Page 33 of Heart of Defiance

He strides out to meet me, his broad chest even more puffed up than usual but his eyes warily narrow. “Landric! I wasn’t expecting to see you.”

There are a lot of ways I could interpret that sentence. I decide it doesn’t really matter exactly what he’s implying.

I bob my head deferentially, as he’ll appreciate. “I apologize for the intrusion. I needed to speak with you—I’m sure you heard what happened to Feldan.”

Rupert grimaces. “A bad business, that, but not unexpected after an act of revolt. I trust your mother was able to evacuate safely?”

The fact that he bothers to ask gives me a tiny spark of hope. “Yes, thank the gods.” My fingers sketch down my front automatically in the gesture of the divinities. She’s joined the refugees who were taken in by one of the nearbytowns. “But the threat isn’t over yet. We’ve been warned that a large Darium force is marching on Velduny.”

“That’s not surprising either, with the continued attacks on Darium posts. Some kind of order needs to be restored.”

My stomach twists. I remember all too well the way he spoke when we watched the celebration in the town square. “I heard that some of your family’s guards rode with the Darium soldiers.” Better not to admit outright that I was there to witness them myself.

Rupert doesn’t even hesitate to nod. “My father knows where he owes his loyalty. We were glad to supply whatever support they’d find useful.”

I wet my lips, choosing my next words carefully. “Seeing how events have played out so far, I can’t help wondering if there might be a real chance of regaining Velduny’s freedom… if enough of us banded together. We could be loyal only to?—”

The duke’s son cuts me off with a scoffing sound. “Challenge the entire Darium army? You sound as mad as that Signy must be. Of course it’d all start with the waif of refuse.”

A chill trickles through my veins at his words. When the Darium tribune asked for her, I hadn’t wanted to think—but Rupert and his friends were the only people outside of Feldan who knew that Signy instigated the revolt. The only people who could have mentioned it to our enemies.

“You told them about her,” I say evenly, not even a question.

“The blame should be dealt out fairly.” Rupert chuckles. “I can’t imagine why those upstarts haven’t given her up already. What about her is worth preserving?”

My teeth set on edge, but I’m as much frustrated with myself as with him. Stung by the memories of all the times Ilet statements like that stand or even tacitly agreed with them.

I can’t shout at him the way I’d like to right now. Jabbing at his ego might make him even more eager to see Signy destroyed.

But I won’t keep quiet either.

“Perhaps that should be a sign that there’s more to her than you’ve recognized.” I turn back to my horse. It’s clear I’m not going to make any progress with Rupert, and anything more I say could incite him to have me detained. “I hope you evaluate your loyalties with all due care.”

Rupert’s eyes narrow again. “Landric, what are you saying?”

“Just a bit of common wisdom.” I haul myself back onto the horse and nudge it to a canter without another word, leaving the duke’s son staring after me. “I should get back to helping my neighbors recuperate.”

Just not in the way I hope he thinks. Great God help me, let me not have soured the situation even further.

I have a couple of hours’ journey to our current camp to reflect on the conversation and what I’m going to say when I return. I didn’t speak to anyone except for Captain Amalia before I left, but I suspect Signy will have noticed my absence by now.

I wish I was bringing better news. I wish I’d accomplished anything at all with my little quest.

By the time the procession of soldiers, civilians, and pack-laden horses comes into view up ahead, I’ve considered all the possibilities and settled on the bald truth as my best option. Get it over with, move on.

The three captains now leading our uprising have us moving to the east, so we’ll be ready to stand against the Darium army before they can rampage through any major settlements. New allies have been joining us by the hour,drifting in from towns that have caught word of our efforts, but still Signy takes note of my arrival before I’ve quite reached the edge of the march. Her leanly athletic figure comes into view veering off in my direction, the two soldiers who’ve become her biggest advocates close at her heels.

At the sight of her companions, the image flickers through my mind of the two men with their arms around her, their mouths claiming her lips and neck. Jealousy flares up inside me, burning my cheeks and constricting my throat.

She really didn’t understand why it rattled me, seeing that. I’m so far from a potential suitor to her that it never even occurred to her I might want to court her.

Who do I have to blame for that other than myself? From nearly the first moment they met her, Jostein and Iko have stood by her, spoken up for her.

Why wouldn’t she want them?

Pushing down the churn of my emotions, I dismount when I’ve come abreast with her. My horse will need some time to cool down at a walk and then one of the soldiers like Jostein will no doubt claim the animal.

“Where did you go?” Signy demands before I can so much as open my mouth.

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