Chapter 34
Katarine
"He's my best friend. I would carry him to the ends of the earth."
Strong words, but after walking an hour, my arms were aching and my feet had developed blisters in my fine slippers. But I pressed forward. Felix had sacrificed so much for this country; it was time I offered my own.
We came to a small town north of the city, and I left the cart hidden behind a building. With the pace I was going, I wouldn't make it very far before dawn. And carrying a man on what was very clearly a wagon for the dead would surely draw attention.
I walked through the silent town until I reached the stables near the inn. There, I found a beautiful brown stallion who seemed friendly when I patted his nose. On principle, I didn't condone stealing, but for Felix, I would've stolen the crown off Maurice's head. So I picked the lock on the stable door—another Luard skill—and tacked the horse as best I could. With the reins in one hand and the rope in the other, I walked the horse back to the alley. Felix was where I'd left him and he groaned when I pulled him upright and threw his arm around my shoulder.
"Listen to me," I said. "I need you to climb onto this horse. Once you're there, you can relax."
He mumbled his approval and lifted his leg. I placed it in the stirrup then pushed him on top of the horse. My feet slipped on the ground, but I managed to get him up without falling flat on my face. I wrapped the rope around his hands, tying him to the saddle, then looped the rest around his midsection. I would have to go slowly, but he stayed put when I tested the horse on a few steps.
"Okay," I whispered. "We'll head to the north."
The horse provided some relief, but as the day wore on, my worry for Felix began to grow. My throat ached with dryness, and I was sure Felix was in more dire straits than me. But it was too risky to stop. So we pressed on.
I followed Aline's directions to the letter, guiding the mare slowly along the road and keeping to myself. Surely by now, Ilara was aware we'd escaped. Every so often, a thundering of hooves would echo from behind, and I'd feel the ghost of a touch on the back of my neck.
As the sun rose higher, I began to second-guess my decision to leave, or at least leave without food or water. Brynna wouldn't have made such a dumb mistake. She had a way of twisting her way out of any situation, or so Felix had said.
"What are you going to say to Brynna when you see her again?" I asked my silent traveling partner.
His head lolled and he snored softly.
I patted his thigh. "I think I'm going to ask Bea to marry me when I see her."
"Good idea."
I smiled, catching his half-open eye. But then he was asleep again.
We paused only briefly to water the horse and ourselves at a creek, as my thirst could be denied no more. I scooped liquid from the creek and brought it to Felix's lips, but he didn't drink much. So I helped him back on the horse and off we went again.
As the sun baked my skin, I allowed myself to daydream about holding Beata again, burying my face in her hair and resting easy in her arms. Knowing she would be at the end of this journey made my steps surer and resolve harder. As did knowing if I didn't get to the camp by nightfall, we would have to sleep in the streets.
Night eventually did fall again, but by the Mother's grace, the moon was bright and the sky clear. If Aline was to be believed, we would find the camp full of soldiers up ahead. But my doubts gnawed at the back of my mind, especially as there were no lights in the distance.
When the sun was a fireball in the east, I spotted the signs Aline had told me to look for. But as we drew closer, dread turned my stomach. There had clearly been a camp here, but it had since moved on. Remnants of fire pits dotted a wide-open field. No sign of the soldiers, no hints on where they'd gone.
The past few hours of hard travel caught up to me, and my head spun as I braced myself against the horse. There was a large shady tree nearby, so I walked the horse over to it and guided Felix off. He groaned at the movement, especially as I helped him to sit against the tree.
"Are we there yet?" he grunted, cracking open one brown eye.
"Not yet," I said, brushing my fingers along his forehead. I didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. "Just resting for the moment."
"I could use something to eat," he murmured.
"I know." My stomach was in knots, but also empty and gnawing. We had passed a small village to the south, perhaps I could find food and directions there.
I reached under my petticoat to retrieve my bag of gold coins and the small knife. "Here," I said, placing the knife by his fingertips. "Just in case."
