Page 41 of Sword of Rage
Then Ackley mumbled, “I have the same problem.”
“Since you’re an assassin, I would imagine so.”
“I spoke with Milard and Rayne. They said they escaped with you. That Ledger shot a man and saved your life.”
She shivered, wishing Ackley would leave her alone.
“I’m surprised more of you didn’t escape,” he continued.
He didn’t understand what it was like. The chaos of that day. The blood that had coated her feet.
“I’m surprised that Ledger, Milard, and Rayne were running away instead of standing with their units.”
“They weren’t on duty.” They’d barely escaped. The Russeks had been slaughtering the Melenia soldiers as if they were nothing.
“Where I come from, a soldier takes an oath to protect his king and kingdom.”
“They protected me.”
“You’re nothing to the crown.”
While his words stung, they were true. “Why are you telling me this?” She wished he’d get to the point.
“I’m just trying to understand what happened that day.”
“There’s no understanding it. It was senseless. Power hungry men destroyed hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.” She couldn’t stop thinking about Lyle. He’d married her so he could become the captain of Penlar. She was a means to an end. Because he wanted power. Was that all men cared for? Power over others?
“There are ways to stop people like that.”
He’d said it so softly, Harley almost missed it. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “Like you so eloquently expressed in our game of War, war should be avoided at all costs. There are always ways around a battle.”
She eyed him sidelong. He’d purposefully stated earlier that he was an assassin right now, not a prince. If she only considered what he said as if he were an assassin and nothing more, it changed things. “Where you come from, are there knights who are women?” She found the idea of a woman assassin intriguing. Her heart pounded, waiting for his answer.
“Yes.”
Again, when he spoke, his voice was soft and inviting. As if he wanted to lure her in and gain her trust. She needed to be careful with him—he was not to be trusted.
“It’s late,” he said. “You should get to bed. Owen wants to leave at first light.”
She understood a dismissal when she heard one. Nodding, she stood and traipsed back to her tent, ideas and possibilities swirling inside her head.
* * *
Days of endless walking passed. Harley only caught glimpses of Ackley, never having the chance to talk with him. It always seemed he was busy speaking with soldiers, ordering men about, and just disappearing for hours. A little over a week into their journey, word came through the ranks that they were about to pass a village. Harley tensed, fearing this one would be burned like the others.
The quiet murmuring that had been going on amongst the soldiers ceased, and a hush descended. A rancid smell permeated the air along with a buzzing sound. The first thing Harley saw were spikes sticking up out of the ground. Skewered on each one was a single decaying head. She tried not to notice the smaller heads belonging to children.
Several soldiers broke rank and vomited.
Most of the buildings had been burned, but not all of them.
“I’m going to send soldiers to investigate,” Owen said. “Remain with Gytha.” He looked at Harley and Idina. Both nodded. He jogged up ahead and started barking out orders.
“If there were any survivors, I think we would have seen them,” Idina whispered.
“I agree.” Regardless, she was glad Owen was checking, just to be sure.
