Page 61 of The Sundered Blade

“If you do not care to walk, then we can always run.”

He groaned under his breath. “You do know how to motivate a man, even without threatening to stab him.”

But he walked after her, never letting go of her hand, and even under the shadow of her personal failures, looming war, and an unknown future… It was enough.

* * *

The walls of Hanselm were in sight by the time dawn brightened the horizon. Overhead, the sky was clear and blue, but to the south, dark clouds billowed, lending an ominous cast to a scene that was already grim.

Even Karreya could see that the surrounding fields should have been green and lush with crops at this time of year, but too many lay fallow and filled with weeds.

On Vaniell’s face, she could see the harsh reminder of what this war would cost his people, and something in her ached at the knowledge of his pain. Somehow, he sensed her scrutiny, and shot her what was probably supposed to be a reassuring smile.

“How strict are the gate guards? Are they asking questions or simply looking for passes?”

“We were questioned,” she confirmed, “and subject to a cursory search, but they seemed inclined to believe we were truly seeking work. Or perhaps they did not care enough to stop us.”

“Hmmm.” Vaniell ran a hand through his hair and pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Perhaps we should come up with a convincing story to explain our presence.”

“How certain are you that you will not be recognized?”

“Not certain at all,” he confessed. “Most of the city guard has been tasked with hunting me down at one point or another, so we will have to rely on luck to some degree. Hopefully, they will not be expecting to see me, or they will refuse to believe that a prince of Garimore would ever be crass enough to simplywalkin through the gate. On my own feet. Like acommoner.” He gave an exaggerated shudder.

“There is no need to be dramatic,” Karreya stated reprovingly. “I will be happy to provide a distraction.”

“But being dramatic is what I am best at,” Niell objected with a wink, and there was little she could do but roll her eyes and conceal the impulse to laugh at his antics.

They were close enough now to see the gates and the few travelers that were about this early in the morning. But oddly, everyone seemed to be standing back, clearing the road as if to allow passage to someone or something important.

Ah. There it was…

Horses. Emerging from the gates, four of them riding abreast, carrying officers in formal red uniforms. A flag bearer followed, and then another four horses, and another.

Niell’s face grew pale and drawn as they stepped to the side of the road and watched an entire battalion of lightly armored cavalry ride out of the city and down the main road to the north.

And they were not alone. Three more battalions, some in heavy armor and some on lighter, more maneuverable mounts, rode past—nearly four hundred horses in all.

They were followed by infantry. Thousands of soldiers, marching down the dusty road on their way northward. To Farhall.

It seemed war was no longer coming… It had arrived.

By the time the gate had cleared to allow foot traffic, it was midmorning, and Niell was quiet as they approached the guards. He’d said not a word as the Garimoran army marched by, but Karreya had seen him scanning their ranks as if counting, wondering whether their allies stood a chance.

Karreya held herself in as relaxed a pose as possible as she removed the pass from her pouch and handed it to a stone-faced man in Garimoran uniform.

“This is nearly expired,” he said sourly. “Why are you seeking entrance when you’ll only have to leave again tomorrow?”

“We,” Niell said, snatching up Karreya’s hand and bringing it to his lips, “are getting married. I’ve been summoned to take up arms, but I could not leave without ensuring that my beautiful lady will be waiting on my return.”

Married? Karreya wanted very badly to smack the smugly grinning Niell across the back of the head, but had to settle for standing quietly by his side, like a completely unsurprised wife-to-be.

“And you couldn’t manage to get married somewhere else?” the guard inquired sarcastically.

“We wanted to tell my mother.” Niell assumed a somber expression. “She runs a boarding house in Port Street, and so cannot get away for long. We hope to gain her blessing before the happy event.”

The guard rolled his eyes, but handed back the pass. “Just be sure you leave the city on time. And don’t be planning to leave your wife here on the sly. If she’s found with an expired pass, it’s three weeks of camp labor.”

“I thank you for your warning, good sir,” Vaniell returned with utterly false gratitude. “We wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing.”

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