Page 42 of Sword of Desire
Since Lyle was still outside training with his soldiers, the wing where the offices were located was empty. If she accidentally stumbled across a soldier or servant, she would have to claim she got lost since there was no reason for her to be there. At Lyle’s office, she knelt on the floor and peered under the closed door, trying to see if any leaves or feathers would be disturbed if she opened the door. Not seeing anything, she stood and pulled out the key. With a shaky hand, she slid it into the lock. It clicked open. Pushing the door, she moved slowly, not wanting to miss anything. A lone leaf drifted to the floor. It must have been placed in the door jam and fallen when she’d opened it. She picked the leaf up and set it aside. She couldn’t forget to place it back when she exited the room.
A bead of sweat slid down her forehead. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her, and surveyed the room. It had changed a lot since the king’s death. Lyle had removed the portraits, statues, and tapestries. The room now had a sparse, utilitarian feeling to it. Harley shivered, feeling Lyle’s presence around her since everything was neat, organized, and logical—just like Lyle. Going to the massive wooden desk, she looked it over before touching anything. Several stacks of papers had been neatly arranged on top. One appeared to be maps, another letters and correspondence, and the third ledgers. That was what she needed.
Her heart pounded, and another bead of sweat trickled down the side of her face.
Focusing on the ledgers, she read the top sheet. It mostly listed quantities of food. She carefully lifted it, looking at the next page. It contained a list of weapons. She turned the page and found a list of soldiers’ names and the names of their family members. Her hands started trembling. Harley turned page after page, finding hundreds and hundreds of names. On the last page, a single word had been written: Losger.
Everything suddenly made sense. Losger was the name of an abandoned castle that hadn’t been occupied in hundreds of years. Occasionally, the king had used it to house prisoners since it was remote and well-fortified. Harley should have thought of this location before now. It had to be where the soldiers’ loved ones were being kept. Maybe even the soldiers themselves.
She put the papers back in order, making sure they were lined up and perfectly straight. Satisfied everything was as she’d found it, she went over to the door and opened it an inch. Not seeing anyone in sight, she took the leaf and held it in the door jam, then closed the door, locking it.
With Lyle and his men still outside, Harley made her way back to her bedchamber where she quickly composed a letter to Owen, detailing what she’d discovered. Then she went to the second floor and put the letter in the guest suite for Rikter to find. Stepping out of the room, she stood in the hallway, thinking. A few doors down had been where she hid the sword and letters Ackley had given her.
Before she knew what she was doing, she headed that way and entered the guest suite. Standing before the armoire, she considered her options. Since she’d discovered where the soldiers’ loved ones were being kept, it was time to kill Lyle.
Could she kill him?
While she wanted to, she didn’t know if she could bring herself to do it. But if she didn’t, that left the responsibility to Owen or Ackley. For them to get to Lyle, a war would ensue, and hundreds of people would die. By killing Lyle herself, she would save countless lives. She had a duty to her kingdom. A plan formed, and she knew what she had to do.
She opened the armoire and pulled out the drawer. Reaching in the back, she found the letters, quickly tucking them in her dress. Then she reached in again, her fingers coming across the pommel of the sword she’d hidden. Her fingers curled around it, and she withdrew the weapon, no bigger than her forearm. It was even more beautiful than she remembered. On the hilt, the grip had been wrapped with red leather. The guard had an intricate swirly design.
She lifted her dress and slid the sword into her boot. It was awkward and uncomfortable, but she only had to get it to her bedchamber.
Somehow, some way, she would end Lyle.
* * *
As Harley dressed for supper, she made sure to choose a dress Lyle would appreciate. Since he favored yellow—a color she despised—she picked the most modest yellow dress she could find. She arranged her hair half up and half down, just the way he preferred. Satisfied with her appearance, she went downstairs.
Making her way along the corridor, Harley moved slowly, as if in a dream. She still couldn’t believe she was about to go through with this violent plan of hers. Outside the dining hall, she took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. She remembered playing that game of War with Ackley. When she’d first started, she moved pieces around with no clear plan. Then, once she understood the end goal, she came up with a strategy and enacted it. The same was true here at the castle. For weeks she’d been trying to figure out what to do and how to do it. Tonight, that changed.
While she knew what needed to be done, she prayed she was strong enough to see it through. She steeled her resolve and stepped inside. It was time to win this game.
Lyle sat, waiting for her. His left arm rested on the table; his middle finger tapping methodically against the wood surface. He glanced at her, his eyes narrowing. “I was wondering when you’d show.”
Harley rushed over to her chair. “Sorry I’m late.” As she sat, an ominous feeling settled over her. She didn’t know if it was from Lyle and the dark mood he appeared to be in, or if it was from what would transpire tonight. In either case, she embraced the darkness and used it as fuel. “I wanted to look nice.”
He sat there, his finger still tapping, astutely studying her across the table.
“My monthly bleeding finished. Since I am not with Ledger’s child, we may resume relations.” She had to force herself to breathe evenly, steadily. It took every ounce of effort just to keep her face serene. Her stomach rolled with nausea. She feared she’d be physically ill.
“Why didn’t you tell me when your bleeding started?” His eyes narrowed, assessing her.
A servant entered, placing a plate of food in front of Lyle and then Harley.
“I wanted to surprise you,” Harley answered, forcing a smile on her face. “That’s why I’m dressed up.” He didn’t need to know she hadn’t bled, and she’d only used it as an excuse to buy her some time. She prayed he didn’t see through the lie.
He picked up his fork and started eating. “You don’t need to bother with your clothes. It doesn’t improve the way you look.”
Such cruel words usually cut and chipped away at her. However, after being with Ackley, she saw Lyle for what he was—a shallow man who used words to manipulate people and situations. He wanted to always maintain control. Given what she intended to do tonight, she would let him think he had the upper hand.
She peered down at her plate, fluttering her eyelids as if on the verge of crying. Without looking at Lyle, she began picking at her food, acting sad and depressed. As if his opinion and what he thought of her mattered. Rounding her shoulders back, she pretended to put on a brave front while chewing on her bottom lip.
“What have you been doing all day?” Lyle asked, his voice softer than before.
At that, Harley glanced at him. He never asked her about her day. Either he suspected her of snooping around, or someone had seen her in a part of the castle she shouldn’t have been. “Not much,” she answered, taking a bite of food to stall. “I intended to go to the library. However, I ended up lost in the west end of the castle. After wandering around, I finally just went back to my room.”
“Did you find anything interesting in the west end?”
