Page 48 of Sword of Rage
“Why do you say that?”
A man with a limp lumbered by, staying as far away from them as the street would allow. Up ahead, two kids in tattered clothes ran from one building to another. A man behind the nearby window pulled the curtain shut. “The people seem wary.”
“They’re always like this.” Lowering her head, she hugged herself as if warding off the chill.
They turned and headed north, just about to exit the main portion of the city where most of the buildings were located.
“What sort of man was the late king?” Ackley hadn’t considered him being mean or ruling with an iron fist since Owen didn’t exhibit any of those traits.
Her brows pulled together. “He was my uncle. He loved his children and doted on them. I visited them often. He always made me feel welcome.”
“How did he treat those outside his family?”
Her brows drew together. “I never saw him interacting with his subjects, if that’s what you’re asking. When he threw parties for the nobility, he always seemed to be the center of attention. They all acted as if they loved him.”
He hadn’t known Harley long, but he knew she chose her words carefully. To say theyactedas if they loved him spoke volumes. He could only deduce that King Coden was a fairly weak ruler. “And your parents? They’re in charge of this province?”
“Yes.” She hesitated as if she wanted to say more, but prevented herself from doing so.
“And?” he prompted.
“They’re older and aren’t as involved as they used to be. We’ve had some uprisings and things of that nature. But that’s to be expected in a place as large as this. That’s where Lyle came in. As captain of the soldiers stationed in Penlar, he made sure to keep the peace and arrest those who caused problems.”
Now they were getting somewhere. “Who’ll rule after your parents? Would it have been your brother?”
She shook her head. “He was a member of the king’s personal guard. When he took up the position, he gave up his right to rule Penlar. The duty then fell to me.”
“So both you and Lyle would have complete control over Penlar.”
“I’d never thought about it before.” Her hands started visibly shaking. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Do what?”
She clasped her hands together. “Tell my parents that their only son is dead. And it’s my fault he died.” A crow flew overhead, cawing.
Ackley’s eyes narrowed. “Won’t your parents be happy you’re alive? After what’s happened, they probably assume both you and your brother are dead.”
“True.” She adjusted her bag. “But my brother sacrificed himself by taking Owen’s place so Russek would think they had the entire royal family. It afforded me the opportunity to escape. My parents won’t understand that. They will only see it as my brother coddling me and insist it’s my fault he died. In their minds, I should have sacrificed myself to save Hollis.”
It was the first time she’d said her brother’s name in his presence. The way it gently rolled off her tongue spoke volumes about the love she had for the brother she’d lost. “If your parents don’t understand his sacrifice, that’s their problem, not yours.” Anger welled inside of him, and he had to tamp it down. He hated the way she always made him feel overprotective.
“This way.” She turned down a road leading them away from the crowded, dense city buildings and to the large estates with acres of land. The sun had just set and darkness started to roll in, bringing with it a thick, low fog.
Ever since they’d reached the first set of buildings, Ackley had spotted five men tracking them. Now that they’d exited the city proper, those same men still followed about twenty yards behind. All five wore black pants and navy tunics, and each had a sword strapped to his waist. “What do the uniforms of this city’s soldiers look like?”
“The tunics are dark blue and the pants are black. There’s a small crest of the king’s shield embroidered on the right shoulder. Why?” She started to turn around.
“Don’t look back.” He fake-sneezed, making sure Harley’s focus remained in front of her. “There are five men behind us as you described. They probably want to make sure we’re not up to any trouble.” Not likely. Otherwise, they would have approached Ackley by now and confronted him.
“If soldiers are following us, they should recognize me.”
Since Harley was dressed as a commoner, her hair in disarray, and her face free from dusting powder, Ackley doubted they would recognize her. Given her current state, they wouldn’t believe a word she said. “How far until we reach your parents’ estate?”
“It’s the next one.” She nodded at the private road thirty yards away.
Ackley had a knife in each boot, one small sword along his back, a dagger up each sleeve, and a sword hidden in his bedroll that was tucked inside the bag on his back. The soldiers maintained their distance, never getting any closer.
“Should I ask them what they want?” Harley inquired.