"Be careful," he said. "And don't let anyone see your coins."
Walking by myself was a little unnerving. The soldiers and local guards all appeared Forcadelian, but I couldn't be too sure. My light skin and hair gave me away as a Niemenian, even as the sun reddened my arms and hands. Everyone outside was sure to give me a second glance as I passed.
In and out. Speed was the name of the game. If I only stayed a moment, perhaps the villagers would forget I'd ever been there.
The village didn't have a town square, so I chose a tavern. Inside, the darkness was cool on my burning skin, and my eyes took a moment to adjust to it.
"Howdy!" a booming voice called from the other side of the room.
I rubbed my eyes until they no longer saw spots then nodded to a heavy-set woman standing behind the bar. She wore a warm smile as she rubbed down the dark wooden countertop, but I reminded myself of my mission. Quick, quiet, and they would forget all about me.
"May I purchase some bread from you?" I asked, palming the gold coin in my hand. Perhaps I should've added some silvers—was it too obvious that I was rich? Was I now a target for thieves?
"You can sit your little pale butt down and eat, yes," she said, placing a large tankard of water and a plate full of bread and cheese in front of me.
I forgot all my royal upbringing and inhaled both in a few moments. Regret was instantaneous. My stomach was sated, but my best friend was still hungry and thirsty under a tree. I wished I hadn't eaten everything in front of me.
"Thank you," I said, pressing the gold onto the counter. "May I have some to take with me? And something to carry water?"
She nodded and set to assembling the items in a cheesecloth. "You look pretty far from home."
I picked at the bar, hoping to avoid giving up more about myself. "I am."
"No horse?"
I hesitated, not used to spilling my secrets to new faces. If Ilara's forces were to come into town, she could very clearly tell them that I had been there, and where I'd gone afterward.
"It's all right," she said, resting her hand on my sunburnt arm. "You're among friends here in Forcadel."
"I'm sorry, but I don't know if that's true," I said. "I think I'll just take the food and be on my way."
But the woman was undeterred. "Maybe I can help point you in the right direction. If you're looking to head to Niemen, it's a ways away."
I exhaled, releasing my fear. "I'm not going to Niemen. I'm looking for…" I shook my head. "The camp that was here. Do you know where they went?"
"Can't say that I do," she said. "They were darling, you know? A group of young people who decided they'd rather serve the people of Forcadel than that damned desert-dwelling queen. They came from Neveri, saying the Kulkans had invaded and taken over. If you ask me, Neveri's in better hands."
I nodded, if only to keep her talking. "How many were among them?"
"Fifty, perhaps?" She shrugged. "They'd come into town and barter work for food, but we have fertile lands in these parts, so we just gave them what they needed."
I swallowed. "Was there…a woman named Beata amongst them?"
"Beata?" She beamed. "What a darling she is! Took care of all of those soldiers like they were her own, although bless her, she was barely twenty-five. Do you know her?"
I couldn't hold back tears any longer. Beata had made it to Brynna's forces. She was sa
fe and happy. I covered my face as I sobbed, earning me a comforting pat on the back from the bartender.
"Now I know who you are," she said softly. "Beata's love, the woman she left behind. She said you were a tall, statuesque Niemenian with eyes as blue as the sky."
I nodded, unsure how much Beata had shared about who I was or why I'd left. "I need to find her. Please, if there's anything you can do to help."
"First, though, you need rest," she said. "I'll see about finding you a room tonight—"
"No," I said, wiping my face. "No, I must get going. I have to find them. I have…" I trusted her, but not enough to speak of Felix. "I just need to keep moving. I won't be safe until I find them."
"Then I'd say go north," she said. "But steer clear of the thieves' forest. That Celia won't take kindly to you walking her pathways."
I paused, looking up at her. "Celia?"
"Notorious around these parts. She steals children and holds them until their parents can pay some sum of money."
"No, I know," I said. "But she's nearby?"
