Deny (The Blades of Acktar Book 2)

by Tricia Mingerink

  He must’ve succeeded too well. Renna shrank against the wall. Brandi opened her mouth. Leith sent her a glare that caused her to snap her jaw shut.

  He stalked closer to Brandi and growled in a low voice. “You should be afraid.”

  Brandi cocked her head. Leith relaxed his hard expression and winked. Brandi’s face contorted into the roundest scared eyes he’d ever seen.

  Renna gaped at him. Leith took a deep breath, stepped closer, and pressed the knife against Renna’s throat. She swallowed and blinked. Her eyes brightened. A wrinkle formed across her forehead, as if she couldn’t figure out why Leith had a knife to her neck. Did she really think he would hurt her?

  Brandi screamed and squirmed against her chains. “No! Don’t you dare hurt my sister!”

  “I’m getting you both out today.” With Brandi’s screams, the other Blades couldn’t hear what Leith said. They’d assume he was gloating.

  The lines on her face smoothed.

  He tightened the grip on his knife. If only he didn’t have to do this. “I’m sorry, Renna.” He drew on every scrap of the hard darkness he’d carried as a Blade and swiped his knife as lightly as he could across her throat.

  Blood dribbled down her neck. Not goat’s blood this time. Her blood. Spilled by his hand.

  Her mouth dropped open. If Leith lived to be a thousand, he’d never forget the shock flashing across her eyes.

  He turned away. Lies had their consequences. He’d had to deny the light in his heart to stay in the darkness. And now he’d had to hurt Renna. For years, he’d despised his father for raising a hand to his mother. But now, he’d done the same thing to Renna. Perhaps he’d turned into his father after all.

  But to save her life, he had no choice. He had to hurt her to prove to Respen he wasn’t afraid to spill her blood.

  Leith swaggered toward the table. “They shouldn’t be killed yet.”

  “You dare question my order?” Respen stiffened. His fingers clenched the end of the armrests.

  Leith bowed his head. “My king, Vane convinced most of Acktar that these girls were dead. It destroyed hope. But now the towns have moved on from the tragedy. If the people were to find out that these girls were alive, only to have them publically executed, then the tragedy would be doubled and their hope broken.”

  He waited. If Respen didn’t go for this, then Leith and Jamie would have a single knife to hold off twelve people for as long as possible before they were killed, Renna and Brandi after them.

  Leith’s heart drummed the seconds in his chest. Would Respen listen to the counsel of his First Blade? Would Martyn speak up?

  Respen’s fingers tapped the arms of his throne. The rhythm echoed in the silent room. Two taps. Pause. Two more taps. Pause. Over and over again until Leith’s skin crawled.

  The tapping stopped. Respen nodded. “Your words are wise. A public execution would be more fitting for these two.”

  If he wasn’t standing in front of Respen and his Blades, Leith might’ve sagged into the nearest chair. Instead, he saluted Respen, returned the knife, and slid into his chair. Next to him, Martyn had his arms crossed. Leith ignored him, even though the back of his neck prickled with the force of Martyn’s stare.

  Leith struggled to concentrate as Respen gave the Blades their new assignments. Most were the same as before, though the Seventh and Eleventh Blades had been sent to reinforce the two army divisions attacking Walden and Twelfth Blade Altin ordered to join the Blades stationed with the western division of the army attacking Arroway.

  “The Third and Thirteenth Blades will remain here.” Respen fixed Leith with a glare. “The First Blade will take charge of the Blades at Walden. You spent a month studying their defenses. You can get my army past them.”

  No chance of that, but Leith saluted anyway.

  His stomach knotted. How was he going to sneak Renna and Brandi past Martyn? One thing was certain. This time when he rode away, he wasn’t coming back.

  46

  After Martyn returned them to their cell, Renna waited until his footsteps disappeared up the stairs before she hugged Brandi. “Leith’s going to rescue us.”

  Brandi grinned. “I knew he’d have a plan. Did he say when?”

  “Just that it would be sometime today.” Warmth flooded through her. They weren’t going to die after all.

  Brandi’s grin faded. She pointed at Renna’s neck. “Does it hurt?”

