Kathryn gave him a look that she hoped would deflect more questions.
“Aiden, you must be hungry. Please eat something.” Rowan motioned for Aiden to share their food.
“Thank you.” Aiden reached for the food before taking a seat on her bedroll.
Kathryn searched through her bag for the parchment and then returned to the group. “Aiden, this is what I wanted you to see.” She took a seat on the ground near Aiden and handed her the folded paper.
“What is this?” Aiden turned the document over in her hand.
“Read it.” Kathryn took a piece of bread and tore small pieces of it off as she watched Aiden read the note.
“Is this supposed to mean something to me?” Aiden frowned and looked up at Kathryn.
Rowan spoke from across the fire. “Aiden, you are the heir.”
Aiden laughed. “Right.” She reached out to hand the paper back to Kathryn shaking her head. “No, I’m not.”
“Look at the broken seal.”
Aiden examined the wax seal, the Roth family crest that featured a crescent moon and three stars. She looked confused.
“I don’t understand. This note is about some missing heir. And whoever wrote this wants that person dead.”
“Your uncle, Balak Roth, authored that message. The captain of my imperial guard took it off the body of a paid mercenary less than a week ago.” Kathryn couldn’t tell if Aiden believed her, because her expression was hard to read.
“An uncle I’ve never met wants me dead? Why?”
“Because you are the rightful heir to the Belstaff throne.” Kathryn hoped Aiden would accept the truth. She knew it was a lot to absorb. She wasn’t sure what her reaction would be if she were in Aiden’s shoes. She turned to Rowan for support. Rowan was always better at getting people to listen to hard news than she was. It was her way. She was very empathetic. She just sensed things. She knew how to read a person and tell them what they most needed to hear. Rowan had been sitting silently through the exchange until Kathryn looked at her.
“Aiden, take some time to think about what Kathryn has said to you,” Rowan filled a tin cup with coffee. “Here, drink this.”
Aiden didn’t respond, but stared blankly into the forest. Kathryn wanted to reassure her, to touch her, but she stopped herself, unsure how Aiden would respond.
“Aiden.” Rowan closed her hands around Aiden’s as Aiden accepted the coffee. “Everything is going to be okay.”
Kathryn quietly watched her cousin work her magic. Aiden sipped her coffee and appeared to relax a bit. She glanced sideways at Kathryn. There were questions in her eyes. “What did you mean when you said something earlier about your imperial guard? Who are you?”
“She’s the queen of Olmstead.” Rowan refilled Aiden’s cup as nonchalantly as if she were discussing the weather.
“You’re a…”
“A queen. Yes, Kathryn is royal born,” Gareth interjected.
Kathryn’s cheeks felt hot under Aiden’s scrutiny.
“I don’t believe this. This is too much.” Aiden’s words were edged with exasperation.
“Search your thoughts and feelings, Aiden. Carry this with you for a while until you’re comfortable with it. We don’t have to talk about it right now. You should eat.” Rowan handed a strip of venison to her.
The parchment with the broken seal lay on the ground next to her feet. Aiden couldn’t stop staring at it as she pulled small strips of the meat free and slowly chewed.
“Is my mother alive? My father? Does this mean I have parents?” Aiden’s hopefulness broke Kathryn’s heart. She had to look away as Rowan delivered the truth.
“No. I’m so sorry, Aiden. Your uncle is the only Roth family member left.”
“The uncle that wants me dead. Perfect.” Aiden covered her face with her hands then briskly brushed her fingers through her still damp hair.
Gareth tossed remnants of coffee from his cup and stowed it in his saddlebag. He picked up the rest of his gear and began to make ready for departure.
After a few minutes, Kathryn followed him. She wished there was a way to give Aiden time to absorb all that they’d just told her, but she felt some urgency to get them all back to Olmstead and under the protection of Frost and her imperial guard. She wasn’t so naïve to think that there weren’t others looking for Aiden. Possibly even the three men that attacked them outside the cell. She would do everything within her power to keep Aiden safe and give her time to come to terms with the birthright she’d just discovered was hers.
