Lady Ann shook her head in disgust. “But what does the stupid lad do, he wounds himself while attempting to kill you, in hopes of saving the woman he loves. Unfortunately, Philip completely lost his temper with the lass when he found out and beat her to death.” Lady Ann shook her head again. “I knew then and there he had to be done away with or I would live to regret it.”
Dawn’s heart ached for Bree who had little choice but to obey or suffer the consequences. And how hard for the man she loved to stand by and not be able to save her. What was it that Cree had said to her? A man who does not stand for the woman he loves is no man at all. Bree’s young man had stood for her even as he lay dying and a tear slipped from Dawn’s eye for the young couple that never got to live and love.
“I’ve wasted enough time, though now you understand the lengths I would go to, to keep what is mine. With you gone there is nothing preventing Cree from wedding Lucerne. The King will command it. The land will then be secured and I will retain my title and home and I will finally be free of a husband’s dictate. Now I’ve said enough; it’s time for you to die.”
Dawn raised her hand gesturing, though Lady Ann shook her head.
“I do not understand you,” Lady Ann snapped.
Dawn pointed to her, the dagger, and then herself and shrugged.
Lady Ann scrunched her brow. “You wonder who will be blamed for your death?”
Dawn nodded
“That’s easy. Another culprit who has yet to be caught and of course I will have seen him run off and give a good description.”
Dawn shook her head.
“Of course everyone will believe me. I will play the part well of a grieving mother.”
Dawn laughed silently and Lady Ann grew furious.
“Enough,” she said through gritted teeth. “It is time for you to finally die. Something you should have done at birth.”
~~~
Cree waited with Torr just inside the room next to where Kirk rested. Sloan and Elwin were positioned across the hall in another room. The doors stood slightly ajar as they waited for either Lucerne or Lady Ann to appear.
There was complete silence. No one uttered a sound or made a move and Cree took the time to think about all that had happened. He had yet to hear from Elsa as to whether Lucerne was being poisoned. It would be easy to slip something into the brew that had been given to her time and again.
Cree startled, jarring Torr.
“What is it?” Torr asked anxiously.
“The brew,” Cree said, though Torr did not understand. “It had been something that had used before Lucerne was born. That means…”
Cree raced from the room.
~~~
“I’ll make it quick,” Lady Ann said. “After all you have suffered enough being voiceless.”
Anger was a good deterrent to fear and propelled Dawn into action as Lady Ann ran at her, she grabbed for a tankard that had been left on the arm of one of the chairs and swung it at the dagger that was about to pierce her stomach. It flew out of her hand to the floor.
Dawn wasn’t surprised that her mother didn’t cry out in pain or that her face raged red with anger. The woman was demented and she wasn’t about to let anything stop her from killing Dawn.
Dawn thought otherwise and lunged for the dagger.
Lady Ann did the same.
They both dropped to the floor, their hands reaching out in unison for the dagger. It skidded out of their reach as they tried to prevent each other from getting it. Lady Ann pounced on Dawn and lashed out at her face with clawing hands.
Dawn blocked her wildly flaying hands with her arms and rolled to her side forcing Lady Ann off her. She jumped, with a stumble, to her feet and her eyes turned wide when she saw that Lady Ann had retrieved the dagger.
“Damn you, die!” she hissed and rushed at Dawn.
Instinct took over and Dawn side-stepped the frantic woman, grabbed her wrist and held the dagger at bay. Lady Ann twisted with such strength that it knocked them both to the floor, the dagger pointed at Dawn’s stomach. Dawn didn’t hesitate, she twisted her mother’s wrist and sent the dagger into her throat. Blood spewed all over Dawn’s face and she watched the woman’s eyes spread wide in shock, and then collapse on top of her.
Her breath caught and she closed her eyes; she had just killed her mother.
The door swung open but Dawn didn’t turn her head. She was too numb to move.
Cree roared out Dawn’s name and she was sure that this time he had splintered some of the rafters.
All Cree could see was blood and Dawn not moving. He flew to her side, dropping down on his knees. “I forbid you to die. I forbid it,” he yelled grabbing her hand.