Shadow Knights

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?” Dexter asked.

  Colbert leaned against the wall, not saying a word as he watched Reid.

  She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to decide what to do. If, as Anna suspected, Dexter was leading a group of revolutionaries, who were in direct opposition to what the Knights were trying to accomplish, it would force Reid into a precarious position.

  “Now’s the time to reveal any secrets you may have.” Dexter waited for her to speak, his body tense but face relaxed.

  It was obvious he knew she was keeping something from him. Given his well-trained soldiers, he probably had a network of spies to rival Ackley’s. “I barely know you.” Maybe the change she’d sensed in him lately was an act. Maybe he was only trying to gain her trust so she’d tell him everything she knew—about the Knights, about Ackley, about the king.

  “We’re on the same side,” he insisted. “I’d like for us to start working together.”

  Were they working toward the same goals, though? Could she—should she—trust Dexter? Her gut instincts insisted he was trustworthy. With the Knights, she’d been told to trust them. However, she always questioned if trusting them was the right thing. Sometimes, it didn’t feel natural to blindly accept their word. With Dexter, those hesitations were gone. “There’s one thing I haven’t told you.”

  “What is it?”

  “I’m sworn to secrecy.” Although, Ackley had told Gordon and Idina.

  “What if you showed me?” he asked, taking a step closer.

  He knew—she was sure of it. He’d looked at her wrist once before, as if searching for the Knight’s mark. Maybe his father had told him about the secret organization. Or he could have figured it out. Thinking back, she’d been in bed next to him without her shirt on. Maybe he’d spied her mark then? Or Gytha could have noticed it when Reid removed her tunic to let the warrior woman inspect her injuries. Reid smacked her forehead. She’d forgotten Nara and Joce had helped her bathe. So many people had the opportunity to see the tattoo on Reid’s arm.

  Reid needed to tell Dexter. Keeping it from him would only complicate their budding friendship. Besides, the other part of her assignment was to gain his trust. Revealing her tattoo would certainly do that. She pushed her sleeve up, then twisted her arm to expose the rose with a dagger tattooed on the underside near her elbow. His eyes widened slightly, as if he’d suspected but hadn’t honestly believed it until now. Lowering her sleeve, she waited for his verdict, eyes trained on him.

  “Thank you for trusting me. Now, I’m going to trust you.”

  Colbert pushed off the door, then opened it to reveal another dark hallway. When he stepped inside, Reid followed. Dexter grabbed a torch, then joined them.

  Every door that closed behind them had the distinct sound of a bolt sliding into place. No wonder the Knights hadn’t discovered where Dexter was going. This was the only way in—having Reid gain his trust so he’d bring her along. A wave of dizziness washed over her. Feeling faint, she leaned against the wall. “Wait.”

  “Are your ribs bothering you?” Dexter asked.

  She shook her head. “Something’s wrong.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Pieces started to fall into place. “I feel like I’ve been put here for a reason.”

  “Explain,” Colbert said.

  “I don’t have any evidence. It’s just a feeling that someone wanted me to get close to Dexter, to gain his trust, in order for him to bring me here. And I don’t know the reason.”

  “Why do you think that?” Dexter asked.

  “Comments people have made, things I’ve seen, places I’ve been. It’s like a game of chess, and I’m a pawn. Someone has been moving me into position. Now, it’s their time to strike.” And she didn’t know if she wanted to be used that way. What if she didn’t agree with the outcome? She didn’t like having her choices taken away from her.

  Dexter chuckled. “And by strike, do you mean take down the king? Checkmate?”

  “Exactly.”

  “If that’s the case, is that a bad thing?”

  They were on dangerous ground. She didn’t think he referred to a game of chess any longer. “I don’t know. But if I go through that door, everything will change.”

  “You’re right,” Colbert said. “Everything will change. But it’s your choice. You can come with us or you can return to the palace. Just know we wouldn’t have invited you along tonight if we didn’t believe this is something you’d embrace.”

