Page 76 of Sword of Rage
Ackley pulled his horse to a stop so he could look her in the eyes. Her blue eyes were clear, open, wanting an honest answer. “I don’t know. Owen chose to send someone I trust and someone you trust. Whatever it is, it must be important.” Especially since Gytha had left Idina’s side.
“What are the two of you doing?” Gytha demanded. “We need to keep moving. Let’s go.”
“Does she always speak to you that way?” Harley inquired.
“She does.” He smiled. “It’s one of the reasons I like her.”
“Oh.” Her head jerked back slightly.
“Now!” Gytha snapped.
Chuckling, Ackley nudged his horse.
“I didn’t realize you and Gytha had an arrangement.”
“An arrangement?” He had no idea what she meant by that.
“Or whatever you call it where you’re from.”
“An arrangement,” he repeated, trying to understand her.
“I didn’t realize the two of you were involved romantically.” She raised her chin, her focus on the road ahead of them.
He burst out laughing. “What gave you that crazy idea?”
“You just said you liked her.” Her brows furrowed in confusion.
“I do. I like her as a friend and a soldier.” He mulled over how much to tell her. “We’ve been through a lot together.” She didn’t need to know the details. He didn’t want to relive them anyway.
“Oh.” She chewed on her lip again. “You’re not married, are you?”
“Me? Most certainly not.”
“Engaged?”
“No way.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
He threw it right back at her. “Did you enjoy your marriage?”
She pursed her lips. “No.”
“Because of your position, you had to make an advantageous match. You weren’t consulted about who you married, were you?”
She shook her head.
“So you can see how someone in my position would be forced to make a political match, as well.”
She nodded.
“That’s my problem. I refuse to marry for someone else’s agenda.” He couldn’t believe he was talking about this with Harley.
“It would be nice to marry for love,” she said so softly he almost missed it.
“Love?”
She nodded again.
