Retrieve
Page 14
Hadley glanced around the room, and her anxiety increased. For a prisoner, the princess was being cared for in remarkably comfortable surroundings. The bed was covered in plump pillows, what looked to be soft sheets, with an array of books, even a platter of fruit and cheese sitting alongside the bed.
Hadley crossed the floor and placed her hand on the door handle. Her heart jarred as it twisted, opening freely.
She eased it closed as the princess pulled herself to standing, a bemused expression on her face. “Told you I was a prisoner did he? You really need to leave now. My fiancé will be returning soon, and I don’t want him to find you here. Go back to Azetaria and tell my father I’m serious about this. I love the prince, and I’m marrying him whether he likes it or not.”
Hadley gawked at the princess, before remembering Kade waiting outside the gates. “You aren’t a prisoner?”
The princess snorted. “Not at all. The Numachi people have treated me with kindness and respect. As did the prince. Obviously, my father didn’t explain the situation to you?”
Hadley shook her head, still bewildered as to what she was supposed to do now. The princess motioned for her to sit and Hadley sunk into a soft cushioned chair, as the princess poured a glass of liquid from a golden jug.
Hadley accepted it, confusion growing as the princess explained. “I met the prince last year. Completely by accident. I was visiting Arrowford, unescorted to see how my people were fairing and the prince was across the river. Most fortuitous it turns out.”
The princess chuckled as she took her seat again. “I was leading my horse to take a drink, and I slipped in the river. Prince Rahid, son to my father’s greatest enemy, put himself at great risk, jumped in and pulled me out. He had no idea who I was, and I didn’t know who he was either.”
The princess took a sip of her drink, a wistful smile on her face as she spoke. “He was nothing like I’d been told of the Numachi people, he simply returned me to my side of the river and departed. At the time I was struck by how angry the men with him were. Of course, now I understand, they were superstitious fools who thought he’d anger the spirits in the waters. But Rahid, he was different, he doesn’t believe in his father’s religion. He believes in the Ancient, just like I do.”
She smiled prettily and crossed her ankles, looking every inch a royal as she gestured to the window. “So, you see. I’m here because I want to be. I ran away to marry Rahid, because I’m in love with him, and because our marriage will help to end animosity between our people. You’d think my father would be pleased. But sadly, he’s more interested in marrying me off to one of his cronies.”
A dark look crossed over the princess’s face. “Are you with a Stormer? One of the Northern ones I expect? Father has most of the captains in his pocket.”
Hadley’s stomach flipped at the mention of Cester, but instinct told her to keep quiet in the hopes the princess would keep talking.
The princess rolled her shoulders and dropped her chin a fraction. “This is my wedding night you know. I suppose it’s funny the Ancient should send a boy to keep me company.”
Hadley swallowed thickly, wiping her hands on her cut off trousers. Time was speeding past. Kade would be worrying. She needed to make a decision before the prince found her here.
She placed the cup on the table beside her and made for the window. The princess met her step. “Please tell my father not to hire any more Stormers. I won’t be held responsible for any more death.”
Hadley’s eyes widened. The question spilling from her lips. “How many have come so far?”
The princess looked thoughtful as she frowned. “Four? Five? I’m not sure. I’d hoped by Rahid asking his men to watch Arrowford we could prevent more entering and looking for me, unfortunately with the troubles between north and south, his men are already stretched thin.”
The princess gripped Hadley’s arm, her face grim as she spoke. “Please, make sure he gets the message. It will be a good thing. If he’d just give peace a chance, he’ll see the Numachi can be allies, not enemies. We just need to understand them, that’s all.”
The princess released her grip, her arm dropping to her side as she toyed with the ring on her finger. “Tell the Stormer what I said. If he’s Northern, he’ll hold little love for my father, tell him I can help soothe tensions, tell him I want to be here.”
Hadley nodded, barely thinking as she exited the window once more. Concentrating all her attention and energy on getting back across the rooftops without being spotted. The princess’s words echoing in her head, as she braced herself for the jump that would see her on the opposite building once more.
Her nerves settling as her lips bloomed into a smile at the realisation the princess’s words had brought. If the princess didn’t want to leave, they were now free to search for Thomas.
Kade’s toes tapped inside his boots, his ribs throbbing agony, he exhaled slowly, trying to control the pain breathing caused, struggling to calm the surging panic flowing through him. Where is she?
Knowing that if Hadley had been caught, there would be a whole lot more noise, did little to compensate for the anxiety rippling through him.
He could risk a climb, but it was madness with ribs already broken, and then they’d both be caught. Kade clenched his fists against the pain, against the dread at Hadley’s prolonged absence.
Worst case scenarios began playing out in his head, tormenting him with what might have gone wrong. The Numachi would kill first, or if Hadley gave herself away as a girl, she’d suffer a fate worse than death.
Kade’s stomach knotted, and he found himself at the wall preparing to climb. He’d even managed to reach upwards when Hadley appeared, breathless and wild-eyed atop the wall.
She scrambled down, and a mountain of thoughts collapsed on him. None of them things he expected or wanted. “What the hell took you so long?”
