The Unexpected Ally by Sarah Woodbury

at all possible, and also to strive
to avoid entangling her family members in them more than could be
helped. That they were faced with another murder so soon after the
last one was troubling, and it was even more troubling that they
not only knew the dead man, but that his profession was akin to
theirs: there was no getting around the fact that Erik had been a
spy, and he may well have been killed for it.
    “It’s going to be all right, Gwen. Will you
tell me what happened in Shrewsbury?”
    It was as if Rhys could read her mind, and
to have him so solicitous had tears pricking at the corners of
Gwen’s eyes. She closed them for a moment, forcing her shoulders to
relax and the lines that had formed on her forehead without her
realizing it to smooth.
    And then she told him all about the couple
who’d impersonated her and Gareth; the quest to discover the
impersonaters’ identities; how it had led her whole family to
Shrewsbury where they’d become embroiled in another investigation;
and how the end result implicated Cadwaladr and Madog in nefarious
activities.
    When she finished and met Rhys’s eyes, she
found him studying her, more concern in his expression than she’d
ever seen.
    Gwen lifted one shoulder in imitation of
Gareth. “Gareth and Hywel want to keep me out of danger. We came
close to dying in Shrewsbury, and they don’t want to risk me
again.”
    “We men can’t help feeling protective of
you, Gwen. You know that.” Rhys frowned. “I too am concerned about
what happened in Shrewsbury and particularly about the wounds you
and your husband sustained.”
    Gwen opened her mouth to say that she
herself hadn’t been injured, but Rhys had already thought of that
and forestalled her. “I’m not talking about just physical wounds,
Gwen. You cannot survive what you endured and remain unchanged.”
But then he sighed. “Unfortunately, right now I have duties to
attend to or I would be the one to take you around the monastery. I
assume Prince Hywel has thought far enough ahead that he has
assigned a guard to you?”
    “That he has. Gareth’s friend, Evan, has
consented to come along. I think he’s angry at Gareth for leaving
him behind as much as he has in recent weeks. Otherwise, the number
of fighting men you have in the region means they’ll be tripping
over themselves this week, seeing danger in every shadow. Wait
until you meet Hywel’s foster father. He isn’t a large man, but
he’s ferociously protective of Hywel.”
    “As well he should be.” Rhys slapped both
thighs sharply and stood. “They rode east expecting a war and got a
peace conference and a murder instead.”
    Gwen tipped up her chin to look at him.
“Only the youngest among them could be sorry about peace.” Then she
hesitated, biting her lip. She hadn’t risen to her feet yet, even
though Rhys was implying that their meeting was over by rising
himself.
    “What is it, Gwen?”
    “King Owain is very angry. It is hard to see
how Madog could be in the right in any way. He tried to kill
Hywel.”
    “I understand that Madog’s offense against
Hywel cannot go unanswered,” Rhys came around his desk and looked
down at her, “but Madog’s grievances against Owain and Gwynedd run
deep and are not limited to what occurred this month. You know
that.”
    Gwen nodded. “I suppose I shouldn’t complain
about my task today. Solving a murder is easy compared to what’s in
store for you.”
    Rhys laughed and held out his hand to help
her to her feet. “I am aware that King Owain is here only out of
respect for me. I think he wants a war.”
    “He lost a son,” Gwen said simply. “But
peace or war, I can be grateful that Gareth’s injuries will keep
him out of the fighting for the foreseeable future.”
    Rhys smiled broadly. “God works in
mysterious ways, doesn’t he? A week ago, you would never have said
that Gareth taking a blow like he did would be a blessing. And
now—”
    Gwen’s eyes lit. “And now I would! Thank