Kathryn tied the bedroll to her saddle. She looked back to where Aiden sat packing her things, then to Rowan, who stood nearby adjusting her horse’s bridle.
“What do you suppose she’s thinking?” Kathryn asked.
“Probably that her entire world has just tilted on its axis.”
Chapter Eleven
Aiden’s thoughts traveled to the great owl she’d seen during her brief excursion the previous night. The omen had been true. Her parents were dead. Her mother was dead. She was alone in the world, just like before. Well, at least now she knew for sure.
And what about the other things Kathryn had told her? She’d always had the feeling that something in the outside world awaited her, some greater destiny, but heir to the throne of Belstaff? That was hard to believe.
She stroked Sunset’s neck and was just about to put her foot in the stirrup to climb into the saddle when Gareth spoke behind her.
“She put herself at risk for you. I want you to know that.” His voice was insistent but hushed. He obviously didn’t want the others to hear.
Aiden turned to face him. “Who?”
“Kathryn.”
“I didn’t ask her to do that. I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“Well, it happened just the same didn’t it?”
Aiden faced him. She wasn’t sure what sort of response he was seeking. He was protective of Kathryn, but it wasn’t like Aiden asked to be rescued. Twenty-four hours ago, she didn’t even know who Kathryn was.
“I just hope you’re worth the risk.” He launched himself onto his horse in one smooth movement, jerked the reins, and trotted away from where Aiden was standing.
She tried to shake off his remarks, but she wasn’t feeling very worthy. She hadn’t asked for any of this, and she wasn’t sure she deserved it or even wanted it. She’d had plans of her own, and now all of those plans had been knocked off course.
Aiden climbed into the saddle and urged Sunset to follow the others as they threaded through the trees back toward the wagon road they’d been following the previous night.
Aiden trailed the others. She watched them and envied their palpable bond. She’d left any friends she had when she stepped through the arched stone gateway of the monastery. In her teens, she couldn’t wait to escape its confines. Now she almost wished to be back there, to center herself and maybe seek guidance from Brother Francis. He was the eldest of the monks and had been her mentor in so many things.
Now it made sense to her that he’d tried to convince her to stay. She hadn’t understood why he was so protective, why he’d insisted she not leave the monastery alone. Had he known who she was all along? He’d never said anything to indicate he did, but he must have had some idea. He was so restrictive about her movements, but she’d always assumed that was because she was a girl surrounded by boys.
She was beginning to realize his protectiveness had nothing to do with gender. And she’d ended up sneaking away from the monastery before sunrise, while it was still dark. She’d felt a little guilty about not saying good-bye, but she’d vowed to return and offer her gratitude and a proper good-bye after her journey to the coast.
As she reflected on her time at the monastery, movement caught her attention. Aiden lagged behind the rest of the group, who was moving at a faster pace.
Her mount didn’t seem spooked by anything, but Aiden was certain she’d seen something. There it was again, off to the left, a flash of white fur in
the shadowed forest. Aiden strained to get a better look. She pulled Sunset to a stop, and the creature stopped too.
Aiden could see it clearly now. The animal made no attempt to hide its presence. The great white wolf studied them, with its head low and eyes laser focused. A ring of thick tufted fur around its broad shoulders stirred in the breeze. Aiden met the wolf’s eyes in an intense stare down, and still Sunset gave no indication that she sensed the predator’s presence. Why hadn’t the mare spooked at the scent of a wolf?
She heard hooves on the path and glanced away quickly to see Rowan riding back in her direction. It was only a split second that she looked away, but the wolf had disappeared. She searched the shadows, but the animal had vanished.
“Is something wrong?”
“You didn’t see it?”
“See what?” Rowan scanned the woods that Aiden was facing.
“A white wolf.”
“A white wolf?”
“Yes. That’s the second time I’ve seen it. Assuming it’s the same animal.” Aiden had glimpsed the animal the first night she’d camped away from the monastery, before arriving in Eveshom. She thought she’d imagined it because she only saw it for an instant before it disappeared into the thick forest.