Hadley’s eyebrows rose, her posture rigid as she spoke quietly through heaving breaths. “The princess is fine. She’s here because she wants to be. She’s planning on marrying Prince Rahid. She said Cester is in her father’s pocket, and that’s why you were sent to get her.”
Stunned, his mouth flapped open as he scrambled to find something sensible to say in reply. How had she gotten the information? Ran over the roofs like he would have done?
Hadley’s voice momentarily overtook his bewilderment. “We should go now. The princess doesn’t want any more trouble. She said Stormers have already died trying to get her home.”
A dull twisting sensation began in the pit of his stomach and spread throughout him. Doubt scrambling his tired brain even further. His feet held to the ground as he stood gawking at the chief’s house, utterly confounded first by her actions and the knowledge she’d brought back with her.
“She said to tell you to go, that she can help, that this marriage will be a good thing.”
Kade squinted at her, his head beginning to ache. “And she wasn’t being held against her will?”
Hadley shook her head. “She said she’s being treated well. And I believe her. She’s worried about our country.”
Kade ran his hand through his hair, grimacing at the wave of pain. “Other Stormer Units have been sent to retrieve her?”
“That’s what she said.”
A curse slipped from his lips. He’d been used. Lied to. All for a king who wanted to prevent a marriage that would likely benefit both countries.
What kind of a king would send men to their deaths just because he didn’t like his daughter’s choice of husband? The sodding king of Azetaria, that’s who.
For the first time in two years of Storming, Kade Dawson willingly walked away from his retrieval. No longer caring about making Cester look bad. No longer caring about anything but getting home and finding his sister.
His thoughts in disarray, he paused at the end of the street, looking at the double storied stone washed building he’d been sent to infiltrate. It was a lie. All of it. Cester had lied to him. Hadley had nearly died,
and for what?
All to retrieve a princess who didn’t want to be found? Anger built in his belly as he steered Hadley down back streets and alleyways. Hadley was blissfully silent as they made their painful journey back to the horses.
Every moment they stayed inside the city walls was a moment they might run into trouble he wouldn’t be able to deal with.
The more he thought, the more everything fell into place, and the worse the ache of betrayal grew. The warriors deterring them at Arrowford, the niggling doubts that wouldn’t subside no matter how much he tried to push them aside.
Cester had willingly sent him into enemy territory. Withheld information and had risked his life all for a lie.
He growled as he walked, causing Hadley to send a cautious look sidelong at him, her anxious face lit only by starlight. Kade kept his eyes ahead, feeling her gaze burning into him as he thought about the last two years of his life.
What else about Cester was a lie? His religion? His growing affection for Meg? Kade ground his back teeth together, barely noticing the buildings they passed. His mind solely on how to get home, back to the springs, back to where he could have it out with his deceitful captain.
Hadley’s question stole the breath from him. “We can look for Thomas now though can’t we?”
Kade kept walking, burning pain shooting down his middle, breathing becoming more difficult as the fight slowly ebbed from his veins. He was too tired, everything hurt, nothing made sense and he just wanted to lie down for a month and recover. Not think. Not do anything. Certainly not locate a brother most likely already dead.
“No, he won’t be here,” he said. He didn’t know for sure, nor did he care to know. Not right now.
He pressed his lips together as they moved closer to the edge of town, weaving their way through tight corners, sandy coloured homes, bright flower pots, and stray animals.
For a long while, Hadley kept silent, and Kade hoped she’d take pity on him, and recognise the need to leave. And she did, but the moment he’d paid the Numachi lad, and retrieved their mounts, she sent him a questioning look. “Later,” he ground out.
He flinched in preparation before he swung up on his horse, masking the pain and jerking his head to indicate they needed to leave. Hadley mounted, her face set in hard lines as they pulled away.
Every step of his mount jarred him and sent breath-stealing pain through his middle, leaving him in no doubt he was in worse shape than he’d first thought. By the time they reached an outcropping of rocks, he was dripping sweat, and his jaw ached from clenching his back teeth together.
It was no use. He was spent, and he needed to conserve his strength for the journey home. No good would come from driving himself into the ground. He’d have to hope his luck would hold, and they could rest long enough for the pain to subside.
What he really needed was an opiate or some of the grass the Numachi used in teas to deal with injuries. Neither of which he had. Both of which had been stolen from the tin chest in his hut.
Kade steeled himself to dismount, grateful they at least still had ample provisions, water and blankets taken from the felled warriors.
In two days he could be home. And in a few weeks, he could join Meg and Carl and have it out with Cester. They just had to cross the plains, and then cross the river. He’d done it a hundred times before, and with sheer determination, he’d find a way to do it again.
Kade dismounted amidst screaming protests from his ribs and dragged his mount to where a lone tree stump sat amongst the barren landscape. Too exhausted to think straight he looped the reins over and took a few steps before the pain overwhelmed him and he slumped to the ground.
His eyes blurring with the fresh sweat dripping down his forehead, Hadley’s face appeared in his line of sight as she crouched down, her forehead creased with worry. “How bad are you hurt?”
