found it difficult. He was frowning down at her. “Sleep.”
There was nothing else she could do. She still had so many questions she wanted to ask him. And she wanted to see beyond the walls of this room. And she would. After she’d rested for a few minutes.
Chapter Nine
Audrey lay in bed and listened hard, trying to figure out what was different. Silence. That was it. The wind was no longer a low moan, beating at the shutters trying to get in.
She sat up and groaned as her body protested. She felt stiff and sore all over, from both her struggle in the storm and her unaccustomed sexual activity. She frowned when she noted she was alone and wondered how long she’d been asleep? She had a vague memory of two hard bodies snuggled up on either side of her, of waking once to use the bathroom and stumble back to bed and into a pair of waiting arms. But she’d lost all concept of time.
She threw back the cover and slid her legs over the side of the bed. The floor was cool against her toes as she stood and padded to the window. It took little effort to open the shutters. The sun was high in the sky but clouds obscured it, giving the day a gray appearance.
What shocked her most were the people. She’d gotten so used to it being just her and the Dannon brothers that she’d almost convinced herself there wasn’t an entire world out there. She heard the bleat of a sheep and the moo of a cow. A dog barked and a man called out to another one.
Audrey yanked the shutter closed, slammed the bolt home and leaned her forehead against the smooth wood. Everything was real, this world and the people in it. There was no denying it any longer. And that meant she was on a time limit. She had no idea how long she’d slept but was filled with a sudden sense of urgency. She had to find Abrah and Heroc.
But first she needed to use the facilities. She went to the bathing chamber and almost groaned in pleasure when she discovered a tub of steaming water waiting for her. She had no idea who had filled it, but she was grateful all the same. A thick washcloth and a bar of sweet-smelling soap sat on a ledge above the tub.
She climbed in and sat back, taking a moment to let the warmth of the water sink into her skin. Bruises still dotted her body, some worse than others, but overall she felt good and rested.
As much as she wanted to, she didn’t linger in the bath, but washed quickly. The scent of the soap reminded her of lavender and she breathed in the wonderful scent. By the time she was done she felt refreshed, her muscles not quite as sore.
There wasn’t much she could do with her hair but she picked out the tangles with a wooden comb she found on a shelf. The curls were wild, as always, but she found she really wasn’t worried. She didn’t have to present a business-like appearance here.
She tossed the comb back on the shelf and made her way back to the bedroom where a bundle of clothing sat on the table next to a jug of water.
There was no underwear among the clothing and she had no idea where hers were. “You’re going commando today.” She laughed at the sheer idea of it. Life here was certainly different.
She shook out the first piece of clothing, curious to see what it was. The pants were similar to the ones the brothers wore and she slipped them on, pulling the laces tight in the waist to keep them from falling over her hips. A long-sleeved tunic, which fell almost to her knees, followed.
There was a pair of boots with soft soles that laced up to her knees. They reminded her of moccasins and were incredibly comfortable. When she was fully dressed, she went to the door and hesitated only a moment before opening it.
The walls of the corridor were about eight feet high and made completely of stone. She marveled at the idea that she really was in a castle. She ran her fingers over the smooth stone as she made her way down the winding, narrow staircase. The place was like something out of a fairy tale book. As she made the last turn, the sound of male voices reached her.
She paused at the entryway to what could only be the great hall. Heroc and Abrah were there but they were not the men she’d come to know. Gone were the two lovers and in their place were two warriors.
Both men were stripped to the waist. Thick bands covered their forearms from their wrists to just below their elbows. Another wide band wrapped around their biceps. With their long hair flowing down their backs, they were wild and untamed. Sweat made their skin glisten as they circled one another in the center of the room.
But it was the heavy swords in their hands that held her spellbound. She’d seen Abrah take one from the wall when he’d stomped out of his room yesterday, but she’d never really imagined him actually using it. The darn things had to be at least four feet in length. And they were deadly sharp. Abrah brought his blade down toward Heroc. Audrey wanted to scream but was afraid to distract them. At the last second, Heroc raised his blade and Abrah’s skated over it. Sparks flew and metal clashed.
She sank down on the bottom step and wrapped her arms around her legs at the shocking reminder of just how different this world was from her own. The skill and athleticism both men displayed as they fought were breathtaking, their movements fluid and quick, their swords an extension of their arms.
This was a wild and vastly untamed land. Heroc had mentioned something about being isolated so they didn’t get many threats from others, but that didn’t mean they didn’t have to be prepared for attack.
She couldn’t imagine the brutality of having to fight another man with a sword, what it would feel like to drive a blade into another man’s body and watch him bleed to death. The cold from the stone leeched into her body and she shivered. This was a primitive world.
But how was that truly any different from the wars of her world? Men killed one another with guns and knives all the time, and sometimes over the stupidest of things. If anything, killing someone in her world was much more impersonal. You had to get up close and personal to hurt someone with a sword. No, when it came down to it, this world wasn’t much different from hers. Violence existed everywhere. It was simply that she’d never been this up close and personal with it before.
This was obviously a practice session but it didn’t look like one. Both men were deadly serious as they swung at their opponent. Several times she buried her face in her lap, unable to watch. But she’d always have to peek again to make certain neither of them were hurt.
A loud woof came from the far end of the room drawing her attention. Audrey couldn’t believe the size of the shaggy, gray beast galloping toward her. She’d seen him before on the night they’d found her. Carn. That was his name. Personally she thought Goliath would be more fitting. The closer he got the bigger he seemed. He was the size of a small horse and showed no intention of stopping.
Audrey jumped to her feet and held her hands out in front of her. Not that she could hope to hold off a beast that size, but she had to try. She prayed he was friendly. She was so focused on the dog’s approach she didn’t realize both men had spotted her and stopped fighting until she heard a shrill whistle.
The dog skidded to a stop, landing on his butt in front of her. His huge head came to the middle of her chest and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth in what she hoped was a doggy smile. He thrust his head beneath one of her hands so she petted him, the dark gray fur rough against her palm. “Nice dog.”