Page 36 of Oath of Rebellion

They all nodded and straightened on their horses, so Knox continued. "Sharo go west and report back on Glathen. There are a few liars in the town outside the Lone Road who are telling travelers they are the ones to pay for protection through the forest. Stop them, then set up in the town as the toll taker and guide."

Sharo nodded, and Knox continued. "Also, find out what they're going to do about the wedding. I want to know what they think about the king marrying a commoner instead of their princess."

Sharo nodded and turned his horse, then he disappeared into the encampment, riding straight for the large, long wooden building that John used as their storehouse.

"Nineel, go back to the tavern in Demerel and keep your ears peeled. I want to know everything about the future queen or anything else to do with the king. Are they staying at the summer palace during their honeymoon or leaving for the capital? We need to know."

Nineel turned and followed Sharo into the encampment. Lox watched as Sharo swung off his horse and began to unload his saddlebags.

"Zomoya, go east into Busparia, then circle onto the Southern Road. See if any of our people need help on their way back home in Busparia. If we need to send food to the soldiers, let me know. No one should starve this winter."

Zomoya disappeared, joining the others in front of the lodge.

"Pari, Simta, I want you both far away from the Growlers while they're in mating season. You can help us with the wedding reception plan, but the next day, go north and patrol the borders. One of you goes north east and one goes north west. Let me know if either kingdom is pushing into the mountains."

Pari and Simta nodded, and they turned and disappeared.

When it was only him and Ashur, he sighed and turned to grab the reins of his horse grazing nearby.

He swung up onto Ryder and turned to stare at the encampment.

Ashur had been with him from the beginning of the war. He'd been bloodied and scarred and had been discharged to go home. But the kingdom had not protected the road from the Growlers. Knox had found him closer to death than life in the forest, an assassin vine wrapped around his neck.

Knox had saved him and taken him to a safer part of the forest. Using the skills he'd learned from Olive, he'd patched Ashur up and listened to his delirious talks of the war. As he'd healed, Ashur had the idea to build up Vidrland and form the Robins.

They would help his fellow veterans trying to make it home. They could provide an escort service through the forest, a protection detail for those who wanted to go between Glathen and Busparia without being detected or dying in the Feral Forest.

That had led to talk about taxes and the war and a plan had begun to form.

When Little John had stumbled into the forest, then another soldier, then another, the plan took on a life of its own. The Robins were born and had worked all these years to end the war.

"I was waiting on your reports but now I need to go north to the dwarves. They have been working on a device that will aid us in bringing the king to his knees. Then I need to see Olive. Will you stay here, watch over Vidrland, and see to the preparations for the wedding reception? It seems like every week, this place grows bigger. We need to start building permanent structures for those still in tents."

Ashur nodded, still leaning on his pommel. "Aye, I'll see that it's done. Did you meet the newbies? Lots of women." Ashur nodded to Vidrland.

Knox sighed and rubbed the sides of his head. "Not this again, Ash. We're not heathens."

Ashur shrugged. "They're camp followers, mate. Sex work is their bread and butter, and if you don't put out, someone else will. You might as well get yours."

Knox snorted. He might consider Ashur a friend, but he wasn't about to explain how complicated his love life was. Or the lack thereof. It would mean exposing his face and abilities, and that couldn't happen.

"Don't worry about me, Ash."

Ashur wiggled his eyebrows. "Speaking of, I'm going to go debrief Little John and see who's available for some rough housing."

Knox wrinkled his nose in disgust. "First, don't call him that. You know he hates that. Second, don't call sex rough housing. That's just—"

"The fun way to do it?" Ashur grinned and kicked his horse, setting off into the slowly growing village at the northern center of the forest.

He wasn't really attracted to any of the camp followers, had felt no attraction before meeting Eirwyn, but Ashur didn't need to know that. Sure, he had itches to scratch, but it wasn't anything his hand couldn't handle.

Except now he dreamed of fucking Eirwyn every night. Every morning he woke up harder than when he'd gone to bed. Even his hand was getting tired now, and it'd only been a few days since he'd said goodbye in Demerel.

He turned Ryder into the forest and rode north to the dwarves. Perhaps he'd get to see her in Demerel when they infiltrated the wedding reception. He smiled as he imagined her dressed in her royal finery.

Even if he wanted to throw Eirwyn over his shoulder and ride into the forest to fuck her for days, he couldn't escape the responsibilities of leadership. The people in the forest counted on him.

Knox sighed and rode away from Vidrland.

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