Page 62 of Enamored
A hint of doubt tinged her voice, one that told me I’d successfully piqued her curiosity. She was a strong maiden and wouldn’t be satisfied now until she pursued answers for herself.
Ahead, Halvard and Elinor were nearing the river, and I released a breath.
“You love the princess.” Lis spoke as if it was an obvious fact. Was it? Had I allowed my emotion to show?
It was my turn to remain silent. I might have declared my love to Elinor on the battlefield when I believed I might die and never see her again, but I didn’t want to admit it here and now. Some of the soldiers, certainly Halvard, had heard my declaration. But most had been too busy to pay attention. The fewer people who knew of my love for the princess, the better—and safer—for her.
“I passed the trackers who were at the farm before you.” Lis cast her glance in the direction of the dracos, still headed toward the mountains. “I overheard them speaking of the princess. They were talking about giving her the hermit tonic.”
My heart rolled over itself, stirring a sickening feeling. The hermit tonic was made from the rare hermit mushroom. It was occasionally prescribed to calm severely distraught people. But it was known for triggering hallucinations and altering a person’s mind.
Why did the trackers intend to give such a dangerous tonic to Elinor?
I only had to toss around a handful of explanations to land on the correct one. Rasmus had ordered it. He not only intended to eliminate the king, but he wanted to weaken Elinor and alter her mind to make her malleable to his control.
Under the influence of the hermit tonic, she wouldn’t be able to think clearly and would be easily influenced to do Rasmus’s bidding, whatever that might be. Essentially, Rasmus would use her for his own purposes, and she would never know the difference.
My muscles tightened with frustration. Even if I alerted her to the plan, told her to beware and involved Halvard, Rasmus would eventually find a way to control her—if not with the hermit tonic, then with something else.
“The princess will be in danger if she returns to Vordinberg.” Lis spoke with a finality I didn’t want to hear but knew to be true. And I also knew this was the reason she’d risked so much to come to the battlefield. She felt some connection with Elinor. At the very least, she was doing her duty to the kingdom. “You must hide her and keep her safe until the threats have passed.”
How? Again, my mind catalogued every possibility, but none supplied the measure of security I desired for her.
“You’ll find a way, won’t you?” Lis persisted.
“Yes. Have no fear. I shall protect her with my own life.” I had to figure out something. And soon.
Chapter
23
Maxim
King Canute’s menwere regrouping. It wouldn’t be long before they chased after our retreating troops.
From where I stood on the riverbank, I had a clear view of the battlefield. The Swainian black flags fluttered in the wind among the ranks of knights on their mounts along with the foot soldiers falling into line.
In the distance, the dracos were nothing more than specks in the sky above the mountain peaks. Whether or not Lis admitted to communicating with the young draco, I’d caught her whispering on two separate occasions, likely giving the draco further instructions.
The king’s boat was being readied for his transport. Upon my instructions, the rowers were drenching the interior and the single square sail with water to keep the draco’s fire from causing damage.
The Knights of Brethren were standing guard around the king, who was resting on the ground, conscious but weak. Elinor knelt beside him, holding his hand between hers and speaking in gentle tones, while one of the fighting men, who was also a physician, doctored the king’s wounds.
All around, the soldiers watched Elinor with reverence and awe, not only for saving the king by drawing the draco’s attention to herself but also for how hard she’d labored to rescue the injured soldiers. I’d learned she’d organized the evacuation efforts. Without her ingenuity, the weak and wounded would have been left behind at the mercy of Canute.
She’d earned a new level of respect and devotion. Someday, when the king died, the people would remember her bravery and kindness and would welcome her as their queen. I was proud of her. But at the same time, with Lis’s warning uppermost in my mind, I feared for her.
Ansgar hopped off the boat and climbed up the steep riverbank, his keen gaze taking in everything. Not much missed his inspection. All the men respected him. And he’d proven himself to be strong and true and faithful.
I’d already spoken to Ansgar, revealing more about the plot to harm the king. While I had no solid evidence pointing to Rasmus, I urged Ansgar to be on guard against Rasmus’s wiles. If Rasmus had orchestrated the demise of the sovereign once, he would likely do it again.
Ansgar passed the king and strode to the grassy embankment where I stood beside Lis. She held the reins of her horse and had positioned herself to keep the dracos in her line of vision. At the same time, I’d caught her studying Elinor with unabashed interest.
As Ansgar approached, Lis regarded him warily. He’d removed his great helm and coif, and his light-brown hair lay flat against his head from perspiration. His face was coated with dirt and blood, and his armor was dented. Despite the dire predicament, he maintained a calmness and confidence that had transferred to the rest of the army. The fear and frenzy from the retreat was gone, and the soldiers labored efficiently to load the wounded onto the waiting boats.
Ansgar bowed his head at me, his humble acknowledgment of my leadership skills and his submission to my wisdom. A part of me craved such homage and wanted the accolades. My long-held dream of becoming the wisest man in the land, even above Rasmus, prodded me to use this occasion to seek after greater fame and more power.
Was that what had happened to Rasmus? Had the small taste of esteem increased his appetite for more until it couldn’t be sated?