  Reid noticed his use of the word invited. Had everything been a setup? Was she simply a pawn to everyone?

  Dexter placed his hand on her shoulder. “Are you in or are you out?”

  She focused on his vibrant eyes, trying to understand this man she’d been so careful to shield herself from. Only, over the past week, she’d gotten to know him better. But had it been the real Dexter or a façade he wanted her to believe?

  He raised his eyebrows. “What’s your hesitation?”

  “That I’m a disposable pawn.” That Dexter didn’t care for her at all and was only using her.

  He squeezed her shoulder. “You’re my fiancée.” His voice was strong, assured. “We’re getting married. I’d like to have a partner. Someone with the same goals as me. I’m asking you to work with me. We can accomplish more together.”

  She teetered on indecision. Whatever was behind that door would change everything between her and the Knights. It had the potential to alter Reid’s entire future. However, if she’d learned one thing through the years, it was to always trust her instincts. Everything about Dexter and Colbert felt right.

  “Okay, I’m in.”

  Dexter’s shoulders relaxed ever so slightly as he shot her a grin. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  “Let’s go.” Colbert opened the door.

  Reid stepped through the doorway into a dimly lit room filled with what had to be over fifty men and women of all ages. Most sat on chairs arranged in rows facing the front, while a few stood at the back.

  “He’s here,” someone announced. “Now we can begin.”

  Dexter strode to the front as if he’d done this a hundred times before. Colbert inclined his head for Reid to follow, leading her to the back. She leaned against the wall, observing those in attendance. Most everyone wore regular, generic merchant clothing. Reid straightened, taking a second look. The man in front of her had callouses on his hands. They could be from wielding an axe, plough, or a sword. The woman next to him had her sleeves rolled up to reveal strong, muscled arms. These were no ordinary merchants. A band of revolutionaries perhaps?

  “Thank you all for coming,” Dexter said. “We’re still monitoring the ports. I believe the king is working with Melenia—a kingdom to the east of Marsden. It’s about a two-week journey by ship.”

  “Do you know what he’s planning?” someone asked.

  “I do not. However, we believe small groups of men, maybe soldiers, have been arriving over the past month or two.”

  “Are they here in Axian?” a woman called.

  “My sources report they are mostly in Bridger. However, we will continue to monitor the situation.” His commanding voice was assured, easily capturing and maintaining everyone’s attention. “The main reason for the meeting tonight is to discuss something of the utmost importance. An opportunity has presented itself, and I think it’s time to act.”

  “So soon?” another woman said.

  “This opportunity is too good to pass up,” Dexter answered. “We may not get another chance. But it requires us to act quickly.”

  “What’s the opportunity?” a man in the front row asked.

  “We just received word that King Eldon will be in attendance for my wedding. He’ll be staying in the palace. We won’t get a better chance to assassinate him.”

  Reid jolted, almost smacking her head against the wall in her shock. Assassinate the king? That was what these people were here to discuss? She gaped at Colbert. W
as he on board with this plot?

  Colbert actually winked at her.

  She’d thought about the possibility of Dexter’s group wanting to split from the kingdom of Marsden to become their own kingdom. However, she hadn’t considered they’d actually assassinate the king to take over.

  “I’m thinking we can arrange for him to take a tour of the city,” Dexter said. “An accident could happen during it.”

  Reid raised her hand, and Dexter pointed at her. “If you decide on this path, I suggest where, when, and how it happens is very carefully chosen,” she said. “It needs to be clear that Prince Dexter, Prince Colbert, and Prince Henrick are in no way aware of or involved in the king’s demise. Otherwise, Marsden will face a nasty civil war—which is what we are trying to avoid, correct?”

  “Correct. Let’s brainstorm some ideas.”

  Everyone started talking at once.

  Slumping against the wall, Reid considered the ramifications of assassinating the king. “Colbert, your father doesn’t want to be king.”

