Deathstalker 04 - Deathstalker Honor

you?”
    “I think perhaps you have, Constance Wolfe. But what can we do to change anything?”
    “We can set an example. Show Blue Block we’re not afraid of them. If we stand up to be counted,
    others will join us.”
    “I don’t know about that,” said Robert. “In the military, the first man to stand up is usually the first to get his head shot off. But I think you’re right in that others might join us if they knew there were others who thought as they did. What about your Family, from before you married Jacob Wolfe? Where do they stand? Would they support us?”
    “My Family and I… don’t talk anymore,” said Constance evenly. “I was the eldest daughter of Clan Devereaux, supposed to attract a suitable young man of lesser stature into the Family to improve the bloodline. Instead I married a Wolfe, joined his Clan, and my bloodline was lost to the Family forever.
    My father declared that I was dead in his eyes. I haven’t spoken with any of my Family since.”
    “Now, that’s a shame,” said Robert. “You should try, Constance. They might feel differently about you now, in your current circumstances.” “I have my pride.”
    “Sometimes pride just gets in the way. The ones we love or admire are always taken from us far too soon, before we get to say all the things we meant to say to them. I lost my parents early, so as I grew older I venerated the head of my clan, Crawford Campbell. He was a god to me. I would have walked through fire for him, if he would only notice me. I always felt guilty that I wasn’t there with him in Tower Campbell on the day the Wolfes came. I can’t help feeling I might have made a difference. That if I’d been there, fighting at his side, the end result might have been otherwise. I’m probably wrong. Odds are, we would have all died anyway. But sometimes…” “I know,” said Constance. “I understand.”
    She leaned forward and put a comforting hand on top of his. And as her flesh met his, a moment of electricity sparked between them. Their eyes met, wide and startled, and their hearts were suddenly beating faster in their breasts. They looked deep into each other’s eyes, and saw heaven there, waiting for them. And then Constance jerked her hand away, and everything crashed back to normal again. For a moment they just sat in silence, looking at anything but each other. Robert risked a glance at Constance and saw the remains of a hot red flush in her face. His cheeks felt uncomfortably hot too. “So, how are preparations going for your wedding to the Deathstalker?” he said finally.
    “Very well, thank you for asking,” said Constance, her voice quite composed.
    “It’s due to take place six months from now. Barring any… complications.”
    “Of course,” said Robert. “You never know when complications are going to arise.
    You don’t love him, do you?”
    “No,” said Constance. “I don’t love him.”
    “Good,” said Robert. Their eyes met again, and this time they smiled at each other as well.
    Finlay was still in his quarters under the Arenas when he heard an urgent knocking at his door. He frowned. For someone who was supposed to be in hiding, he was getting a hell of a lot of visitors. He strapped on his sword belt and holster, and went carefully over to the door. He really should have invested in a spy hole or a hidden camera. He listened for a moment, couldn’t hear anything, and finally opened the door just a crack. A familiar voice said his name, and then he was pushed back as the weight of the body leaning against the door pushed it open. He grabbed hold of Evangeline as she fell toward him, only just in time to stop her from hitting the floor. She was wrapped in a long crimson sheet, one part of it bulked into a large, unwieldy parcel under one arm. Her face was slack with shock and exhaustion,
    and spattered with recently dried blood.
    Finlay tried to question her, but all she could do was murmur his name over and over again. She was breathing hard, and her eyes weren’t tracking properly, and she clung to him with desperate strength.
    Finlay gave up trying to get any sense out of her, and got her over to the bed, but she would only sit on the edge, not lie down. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and all she wanted to do was hold him.
    He hugged her in return, trying to reassure her with his presence and calm tone.
    “What is it, love? What’s happened? You’re safe here. You’re all right now. What have you