Killian Unbound

By Rebecca York

Princess Sabina has always obeyed her father, King Norwen. But when he plans to marry her to a ruthless prince, she runs away. Soon captured, she’s thrown into a tower cell to await her punishment.

The prison is already occupied -- by a terrifying ghost. Hiding her fears, she befriends him, hoping they might help each other. As they grow close, she realizes he’s not a phantom but an enchanted mortal who remembers nothing of his past. Physical contact with Sabina is the key to bringing back the memory of the man she learns is named Killian. The more intimate they become, the more he remembers.

Their shared adversity forges a bond between them, but will they be free to acknowledge their love for each other, or will her ruthless father capture her and drag her away from the man she’s coming to love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Changeling Press
• Release date: Oct 2, 2021

Book preview

Chapter One

The sounds of armed men in the farmyard woke Sabina from a fitful sleep. She had taken unimaginable risks to escape her father’s castle, then walked half the night and well into the next day. Finally, too exhausted to go on, she paid a crofter for a meal and a room.

Her worst fears were confirmed when she heard a whispered conversation in the main room. The son of a dog had taken her coin and betrayed her, probably thinking he would get a substantial reward for turning her over to the king.

She had gone to bed in her borrowed clothes. Quickly, she snatched up her carry bag, jammed her feet into sturdy shoes, and climbed out the bedroom window. But one of the horsemen had come around the back of the cottage and was waiting for her. When he tried to grab her, she dropped her bag and ducked away, running full tilt across a potato field, making for a line of trees. The little scut is getting away, he shouted.

Hooves thundered behind her, and one of the men leaped from his mount to land on her back, bringing her down like a sow in the dirt. As Sabina struggled in his grasp, others dismounted. Soon an impenetrable wall of rough-looking men surrounded her.

You’re going to fetch a fat reward, princess, one of them crowed as he secured her hands with rope and wiped the dirt off her with his grimy sleeve. As though she weighed nothing, he hoisted her onto his horse, rucking her skirt up so that her legs could straddle the steed’s back. When he’d mounted behind, he flicked at the rope that bound her. I hope these ain’t gonna chafe your lily-white wrists, your royal highness.

Once she was secured, the troop galloped off. When she tried to slip off his horse, he cuffed the back of her head. Stay put.

My father will punish you when he sees me like this.

Her captor answered with a nasty laugh. His majesty ain’t gonna see you at all. Not yet.

The words sent a chill over Sabina’s skin. What in the names of the gods did that mean?

Night faded to early morning light, and still they kept riding through landscape she didn’t recognize. Where were they going? And what were their plans for her? Finally, they emerged from a forest onto rolling hills where a rocky promontory rose in the distance. They took a poorly maintained road up to a windy knoll where a forbidding stone fortress sat brooding.

The party stopped at the entrance, and one of the sods pulled her down off the horse. She wavered on unsteady legs as two of them hustled her toward a massive door and into what must have once been a great hall. It now looked more like a vagabond’s camp with clothing, blankets, and weapons scattered about. At the far end were enclosed stone steps. Her captors escorted her up one flight, then another, rushing her so fast that she could hardly stay on her feet. The frantic climb ended at a wide landing facing a closed door. One of her captors unlocked it and then cut her bonds as he jeered, Ever spent the night in a haunted room?

Unceremoniously, he opened the door and shoved her through.

Men have gone mad in here, the other added helpfully as she landed in a pile of straw. Have fun tonight.

The heavy barrier clanged closed behind her, and Sabina lay panting on the floor, dizzy and disoriented by the long ride and the headlong trip up the stairs. Still, she was relieved to be alone. Or was she? Was there really a ghost in here?

Sitting up, she rubbed her wrists. They were indeed chapped, and she wished she had salve to ease them. Clamping her teeth together, she fought the impulse to cry. It would do her no good.

Afternoon light came through a lone window. It wasn’t barred, and she rushed over, wondering if it might be a way out. But when she was about a foot from the opening, she bounced back, almost losing her balance. Cautiously, she approached again, reaching out a hand and encountering an invisible force that formed a barrier between her and the exterior. She had heard of such wards. The window bore an enchantment meant to prevent passage by anything living.

