Only the Valiant

by Morgan Rice

  “Then we’ll do the things that need doing,” Raymond said. “I’ll go out among the people and find all the rebels and the malcontents. I’ll make it so that when you come back, the kingdom will rise up for you.”

  “I’ll go find all the old bannermen of your father,” Garet said. “I’ll persuade them. I’ll tell them that the world will be a better place if they stand with you, rather than standing by King Carris.”

  “I guess that leaves the Picti for me,” Lofen said. “What? I’ve seen what they can do, and the ones here rose up for you, didn’t they? Maybe they’ll even tell me where to look for more.”

  They made it sound so simple, as if the whole of the kingdom would just rise up at the news of who Royce was. Instead, he suspected that it would be difficult and dangerous for all three of his brothers. They all had so much to do in the coming days, and Royce didn’t know if he would see any of the people in this room again when he left for the Seven Isles.

  Even so, he had to do it. He had to find his father.

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  In the wake of the battle, Genevieve wandered the woods, walking the horse she’d used to escape and trying to make up her mind about what to do next. She felt caught between joy and fear, happier than she could have believed that Royce had won, but fearful of what that might mean for her.

  She’d known that she couldn’t stay in the encampment where Altfor had brought her to watch, and she couldn’t just run over to the other army, hoping that they would show her mercy. This might be Royce’s army, but it was still an army, and Genevieve had seen enough of the world to know how much danger that would put her in.

  Thankfully, her guards had run almost as soon as they had seen the battle starting to go the wrong way. Genevieve had looked out and seen the glow coming from Royce as he fought, and she had been so proud of him in that moment. She had never loved him more, even as she had taken the opportunity to run for cover, stealing a horse and riding. She’d made it all the way off the heathland before she stopped.

  “Now you’re wandering in a forest with nowhere to go,” Genevieve said.

  She couldn’t stay here. She didn’t know enough about living outdoors for that, and she certainly couldn’t do it while pregnant. Soon enough, Picti and others would be hunting through the forest too, so that Genevieve was risking capture or worse by staying there.

  She sat down on a log, trying to make sense of it all. It had seemed so simple before the battle: she couldn’t give Royce her hand, couldn’t risk going with him when she had already decided to do things another way. Now…

  …now, there was nothing to keep her from doing it.

  The realization was enough to propel Genevieve to her feet, and she started walking even though she wasn’t entirely sure where she was. Eventually, she knew, she would come out somewhere, and it would be close enough to the duchy’s main town to find a way back to it. What happened from there… well, Genevieve could only hope.

  She walked until her feet hurt, and her breath came in short bursts from the effort of it all. Even so, she couldn’t seem to find a way out of the forest.

  “If you go back to him, it will cause you pain,” a woman’s voice said.

  Genevieve looked round, and a woman stepped out from behind a tree. She seemed almost as young as her at first glance, but looking closer, she could see that there was something ageless about her, as if she had been young for a long time.

  “Who are you?” Genevieve demanded. Her hand went to the knife on her belt.

  “You don’t need that with me,” the woman said. “My name is Lori, and we have met before.”

  “I don’t remember you,” Genevieve said, her hand still on her knife’s hilt.

  “I would have looked different,” Lori said. “But I have seen you. You’re a good person, Genevieve, better than the plan you made with your sister. Better than the things that will happen to you if you go looking for Royce.”

  “Are you threatening me?” Genevieve asked.

  “No, girl,” Lori replied. “I’m trying to help. Things are starting that you can’t begin to understand; things I thought that I could avoid by growing old and dying naturally. Now a true king comes, and all the things that come with it.”

  Genevieve shook her head. “If you really wanted to help me, then you would show me the way out of this forest.”

  Lori stepped back, revealing two small tracks through the forest. She gestured to each of the pathways in turn.

  “Both of these ways will lead out,” she said. “This one will lead to the castle that was your husband’s until a little while ago. If you are truly set on the path that you have decided on, this one will take you along it.”

  Genevieve took a step forward, but Lori held up a hand.

  “Please, at least hear about the other. It will lead to a boat, heading for a village on an island. There is a farmer’s son there who will soon own the farm and several more. There is a life that is—”

  “It isn’t my life,” Genevieve said, stepping around Lori. “And you can’t make me choose it.”

  “I don’t make people do anything,” the other woman said. “It’s the curse of seeing some of what might happen: only the truly evil would seek to make choices for others, even when they know that it will be for the best.”

  Genevieve shook her head. “I don’t trust you.”

  “Trust this,” Lori said. “If you go after Royce, you won’t find what you were looking for. Perhaps you might have once, but not now, when someone else is interfering. You will find only sadness.”

  Genevieve ignored that, heading for the path that the woman said would lead to the castle.

  “Your husband is alive,” Lori called after her. “He survived the battle and is heading south to join the king.”

  Genevieve ignored that too. Right then, the only thing that mattered was getting back to Royce. She would find a way to explain how harsh she’d had to be before the battle.

  She walked with the horse until she came out from the trees, blinking in the brighter sunlight beyond the wood. The town was visible in the distance, and Genevieve remounted her animal, guiding it down in the direction of the castle.

