Hidden Knights

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  “How bad is it?” she asked.

  He made two fists, took a deep breath, and then reached down, pulling the arrow free. Blood gushed from the wound. “I’ll be fine.”

  Harlan squatted next to Gordon, ripping one of the curtains down. He tore a strip of fabric off, using it to tie a tourniquet around Gordon’s leg. “This will help stop the bleeding.”

  “I don’t see anyone out there,” Ackley announced as he peeked out the broken window.

  “Wait here,” Dexter commanded. “I’m going to the second floor to take a look.” He ran from the room.

  Leigh put out the last of the candles, sending the room into darkness.

  Duke Ellington sat next to Reid. The smoke intensified as the flames moved to the sitting room next to the kitchen. “I need to get a few personal items from my office. Do you have the duke’s ring on?”

  “No.” She’d left it in her room for the wedding ceremony.

  “Go upstairs and get it. Then come right back here. Don’t worry about anything else. Understand?”

  “Yes.” Reid rose, hurrying from the room. Thick smoke filled the hallway, making it hard to breathe. She sprinted up the steps, holding her breath. In her bedchamber, she could feel the heat from below through her shoes. Going straight to her dresser, she plucked the ring from her drawer and slid it on her finger. Since her pants were right there, she pulled them on, ripping the dress off and replacing it with a tunic. Her swords were lying on her desk, so she grabbed them, strapping them to her waist.

  Someone went running past her room. “Dexter?” she called.

  “What are you doing up here?” he asked, coming into her room.

  “Getting the duke’s ring. What did you see outside?”

  “The soldiers appear to be asleep.”

  “Can you tell who shot the arrow?”

  “No.” He took her hand, pulling her from the bedchamber and down the stairs. “Whoever shot Gordon must be watching us from the tree line. We need to get out of here without them seeing us.”

  She realized if it were simply one person out there, they could create a distraction at one window while everyone snuck out another. However, that couldn’t be the case since hundreds of soldiers were passed out, most likely from the valerian Harlan had smelled earlier. How could it have been distributed to so many?

  Reid and Dexter rejoined everyone in the great hall. Dexter quickly told them what he’d seen. “We need to get out of here without anyone seeing us. I don’t suppose you have any secret tunnels?”

  The duke shook his head. “The only thing we have is a root cellar. And that’s in the kitchen.”

  “We don’t have much time,” Dexter said. “We’ll have to fight our way out. Do you have shields and weapons?”

  Duke Ellington nodded. “They’re old, but I have a couple of shields in my office.”

  Dexter rose, pulling the duke with him. They left the room, quickly returning with three shields.

  “Harlan and Idina, you two will use this one.” Dexter thrust one of the shields at Harlan. “Tatum will use one. And the last will go to Reid and Leigh.”

  “What about the rest of you?” Reid demanded, panic starting to set in at the prospect they might not all make it out of this alive.

  “We’ll use chairs.” Dexter pointed at the heavy chairs around the table. “When you exit with the shields, squat and keep it raised above your head. Move fast. Go straight to the stables. Whatever you do, don’t stop. It’s harder to hit a moving target. Understand?”

  Reid nodded, taking a shield from Dexter.

  “Since the doors are stuck, each pair will use a different window to exit the castle. You have five minutes to get out of here. While you’re doing that, the three of us,” Dexter pointed at Ackley, Gordon, and himself, “will cause a distraction at this window. Hopefully, we’ll keep the archer focused on us while the rest of you escape.”

  “Leigh and I will exit the front office,” Reid said. “Harlan and Idina, use the window in the sitting room. Father, use the window in the receiving area.”

  “Go!” Dexter shouted.

  Hefting the shield up, Reid held onto it as she and Leigh sprinted to the front of the castle where the office was located. Thick smoke filled the space. Thankfully, it was free from flames. Not having much time, Reid set the shield down.

  “These windows open,” she explained. Twisting the levers, she popped the windows outward. She feared breaking the glass would be too loud and attract attention.

  Leigh moved toward the open window.

