Page 96 of Sword of Rage
“I didn’t tell her because I was too busy spying for you and uncovering information.”
“Uncovering information? You sent me generic reports on troop movement. There wasn’t much intel.”
“I saved the best to deliver in person.” Ledger glanced at Harley. “I discovered who killed your father.”
Harley knew Ledger was going to blame Ackley for killing Beck. Once Lyle knew Ackley had killed his father, he would stop at nothing to eliminate him. There had to be something she could do to prevent Lyle from learning this knowledge. Ackley had taught her a lot of things, and deflection was one of them.
“Ledger,” she cried out. “How could you?” She pretended to be horrified.
“What?” he stammered.
“You lied to me! You told me my husband was dead. You came into my bed and insisted I give my body to you. You told me it was okay.” She let the tears flow, which wasn’t hard. “If I had known Lyle was alive, I never would have allowed you to touch me. I can’t believe you did that to me.” She dropped to her knees, sobs raking through her body.
“No,” Ledger said, backing up. “It wasn’t me. It was—”
Lyle withdrew his sword, the sound of steel slicing through the air. “Kneel,” he commanded.
Without hesitation, Ledger did as he said. “I serve you, Your Majesty. I swear I never touched Harley.”
“Harley? That’s Lady Harley, soon to be Queen Harley, to you.”
“I took care of her this entire time. I delivered her here safely to you. Please,” he begged, terror welling in his eyes. “I’m loyal. I swear.”
A tinge of guilt pushed its way in, and Harley had to shove it aside.
“Yet, you never told her I was alive?” He took a menacing step closer to him. “It took you weeks before you even established communication with me. Was that because you were enjoying my wife?” His voice sounded lethal as a snake, and Harley had to force herself not to tremble.
“She was grieving over her brother. I didn’t think it wise to tell her you killed him.”
Lyle snarled, then thrust his sword into Ledger’s chest. A sickening sound reverberated through the room. Harley squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears with her hands. She was going to vomit.
Harley regretted using Ledger as a scapegoat. Ackley’s words came back to her. He’d told her that he never enjoyed killing. However, sometimes it was a matter of kill or be killed. And in this case, Ledger’s death saved Ackley.
“Your Majesty!” a man said, running into the room.
“Not now,” Lyle snapped. “Harley, honey.” Lyle knelt before her, his hands pulling hers away from her ears. “Look at me.”
The last thing she wanted to do was to look into the eyes of a monster. However, she needed him to believe her compliant so he wouldn’t murder her.
“The royal family is dead. We are the sole surviving heirs,” he said. “Regardless of what happened or how, we have to be strong and rule this kingdom together.” He pulled her to her feet.
Lyle had discovered her true parentage, married her, then planned this elaborate takeover so the royal family would be killed. Now, he intended on using her to rule the kingdom. It almost made her want to laugh. Almost.
Instead, rage boiled inside of her. Hollis and the royal family were dead because of this man before her. She looked into his eyes, evaluating his strengths and weaknesses.
“Your Majesty!” the messenger said again. “Word just came. The soldiers you sent out are dead.”
“What?” Lyle asked, staring at her, his hands still holding her tightly.
“The two units you sent out. They failed. They were killed. All of them.”
Lyle’s head tipped back, his focus on the ceiling as his skin turned red. “You mean to tell me, thetwentymen I sent south to killtwosoldiers are dead?”
“Um, yes, that’s the report.”
“And thethirtyI sent after Owen and his bodyguards are dead as well?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