  In the streets, she could see people trying to get back to their lives in the wake of everything that had happened. She could see soldiers in the uniforms of Earl Undine’s men, looking as though they were packing up to return home, while a number of Picti walked warily on the fringes of things, obviously ready to head back to the wilds.

  Genevieve’s heart was in her mouth as she guided her horse through it. She stopped it after a little way, hitching it at a post so that people wouldn’t see her as some fine lady riding through their town. She knew what people thought of her now, and the last thing she wanted was to be recognized. If Royce hadn’t been here, she wouldn’t have come here at all.

  “I know you, don’t I?” a woman asked.

  Genevieve shrugged, forcing a smile. “Maybe, I used to come here to market sometimes.”

  She hurried on before the woman could realize that it was more than that. How would people treat her once they recognized her as Altfor’s wife? Would they treat her as a friend recovered from his evil, as a reminder of the past, as an enemy to be slaughtered?

  Genevieve kept her head down, heading for the castle, and passing through the crowded town square.

  “Dancing together all night, they were,” a man near her said. “Royce has found himself a pretty one there.”

  “And the moment when he offered her a ring…” a woman said in reply.

  Those words were enough to make Genevieve freeze in place, turning to them.

  “What?” she said. “What did you say? Royce offered some woman a ring?”

  “The earl’s daughter, Olivia. Oh, they’ll make such a perfect couple. Here, aren’t you—”

  “I’m nobody,” Genevieve said, and moved on, hiding her head now as much to hide the pain that she felt as to keep her identity from those around her. />
  This couldn’t be true. It couldn’t. Royce had come to her just a few nights before. He wouldn’t have married another girl in such a short space of time. Even when she’d pushed him away, he wouldn’t have put aside all feelings for her so easily and so simply. Genevieve needed to go to the castle more than ever now, because she needed to talk to Royce and hear what was happening from his own lips.

  There would be an explanation. The people in the square would be mistaken. They had to be.

  As Genevieve approached the castle, she saw that it was open, people coming and going freely as they needed in a way that was at odds to the closed off place Altfor and his family had always maintained. It meant, at least, that Genevieve was able to go up to it, stopping only when she reached the guards at the gates.

  “Is Royce here?” she asked.

  “I’m sorry,” one of the men said. “We’ve had far too many people already today coming to gawp at the hero.”

  “That isn’t it,” Genevieve insisted. “Is he here? I need to speak to him.”

  “And I’m sure he would want to speak to you,” the other guard said, “but it just isn’t possible right—”

  “Where is Royce?” Genevieve demanded, not caring that she raised her voice while she did it. “I need to speak with him at once.”

  “Now listen,” the first guard said, moving to block her path with a spear. “We’re trying to be polite about this, but—”

  “Is everything all right?” a girl’s voice asked, and a young woman about Genevieve’s age came into view.

  “Nothing to worry about, my lady,” the man said. “Just some girl come to see Royce. Probably another one wanting to profess her love after seeing him win the battle.”

  The girl stepped past him, turning to Genevieve. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Royce isn’t here. He left earlier today, along with his brothers.”

  Genevieve knew in that moment that this was her, Olivia, the daughter of Earl Undine. As if drawn by a compulsion, her eyes moved to the other girl’s finger, where a ring lay nestled against the skin.

  Before seeing her, Genevieve wouldn’t have believed it. She wouldn’t have thought that Royce could have done anything like that. This girl, though, was every bit as beautiful as her, and more. She was clearly kind, from the way that she had come to see what was wrong. She was even the daughter of an earl, with all the connections to power and wealth that implied.

  Of course Royce would marry her.

  Even so, Genevieve was afraid to ask the question.

  “Did Royce give that to you?” she asked, breathless, hoping beyond hope that the answer was No.

  “He did,” Olivia said with a smile that said just how much it meant to her. “I’m to be his wife.”

  With those words, Genevieve felt her entire world crash down.

  All that she had to live for, everything, suddenly meant nothing.

  Royce was gone. He belonged to another woman.

  All the love Genevieve still had for him was no longer reciprocated.

  He no longer cared for her.

  Genevieve felt herself collapsing, her world turning black, and as she swooned, she had one final thought: Now I am utterly alone.

  NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

  ONLY THE DESTINED

  (The Way of Steel—Book 3)

  “Morgan Rice did it again! Building a strong set of characters, the author delivers another magical world. ONLY THE WORTHY is filled with intrigue, betrayals, unexpected friendship and all the good ingredients that will make you savor every turn of the pages. Packed with action, you will read this book on the edge of your seat.”

  --Books and Movie Reviews, Roberto Mattos

  From Morgan Rice, #1 Bestselling author of THE QUEST OF HEROES (a free download with over 1,000 five star reviews), comes a riveting new fantasy series.

  In ONLY THE DESTINED (The Way of Steel—Book Three), Royce, 17, must embark with his friends on an epic journey across the sea to find the magic relic that can lead him to his father. With the king gathering an army to attack their lands, the fate of his people depends on him.

  Genevieve, meanwhile, finally aware of the evil nature of her noble guests, must make an epic decision that will decide her own life or death.