“I would think a white wolf is rather rare.”
“So would I,” Aiden said softly to herself. She turned and spoke to Rowan. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you come back to check on me.” Aiden was determined not to require more assistance from the three of them than she’d already needed. She wanted to be self-sufficient.
If what Gareth has said was true then they’d done enough for her. The sooner they could all go their separate ways the better for all of them, especially if this Balak fellow really wanted her dead.
Except, there had been that moment at the stream with Kathryn. She’d felt something between them. Something besides the shocking cold of the metal coffee pot against her bare chest. She’d like just a little more time to see what that feeling was about. Just a little more time, then she’d be on her own again and a burden to no one.
“You said you’ve seen the wolf before?”
Aiden almost forgot what they’d been talking about as the recollected sensations of Kathryn’s fingertips on her shoulder filled her head with strange ideas. “Yes, I saw it the first night after leaving the monastery.”
“Interesting. Maybe you have a guardian.”
“Maybe.” Aiden figured it was probably just more bad luck to have a predator for a guardian. What else could go wrong? She scolded herself for even putting the question out to the universe. She was in no position to tempt fate.
Rowan guided her mount to fall in step beside Aiden’s.
“Are you and Kathryn sisters?” Aiden eyed Rowan. She wanted to find out a little more about the group’s dynamics before they caught up to Kathryn and Gareth.
“First cousins, but Kathryn feels like a sister.”
“And Gareth? Are he and Kathryn…”
“A couple?” Rowan finished Aiden’s question. “No. Kathryn prefers the company of women. But she and Gareth are very close. He’s worked in the castle stables since he was a boy.”
They rode in silence for a few minutes before Rowan spoke.
“And you? You really know nothing of your origin?”
Aiden shook her head. “No. I used to ask lots of questions about who my parents were, but there were no answers. I suppose no one knew.”
*
Kathryn glanced over her shoulder. Aiden and Rowan were talking, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. She frowned. If only she could read lips.
Gareth twisted in his saddle to follow Kathryn’s gaze back at Rowan and Aiden. “Look at her. She doesn’t have a clue of who she is or why she’s with us. I don’t care if she is the missing heir. I think you’re making a mistake taking her back to Olmstead.”
“Keep your voice down.” Kathryn frowned at him.
He faced forward and made a lame attempt at keeping quiet. “Trouble is going to follow her back to Olmstead. We don’t need to give Balak a reason to act against us. And taking her there will definitely cause him to take aim at us.”
“He’s already acting against us. His men have been raiding the outlying farms for weeks. It won’t be long before he strikes closer to the palace.”
“Well, I still don’t think she’s the savior you’ve hoped for. She can’t do this. Balak will end her.”
“You’re not even giving her a chance. She only just found out who she really is. That’s a lot to absorb.” Kathryn wasn’t sure if Gareth saw something in Aiden that she didn’t. Maybe her hopefulness and the allure she felt was clouding her judgment.
“You’re attracted to her.”
“Is that what you’re so angry about?”
“No, I suppose you could do worse. And if you could get her on the throne at Windsheer Castle that wouldn’t be the worst thing for us.” Gareth looked at her and his tone softened. “I just worry about you. That’s all.”
Kathryn smiled weakly. “I know.”
Finding Aiden had made Kathryn feel hopeful, for the first time in months. And then they’d almost kissed by the stream. Kathryn brushed her fingertips over her lips. It was an almost kiss that she couldn’t stop thinking about. Or about Aiden’s broad shoulders glistening in the early morning sunlight. Aiden’s toned arms, her fine hands, her wild hair, and her piercing blue eyes. Kathryn cataloged Aiden’s features until heat rose to her cheeks.
Chapter Twelve
They rode for another two hours before taking a break to rest and let the horses graze in a small clearing with tall grass.
Aiden held the cheek strap of Kathryn’s horse while she dismounted. His silvery mane stirred in the breeze. “He’s a beautiful animal. What’s his name?”