  Renna touched her neck. Her fingers came away with flakes of dried blood. “I’d forgotten about it. No, it doesn’t.”

  Brandi’s nose wrinkled. “Leith…he…”

  Renna touched the dried blood again. It had shocked her too when Leith had skimmed his knife across her neck. When she’d looked into his eyes, she hadn’t seen Leith. She’d seen a Blade. A killer.

  Was that how he’d managed to kill as a Blade? Block out his own heart?

  But then he’d turned away and presented his fake plan to King Respen, and she’d understood. “It’s all right, Brandi. Leith had no choice. If he didn’t cut me, Respen would’ve thought his plan was a ploy to get out of killing us.”

  That’s exactly what it was. A ploy. A diversion. While Respen planned their public execution, Leith would sneak them out of Nalgar Castle and out of Respen’s reach.

  She was beyond ready to leave this place. Brandi needed some place safe to properly grieve for Uncle Abel and Aunt Mara. As did she.

  This time, they’d head to Eagle Heights with Leith. Perhaps she’d finally spill those tears leaning against Leith’s shoulder while he held her close. And after she was done crying, they’d figure out where to go from there. Together.

  Time lumbered by. If Renna’s leg hadn’t been in a splint, she would’ve paced across their cell. Brandi did her own kind of pacing, skipping back and forth.

  After an agonizing hour, the door to their cell rattled. Brandi froze, and Renna squeezed her hands together. A guard? Martyn? Had Leith been arrested?

  The door creaked open. Leith stood framed in the doorway. “Time to go.”

  Renna couldn’t help herself. She hopped across the few feet and hugged him as tightly as she could. He smelled of open sky and campfires. Leith’s arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She tucked her head against his shoulder.

  He pulled back and traced his finger along the throbbing line left by his knife. His touch sent a new sort of throbbing into her chest. His eyes had shed their hard look and now shone a bright green. “I’m so sorry. For this. For not protecting you. For not saving your aunt and uncle.”

  “You can finish apologizing later.” Brandi tugged one of Renna’s arms over her shoulder. “Let’s get out of here first.”

  Heartfelt reunions could wait. Renna let Leith pull her other arm over his shoulder. With both of them supporting her, they maneuvered out of the cell and into the main room of the dungeon.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  The voice chilled the shadows around them. A dark figure leaned against the door to the stairs. Martyn stepped forward. The torchlight glinted up and down the blades he carried.

  Leith let go of Renna and stepped in front of her and Brandi. Renna fisted her hands. Leith was prepared to fight for them. What if he got hurt? They’d never be able to get away on their own, nor would she want to leave him behind.

  Leith held out his hands, palm up. “I don’t want to fight you.”

  “You knew I’d stop you, yet you did it anyway.” Martyn shifted his grip on his knives. “Why? What’s so important about these girls?”

  “God saved me, Martyn. He redeemed me from the years of bloodshed. I’m sure Brandi told you stories from the Bible. You’ve heard about God’s power. He is powerful enough to save us from Respen.”

  Martyn shook his head and tightened his grip on his knives. “I don’t know what they’ve done to you, but the friend I knew didn’t believe in fanciful tales.”

  Renna glanced between the two of them. Martyn’s disbelief was the price
Leith paid for playing his role too well. Would things have been different if Martyn had glimpsed the change in Leith’s heart?

  Leith’s shoulders sagged. Renna squeezed his shoulder. He glanced at her, a smile softening the pain in his green eyes. If only she could heal this hurt as she healed other wounds, but her skills only extended so far. Leith faced Martyn again. “Let me get them out of here.”

  Renna clasped her hands together. Her nails bit into her palms. She prayed that God would soften Martyn’s heart and open his eyes to the truth.

  Martyn shook his head. His curls swept over his forehead. “I can’t. They’re my prisoners. If they escape, the king will deem it my fault. You know the punishment I’d face.”

  “Then come with us.” Leith stepped forward. “We have friends who can protect you from Respen. You won’t have to follow orders. You can be free.”

  Martyn shook his head. “My duty is here. As is yours. Now put those girls back in their cell, and we’ll forget this ever happened.”