  “Wait,” Reid said, ducking below the opening. “I want to make sure this window isn’t being watched.”

  When a slew of arrows didn’t rain down on them, Reid peeked outside. The soldiers were to the east of the castle, so she couldn’t see them. The stables were diagonal from here. “I’ll climb out first to hold the shield for you. Once it’s up, climb out.”

  Leigh nodded.

  “You might want to pull your dress up and tie it, so you don’t trip.” Reid was glad she’d put pants on. Without waiting for Leigh’s response, Reid lifted the shield, sliding it out of the window. Since she wasn’t strong enough to climb out with it, she dropped it on the ground, then quickly crawled out the opening. Grabbing the shield, she covered her body. Her heart beat frantically as she waited for an arrow to strike. Nothing happened. With shaking hands, she held the shield up and moved forward, giving Leigh enough room to climb out. A moment later, Leigh fell beside her.

  “Stay right next to me,” Reid whispered.

  Leigh nodded and grabbed one of the handles on the shield, helping hold it upright. The two women squatted and moved forward, keeping the shield angled above them as they went. Reid mentally pictured the path they took, trying to keep them on course. No screams or grunting noises sounded in the night. Hopefully, everyone else had made it out safely.

  Breaking glass sounded somewhere behind her. She wanted to look to see what was going on, but she couldn’t. Her arms shook from the weight of the shield, her thighs burning from squatting.

  When they neared the stables, Royce urged them on. He stood at the entrance with the door open a couple of inches. Reid and Leigh turned so their backs were to the door, then Leigh slid inside first. Royce reached down, helping Reid into the stables.

  “Is anyone else here?” she asked, dropping the shield. Her throat stung from all the smoke she’d inhaled.

  “Duke Ellington is here,” Royce replied as he kept watch at the door.

  “Harlan and Idina?”

  “Not yet.”

  If anything happened to her friends, Reid would be devastated. What could she do to help?

  Leigh’s shoulders started shaking, and Reid realized the woman was crying. She wrapped her arms around Leigh, despite not being close to her. “I’m sure Idina will be fine.”

  She wiped her eyes. “I don’t understand how Eldon can do this. How can he be so cruel?”

  Even though Eldon seemed the likely culprit, they didn’t have proof he was involved in tonight’s events.

  “They’re coming,” Royce announced.

  A minute later, Idina and Harlan stumbled inside. “Sorry,” Harlan said. “We ended up on the wrong side, and we had to sneak around the corner to get to the door.”

  Reid released Leigh, waving Idina over. Idina hugged her mother while assuring her everything would be okay.

  Peering outside, Reid scanned the area for Dexter, Ackley, and Gordon. A chair protruded from a window as someone started to climb out.

  Duke Ellington rubbed his face. “There should be some bows and arrows in the back room.”

  “I’ll fetch them,” Royce said. He returned with two bows and a couple dozen arrows.

  Reid took one of the bows, then nocked an arrow. She didn’t know what she was aiming at. A person? Movement?

  An arrow sailed through the air, landing on the underside of the chair just as Ackley jumped to the ground, causing him to stumble. He held the chair in
front of his body as he regained his footing. Once steadied, he moved toward the stables. Another arrow shot through the air, this one landing toward the top of the chair’s seat, much too close to Ackley’s head for Reid’s liking. Based upon the way the arrow stuck out of the chair, Reid determined the general direction it had been shot from.

  Holding the bow like Markis had shown her, she aimed for where she thought the archer was. She had to either draw the person out or distract him enough so Ackley and the others could get safely to the stables.

  “Idina,” Reid said as she prepared to shoot. “Come up with a plan. We don’t want someone setting the stables on fire.”

  Reid released the arrow. It sailed toward the trees. She hoped she didn’t accidentally strike one of her father’s soldiers.

  “There’s a ladder in the back,” the duke said. “It’ll take you to the loft where there’s a small lookout. You’ll be able to see if anyone is approaching.”

  “Mother,” Idina said, “I need you to go up there and keep watch. If anyone besides Ackley, Gordon, or Dexter approaches, holler. Can you do that?”

