ceremony in the fortress of the Ruby Order.
Crag dismounted, Pale Feet’s reins in his hands as he walked up the pathway, his eyes focused on the horizon. He didn’t look happy, didn’t look miserable. He didn’t look as if he felt anything at all.
He stopped before the table, and Lily noticed a glimmer of approval in Rain’s eyes. Blaze took up a sword, holding it across both palms, and offered it to Crag who drew a deep breath. He took the blade, both hands gripping it tightly. For a long moment, he held Sir Blaze’s eyes, then he flung the sword at the Knight’s feet.
Expressions of shock shone in the eyes of the Knights, and a murmur of surprise swept through the crowd.
“What’s he doing?” Lily whispered.
Beside her, Sir Wood’s brow furrowed as he explained, “He’s relinquishing his sword. He’s decided not to join our Order.”
“What?” She stared, dumbstruck. He couldn’t do that! Not after all he’d gone through to become a Knight!
Blaze alone didn’t appear surprised. He held Crag’s eyes and nodded slowly before Crag led his horse away, joining the rest of the onlookers at the back of the crowd.
After the ritual, the crowd dispersed and everyone made their way back to the village.
Lily caught up with Crag in the stable.
“Why did you do that?” she demanded.
He glanced at her. “I don’t want it. I thought I did, but I don’t.”
“But you’ve been through all that service, all that sacrifice!”
He began brushing Pale Feet.
“Don’t you have anything to say?”
He glared. “I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation. My decision is none of your concern. We were nothing more than a few moments of pleasure to each other, isn’t that right?”
Lily felt her face flush. His life was none of her concern, and no, she wasn’t ready to build a relationship on a few moments of intimacy, but hadn’t they shared enough to at least make them friends? Didn’t he care at all about anything?
“Fine,” she snapped. “Have a good life, Crag, if a miserable bastard like you can.”
She turned on her heel and left just as Blaze stepped inside.
“Don’t bother, Sir,” she told the auburn-haired Knight. “He’ll only chew your head off if you shown him any concern.”
Blaze’s large blue eyes widened in question, but Lily didn’t wait around to explain. She plopped on the ground outside the stable. After a moment, she realized she could hear Crag and Blaze’s conversation.
“I’m sorry for my decision, Sir,” Crag said, though he didn’t sound very sorry.
“It happens at times, that an apprentice feels unable to accept Knighthood, particularly when his service is performed under severe conditions such as yours. Yes, all apprentices are bombarded with duties, but yours were relentless and in the midst of war. Your work was admirable and your skills are desirable to our Order.”
“I can’t.” Crag sighed. “I just can’t.”
“I understand. Your thoughts might change. All is not lost. We will not leave for the dubbing ceremony for two weeks’ time. You have until then.”
“Thank you, Sir, but I don’t expect to change my mind.”
Moments later, Blaze stepped out of the barn. His eyes riveted to Lily. He offered her the slightest smile before continuing on his way.
Lily wrapped her arms around her knees and sighed. Why had she thought there might have been something between her and Crag? Why had she even bothered wanting it? She should have known happiness with a man was not to be hers.
Chapter 10
“Lily, what’s wrong?” Coral asked as the two women sat by the brook, scrubbing clothes against the rocks.
She sighed, squeezing the wet fabric of the skirt she washed. “It’s just that I really don’t know what I want to do with my life. I have no one. I can go anywhere. It’s the strangest feeling.”
Coral looked at her with sympathy. Both her and Gem’s husbands had come to Tanek , and both couples had decided to settle there.
Crag dismounted, Pale Feet’s reins in his hands as he walked up the pathway, his eyes focused on the horizon. He didn’t look happy, didn’t look miserable. He didn’t look as if he felt anything at all.
He stopped before the table, and Lily noticed a glimmer of approval in Rain’s eyes. Blaze took up a sword, holding it across both palms, and offered it to Crag who drew a deep breath. He took the blade, both hands gripping it tightly. For a long moment, he held Sir Blaze’s eyes, then he flung the sword at the Knight’s feet.
Expressions of shock shone in the eyes of the Knights, and a murmur of surprise swept through the crowd.
“What’s he doing?” Lily whispered.
Beside her, Sir Wood’s brow furrowed as he explained, “He’s relinquishing his sword. He’s decided not to join our Order.”
“What?” She stared, dumbstruck. He couldn’t do that! Not after all he’d gone through to become a Knight!
Blaze alone didn’t appear surprised. He held Crag’s eyes and nodded slowly before Crag led his horse away, joining the rest of the onlookers at the back of the crowd.
After the ritual, the crowd dispersed and everyone made their way back to the village.
Lily caught up with Crag in the stable.
“Why did you do that?” she demanded.
He glanced at her. “I don’t want it. I thought I did, but I don’t.”
“But you’ve been through all that service, all that sacrifice!”
He began brushing Pale Feet.
“Don’t you have anything to say?”
He glared. “I don’t owe you or anyone else an explanation. My decision is none of your concern. We were nothing more than a few moments of pleasure to each other, isn’t that right?”
Lily felt her face flush. His life was none of her concern, and no, she wasn’t ready to build a relationship on a few moments of intimacy, but hadn’t they shared enough to at least make them friends? Didn’t he care at all about anything?
“Fine,” she snapped. “Have a good life, Crag, if a miserable bastard like you can.”
She turned on her heel and left just as Blaze stepped inside.
“Don’t bother, Sir,” she told the auburn-haired Knight. “He’ll only chew your head off if you shown him any concern.”
Blaze’s large blue eyes widened in question, but Lily didn’t wait around to explain. She plopped on the ground outside the stable. After a moment, she realized she could hear Crag and Blaze’s conversation.
“I’m sorry for my decision, Sir,” Crag said, though he didn’t sound very sorry.
“It happens at times, that an apprentice feels unable to accept Knighthood, particularly when his service is performed under severe conditions such as yours. Yes, all apprentices are bombarded with duties, but yours were relentless and in the midst of war. Your work was admirable and your skills are desirable to our Order.”
“I can’t.” Crag sighed. “I just can’t.”
“I understand. Your thoughts might change. All is not lost. We will not leave for the dubbing ceremony for two weeks’ time. You have until then.”
“Thank you, Sir, but I don’t expect to change my mind.”
Moments later, Blaze stepped out of the barn. His eyes riveted to Lily. He offered her the slightest smile before continuing on his way.
Lily wrapped her arms around her knees and sighed. Why had she thought there might have been something between her and Crag? Why had she even bothered wanting it? She should have known happiness with a man was not to be hers.
Chapter 10
“Lily, what’s wrong?” Coral asked as the two women sat by the brook, scrubbing clothes against the rocks.
She sighed, squeezing the wet fabric of the skirt she washed. “It’s just that I really don’t know what I want to do with my life. I have no one. I can go anywhere. It’s the strangest feeling.”
Coral looked at her with sympathy. Both her and Gem’s husbands had come to Tanek , and both couples had decided to settle there.
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