Page 50 of The Last of the Dark Lords

It was the young Archer I had commanded only a few weeks earlier, although now he wore a helmet and armor of iron. I didn’t understand. It was good quality armor, but it would get in the way of using his primary weapon. He was an incredible shot on foot and on horseback.

"Erik,” I said. He turned to me, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Commander! I mean, uh, Skye..."

"What is going on?"

Erik kept his face a frozen mask of neutrality. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Why is there no one on the streets? Where has everyone gone? Why are all of you here guarding Prime Hall? If someone gotpast the outer walls and made their way up here, the cause would already be lost."

"I do as I'm directed by the new commander."

"New commander? I've barely been gone for three weeks."

"I serve Commander Athard."

I was hit with a wave of confusion. Why would Grandmother make Athard the commander of the Archers? He hated the bow and arrow. He’d always said it was a cowardly weapon.

I did a quick inspection of the guard in front of me. Erik didn't even bear the bow that he'd trained so hard to master.

"Where's your weapon?"

"I bear a short sword." His hand rested on the pommel at his waist.

"You are an Archer!"

"The Archers numbers have been reduced by half. Commander Athard wanted more foot soldiers."

I shook my head. Taking hundreds of talented archers and making them grunts, forcing them to start their training from the beginning, that was insane.

"I am here to see my grandmother."

Erik nodded and gestured to the door. "They are expecting you."

"They?"

"The Prime is there with Commander Athard, as well as Second Commander Jelenna."

What was I walking into? It didn't really matter. I had a peace to preserve, and a nation to save.

"Be well, Erik." I stepped through the door, making my way through the antechamber and entering Prime Hall itself.

Grandmother was in the middle of the room, leaning against the large table. Jelenna stood by a nearby window, stiff as stone, looking as if she’d rather be anywhere else. Her eyes went to mine as I entered, then quickly darted away. Athard lounged off to the side in a large cushioned chair, the only one in the room. He’d obviously brought it in for himself.

"Skye, love." Grandmother smiled. "I'm glad to see you back home where you belong."

I stared at her. Those were her first words, after all that had happened? I was flabbergasted.

"What ishappeninghere?” I asked, the questions bursting out of me. “Why is there no one on the streets? Why is there a whole company of guards outside of Prime Hall?"

"It's simple security,brother, something that was sorely neglected when you were Commander." Athard's voice dripped with contempt. He didn’t even glance in my direction as he spoke.

"There's no good reason—"

"I appointed Athard to Commander in your absence." Grandmother didn't lose her smile, but there was metal in her tone. "It will be good training for his role as Prime of Greatfalls. He has made some changes, including adding the guards stationed here. And the curfew."

"A curfew? The citizens of Greatfalls don’t need a curfew." The whole idea was ridiculous.

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