At least it let in light, and she looked around the room. A blanket lay on the straw, and Sabina pushed both into a mound in one of the corners farthest from the entrance. On one of the side walls, a narrow, rough-hewn table was bolted to the wall. It held a metal washbasin and pitcher. A slop bucket in one corner completed the decor. She walked to where she’d piled the straw and sniffed. It smelled fresh. Fit for a princess, she thought, fighting back a hysterical laugh. How long was she supposed to stay here?

Her father had thought she would silently obey his marriage edict. But the prospect of being bound to Prince Bayard of Parvel was more than she could bear. Was she banished to this place as a punishment for running away from a horrible fate? Or did her father even know where she was or how she had gotten here? If not, that might let her claim she had been kidnapped from the castle.

She glanced at the slop bucket in the corner. The ride had been long, and she needed to relieve herself. Quickly, Sabina crossed to the demeaning toilet facility. She was wearing one of the simple cotton dresses that her maid had pilfered for her. Hiking up her skirts and opening the slit in her drawers, she squatted over the bucket. If a ghost was in here, she hated the idea of his watching her perform such an intimate function. But there was really no alternative. Feeling as though prying eyes were on her, she did her business as quickly as she could before straightening and readjusting her clothing.

On legs that were still unsteady, she tottered to the only place in the room to sit -- the bed of straw. Flopping down and rolling to her back, she stared up at the ceiling. She had plenty of time now to consider her situation.

Could there really be a specter in here who drove men mad? If her father had sent these ruffians to capture her, why would he want her sanity threatened? Mayhap to make her into a docile bride for Bayard. She shuddered. That might explain why these knaves had not raped her. If they brought her back as damaged goods, Bayard would surely reject her. She suppressed a laugh. Was rape better than marriage to that swine?

As one unsettling thought after another chased themselves around in her mind, a narrow panel at the bottom of the door rattled, making her jump. It opened and a plate was pushed inside, along with a mug.

Eat it before the vermin get it, a voice called out as the little panel slammed shut again.

She took the man’s advice and choked down a little of the bread and cheese on the plate before swallowing some water. Because her throat felt clogged, she put the rest of the food on the table.

Returning to the straw, Sabina curled on her side and drew her knees up, lying with her eyes closed. She had thought she was in the worst trouble of her life when her father had decreed that she would marry Bayard. Apparently, things could always get worse.

When she felt a ripple of movement in the air of the chamber, her eyes blinked open, probing her surroundings. The afternoon sun was dimming, turning the corners of the room into dark wells. She saw nothing, heard nothing, yet now that she was lying here quietly, she sensed an unseen presence watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, and she sat up.

The sods had primed her expectations, and tension sizzled through her as she waited for the specter to show itself. She must stay awake and watchful, but exhaustion tugged at her. After a few minutes, she dropped off to sleep, and for a few blessed hours, she was lost to the world -- until a moaning noise made her jerk awake. Disoriented, she struggled to remember where she was and why.

All the horror came rushing back. Her father had sent men to find her. Now she was in a prison cell that was supposed to be haunted. Moonlight filtered in through the window. But from where she lay in the corner of the room, she could see little. In the darkness, she strained to bring the scene into focus.

Inching back, she sat up and pressed against the wall, creating a false sense of comfort. At least nothing could sneak up behind her. Or might a specter have that ability?

The moan came again, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. It sounded like something out of a ghost story. In the next moment, she felt an eerie vibration in the air around her that sent invisible fingers walking up and down her spine. It was followed by a low hum that steadily increased, jarring her teeth as the sound reached a painful level.

She might have screamed for it to stop if she’d thought that would do any good. Clamping her hands over her ears and pulling her elbows in close, she hunched down, trying to make herself a smaller target for whatever was making itself known in this fashion. But the wind rose to gale levels, blowing through the room like a winter storm. In a desperate effort to find shelter, she pulled the blanket over her head, but a strong gust came out of nowhere, ripping the covering from her fingers.

It was a deliberate assault. Or mayhap a display of power. Clenching her teeth, she fought not to scream. The presence in this room, whatever it was, wanted to scare the spit out of her, and it was doing an excellent job. The bowl and pitcher, plate and cup on the table began to rattle. Then one by one, they flew