  ONLY THE DESTINED weaves an epic tale of friends and lovers, of knights and honor, of betrayal, destiny and love. A tale of valor, it draws us into a fantasy world we will fall in love with, and appeals to all ages and genders.

  Book #4 in the series will be available soon.

  ONLY THE DESTINED

  (The Way of Steel—Book 3)

  Did you know that I've written multiple series? If you haven't read all my series, click the image below to download a series starter!

  Books by Morgan Rice

  OLIVER BLUE AND THE SCHOOL FOR SEERS

  THE MAGIC FACTORY (Book #1)

  THE ORB OF KANDRA (Book #2)

  THE OBSIDIANS (Book #3)

  THE SCEPTOR OF FIRE (Book #4)

  THE INVASION CHRONICLES

  TRANSMISSION (Book #1)

  ARRIVAL (Book #2)

  ASCENT (Book #3)

  RETURN (Book #4)

  THE WAY OF STEEL

  ONLY THE WORTHY (Book #1)

  ONLY THE VALIANT (Book #2)

  ONLY THE DESTINED (Book #3)

  A THRONE FOR SISTERS

  A THRONE FOR SISTERS (Book #1)

  A COURT FOR THIEVES (Book #2)

  A SONG FOR ORPHANS (Book #3)

  A DIRGE FOR PRINCES (Book #4)

  A JEWEL FOR ROYALS (BOOK #5)

  A KISS FOR QUEENS (BOOK #6)

  A CROWN FOR ASSASSINS (Book #7)

  A CLASP FOR HEIRS (Book #8)

  OF CROWNS AND GLORY

  SLAVE, WARRIOR, QUEEN (Book #1)

  ROGUE, PRISONER, PRINCESS (Book #2)

  KNIGHT, HEIR, PRINCE (Book #3)

  REBEL, PAWN, KING (Book #4)

  SOLDIER, BROTHER, SORCERER (Book #5)

  HERO, TRAITOR, DAUGHTER (Book #6)

  RULER, RIVAL, EXILE (Book #7)

  VICTOR, VANQUISHED, SON (Book #8)

  KINGS AND SORCERERS

  RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Book #1)

  RISE OF THE VALIANT (Book #2)

  THE WEIGHT OF HONOR (Book #3)

  A FORGE OF VALOR (Book #4)

  A REALM OF SHADOWS (Book #5)

  NIGHT OF THE BOLD (Book #6)

  THE SORCERER’S RING

  A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1)

  A MARCH OF KINGS (Book #2)

  A FATE OF DRAGONS (Book #3)

  A CRY OF HONOR (Book #4)

  A VOW OF GLORY (Book #5)

  A CHARGE OF VALOR (Book #6)

  A RITE OF SWORDS (Book #7)

  A GRANT OF ARMS (Book #8)

  A SKY OF SPELLS (Book #9)

  A SEA OF SHIELDS (Book #10)

  A REIGN OF STEEL (Book #11)

  A LAND OF FIRE (Book #12)

  A RULE OF QUEENS (Book #13)

  AN OATH OF BROTHERS (Book #14)

  A DREAM OF MORTALS (Book #15)

  A JOUST OF KNIGHTS (Book #16)

  THE GIFT OF BATTLE (Book #17)

  THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY

  ARENA ONE: SLAVERSUNNERS (Book #1)

  ARENA TWO (Book #2)

  ARENA THREE (Book #3)

  VAMPIRE, FALLEN

  BEFORE DAWN (Book #1)

  THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS

  TURNED (Book #1)

  LOVED (Book #2)

  BETRAYED (Book #3)

  DESTINED (Book #4)

  DESIRED (Book #5)

  BETROTHED (Book #6)

  VOWED (Book #7)

  FOUND (Book #8)

  RESURRECTED (Book #9)

  CRAVED (Book #10)

  FATED (Book #11)

  OBSESSED (Book #12)

  About Morgan Rice

  Morgan Rice is the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of the epic fantasy series THE SORCERER’S RING, comprising seventeen books; of the #1 bestselling series THE VAM
PIRE JOURNALS, comprising twelve books; of the #1 bestselling series THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY, a post-apocalyptic thriller comprising three books; of the epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS, comprising six books; of the epic fantasy series OF CROWNS AND GLORY, comprising eight books; of the epic fantasy series A THRONE FOR SISTERS, comprising eight books; of the new science fiction series THE INVASION CHRONICLES, comprising four books; of the new fantasy series OLIVER BLUE AND THE SCHOOL FOR SEERS, comprising three books (and counting); and of the fantasy series THE WAY OF STEEL, comprising three books (and counting). Morgan’s books are available in audio and print editions, and translations are available in over 25 languages.

  TURNED (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals) ARENA ONE (Book #1 of the Survival Trilogy) and A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1 in the Sorcerer’s Ring), RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Kings and Sorcerers—Book #1), A THRONE FOR SISTERS (Book #1), TRANSMISSION (The Invasion Chronicles—Book #1), and THE MAGIC FACTORY (Oliver Blue and the School for Seers—Book One) are each available as a free download on Kobo!

  Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!