Chapter Five

Nori glanced up at Gavin, shocked at his words. Did he mean them? Did he see her as a treasure? Holy hell! She was a queen. She'd known that. Logically, at least. But hearing it… Hearing him refer to her that way to a man she both feared and hated, it put it in a different light.

Gavin said something else, but her ears were thundering with the rapid beat of her blood. He turned his horse, Cris beside him, holding the reins of her mount and leading him along with them. She should do something, say something, but she couldn't form words. She was betrothed to Robert? Her grandfather had never mentioned it. Not once. Why would he do that to her? She'd told him more than once how mean Robert was to her. Once, she'd even begged him to take her with him, to not leave her at the Buckingham's. He'd laughed it off and told her she was being silly.

"Nori."

She glanced up to meet Gavin's gaze when he cupped her jaw and tilted her face toward his. She wasn't sure how many times he'd called her name, but she could tell it had been more than once.

"You're mine. He can't touch you."

How did he know exactly what she needed to hear? How was he so attuned to her so quickly?

"We have to consummate the marriage. As soon as we get back."

She heard Cris try to cover a laugh but didn't care.

"We'll consummate after two days," Gavin told her. "That was my word to you."

"I don't care. Today. Tomorrow. I won't go with him. He can't make me!"

"No one is taking you from me, Nori."

"You promise?"

He bent and kissed her softly on the lips. Not one of the explorative kisses he'd given her the night before. This was a soft, fleeting brush of his lips over hers.

"I promise. I need you to promise to stay with either me, Cris, or Con at all times while we remain here. Can you do that?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"I don't want you to be afraid. I'll protect you. Always. Buckingham can bluster all he wants. Phillip can as well. None of it matters. You're my wife."

"But we haven't consummated our marriage. My grandfather said it's not binding until we do."

Gavin looked angry. "Your grandfather lied to you. It seems he's made a habit of doing that. Our marriage is ours. I promised you two days to get accustomed to me. None of this changes my vow."

"I don't want to go with him. He hates me, Gavin. He made life horrible for me when we were growing up. He…" She paused, gulping down the fear that rose in her throat. "He did things. Said things. I won't survive."

"He'll die for that alone."

"No." She shook her head. "Just make him leave."

"Nori. Fuck, you're shaking." Gavin tugged her closer, wrapping his arms around her. "I've got you. He won't touch you. I swear."

She'd never been one to let fear rule her, but it had hold of her now.

"I need one more promise from you," Gavin told her.

"Anything."

"Don't go anywhere with your grandfather."

"You don't trust him?" She knew it was a stupid question as soon as it left her mouth.

"Has he ever once mentioned the betrothal to you?"

"No."

"Did the baron mention it to you?"

"No."

"I know you love him, but I'm asking you to trust me. Don't let him get you alone. Promise me."

"I promise."

How could her grandfather promise her to the very male she begged him to take her away from? Why would he do that? Why would the Buckinghams never say anything about it to her?

"What's the plan?" Gavin's brother asked as they rode through the gates of the Kingsley Keep.

"Eleanor and I will find the others and head upstairs to talk. We won't let her out of our sight," Jo vowed. "Cris will be with us."

Nori almost smiled when Cris sighed heavily. Jo ignored him.

"And you know Geoffrey will have either Titus or Duncan with us. We'll be fine while you deal with this. My vote is you slit his throat."

Nori gasped at Jo's suggestion, but the other woman merely shrugged.

"He was going to take you, Eleanor. He needs to be taught that no one touches a queen unless she allows it." Jo's gaze was hard, as if she were remembering something. "And no one touches what belongs to a War King. No one."

Theo growled his agreement, and Jo smiled at her husband. Nori noted the love between the two. In fact, it seemed that all of the War Kings and their wives loved one another. She wondered how the other marriages had come about. She'd have to ask them when they were all together as Jo had said. Nori was curious how they'd fallen for their kings. She wondered if it was possible for her and Gavin.

Gavin rode his horse up to the keep steps before handing her down to Cris then dismounting and handing the reins to one of his men.

"Only Buckingham is allowed inside the keep. The others can join Phillip's men. I want the door guarded until further notice." He turned, took Nori's hand then led her inside with him.

"Nori, I've been looking for you." Her grandfather moved toward her, and she immediately stepped closer to Gavin.

"Go with Cris," he told her, tilting her face up to him and kissing her before he urged her toward Cris. Jo joined her, linking their arms and heading them both toward the stairs.

"Nori!" Her grandfather called behind her, and for the first time in her life, she ignored him. "Nori!"

She heard the rumble of Gavin's voice, but there was too much distance for her to know what was said. She heard a door slam open and barely kept from jumping.

Jo called out to one of the chambermaids in the hallway as they passed. "See that wine, bread, and cheese are brought up to the solar, please. And ale for the men," she added when Cris sighed again.

"My queen." Cris held open the chamber door for Nori and Jo.

Nori moved inside but couldn't sit, pacing the room instead.

"I hear you had an encounter while out riding," Rory offered when she and Serena entered.

Serena wore men's clothes, leathers like the War Kings and their warriors, along with a shirt and boots that rose to just below her knees. She had a sword attached to the belt at her waist. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a braid. She looked like a warrior. Nori was both appalled and envious in the same breath. She'd never dream of wearing something so scandalous, but the other woman seemed confident.

"Where's Genevieve?" Jo asked.

"Getting refreshments sent up from the kitchen," Serena said. "She said not to say anything until she gets here."

"Cris."

Nori glanced over as Con filled the doorway and called to his brother. "Gavin wants you with him." He glanced over and smiled at Nori. "I'm on queen watch."

"Queen watch?" she questioned.

"He likes to tease, my queen," Cris told her then gave his twin a pointed look. "Be nice."

"I'm always nice," Con proclaimed.

"If he's not, I'll just tell Gavin," Nori said without thought then felt her face flame as their gazes both jerked toward her.

Both of them grinned before Con spoke. "I like you."

"I'm still deciding, but I like Cris."

"A woman with taste, my queen," Cris said then left the room with a laugh.

Before Con could say anything else, Genevieve walked in with two more men at her heels. Both carried trays filled with food. One of them was Lord Armstrong, the man who'd been Gavin's proxy for their ceremony. She'd seen the other one around Serena before. She thought his name was Duncan. Four other men followed with filled pitchers and mugs for all of them. Once everything was set out per Genevieve's direction, Duncan directed the others out of the room.

"Queen Eleanor," Lord Armstrong said as he headed her way. "I promised Gavin I'd keep all of you company while he's occupied below."

"Thank you, my lord," she said. She had to admit, he'd been nothing but nice to her since he'd shown up and she'd become Eleanor Montrose, Queen of the Dread Lands. "Please, call me Nori." She let her glance encompass the others. "All of you. Call me Nori."

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you saw us as friends," Jo said with a grin. "Welcome to the family!"

Nori wasn't sure why those four words hit her so hard, but when the tears fell down her face, there was nothing she could do to stop them.