"I wouldn't say near. Another day's ride along this road. But you'd be wise to steer clear, as I said—"
No, I wouldn't. Something in my gut told me Brynna had moved her troops there—whether for more protection, more supplies, or some other purpose. From what I knew of the camp, it would be the perfect fortress to gather troops and hide from Ilara.
I got to my feet. "Thank you for all your hospitality. When I see Beata, I'll tell her you showed me kindness."
"Please tell her Tamra says hello," she said, squeezing my hand. "And allow me to send you away with a bag of food to take to her. Mother knows those soldiers can go through an entire farm in a day."
"I shall," I said, taking her hand. "Thank you."
I hurried back to Felix, the sack around my shoulder heavy with bread, fruits, and vegetables. My compatriot hadn't moved since I left him, though he did open an eye when I walked up to him. I used my knife to cut up pieces of an apple, feeding them to him slowly.
"Eat up," I said, feeding him another small slice. "We should be seeing our girls soon."
Or perhaps we'd be walking to our deaths. But if my trust in the Mother was firm, She would lead us where we needed to go.
Chapter 35
I sent the rest of the soldiers back to Celia's camp, but I personally wanted to watch Kieran's ship disappear downriver, so Luard, Ivan, and I stayed behind in Galdon until the next morning. Ivan was similarly confused that I'd let Kieran go, but with one word from Luard, he quieted. It meant a lot that they trusted me so much, and I hoped I could repay that when Beswick showed up.
"And what do you plan to do when he does?" Luard asked. "From what I hear, the last time you went up against him, you were wanting."
"I learned," I said. "The reasons I failed before were threefold. First," I held up my finger, "I didn't see the whole picture. Beswick was covered by a layer of royal protection. My father gave him his blessing to continue duping the Severians so Forcadel could get cheap glass. But now, Beswick's operating under his own umbrella. No one's giving him protection anymore."
"Fair enough," Luard said. "And the other two reasons?"
"Second, I got cocky and impatient," I said. "I thought I was in a position to do something about him, and when I couldn't, I acted on impulse. And finally, I acted alone. I didn't ask for help or use my resources." I smiled at him. "And now, I have an army and a bevy of strategic thinkers to help me."
"Good to hear," Ivan said from behind. "Still not a plan."
"I'm getting to it," I said with an impatient wave of my hand. "The fact is, Beswick's going to be bringing his best. So we need to have our best, too. It's like you said the other day—I have an army of vigilantes. And I'm going to use them."
"You can't possibly be thinking about taking those kids to fight a criminal overlord," Ivan said with a stricken look.
"Oh, no." I shook my head firmly. "But I have a hundred soldiers who can be trained. I asked Locke to start teaching them a few things before I left. Once we get back, I'll put them through what I learned in Celia's camp. And when Beswick shows up, we'll be ready for anything."
"Hm." Luard wore a sly smile.
"What?" I shifted in the saddle. "Questions? Problems?"
"Just amused at the change in personality," Luard said. "The other day, you were hemming and hawing over the thought of telling your soldiers what to do. Now, you're changing their entire training regimen."
"Well…" My cheeks warmed. "I know what I'm doing with Beswick."
He wiggled his eyebrows. "You've got the makings of a great queen. Quit overthinking it."
A whistle broke my reverie. When I looked up, my young scouts waved. They whistled the code, Welcome back, but attached to it was a combination I hadn't heard before.
"What's that word?" I asked, looking up at the nearest tree. There I found both a teen and a soldier, working in tandem.
"Your Majesty," the soldier called back, bowing his head.
Jorad, who'd ridden ahead earlier in the day, was waiting for me at the camp's entrance. He bowed with a flourish. "Your Majesty, great news," he said. "Another twenty soldiers have arrived to bolster your numbers."
"Really?" I dismounted and handed the reins to a nearby soldier. "From where?"
"From the west. They heard that there was a group of Forcadelians in Celia's camp and came to pledge their support."
My brows lifted and worry fluttered in my chest. We were already stretched thin in terms of sleeping arrangements and food. Could I handle another twenty?