  “No, he doesn’t. But we don’t always get what we want.”

  Leaning closer to Colbert, she whispered, “Why don’t we bring the king’s legitimacy into question? Wouldn’t that be easier than killing him?”

  “We don’t have proof.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “We just have to plant a seed of doubt. And you never know—those letters may show up.” If Ackley had them as Reid suspected, he might have a plan to use them when the right time presented itself. The other option was to ask Leigh to tell the truth about Eldon’s father. However, that would cause two problems. One, Leigh had lied about who his father was in the first place, so why would anyone believe she was telling the truth now? And two, it forced Leigh to choose between her children. Telling the truth would strip Eldon of the crown, therefore making Gordon eligible for the throne.

  Reid raised her hand again. When the room quieted, she said, “I think we should send letters to the dukes informing them Eldon is not Hudson’s legal heir.”

  The room erupted in chaos.

  “If we decide to go that route,” Dexter said, reclaiming everyone’s attention, “we need to do it now. Before everyone arrives for the wedding. The issue with that route is it allows for the possibility of two rulers—Prince Henrick versus Prince Gordon.”

  “The dukes would interpret the law, ultimately deciding who is crowned king,” Reid added.

  “We don’t know what the outcome would be,” Dexter said.

  “What of the assassination?” someone asked.

  “Maybe we should wait?” Reid suggested.

  “We can’t,” Dexter replied. “This opportunity is too perfect. We won’t get another chance like this.”

  “Once Eldon is dead,” Reid said, “how do we know Prince Gordon won’t ascend to the throne? After all, Prince Gordon is King Eldon’s heir.”

  “She has a point,” someone shouted.

  “If the king accidentally dies while he’s here, and all the dukes are present, then maybe we can contest the throne then?” someone said.

  “What if the dukes decide to crown Prince Henrick, but he steps aside again?” someone else said. “The crown will go to Prince Gordon. Maybe we need to talk with Prince Henrick to see where he stands on the matter?”

  In other words, these people wanted confirmation Prince Henrick would cooperate. Unfortunately, Reid didn’t think he would.

  “In order for the assassination plan to work,” Reid said, unable to believe she was discussing murdering someone so casually, “we’ll need to reveal that King Eldon is not Hudson’s legal heir. I propose we write letters to the dukes and the other prominent families, throwing Eldon’s birth into question. That way, once the king is eliminated, Prince Gordon won’t automatically be crowned. If Prince Henrick refuses to accept the throne, I don’t know what to do. The only suggestion I have is to hope we can convince him it’s in the kingdom’s best interest.”

  “Or maybe the family’s,” Colbert said. “Especially if Prince Dexter and Lady Reid announce they are expecting. That would solidify the throne.”

  At that exact moment, Reid happened to be looking right at Dexter and he at her. She felt her face go up in flames. If she were to get pregnant, as Colbert so eloquently suggested, she would need to be intimate with Dexter. That was something they’d touched upon earlier, when he’d said they were going to have separate rooms. She thought she’d have plenty of time to deal with that issue. Later. Much, much later.

  “You two will need to get busy!” one of the men shouted boisterously. Hoots, laughter, and whistles rang throughout the room.

  Mortification filled Reid. Not only was she not there to be sacrificed as a brood mare for the cause, but she also wasn’t even certain she was ready to be intimate with Dexter. He probably felt the same way.

  “I want everyone to think of plausible ways to take out the king while making his death appear accidental,” Dexter said, expertly changing the course of the conversation back to the appropriate topic—if assassination could even be considered an appropriate topic. “Remember, it must look like an accident. We’ll meet back here in one week to solidify plans.”