“Blaez. It’s a word from the old language.” Kathryn rubbed her palm over his neck. “It means wolf.”
She stood in shocked silence as Kathryn began to riffle through her saddlebag. A white horse named “wolf.” That seemed too bizarre, and thinking about it gave Aiden the chills. In a bit of a daze, she moved away to stand near Gareth. She was fairly sure he didn’t like her, but he’d offered her his canteen nonetheless. She was taking a long draw, savoring the cool water, when Gareth held up his hand, a strange look on his face.
“Did you hear that?” Gareth rotated away, stepped in front of Aiden, and scanned the tree line.
“Hear wha—” An arrow struck Gareth in the shoulder and he fell backward. She juggled the canteen to catch him, and the two of them fell backward on the ground. Blood spread across his shirt. Another arrow whizzed past her face. “Get down! Everyone get down!”
Kathryn looked back at them, a startled expression on her face. The horses spooked, and Blaez stepped away from Kathryn, leaving her exposed. Kathryn quickly followed Blaez and pulled her crossbow free, then crouched low. Rowan crawled in the high grass toward Gareth.
Aiden stood and pulled Gareth’s sword from the scabbard on his saddle. The blade had just cleared the leather when a rider galloped toward her, sword raised. She blocked the blow as he rode past, but he pivoted quickly to come back in her direction.
Aiden saw Kathryn fire at someone who’d just stepped from the cover of the trees surrounding the clearing, probably the archer who’d shot Gareth. She wondered for an instant if Gareth had taken an arrow meant for her. Kathryn’s arrow hit its mark. The man fell forward as Kathryn’s hands moved in a blur to reload. Aiden readied for the rider’s second approach when pounding hooves sounded behind her. Her mind raced. How would she defend against both riders? They already had the advantage of being on horseback. She held the sword in both hands and pivoted.
“Move!” The second rider was clad in men’s clothing, but the voice was definitely a woman’s. Dumbfounded, Aiden stepped back as the rider pounded past her and dislodged the other rider from his mount with an epic swing across his midsection. His body hit the ground with a thump.
&n
bsp; The second rider pulled to an abrupt stop, dismounted, and returned to the fallen attacker. She stood over him, and then with her jaw clenched, she plunged her broadsword into his chest.
Gareth’s head was in Rowan’s lap. Kathryn lowered her weapon but kept it cocked. This woman, the second rider, had clearly come to their aid, but there was no recognition in Kathryn’s eyes to indicate that she knew her.
Aiden lowered her sword and scrutinized the stranger as she wiped her blade and strode toward them. She was at least six feet tall. She was large boned, muscled, and looked very strong. Her tanned complexion spoke of someone who spent a lot of time outdoors, but the straight blond hair that hung past her jaw, just striking her collar, was clean and she appeared freshly bathed. Her clothing was hard to identify. While she carried herself like a warrior, tightly coiled and pulsing with energy, her attire looked like a feeble attempt to hide her true vocation. She wore the drab brown clothing of a merchant or tradesman, a leather vest over a pale shirt and heavy trousers with tall leather boots.
“Are you hurt, Aiden?” The warrior woman strode toward her, a fierce expression on her face.
“She’s okay. I’m the one who got shot!” Gareth complained from his reclined position on the ground. The woman barely glanced down as she stepped over him.
“Are you all right, Aiden?” she asked again.
“Who are you?”
“Venn.” She slid her broadsword into a leather sheath that hung at her hip. “Venn Lyons.”
“How do you know my name?”
“You probably know by now that I’m not the only one looking for you.” Venn braced her hands on her hips. She was a few inches taller than Aiden and radiated an intensity that made Aiden want to take a step back. But Aiden wasn’t in the mood to be intimidated.
Kathryn, her loaded crossbow loosely in front of her body, moved closer to Aiden.
Venn ignored her, never breaking eye contact with Aiden. “Balak wanted you dead twenty years ago. He’s not going to stop until he’s ended you and erased the threat to his rule. Trust me. I know him.”
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