Page 26 of Rise of the Phoenix King (Crown and Crest 4)

I shrug, knowing he’s right. Not that I’ll back down now. I’m already too involved in this to hide in the castle with the other courtiers. If Henrik fights, I’ll fight with him—side by side. As a team.

At the very least, I’ll hide in a tree and pick off enemies. Wherever Henrik decides I’ll be most useful, that’s where I’ll be.

Henrik turns my way when he notices me loitering near the arch that leads into the castle. Caldwell makes a noise of quiet distress and hurries off before the commander can corner him.

Henrik doesn’t want to talk with him anyway. His focus is on me.

“We need to get to Heistone as quickly as possible,” he says once he reaches me. “We’ll have to ride all night, and our pace will be swift. Are you sure you want to accompany us?”

“I do.”

A young groom leads my saddled mare to me, looking bewildered by the commotion. He obviously didn’t hear Simon’s announcement.

Henrik frowns at the boy. His expression tells me he would like to turn the groom and my horse away. But instead, he exhales a resigned sigh. “All right.”

The fact that he’s not going to try to hide me away like a weakling princess warms a little of the chill that’s settled in my chest. I thank the boy for tending my mare, and then I turn back to Henrik and lower my voice. “I’ll be cautious, and I will heed your commands.”

He nods.

Forcing a bright grin, I say, “Hopefully we can apprehend the culprits quickly, track down the rest of the golems, and then enjoy a brief holiday on the coast.”

Henrik smiles. “That’s the plan.”

* * *

There are fifteen of us in the group, including Pranmore and Ayan. Bartholomew is here as well, along with my brother. Simon also accompanies us, and we have eight high-ranking, specialized soldiers to complete the band. Reluctantly admitting his place is upon the throne, Lawrence remained in Cabaranth. He forbade Audra from joining us, likely out of spite. If he’s stuck in the castle, she might as well be too.

We ride all night—even Pranmore since we’re in a rush. But our pace is slower than we’d like. Shifting clouds mask the moons’ light, and we must watch for troll pits. They’re difficult enough to spot during the daytime, but they’re nearly impossible in the dark.

Other unsavory creatures come out at night as well, though we’ve only passed a herd of sleepy elgernauths so far. Still, my bow is a comfort to me. I missed its weight while playing princess these last few months. I’ve exchanged my gown for suede trousers, a lightweight cream shirt, and a fitted leather brigandine I borrowed from one of the female castle guards.

I finally feel like myself again.

We make it to Heistone just as the sun crests the hills behind us. It washes the jeweled seaport city with warm light, a breathtaking sight, even when I’m tired from the long ride. Only a few scattered storm clouds remain in the sky, and they glow orange with the sunrise.

The day is already warming. I lower my hood as we make our way through the city. The air smells of the sea, a little fishy this morning. But the scent of spiced sweet buns replaces the aroma as we pass a bakery.

Bartholomew gives the shop a wistful look, and my stomach growls in sympathy.

We wind through Heistone’s crowded streets, maneuvering around wagons and peddlers slowly pushing their carts as they hawk their wares.

The threat is long past by the time we find the district where the golem was set loose, but there are signs of its wreckage.

“Did they send it simply to make a mess?” Bartholomew asks as we dismount our horses to take a better look.

Spotting our group, a nearby guard comes forward to greet us. He bows his head to my brother, and then to Henrik.

“Blasted thing made a fine mess,” he says.

We scan the busted crates, broken windows, overturned pots, and trampled flower beds. I kneel, pulling a small, discarded rag doll out from under a toppled bag of turnips. A child must have dropped it in her haste to escape.

“Was anyone injured?” I ask the guard.

“Not badly, no.”

“That’s a relief.” I stand, sitting the doll upright on a nearby barrel, hoping her owner will find her.

“What can you tell us?” Henrik asks the guard.

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