  Everyone exited the room, conversing in small clusters. When only Dexter, Colbert, and Reid were left, she plopped on one of the chairs, wincing from the movement. Reid was at a complete loss for words. If she opened her mouth, she was afraid only a plethora of questions would come out. Did they realize how insane they were for planning to assassinate the king? Were they aware that if the king found out, everyone involved would be killed? What did they plan to do about the fact Henrick didn’t even want the throne? Couldn’t they see there were other, less extreme ways to accomplish what they wanted without resorting to treason and murder? Oh, and did they genuinely understand she in no way wanted, was ready for, or could even imagine having a baby right now?

  Colbert sat next to Reid. “You seem stressed.”

  “Wonder why,” she mumbled.

  “What are you thinking?” Dexter asked, straddling the chair in front of Reid so he could face her.

  “That you’re both crazy.” Reid understood why they wanted to eliminate Eldon—she just didn’t think it was the best course of action to take. She needed time to process the idea. She’d assumed she and Dexter would begin to implement the changes they wished to make over the years to come. She hadn’t realized he’d planned to do something so extreme right now.

  “We need to head back,” Colbert said. “This is the tricky part.”

  “Sure…that’s exactly what I was thinking,” she muttered sarcastically. She rose, pain sparking in her ribs. “Getting back to the palace unnoticed is definitely the hard part. Not assassinating the king, not taking over Marsden, not any of those other seemingly impossible tasks, but simply returning home.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Come,” Dexter said, ignoring her sarcasm. “We’ll talk more about this when you’re not so tired and the shock has had time to wear off.” He took Reid’s hand, leading her through the side door.

  Reid glanced at their joined hands. It suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks—she was in over her head in all possible ways. Because she was fairly sure that she shouldn’t feel a mix of comfort, strength, and desire every time she touched the man who was going to be her husband. How had she gone from being scared and intimidated by him to seeking his friendship? To maybe even wanting more?

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dressed in a nightgown, Reid stared out her window, mulling over last night and what may or may not happen in the near future. If life were a game of chess, she needed to plot her next move carefully. No longer having the luxury of lying around in bed again all day—even if she did still need to heal—she went over to her armoire. There was too much to be done.

  Pulling out an elegant green dress, she tossed it on the bed and considered the role she needed to play. Nara didn’t want Reid to be a warrior—the princess wanted her to be a refined lady f
rom the north. But that didn’t mean Reid couldn’t fight for what she believed in and wanted.

  Joce entered the room to help Reid dress. Once Reid was presentable, she exited the bedchamber and headed to the royal family’s private sitting room down the hall.

  Nara and Henrick sat beside each other on the sofa, deep in conversation.

  “Good morning,” Reid said, loud enough to be certain they heard.

  Henrick waved her forward, so Reid entered and sat across from them. There was a detailed map of the palace on the low table between the sofas.

  “What do you need me to do?” she asked.

  Nara crossed her legs, leaning back against the sofa. “Dexter is at the military compound with his soldiers. He’s assigning them various positions. Some will act as prominent merchants and landholders from throughout the county. Others will be on security detail. All visitors will be interspersed throughout the palace so we can maintain control at all times.”

  “Excellent.” Reid examined the map, noting strategic locations where sentries would be placed in the palace. Some would be highly visible, while others would be hidden.

  “Colbert is in the library going over your marriage contract,” Henrick said. “He’s making sure everything is in order. When your father arrives, he will look it over and sign it.”

  “What sort of stipulations do you have in place?” Reid had never thought to ask before now.

  “On my end, I want it clear what happens when your father dies and you take over Ellington. What is Dexter’s role going to be?”

  An opportunity presented itself, so Reid decided to take it. “I’m certain my father isn’t aware that Dexter is not your legal heir. This changes things, does it not? After all, once you pass, Dexter will have nothing. I’m not sure it’s advantageous for me to marry Dexter.”

  “That’s not necessarily true,” Henrick said.

  Nara pursed her lips, and Reid suspected the princess was pleased with this line of questioning.

  “Eldon is Dexter and Colbert’s half brother. Once I die, I’m sure they’ll find a way to work together.”