Redemption - M J Marlow (good book recommendations .TXT) 📗

them moving but there was nothing she could do to stop them. They put a cover over the cage and she felt it being raised and then dropped down onto a cart. They were not gentle, and Marit cried out as her body was bruised. She was still shaking with the pain of what had been done to her, as well as the knife wound in her arm, but she would not let them win. There was no way she would ever betray her own father for anyone. Why should the fact that her mother’s line was shape-shifters make such a difference? It did not make her any less than her self. Being raised in the village, Marit had heard of such prejudice from Willem; but it was completely foreign to her to judge another so harshly because of a fact of their nature they could not control. She tried to pull the chain off the stake and only succeeded in her body reminding her of the abuse it had gone through. She couldn’t help the scream that broke from her.
“Awake already, animal?” Jozef’s cold voice preceded him into the chapel she had woken in a moment later. He unlocked the door and came towards Marit, unfastening the front of his trousers. “I understand that Stormkeep matings are like those of true wolves,” he said as he raised her skirts and pressed against her. “Is this how he turned you?” he demanded. “Is it?”
“No!” Marit screamed as she realized what he was going to do to her. “You’re wrong,” she sobbed and tried to pull away from him. “He never had me. Never!”
“Lying bitch!” Jozef hissed as he shoved her down on the floor. He righted his garments, shaking with anger. It was only increased as he heard her sobbing. “You will pay dearly for that lie, female.”
“You go too far, sire,” Justin hissed as his father’s guard brought him to the chapel. He saw Marit and started towards her, only to be held back by his father’s men. “You can’t do this to her! She is Marius’ daughter!”
“She is tainted, my son,” Jozef replied. He looked at Justin as if his son had lost his mind. “Can’t you see that she’s not worthy of you now?”
“No, Father,” Justin replied as he tried to pull free of the guards. “All I can see is a man who can’t see past his own prejudices. Marit and I belong together.”
“You shall never mate with this animal,” Jozef hissed. “I am going to have her destroyed.” He was laughing now. “Imagine what her father will think when they find her mutilated body at Stormkeep’s door!”
“You can’t do this,” Marit cried out in disbelief. “You can’t!”
“You are so monumentally naïve, girl,” Jozef laughed and stepped away. “Your death will destroy any hope of Stormkeep ever being treated as an ally again! We will be free to put an end to that foul line once and for all!” He looked at his son. “Your poor husband will be so grief-stricken at their foul deed, he will order their exterminations willingly.”
He poured himself a cup of wine and sat back to watch her. She really had such beautiful eyes, he found himself thinking. Justin glared at his father, as the older man sat down. As if he had just not relegated the daughter of the most powerful lord in the borderlands to the status of sacrificial lamb. Justin tried once more to pull free and his father laughed.
“I will never do as you ask, Father,” he said as he met his father’s triumph with anger. “I am not going to be a party to your plans to destroy the borderlands.”
“You will do as you are told, boy,” Jozef told his son and heir, “or I will slit her throat now.” He saw that he had their attention. “You will remain here while I prepare for the wedding.”
He and his men left Justin and Marit locked inside the chapel and moved away. Marit shook her head as Justin came to her. This was all his fault. If he had not gone to his father, then neither of them would be in this situation.
“Do you hate my house so much,” she finally said when she could stand the silence no longer, “that you would go this far?”
“My father…”
“He would never have known,” Marit broke in, shaking her head at his apology, “if you had not gone to him. No, Justin,” she said as he stepped towards her. “You abandoned me; believing that I had….” Her eyes were swimming in tears. “As if I would allow Tavin to do such a thing to me willingly.” She saw his question. “He attacked me, Justin! What was I supposed to do?”
“My lady!” Justin cried as he took her in his arms. He held her as she began to cry. “I should have known you would not…” He let her go and moved away, frowning. “I was wrong to come to my father. I knew he would not take the news well, but I never expected him to use it as an excuse for a return to enmity.”
“Your father is insane, Justin,” Marit told him. He nodded his head in agreement. “We have to get out of here.”
“It will not be easy, Marit,” Justin told her. He saw her shaking and recognized that she was in pain. “It is starting? The change?”
“I believe so,” Marit told him bluntly and saw him frown. “Does it really make such a difference?”
“It is a prejudice beaten into us from an early age,” Justin told her honestly. “But,” he continued as he saw her face, “it is wrong. I will not let him destroy you or destroy what we could mean to each other.” He went to the door and tried to open it. “You will let us out of here at once!”
