Deliver (The Blades of Acktar Book 4)

by Tricia Mingerink

  Across the way, Sheriff Allen’s daughter, the one that Ralph Chimb had kidnapped all those months ago, held up a red ear. She sashayed across the square, heading toward Leith’s table.

  Beside Leith, Renna tensed. Leith held his breath. He’d done his best to avoid Sheriff Allen’s daughter, both because the sheriff would probably kill him if he got too close and because the girl might recognize him.

  The girl held the corncob out to Ranson. His eyes widened, and he glanced at Leith as if asking permission.

  Leith shrugged. It was up to Ranson.

  Slowly, Ranson took the corncob and strode around the table. He tried to bend over and give her a quick peck, but she pulled him down for something longer. When Ranson straightened, his face was red, though his eyes had a glazed look.

  Leith shook himself and redoubled his husking efforts. He was getting rather anxious to find one of those red corncobs himself before any of the other young men around the tables got any ideas about Renna. Not that she’d accept if they tried, but he’d rather head off any thoughts in that direction.

  Brandi bumped his elbow. As he turned to her, she nudged an ear of corn under his hand. As it rolled, he caught a flash of red. He raised his eyebrows. She winked.

  He winked back. At least he didn’t have to worry about Brandi’s opinion of his relationship with her sister.

  He tore off the husk, revealing the red kernels.

  Brandi raised her voice. “A red cob!”

  As eyes turned their way, Leith scowled at Brandi. Of course she’d draw attention to them.

  He drew in a deep breath and turned to Renna. He held out the red cob.

  Renna smiled and took the cob. Leith tried to block out the sounds of the townsfolk hooting or calling out. His heart hammered in his ears. He cupped Renna’s chin in his hand, leaned down, and kissed her.

  She rested her hand against his chest and kissed him back.

  He would’ve been more than happy to keep kissing her, but he pulled back before the kiss lasted too long.

  Renna had an odd look on her face. Not a happy glint or an embarrassed blush like he’d expected. Her mouth drooped beneath her wavering smile.

  Why was she sad? Had he done something wrong?

  He didn’t get a chance to ask her. Next thing he knew, everyone was hustling to their fires and dumping handfuls of their shucked corn into the pots of boiling water. The corn took only three minutes to cook. Then the ears were hoisted from the pot, slathered in butter, and sprinkled with a pinch of their precious store of salt.

  Leith burned his fingers, then the roof of his mouth, as he bit into his first ear of corn. The kernels crunched, not too hard and not too mushy, and burst with the sugary taste of sunshine.

  Beside him, Brandi already had butter and corn kernels smeared on her chin and cheeks.

  Jamie held out his ear of corn and grinned at Ranson. “Think you can eat more than me?”

  “Of course.” Ranson reached for another ear and chomped into it.

  The entire square sounded with the steady crunch-crunch-crunch of three hundred people gnawing on their corn like an entire forest full of hungry chipmunks.

  Leith glanced at Renna. She bit at her ear of corn, still not smiling. He swiped at a kernel on her cheek. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She shook her head and stood. “I’d better put in more corn. Ranson and Jamie have eaten five each already.”

  Leith finished a second, third, and fourth ear of corn. When Renna still hadn’t returned, he slid to his feet. Brandi glanced up at him, her cheeks chubby with corn. He patted her shoulder. “Stay here with Jamie and Ranson. Someone needs to make sure they don’t eat themselves sick.”

  Considering they were on their eleventh, it was probably already too late for that.

  Leith strode past the fire and its bubbling pot and headed into the darkness beyond. When he was far enough that he could hear the night sounds beyond the laughing and chomping behind him, he halted. For the first time all day, a breeze eased between the lean-tos and rustled the prairie grass.

  A mewling sound drifted along with the crickets. Leith turned and followed the sound past the shelters to one of the half-burned buildings.

  Renna hunched on the ground by the one standing wall, her arms wrapped around her knees and her face buried in her arms. Another shudder tore down her back.

  Leith eased to the ground and pulled her to him. She melted into him and pressed her face against his shoulder, still sobbing.

  “What’s wrong?” Leith rubbed her back and hugged her tighter. Was it something he’d done?

  She sobbed and sniffed. “I just…I can’t…I can still hear your screams, and…and I nearly married Respen. Worse, I was prepared to try to love him, to try to give him my heart. When I had someone like you.”

  Leith sucked in a breath and tried to keep his muscles relaxed. “You thought I was dead.”

  “Yes. And I nearly married someone else a few weeks later. Nearly tried to move on.” Another burst of sobs wracked her body. She curled tighter against him. “I can’t believe I even thought about trying to love Respen. I thought I could change him. I didn’t even know how wrong I was until I saw you, whipped and bleeding. For me.”

  Leith concentrated on breathing slowly, steadying the heat building in his chest. Who was he angry at? Not Renna. A part of her had broken at Nalgar. How could he blame her for being taken in by Respen when he’d willingly slaved for the man for nine years?

  Leith shouldn’t have left her so long at Nalgar. He should’ve done everything to get her out of Nalgar the first time. Before Respen had a chance to break her.

  He prayed for wisdom. What did she need to hear right now? He pressed a kiss into her hair. “Did you ever tell him you loved him?”

  Her fingers tightened in his shirt. “No.”

  “Kiss him?”

  “Ugh, no!” She shuddered. “Though I might’ve, if Martyn hadn’t told me you were alive right before the wedding.”

  Leith owed Martyn for that. “You refused to marry him as soon as you found out I was alive?”

  She nodded, her hair brushing against his chin.