Luard cleared his throat. "Maybe you'd like to greet them and thank them for coming to your aid?"
"Oh." I shared a look with him. "Yeah. That sounds good."
Jorad bowed again. "I'll see to it right away."
Luard smiled warmly as he threw his arm around my shoulders. "Practice makes perfect, little princess. Let's meet your new troops."
Jorad assembled the soldiers in about ten minutes—a feat considering how spread out the camp was. They wore crisp Forcadelian uniforms with shiny crests that glinted as they stood at attention.
"You are all welcome here," I said with a firm smile. "Thank you for coming to our aid. Please find yourselves a place to sleep in the sleeping hut. Lieutenant Llobrega will see to your assignments in the camp." I paused then added, "Dismissed."
They saluted me in unison, then dispersed amongst the camp. Two or three of them hung around, whispering about how they owed each other gold. One pair came up to me, blushing.
"Pardon, Your Majesty," the one on the right said. "Were you really The Veil?"
"Yeah," I said.
"See?" His friend slapped him on the arm. "Now you owe me two coins!"
I kept a laugh to myself as they walked away arguing about whether they really wagered and how payment was going to be completed. Beside me, Jorad shook his head, but even he couldn't be bothered by their informality.
There was certainly a different energy than when we'd left a few short days before. Soldiers trained with thieves, grinning even as they were unceremoniously beaten by their younger counterparts. Near the weapons hut, a group of thieves were happily making arrows as quickly as their nimble hands could make them. Nearby, a group of soldiers had started the forge and were banging red-hot pieces of iron into swords. Another group—this one mixed soldiers and thieves—were busy sewing black fabric.
"You can thank Locke for all this," Jorad said. "He's the one doling out assignments."
"I certainly will," I said. "How goes the vigilante training?"
"He thought it prudent to wait until you returned," Jorad said. "Something about how the soldiers might listen better if the direction came from you. You are, after all, the vigilante."
I opened my mouth to argue, but thought better of it. "Then give the order that anyone interested in learning how to be The Veil should stick around after dinner in the mess hall."
We passed by Nicolasa's hut, where a group of si
x young children were seated cross-legged as the elder Nestori showed them the parts of the lavender plant. Beata sat nearby, taking notes in a leather-bound book with her tongue stuck between her teeth. I cleared my throat to get her attention, and she quickly jumped to her feet.
"Children, we have a guest," she said, interrupting Nicolasa. "What did we practice when the queen shows up?"
The children scrambled to stand up, some of them dusting themselves off quickly. Then, together, they bowed at the hip.
"Your Majesty," they chanted.
"Well done," Beata said with a beaming smile.
I was glad she seemed less angry with me. "You've certainly done a lot in a short amount of time. Are the children enjoying their studies?"
"More so than marching around camp," she said under her breath. I had to give it to her—she was stubborn. Maybe that was why Katarine liked her so much.
"We have worked out a schedule, per your request," Jorad said. "Lady Beata can teach the children in the mornings, and I get them for a few hours of training in the afternoons. I also have five soldiers rotating in the kitchens to give her time to do other things."
"And my thanks for that," she said to me. "I find my time is taken up by these littles more than I anticipated."
The children, now scrubbed and wearing clean clothes, certainly looked more like innocent angels than they had previously. "What's today's lesson?"
"Well, Jorad said you were teaching the soldiers how to be vigilantes," Beata said. "So I thought the children could learn how to make those little bags you're always throwing at people." She smiled coyly. "Locke said everyone needed to be useful."
My face warmed as she gazed at the hut at the back of the camp, the chimney smoke taunting me. But I wasn't in the mood to be goaded today. Before I did anything else, there was a fence that needed mending.
"Bea, can we take a walk?" I asked.
"I wanted to—"
"I'm sorry," Beata said, wiping her hands on her apron as soon as we were outside the forest gates. "I shouldn't have lost my temper and shouldn't have put you in that position to have to punish me."
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