He turned as something came flying in through the windows and reached for a weapon that was not there as he saw the large black wolf. Tavin shifted form and turned to catch a packet that was shot in after him. He dressed as Marit turned her back on him, then turned to Justin.
“I take it your father was not pleased to hear of the change in my cousin?” Tavin asked as he moved to the window and signaled.
“You heard?”
“Your sire’s voice travels far when he is angry, prince Justin,” Tavin replied. He looked over at Marit. “He had no right to abuse her so.” He watched as a bolt shot through the window and embedded itself into the wall, carrying with it a thick rope. He helped Marit onto it and showed her what she had to do. “I should leave you here, prince, but you were not at fault.”
They climbed down the rope to the courtyard where men and women of Stormkeep were keeping Northfell’s men at bay. The men of Northfell froze as they saw Justin. He ordered them to lower their weapons and led Marit and Tavin into the great hall where his father was making his plans for defense with his lords. The lords bowed to Justin, who strode up to his father and slugged him across the face.
“You acted in a dishonorable fashion, sir,” he said harshly as he took his father’s sword from the man, “and are not fit to carry this weapon.” He turned to the lords. “If you serve Northfell, you will put this coward in chains. He will be taken to King Marius for judgment.”
“You choose the bitch over your own people?” Jozef snarled. He shoved Justin aside and attacked Marit. His hands clamped over her throat. “You are going to die!”
Justin struck his father down and watched as Jozef was dragged away. Marit turned to Tavin and Justin frowned. He knew it was going to be a hard battle to get her to believe he had not condoned his father’s actions. But he was determined to win back her favor, now more than ever.
“We will start out at first light,” Justin decided as he took his father’s throne. “See our guests to the guest chambers, lord Traba.” He saw Tavin watching him. “If you would remain, prince Tavin. I would like your insight into the best way to approach Sylvan Ford.”
“Lord Atherton has fifty men inside with him,” Marit told him, as she remained as well. She thought over the situation as the two men thought over this news. “If we can find lord Lorenz, he has the key to the hidden passages. The bulk of your joint forces can get in that way.”
“You are not going back in there, princess,” Justin exclaimed, as he guessed her intent.
“He is holding my father and the Emperor captive, prince Justin,” Marit argued with him. “My people are in trouble because of Atherton, not yours! I will not be left out of this.”
“You are the one he wants, my lady,” he continued as he looked at her sternly. “If you go back, and fall to him…”
“I was no safer outside,” Marit broke in coldly. “We take king Jozef to my father for judgment.” She saw Justin flinch. “He beat me like an animal, prince Justin, and brought me here by force. He must pay for that.”
Justin frowned but knew it was probably the best plan they had. So the next morning, he and Tavin escorted Marit and his father back to Sylvan Ford and approached the castle with a small escort of two men. Just within the pass, the bulk of their forces waited and watched as several of Barnabas’ men rode out and escorted Marit and her escort into the castle. Marit frowned as she saw that Barnabas was standing at the side of her father’s throne. Marius looked quite ill.
“What has he done to you, father?” Marit asked as she went to her father’s side and began to heal him without thinking.
“I have just helped your father see the truth, princess,” Barnabas replied smoothly. He turned to her companions. “I have been looking forward to seeing you again, prince Tavin.” He saw the look that passed between the prince and Marit and frowned. “Am I too late?” He yanked Marit up to her feet and looked into her eyes. “No,” he relaxed. “She is still untouched.” He shoved her to his guards. “Take the princess to her chambers and lock her inside. I will visit her later to discuss our alliance.”
“You will not touch her!” Justin hissed and started forward. “Marit has agreed to be mine!”
“His Majesty has decided you are not fit for his daughter.” Barnabas laughed at the boy’s face and then turned to glare at Tavin. “As for you, prince Tavin; King Marius has issued an edict against your house. Your young will be locked in form and sold as pets. The rest of your house will be executed for daring to take his daughter captive.”
“You have no right!” Marit snapped. She pulled free of the guards and knelt at her father’s side. “Father, please. They have done no wrong. This edict, Father, is unjust! I was not harmed when Tavin took me from the castle to keep me safe. He did not treat me as other than a beloved cousin. Anyone,” she looked at Barnabas now, “who tells you differently is lying to you.”
“You see, my king,” Barnabas said softly as Marius looked to him. “It is as I told you. They have chained her mind with their foul magics.” He nodded to his men. “Get her out of here now! This is no place for the idle chatter of women.”
“Let go of me!” Marit exclaimed as his men dragged her off. “Father!”
“She is a confused