Kade gulped as he stared past her inquiring gaze, using the stars to gauge just how far they’d managed to ride. “I just need a couple weeks to heal,” he mumbled.
Hadley’s eyes went wide as blackness pushed in around him. “Weeks? But we can’t stay here that long? We’re too close to the city gates?”
His stomach clenched as a wave of nausea flowed through him. His voice wavering, his speech jumbled as he sought to answer her. “A few hours. Leave before sunrise.”
Hadley sucked in a breath. “But what if we’re found?”
Kade flinched at her words as he grappled to stay upright. Her voice became nothing more than a muffled whisper, and Kade knew he was going to pass out a moment before a solitary tear dripped down Hadley’s filthy cheek.
Chapter Ten
Hadley’s eyes flooded again, and she cursed herself for being so weak. For being so frightened and so overwhelmed.
Red dirt surrounded them for what seemed like kilometres, but she knew it was only a short trek back to the city.
What if they came looking? Kade couldn’t help. If he said he needed two weeks to heal it must be serious? Had the kick from the Numachi warrior done more damage than she’d considered?
She pulled herself to standing and wiped her eyes with dusty hands. The night was beginning to close in, and the temperature would fall rapidly. The horse’s eyed her as she rummaged around in the saddlebags and checked the supplies once more. Yanking loose the woven blankets the Numachi carried, tightly rolled up and secured to their saddles, she tucked them under her arm.
She took the water skin in one hand and returned to him, even in his exhausted state, his face was laced with pain. Her hands were shaking as she dropped to a crouch, and leaned closer to him, wishing she knew how to help.
A shiver ran down her back, and the hairs on her arms stood to attention as a gust of air swept the dirt around them. A lump sat in her stomach as she thought of what would happen if he couldn’t ride. Would her bindings allow him to move freer? Protect his ribs? She stared at him, from where she sat, perched beside him as she waited in the hopes he might wake.
Minutes ticked by, and she alternated between staring at him and checking to make sure no one was following. Her chest grew constricted the more she looked at him, her entire body was fighting against her desire to stay awake.
She shifted closer, laying the blanket over him as she pressed into his side. She accidentally brushed against his arm only to find his skin clammy and too cool.
Her mind in turmoil, Hadley laid her head back on the uncomfortable ground and tried to find a moment of peace amongst the thoughts jostling for attention. Foremost how could she help Kade recover quicker. Without him, she was alone in a foreign land filled with savage warriors. Which was a million times worse than being at home in the lower district, where she at least knew her city well enough to hide.
Hadley closed her eyes, squeezing them shut as she forced her body to relax against his. The horses shifted on their feet, the eerie sounds of Banshee wolves causing her skin to rise in fear.
She bolted upright, her heart rate speeding as she searched the night for the source of the noise.
The mounts, not like the calm cart horse, were growing more anxious. If they managed to get loose, they would be in an even worse situation.
Hadley threw the blanket back and kept her voice calm as she approached the jittery horses. The closest stamped the ground, and Hadley’s eyes caught on the saddlebags, on Kade’s mount.
What had Kade said? Fire would keep them at bay. She ran her hand down the horse’s neck, before searching the saddlebags. Her joy at finding the flint stone and steel, disappeared as she stepped away from the horse.
They had nothing to burn but the clothes on their backs. Even if she could start a fire in time, it would take too long to get going, and it would draw unwanted attention.
Hadley huffed out an exasperated breath. Terror filling her as another wolf bayed a horrendous shrieking noise. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to think of what Kade would do. There were no trees to climb. Nothing around them, save for the horses.
The horse whinnied, eyes white with fright, an idea sparked, and she felt her feet moving in the direction of the smaller of the two mounts.
She yanked the saddle off the animal, fingers uncooperative as she unbuckled the saddle bag, and removed the animal’s harness. The horse shuffled in front of her but stayed where he was.
Hadley pivoted on her heel, and dropped to Kade’s side again, gently unsheathing one of the remaining knives still strapped across his chest.
Her stomach roiled as she approached the horse. She murmured a teary apology, before she swiped at the mount’s chest, sending the horse rearing back in pain. Hadley ducked to one side a moment before the animal galloped off into the night, hooves pounding the dry dirt as he ran.
Hadley sunk to her haunches, the knife still in her hand, she didn’t bother to hold back the sob, and the exhausted tears that flowed freely.
Kade pulled himself from the grip of sleep, dazed and with pain blazing over his torso, his thoughts scrambled to catch up with what he was seeing. Hadley was sitting beside him, a blanket wrapped around her, posture stiff as she stared into the distance.
He groaned before pulling himself to sitting, pain shrieking through his body as Hadley’s gaze shot to him.
Kade offered her a weak smile as he found his feet. His eyes gritty and his body aching all over, he turned towards his mount squinting in confusion as he stared at the solitary animal.
Hadley pulled herself to her feet, her eyes locking on his, the answer to his question before he needed to ask. “Banshee wolves came, I released the horse in the hopes they’d chase after it.”
She bit her lip, her eyes wide, and a slight waver to her voice as though expecting him to reprimand her. He winced as he moved closer to her, forcing a half smile past the pain. “You did the right thing. It was smart.”