Child Of A Guardian And Of The Free (Book 3) by Dan O'Sullivan

blaze which seemed to fill the kitchen.
    ‘ No! She- I have to help her! There’s still a chance!’ Dale’s strength gave out entirely and he collapsed to the floor.
    ‘ There’s nothing you can do,’ said Eibhear firmly, picking up Dale once again and running towards the door which led into the courtyard. Dale’s body shook with grief and shock as Eibhear placed him on the ground with his back against the base of the wall, as far as possible from anything flammable. ‘I’ll go back in, Dale, but you need to know, I can’t sense her thoughts at all, so either she’s dead or close to it,’ said Eibhear. He turned and ran towards the keep. He disappeared from sight and Dale slid sideways onto the ground, his tears pouring down his face and dripping onto the dust.
    It was more than half an hour before Eibhear returned . Dale shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth as he caught the expression on Eibhear’s face. ‘She’s burnt terribly, Dale.’ Eibhear leant against the wall and slid down until he was sitting beside Dale. Dale’s face turned towards Eibhear questioningly. ‘She won’t survive. She’s not conscious now and I doubt she’ll last the hour. I can hardly even tell if she’s breathing.’
    ‘ Take me to her,’ ordered Dale.
    ‘ Are you sure you want to see her?’ asked Eibhear, feeling sickened by the memories of the burnt girl.
    ‘ Just take me to her. If there’s any possibility she can hear me...well, I’m not going to miss the chance, Eibhear.’ Eibhear lifted Dale and carried him into the keep, to where Charie’s burnt body was stretched out on the long lounging chair in the conference room. General Marnol and Lady Sophie knelt beside her, pouring water over her body. Eibhear placed Dale beside the chair. Dale leaned forward until his mouth was inches from the blackened lump of flesh that had once been Charie’s ear.
    ‘ Charie? I love you Charie. You know I love you. You know that, don’t you?’ There was no response and tears flooded down Dale’s face. ‘Oh Charie, beautiful Charie,’ Dale’s voice broke and he laid his head on the side of the chair and closed his eyes. ‘Where are the guardians?’ he whispered eventually. ‘Have we no-one here who can help her?’
    ‘ They went with Kelian,’ said General Marnol. ‘And King’s Marshall Danil won’t be back here until this afternoon.
    ‘ I don’t think they would have been able to do anything. I doubt that even Tiernan could save her,’ said Eibhear kneeling beside Dale. He reached out and placed his hand on Charie’s forehead. ‘She’s gone now Dale. She’s dead.’
    ‘ What happened?’ asked Dale croakily, fighting against screams of grief. ‘How could this happen?’
    ‘ I’m not entirely sure, but from what we can see, she was working with a huge pan of oil and it caught fire. I think she threw water on it to try to put out the flames,’ said Lady Sophie. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying.
    ‘ Can I have a moment alone with her?’ asked Dale.
    ‘ Of course,’ replied General Marnol. They rose to their feet and left the room. Dale reached out hesitantly and placed his hand on Charie’s forehead. Most of her soft blond hair had burned away. He pulled himself up until he was partly lying beside the girl and he draped his arm over her body. He stayed beside her until General Marnol returned and carried her body away, then he dragged himself up onto the wet and blackened chair and lay staring unseeingly ahead.
    ‘ Dale?’
    If Dale was surprised to hear Enri ’s voice he didn’t show it. Enrique of Western Downs, son of Duke Percy and Duchess Vera had been appointed to him as Squire, and they had become good friends. Enri’s courage had earned him the title of King’s Knight, but his duties were strictly limited as he was only fourteen years of age. When Kelian’s father had been King, he had forbidden Enri to take on the full responsibilities of a King’s Knight until he was older.