Page 92 of Sword of Rage
“Correct. I was sleeping. My watch didn’t start until much later that night.”
Lyle had been needed because they were short on men. And he’d already been on duty all day. Why hadn’t they used Ledger and his unit? Funny she’d never thought to question it before now.
Once the horses were rested, they continued on. Ledger insisted he lead the way in case they encountered any danger. Harley obliged.
The day wore on and the temperature dropped, the clouds moving in. She hoped it didn’t rain. As Harley rode, she thought about some of the things Ackley had taught her. Like to always trust her instincts. And right now, she didn’t trust Ledger. Once she reached Owen, she would express her concerns to him.
When they came to one of the main roads that led to the castle, Ledger took it. “Which way are we going to Penlar?” she asked.
“The fastest way,” he replied, glancing over his shoulder at her. “You don’t have to worry about getting lost, I’ll lead the way. I know where I am.”
He must truly think her daft to assume she wouldn’t know where she was. She’d traveled from Penlar to the castle dozens of times. Granted, it had been in a carriage and not on horseback, but regardless, she knew where they were and where they were going. Unable to fathom why he was deviating from the plan, she followed him trying to figure out why he was lying to her.
Ackley told her to never make a rash decision because that was how mistakes were made. So while she wanted to turn her horse around and run far away from Ledger, she couldn’t. He’d simply chase after her. If she wanted to get away, she needed to be sneaky about it. She considered what Ackley would do in her place. Well, he’d probably just kill Ledger and be done with it. While she’d originally asked the question to try and figure out how to get away from Ledger, this new idea about killing him wasn’t necessarily a bad one. Last night, she took the first watch for a few hours while he slept. If they did that again, all she’d have to do was use the short sword Ackley had given her.
But first, she needed to decide if she could stomach killing Ledger. When that man had held her at knifepoint, she had no trouble ramming the dagger into his stomach, though she didn’t think she killed him. That was why Ackley had pushed the weapon farther in. She glanced at her shaking hands.
To be honest with herself, she didn’t know for certain that Ledger deserved to die. Since taking a life couldn’t be undone, she couldn’t kill him. Which left her with trying to get away. Leaving now would only mean a chase. She was certain Ledger was the better horseman, and he’d overtake her in no time. It would have to be tonight then. When she went on watch and Ledger slept, she’d sneak away. She could lead the horse about a half mile away and then mount, riding all night to put as much distance between herself and Ledger as possible. She had enough provisions to reach Penlar.
* * *
That night, Harley offered to take the first watch. Ledger readily agreed and stretched out on his bedroll. Once his breathing became heavier, she got to work. She slowly stood, trying not to make a sound. The fire they’d used to cook their supper had almost died. Under the cover of the trees, it was easy to hide in the shadows.
She slunk to the next tree, then waited to see if Ledger moved. If he woke and questioned her, she would say she was either going to relieve herself or just standing while keeping watch. When he didn’t stir, she moved to the next one. As she neared the horses, she hoped they didn’t make a noise and wake him. Horses could be so finicky.
At her horse, she untied the reins from the branch. As she did so, sharp shooting pains exploded across her hands. A cry escaped her, and she fell to her knees, the pain intensifying as it slowly crawled its way up her arms. She didn’t think anything had stung her. Having no idea what was going on, fear took over.
“Harley?” Ledger said as he ran toward her. “What’s the matter?”
“My hands…”
He stood, hovering over her. “Did you touch the horse’s reins?”
“Yes,” she ground out, the pain now up to her shoulders. It was unlike anything she’d experienced before.
“I always put a little something on the horses’ reins at night so they’re not stolen.” He squatted next to her. “What were you planning to do?”
She didn’t bother answering. There was nothing she could say to explain why she’d been trying to untie the horse. The pain strengthened, tears streaming down her cheeks. “What is it?” She prayed it would go away and she wouldn’t lose the ability to use her hands.
“It’s not harmful,” he said as he scooped her up. “But it lasts a few hours.”
Thankfully, the pain hadn’t gone past her arms. Still, it was enough to prevent her from being able to walk. She curled into herself, trying to take slow, steadying breaths.
“Go to sleep, Harley. In the morning, you’ll feel better.”
She wanted to tell him sleep was impossible in this much pain and near someone she didn’t trust. However, she didn’t want to accuse him of anything. The more compliant and naive she appeared, the better. Once the pain subsided, she would run away.
“This will help.” Ledger reached forward. She was about to question him when he pinched her nose. Furious her arms wouldn’t do as she wished and smack his hands away, she finally sucked in a breath. When she did, he put something in her mouth that tasted tangy. She tried spitting it out, but he clamped her jaw closed. He released her nose so she could breathe. Whatever he put in her mouth started to melt.
A deep heaviness overcame her. She couldn’t keep her eyelids open.
Ackley
“Are you okay?” Gytha asked, eyeing Ackley’s bloody hands.
“I’m fine.” He wanted to find a stream so he could wash up, but there was no time.
“What did you learn?”