  “Yes.” The tears were gone, and Leigh’s voice sounded stronger.

  Reid nocked another arrow and shot again, unable to see where it landed. Her fingers stung from pulling the heavy string back. Loading arrow after arrow, she shot again and again until Ackley reached the stables.

  “Where’s Dexter and Gordon?” she demanded, scanning the area surrounding the castle.

  “We made a slight change to the plan,” Ackley said after he dropped the chair, breathing heavily. “When’d you learn to shoot?”

  “I’ve always known how to shoot, but in Axian, I learned how to hit.”

  He laughed. “Well, that is a handy skill to have.”

  Reid remained perched in the doorway, which was only cracked a couple of inches, the loaded bow at the ready. “What’s the new plan?” She continued to scan the area.

  “I was the bait.”

  “Explain.” She lowered the bow, not sure she wanted to know what her husband and Gordon were up to.

  “I came out the window with the chair, keeping the archer’s focus on me so the other two could escape out a back window. They are going north about a mile and then looping around, hoping to come up behind the archer and take him by surprise.”

  “Whose idiotic idea was that?”

  He smiled sheepishly.

  She whacked his shoulder. “Why?”

  “We need to discover who wants us dead.”

  Reid shook her head, focusing again on the land surrounding her home. She couldn’t actually look at the castle, which now had flames licking out of the windows. Everything she owned was burning—her father’s books, her treasured weapons, her sister’s dresses. It would be ashes by morning. A deep pain stabbed at her chest. She shoved it away—now was not the time to feel. It was the time to act.

  “What are you thinking?” Idina asked.

  “Anna loves her poisons,” Ackley murmured. “And all those soldiers were given a sleeping tonic. I don’t know how she managed to give it to so many.”

  “It could be Eldon,” Duke Ellington pointed out.

  “I agree,” Idina said. “We plan to assassinate him and take control of the kingdom. It seems only logical he’d try to prevent us from doing so.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” Ackley said. He came up behind Reid. “Give me the bow. I’ll take a turn keeping watch.”

  After handing the weapon over, she leaned against the wall. Her head throbbed, her eyes stung, and it hurt to breathe.

  “I’m sorry,” Idina said. “I’m sure this isn’t how you imagined your wedding night.”

  Reid snorted. Her wedding night wasn’t on her mind right now. All she could think about was her home burning. And Dexter, who was out there somewhere, in danger. She couldn’t sit in the stables while he was trying to flush the archer out. She had to help.

  Pushing off the wall, she went to the door.

  “Where are you going?” Ackley demanded.

  “To save my husband.”

  Chapter Nine

  “Then I’m going with you,” Ackley said, swinging the bow over his shoulder. After stocking up on arrows and finding a suitable sword, he picked up one of the shields.

  Reid withdrew her twin swords. “Hurry up.” A sense of panic started to take root.

  “When people hurry, mistakes are made. We need to be smart. I will lead the way, and you will follow behind me.” He pointed at the shield, making his point.

  “Fine.”

  “Reid,” Duke Ellington said. “I think you should remain here. Let Ackley handle it.”

  Ten nasty retorts came to mind. As if she shouldn’t go out there simply because she was a woman? That she needed to let a man handle it? However, now was not the time to argue. Her father was simply worried about her well-being. She could understand that.

  Instead of replying, she ignored him and opened the door. Ackley slid through it, lifting the shield. He clicked his tongue twice, and Reid assumed that was her cue to move. With her swords in hand, she exited the stables, keeping her body right behind Ackley’s. He headed south, remaining against the stables for cover.

  The archer was somewhere to the east near the tree line.

  When they reached the end of the building, Ackley whispered, “Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  He squatted, covering most of his body with the shield. Then he steadily moved south. Out in the open, Reid felt exposed. The shield suddenly felt too small for them both. She kept expecting an arrow to come their way. When Ackley moved, she moved. When he paused, so did she. It seemed like it was taking them forever to reach the tree line.