  “I can’t.” Leith gripped the hilts of his knives. Whatever softening she’d seen on his face a few minutes ago had vanished now, replaced with that same, cold mask. “If you want to stop me, you’re going to have to fight me.”

  Martyn’s head bowed. His shoulders rose and fell once. When he straightened, his face had hardened. He raised his weapons and lunged forward.

  Leith drew his knives and shoved Renna with his shoulder. She stumbled backwards and crashed into Brandi. Both of them slammed into the wall, but Brandi regained her balance and steadied Renna before they both tumbled to the ground.

  Steel rang in the tiny room as Leith blocked Martyn’s knife. Renna hugged Brandi and pressed them against the wall. Both men moved quickly, their knives and hands darting too fast for her to follow.

  Footsteps pounded down the stairs. Three of the guards from the entrance burst into the room and skidded to a halt. Their drawn swords wavered as they stared at the two Blades fighting in the center of the dungeon.

  Renna searched around her. Not even a rock or a spare chain to use as a weapon. Not that she would’ve been able to wield a weapon against three guards. She tucked Brandi behind her and squeezed her fingers into fists. If they came any closer, she’d hit them. Maybe.

  Leith tumbled to the ground and rolled to his feet a yard away from Renna and Brandi. Martyn pointed at him. “The First Blade is a traitor. He’s helping the prisoners escape.”

  The guards hesitated. Their eyes focused on Leith as if waiting for him to contradict the other Blade’s accusation. Leith didn’t try. He gripped his knives, glared at the guards, and stepped closer to Renna.

  His glare must’ve convinced the guards he was the threat Martyn claimed. They raised their swords but stood back, as if waiting for Leith to make the first move. The guards apparently weren’t eager to attack a First Blade, not even when they outnumbered him.

  Still, they weren’t going to make it. Leith couldn’t fight four men by himself, not while one of those men was a fellow Blade. She glanced down at her injured leg. Her injury slowed them down.

  They were going to die. If not now, then after they were captured and Respen executed them. She glanced over her shoulder at Brandi. Brandi’s hair frizzed around her head, her eyes wide, her fists clenched.

  Someone shouted outside. Boots clumped on the cobblestones. Reinforcements.

  Tears heated Renna’s eyes. She couldn’t prevent their deaths. She couldn’t run. She couldn’t even walk.

  Unless…her mouth filled with a sour taste. Did she have the courage? Her hands trembled. If she went through with this, she’d stay here in the darkness of Nalgar Castle. She’d have to face Respen alone.

  But Brandi would be safe. Renna dragged in a shaky breath. Brandi’s safety was worth any sacrifice on her part. The sense of peace she’d gained the night before washed through her once again. Her life was in God’s hands.

  She touched Leith’s arm, leaned forward, and pressed her mouth close to his ear. “You have to get Brandi out.”

  Leith cocked his head towards her. His mouth barely moved. “I’m not leaving you.”

  “I can’t run. Not with my injured leg.” Renna drew herself straight. This was the right thing to do. “Leave me. Get Brandi out of here.”

  Martyn flexed his fingers on his knife’s hilt. “Surrender, Leith. I don’t want to kill you.”

  Leith glanced back at her. His green eyes bled pain. She couldn’t let Leith see she was shaking inside. If he saw her fear, he’d refuse to leave.

  She couldn’t let that happen. Brandi’s life depended on it.

  They had no choice.

  47

  His chest ached. Leave Renna? She’d be at Respen’s mercy.

  He couldn’t leave her. He had to find another way. Perhaps if he picked Renna up, shoved the guards out of the way, dashed up the stairs, and…Martyn or the guards would snatch Brandi. If he sacrificed himself to get the girls out of the dungeon, Renna’s injury would slow them down. They’d be caught before they managed to cross the courtyard.

  He couldn’t save them both. A pain cracked deep in his chest. Renna had already chosen which life he had to save.

  If only Jamie had come with him. But if they wanted to rescue the trainees and the girls, they’d had to separate. Doing both together would’ve taken too long, and Martyn probably would’ve stopped them on the bridge to the Blades’ Tower instead.

  Martyn shifted. The guards’ eyes darted between Martyn and Leith, waiting for the signal to attack. Leith fixed his attention on Martyn. The guards wouldn’t dare attack the First Blade without Martyn going first.

