Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 99325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99325 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
She found Brigid in the cook room, Horace sitting right beside her as she busily stirred a batter in a wooden bowl.
“You what?” Brigid said so loudly that all in the room turned to stare.
Reena kept her voice low. “I am going down to the dungeons to take a look at one of the cells. I think I may have discovered something, and I wish to see if I am right.”
“You are crazy.”
“Nay, I tell you of where I go to be safe and ease Magnus’s concern.”
Brigid put the bowl down on the table, Horace’s eyes following its descent. “Magnus will be angry.”
“It is safe in the keep, what could happen to me?”
“I do not know, but the dungeons do not sound like a place you should go to alone. Why not wait for Magnus to return? He went with Thomas to Daniel the bowman’s cottage. They should return shortly.”
“I do not want to wait, I must see this for myself now, to see if what I believe is true.” Reena headed to the door. “Tell Magnus where I am as soon as he returns.”
“At once I shall tell him, and don’t be surprised if he follows you.”
“That will be good—then I can show him my discovery.” She gave a wave and was off in a hurry.
“I do not like this, Horace,” Brigid said to the dog, whose eyes remained fixed on the bowl. “I do not like it at all.”
Reena grabbed a torch from the metal sconce on the wall before descending the stairs down into the dungeon. Her steps slowed as the damp darkness reached up to grab at her, and she had to drive back her fear to proceed. While the flame of the torch chased away the darkness in front of her, it but circled and crept up to follow behind her.
It seemed that there had been more light when Magnus had brought her here, but he was much taller than she, and he had carried the torch high, casting more light around them. She remembered several torches being lit along the wall where the cells were located, but none were lit now. Then she recalled how Magnus had told her that he had had them lighted for their visit to the dungeon so that she would have sufficient light for her work.
She had not taken the thick darkness into consideration when she had begun her decent down into the dungeon, but she was here now and would not turn back. Besides, she was much too excited to abandon her investigation.
She made her way along the familiar path, having trailed it many times in her mind while mapping it. She stopped suddenly, thinking she heard a noise, and she shivered at the thought that rats could be her only companions in this dismal, dark place.
The thought set her into action, moving more hastily to the cell in question so that she could ascertain whether her idea held any merit or she was crazy, as Brigid had suggested. Either way, she would have her answer.
She entered the cell and held the torch high, the light chasing the darkness to impatiently hover in wait in the corners. She spotted the metal rings and hurried over to the wall. With no place to put the torch inside the cell, Reena had to hold on to it, making her examination of the rings more difficult. She needed two hands.
She tugged at the one ring but nothing happened; she knew it would take two hands to accomplish anything. The lack of mortar around the stones led her to believe she was correct in her thought about the rings, but she needed to prove it to herself.
Another noise had her turning her head, but all she saw was darkness, and she wished Magnus were here with her, not only to help but also to comfort. She felt safe with him near, but then she was in his keep and safe from harm, so there was nothing to fear.
She returned her attention to the metal rings in order to determine her best course of action. She realized she would get nowhere on her own: she needed Magnus’s help, she needed his strength. It was best she return to the hall and wait for him.
That was when she heard footsteps and sighed with relief—Magnus was here and would help her.
“Look what I have found,” she said, her smile wide as she turned, holding the torch high. Her smile vanished in an instant when her eyes set upon Peter Kilkern.
“You are intelligent for a woman.”
She ignored his insult and focused on her situation. Kilkern had her trapped; there was no chance of escape. He blocked the entrance to the cell, and he most certainly had not come here alone. Her heart began to beat faster, and she forced her fear to remain hidden. She would not let Kilkern think her frightened. Her only chance was to survive until Magnus arrived to rescue her. He would rescue her, she had no doubt.