Page 17 of The Prince

“I can’t get an accurate count of their numbers,” Grall grumbled.

People were visible below, many of them busy at work on the construction and some standing around, but Caro also couldn’ttell who might be a fighter and who a civilian. Surely Namin wouldn’t leave their attempt at strategic advantage unguarded, even if still under construction, but there was nowhere for an army to hide. At least, nowhere he could see from this angle.

“Right. No sense in stalling,” Grall continued. “Let’s go get those gates open before Prince Fen arrives. Show that bastard our scouts are just as capable as his Royal Forces,” he snorted and waved briefly.

Those who had dropped down to rest stood again and walked forward, trying to remain hidden behind the leafy cover for as long as possible. The curtain wall was built of thick stones, except where it met the natural rock of the cliffs. Crouching low, scampering across the last few feet, they reached a small outcropping of cliff where there wasn’t any wall to block them.

A glance downward showed cleared ground below, and they were a distance from the closest construction workers.

“Ropes,” Grall hissed out, signaling with his hands.

Two men dropped bags on the ground and pulled out the thick ropes inside. They swung the end of the ropes around their waists, three full turns. Two more men stepped up. They stood in front of the trussed men, gripping the ropes tightly, but not wrapping any of it around them. The final two guards who stepped forward were smaller, but no less muscular.

Caro glanced around and saw he had missed the archers preparing their crossbows, extra arrows waiting on the ground within easy reach. The rest of the company were still crouched low, but near where they were preparing the ropes. The plan was easy enough for Caro to guess: get everyone down the ropes to the ground below as quickly as possible, with the archers providing cover from the heights. Once they were down there, the soldiers would take over and claim the fledgling building forToval. Grall and Braxton really did want to throw the gates open to welcome Fen’s arrival.

Grall waved his hands again, signing something in what Caro assumed was Toval’s military shorthand. One of the people holding the rope coiled the excess at his feet, leaving only a few feet for the smaller guard, who tossed the length over the edge of the cliff. She glanced at the man with the rope around his waist, who nodded, looked at the man holding the rope, who also nodded, and she finished by obtaining Grall’s nod. Permission granted, she turned her back to the cliff, gripped the rope tightly in both hands, and stepped out and over the edge, planting her feet so her body was crouched perpendicular to the cliff wall. She took one step down, her body starting to vanish from view, and then abruptly scrambled back up and over the top, landing on her knees and gesturing frantically.

Grall let out a snarl even as he waved one hand in the direction of the trees. Caro didn’t need Braxton appearing at his side to understand they were retreating, although he appreciated Braxton’s hand on his elbow as they reached the tree cover, and Caro promptly tripped over a rock concealed by leaf litter.

They went all the way back to the small clearing where they had been able to scout the fortress before Grall called a halt.

“Report!” Grall said, his tone soft enough not to echo but still firm.

The woman who had called for the retreat stepped forward, standing tall with her hands clasped behind her back. “They’ve dug out underneath the cliff, sir! A large cave, and I saw groups of soldiers resting there. I’d estimate two full flights, although I couldn’t see how deep the cave went. I was more concerned with getting out of there before they spotted me.”

One flight was comprised of twenty-five to fifty soldiers, depending on their specialty, which meant there were anywhere from fifty to a hundred soldiers hidden from view inside that cave, waiting for the chance to ambush anyone who might attack what appeared to be a defenseless facility. Clever. Far too clever for what Caro knew of his brother Cadell, who was supposed to be in charge of things like this.

Even fifty soldiers were too many for their band to handle. There were only twenty of them, including Caro and Alina. Caro knew how to hold a sword and fire a bow, but just barely, and he didn’t know Toval’s tactics or strategies well enough to fight alongside this group. His job, as Queen Trina had explained, was to watch Braxton’s back. Her initial reasoning was probably more for during Braxton’s more covert missions, rather than something like this, but with Caro’s power he could do more to keep Braxton alive than most. Which was something Caro was definitely on board with and why he was here.

“Caro, you’re frowning like this is something concerning,” Braxton said when the soldier paused in her report.

Caro nodded, then shrugged. “Cadell doesn’t understand subtlety, but he’s in charge of all military operations for Namin. He wouldn’t conceal soldiers in a cave where they had a strategic advantage; he wouldn’t even think of something like this. If he had planned this, the soldiers would be camped in view because he believes the show of force would keep them from being attacked.”

Plus, someone who thought to hide their fighters like this wouldn’t have also left lazy sentries napping in the ravine path or a convenient overlook like this unguarded! Caro spun around, trying to see if he could spot watchers hidden in the trees. A golden glow suffused everything as he called on his magic to search.

“Don’t bother, Prince Clament.” The voice that rang out was familiar, but not so much that Caro could immediately place it. A second later, General Thris stepped into the clearing.

Thris was one of the top members of Namin’s military, fourth or fifth after the king, although given Caro had heard some people had mysteriously fallen to their deaths from various parapets, Thris might be higher now. He wasn’t alone. About thirty soldiers melted out of the forest, completely surrounding them. And yet, Caro’s magic didn’t sense imminent danger.

“I believe this one is yours,” Thris called, waving one hand. Ama appeared through the trees a second later, walking toward them with his hands on top of his head and a wry scowl on his lips. The guard escorting him stopped at the perimeter circle, allowing Ama to continue to their group. “We’ve been watching him crawl all over this mountain for the last month. It’s nice to know he belongs to you. Now then.” His gaze slid from Caro as he switched his focus to Braxton. “I think it’s time we have a little chat.”

Chapter Twelve

AN ACTUAL STAIRWAYwas cut into the curtain wall, allowing them to easily climb down. Ama’s wry scowl had deepened into a very unhappy frown when Thris led them to it, only about a hundred yards from where they had tried to climb down with ropes. Apparently, everything Ama had learned about this fortress was only what Thris had allowed him. For a spy as competent as Braxton said Ama was, that had to rankle.

Thris pointed at the flagstone courtyard. “Wait there, please. Captain, and our two princes, if you would follow me?” He waited for Grall to join Braxton and Caro while the Naminese soldiers surrounded the rest of their small band as they went to stand in the middle of the fighting circle. Thris went into the barracks building, the rest of them following behind.

The inside was as rough and unfinished as the outside, but the office Thris led them into had a door and, inside, a long table with four chairs. He sat in one chair and waved for them to sit in the remaining three. The two Naminese soldiers guarding them took up places inside the door, which was closed.

“You didn’t take our weapons,” Grall growled out, his scowl fierce, but there was a curious edge to it that matched Caro’s own swirling thoughts. The three of them were still armed,hadn’t been searched, and hadn’t been restrained or detained in anything more than a mostly ceremonial way. Yes, they were outnumbered, but Thris knew that wouldn’t stop them from fighting should an opportunity arise.

“There is little reason to,” Thris replied with an easy shrug. “There is very little reason to relieve Prince—” He paused to study Braxton’s face. “—Braxton, I believe, although you could be Fenwick, of his weapons. He will simply conjure more when you need them. Prince Clament only has rudimentary skills with weapons. You, Captain, I suspect are highly qualified, but you also know if you attack me now you endanger the two princes you have sworn to protect. I prefer not to waste our time with such frivolity. Don’t you agree, Prince…”

“Braxton,” Braxton said. “And I suspect you know exactly where Fen is right now. You want us here for something, so stop playing games.”

Thris’s genial smile vanished, replaced by a more serious look. He rested his elbows on the table, steepled his fingers together, and rested his chin on top.

“I suspect you already know this, Prince Clament, but your father and brother are…” He paused to search for the right word, grimacing.

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