  A loud moan cut through the night, followed by a rumbling crash. Reid jumped.

  “Go.” Ackley jumped up, then took off running.

  Reid scrambled to keep up with him. They made it to the first set of trees. With the trunks providing cover, they slowed.

  “What was that?” she demanded, glancing over her shoulder. The sky above the castle glowed bright orange from the fire.

  “I think part of the roof collapsed.” Tossing the shield on the ground, he headed deeper into the forest.

  Trying not to think about the destruction of her home, Reid scrambled to keep up. “Why’d you run?”

  “The castle served as a distraction. I used it to our advantage.”

  Adjusting her hands on the hilts of her swords, she realized she was shaking. If she wanted to be of any use out here, she needed to calm her nerves so she’d be ready to fight. “Thanks for coming with me.”

  Ackley shook his head. “I didn’t do it just to save your arse,” he said. “Gordon is out there, too.”

  Helping Dexter had consumed her so much she’d forgotten about Gordon. “What’s the plan?”

  “Either they push the archer forward, toward the castle, where my mother will spot him from her elevated position. Or they push the archer east and we lose him.”

  “What about the soldiers?” How would they rouse them? Or did they simply have to wait for the draught to wear off?

  “I’m counting on Harlan to deal with that.” He froze, head snapping up as he scanned the treetops above.

  What had Ackley heard? Afraid to move, Reid examined the area, not seeing anything. She took a step back, bumping into someone. Before a yelp could escape her lips, a hand slid over her mouth, the tip of a knife pressing into her side.

  She didn’t want to be taken hostage and used against her family, so she had to get out of this situation. Plus, Dexter would be furious if her trying to help him turned into him needing to save her. Letting go of the sword in her right hand, she reached back, grabbing the man’s groin. The second the man jerked, withdrawing the knife from her side, she dropped to the ground, intending to kick his legs out from under him. Only, he collapsed next to her, a dagger protruding from his chest.

  Scrambling away, Reid was about to question how Ackley had moved
that fast when a twig snapped in the tree above her.

  Ackley swung the bow over his shoulder while nocking an arrow. He shot. Someone fell from the tree, crashing on the ground next to Reid, an arrow sticking out of his stomach.

  Reid sprang to her feet, moving away from the two dead bodies. How many men were out there?

  Ackley scanned the area. His head cocked to the side as he listened to something Reid couldn’t hear. Then he took off running through the forest, dodging between the trees. She sprinted after him, only one sword in hand. She cursed herself for not picking up the one she’d dropped.

  Grunts came from up ahead. Nearing the commotion, Reid saw Gordon fighting with two men. While still running, Ackley nocked an arrow and shot, striking one. Gordon swung, punching the second attacker. Ackley nocked another arrow, killing the second man as well.

  “Where’s Dexter?” Ackley demanded.

  “North. There are two more.” Gordon pointed to his left while bending over, trying to catch his breath.

  “Keep Reid with you.” Deftly jumping over the bodies, Ackley took off running.

  While Reid wanted to go, she stayed in place, knowing she couldn’t fight the caliber of men they were up against.

  Gordon dropped to his knees, examining one of the bodies.

  “What are you doing?” Reid asked while trying not to look at the blood oozing from the puncture wound. The metallic smell made her nauseous.

  “Searching for anything that might tell me who he is or who sent him.”

  Knowing it could either be the king or Anna, Reid went over to the other body. Setting her sword aside, she knelt next to the man and pulled his sleeve up. No tattoo. Relief filled her. She checked the man’s pockets, not finding anything. “Now what?”

  Gordon rose, wiping his face. “We need to wake the soldiers, regroup, and prepare for the journey to the City of Buckley.”

  “What about…” She pointed at the bodies.

  He closed his eyes. “I’m trying not to think about the fact my brother—my own flesh and blood—just sent assassins to kill us.” He looked at Reid. “How you feel about your mother is how I feel about my brother. It’s like I don’t even know him. Yet, somehow, it doesn’t surprise me that he did this.” He kicked a nearby tree. “Let’s go.”