  He’d failed to protect the girls yet again. That was his purpose. Their lives depended on him.

  A chill doused him from head to toe. What was he thinking? When had he begun to believe their lives depended on his success and him alone? Their lives were God’s to save or take. God had used Leith to protect them before, but perhaps that wasn’t God’s will this time.

  How quickly he forgot the lessons he’d learned only months ago. He needed to trust God with Renna’s life.

  No more hesitation. He had to leave.

  “I’ll return for you.” He laced his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand. He didn’t dare take his eyes off Martyn and the guards. “Tell Respen the truth.”

  She hopped forward, using his grip on her hand to steady herself. As she turned to face Martyn and the guards, her hand slid out of his.

  Martyn’s eyebrows scrunched. Before he had a chance to puzzle out their plan, Renna flung herself at him. He toppled over and slammed into one of the other guards. All three landed in a heap on the floor.

  Sheathing one of his knives, Leith wrapped an arm around Brandi’s waist and lifted her off her feet. She screamed as he dashed across the room and rammed his shoulder into one of the guards who remained on his feet. The guards stumbled out of his way as he charged up the stairs.

  Brandi shoved at his arm, her legs flailing. “Renna!”

  Two more guards hurried down the stairs toward him. He didn’t stop. “Get out of my way!”

  As far as they knew, he was still the First Blade. They plastered themselves against the wall and let him pass. He burst from the dungeon, blinking at the sunlight. A squad of guards milled in front of him. He pointed back the way he’d come. “Assist the other guards. I’m taking this girl to the king.”

  The guards obeyed him without question. They pressed into the doorway to the dungeons, blocking the guards scrambling up the stairs.

  In his arm, Brandi squirmed. “We can’t leave Renna.”

  Leith tightened his grip as he sprinted across the courtyard. Behind him, the guards shouted at each other. In another moment, they’d turn and give chase. “I’m sorry.”

  Brandi kicked at him and shoved at his arm to free herself. “Let me go!”

  Leith sheathed his knife and wrapped his other arm over both her arms, trapping her. He couldn’t run quickly, but he didn’t have
far to go.

  A tide of horses galloped from the stable. Four Blade trainees clung to saddles, their eyes wide as their horses charged toward the gate.

  Jamie guided his horse towards Leith, leading Blizzard. Leith threw Brandi onto Blizzard and swung into the saddle before she had a chance to scramble off. He wrapped both arms around her as she bucked and twisted. He kicked Blizzard in the ribs. “Go!”

  Jamie nudged his horse and both horses burst into a gallop. All around them, riderless horses tossed their heads and dashed toward the freedom of the open gate.

  Brandi reared back and smashed her head into Leith’s chin. He gritted his teeth and gripped her tighter. No matter how much she fought him, he wouldn’t let her go.

  Soldiers strained to close the massive gates. Blizzard stretched out, his ears flat against his skull. Even Brandi froze, her eyes focused on the shrinking opening between the two iron-wrapped gates.

  Leith flattened himself and Brandi against Blizzard’s neck and back. The gates screeched as they gained momentum inward.

  Blizzard streaked through. Leith’s boots scraped on the wood. The gates crashed closed behind them. Blizzard snorted as he thundered down the cobbled causeway and onto the prairie.

  Brandi flailed again, screaming when Leith wouldn’t release her. She twisted and sunk her teeth into his shoulder. He sucked in a breath at the pain and yanked his shoulder out of her reach.

  “Let me go! I won’t leave Renna! Let go!” Tears streaked Brandi’s red face. She screamed again, yanked an arm from his grasp, and struck at him with her fist.

  One wild swing connected with his cheekbone. Pain flashed across his face as black dots danced in his vision. He managed to recapture her hand and pin her against him. If only this wasn’t necessary. She didn’t understand that if he could, he’d punch someone too. Preferably Respen. Probably Martyn as well.

  As Blizzard hurtled up the hills surrounding Nalgar Castle, a rider crested the ridge above them and charged down. Shad reined in his horse and lifted his bow. Leith craned his head to see behind him as Blizzard continued galloping.