Page 44 of Sword of Rage
“Then I’ll take you.”
She sighed. “Prince Ackley is taking me.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes. Then Ledger asked, “Who’s all going?”
“Just the prince and me.”
“Do you think that wise?”
No, she did not. However, it wasn’t up to her. Owen wished for her to go with Ackley, so she would. “It’s already been decided.”
“If something changes, let me know. My offer still stands.”
“Thank you, Ledger. I appreciate it.”
He gave a curt nod before falling back to walk with the unit he’d been assigned to.
They stopped at midday to rest and eat. Clouds rolled in, the temperature dropping. Harley hoped it didn’t rain. After grabbing her food, she found a quiet spot away from most of the soldiers to eat her meal in peace. When she’d just about finished, she noticed Ackley exit from a cluster of trees not far away. She hadn’t seen him all morning and wondered where he’d been and what he’d been up to.
Standing, she decided to confront him. If she was going to be traveling with him, she needed to be able to talk to him freely. As he headed to where the food was being distributed, she cut him off.
“Where were you?” she asked.
His eyes scanned her body for a long minute before responding. “I needed to speak to some of my soldiers.”
She hadn’t seen anyone else exit the forest with him. “Are you really here to help Owen?” Perhaps he had other plans and was only using Owen.
“My number one reason for being here is to ensure my sister’s safety. Right now, that means making sure the kingdom is stabilized.”
“Then why bother taking me to Penlar? I assume you’d want to remain at Idina’s side.”
He considered her a moment, then replied, “I trust Owen to protect Idina.”
Given his desire to ensure his sister’s safety, she couldn’t understand why he’d leave her side to go with Harley to Penlar. The only information he would learn was whether her parents were alive or not. How would that knowledge benefit him? Her parents were in charge of the province of Penlar. They were the only nobles who hadn’t been at her cousin’s birthday celebration. In one fell swoop, Russek had managed to wipe out all of the people who could govern and lead the kingdom. It was a genius move by Russek.
Her heartbeat sped up as she started to look at the situation objectively. “Owen doesn’t think my parents had something to do with the takeover, does he?” Because they didn’t. She was certain of it.
“It is miraculous that you managed to survive. If Penlar is untouched and your parents are alive, it won’t look good.”
A chill slid over her skin as his words sunk in. No, it most certainly wouldn’t look good if her parents were the only ones that managed to survive. And Owen was the one who asked Ackley to go and see for him. Bile rose in her throat. “If my parents are alive, do you have orders to kill me?”
A slow, devious smile crept across his face. “While I might have entertained such thoughts, Owen hasn’t. He assured meyouare loyal.” His deep voice slid across the space between them, making her feel uneasy.
“And my parents?” she whispered, fear coating every word.
“I am here to do what needs to be done to ensure Melenia’s survival.”
Unable to look away from Ackley’s intense gaze, she knew, right then and there, that if he thought she posed a threat to his sister, if he suspected she were involved in this takeover in any way, he would have no qualms about running a sword through her.
Judging by the cold gleam in his eyes, he knew she was aware of it.
Not able to form a coherent sentence, she nodded and hurried away.
* * *
The following morning, as Harley tied her boots, she heard a commotion coming from just outside her tent. She poked her head out to make sure everything was all right. When she did so, she saw a person dressed in civilian clothing requesting to speak with King Owen immediately. Only, no one seemed to know where Owen was.
Harley scrambled out of the tent just as Gytha approached with a bowl of oatmeal.