  Something eased in his chest. He closed his eyes at the memories of those last few moments in the Tower. Respen raising his knife, the weakness flooding Leith’s limbs, and Renna shielding him. Even now, Leith’s stomach churned. He hadn’t been strong enough. If Respen had thrown his knife, Renna would’ve died to save Leith.

  And in that desperate moment, he’d never loved her more.

  He needed to tell her that. He’d held back before, but now he had a future to promise her, as uncertain as it seemed. He’d already told her with every kiss, every sacrifice. But she still needed to hear it.

  If he’d told her sooner, maybe she wouldn’t be curled against him, crying.

  Leith cupped her chin and tipped up her face. Her tears shone in the faint starlight. “You’re kind. A healer. You couldn’t help but care. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

  “I know, but…” Her eyes widened, and her mouth hung open. “Did you just…”

  A different sort of heat throbbed through his chest. The tempting sort of heat that could make a man lose his head if he wasn’t careful.

  If there were two things he’d learned as a Blade, they were self-control and self-denial when it came to temptations. The mission came first.

  Now, God came first. Then Renna.

  Leith planted his kiss on her forehead. Sometimes, it paid not to test his self-control too far. “Surely by now you know I love you.”

  “I just thought it’d take you a lot longer to say it, if you ever did.” She rested her head on his shoulder once again.

  Leith leaned his head against the wall behind him. In the distance, the sounds of singing and clapping rang to the night sky. He probably should convince Renna to return to the Festival.

  But right now, he couldn’t help but savor these few minutes alone with her. That week in the To
wer had some of his worst memories, but also some of his best. There, Renna didn’t have to be Lady Faythe, and he wasn’t a former Blade. They were simply Leith and Renna. No past. No future. Just that moment.

  It had made them bold. Open. They’d talked more in that one week than they had in the months before that.

  Now rebuilding Stetterly kept them busy from sunrise to sunset, and sometimes beyond that. Time had returned caution and uncertainty.

  What kind of future did Renna want from him? Could he give it to her?

  “Do you think about the future at all?” Leith swallowed and tried to put his thoughts into words.

  Renna shifted and scrubbed at her face. “Sometimes. Well, a lot.”

  That answer didn’t help him any. Couldn’t she just come right out and say what she was thinking? “If you could do anything, what would it be? What would you like the future to look like?”

  “I’d like to live in a cabin by the canyon. No responsibility except my family and my calling as a healer.” Renna heaved a sigh. “But I’m the lady of Stetterly. I’m not even sure I can do that and remain Stetterly’s healer. What if I was gone at the Gathering, and someone needed help? I can’t be both. And I don’t know if…”

  Leith rested his chin on her head. She was waiting for him. Of course she didn’t know what her future held since her future rested on his. She couldn’t plan on a home or a family until she knew if Leith planned to make good on his someday, maybe sort of promise he’d made her at Nalgar.

  Of course he planned to ask her to marry him. Someday. Probably sooner than later. If he could figure out what it’d mean for her and for him.

  When he married her, would he become lord of Stetterly? Did titles work that way? Or, maybe since he was a commoner, he couldn’t inherit a title?

  Perhaps it would’ve been better for Renna if she had fallen in love with someone like Shad. Someone who could’ve taken on the full responsibility of Lord of Stetterly and given Renna the life she used to have.

  “What about you?” Renna peeked up at him.

  A noise came from the darkness. Leith held his breath. Was that a horse? One of Stetterly’s? Or an enemy?

  Or worse yet, a Blade.

  Her eyebrows scrunched. “What is it?”

  The noise pounded closer. Horses, coming fast. Leith scrambled to his feet. He pulled Renna upright. “Might be trouble. Come on.”

  He gripped Renna’s hand and sprinted as fast as he could for the square. As soon as they skidded to a halt in the center, Leith yanked out one of his knives. “Everyone, get behind the tables. Now.”

  Jamie drew his knife and grabbed Brandi’s elbow. She shook him off as she drew her short sword. Ranson grabbed the door they were using as a tabletop and flipped it onto its side, heedless of the corncobs and utensils crashing to the ground.

  No one else moved. The townsfolk stared.

  He was a stranger. After only a week, they didn’t yet trust him enough to react to the sound of his voice. Leith dropped Renna’s hand. “Move!”

  The hoofbeats drummed closer. Sheriff Allen stiffened and drew his sword. “Do as he says!”

  Too late. Twelve riders—Rovers—thundered between the burned buildings, swinging weapons. Tables overturned. Men tried to drag the women and children out of the way. A girl screamed and flailed as one of the Rovers dragged her onto his horse in front of him.

  A horse and rider charged at Leith. Leith stepped to the side, ducked the Rover’s swinging sword, and pricked the horse’s rump with his knife. He dove out of the way as the horse shot into the air, lashed out with its rear hooves, and bolted. The Rover kept his seat, but he could do nothing besides hang on.

  Leith spun. Jamie and Brandi held back one Rover while Renna stood behind them, throwing corncobs. A few of the other women and children joined in, peppering the Rovers with a hail of corncobs. Ranson leapt in front of Sheriff Allen’s daughter. Four Rovers held a cluster of townsfolk at swordpoint while another Rover was trying to plant a kiss on the girl he’d captured.

  No time for a gentle rescue. Leith sprang to the Rover’s horse, grabbed the man’s shirt, and dragged him from the horse. The Rover and the girl he held tumbled to the ground. Before the Rover could catch his breath, Leith smashed the hilt of his knife into the man’s temple. He slumped to the ground.

  Leith leapt over him as one of the four Rovers menacing the cluster of women and children turned to face Leith. Leith deflected the Rover’s sword, stepped close, and plunged his knife into the man’s shoulder.

  A second Rover advanced, brandishing his sword. Leith grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward. While the man was still off-balance, Leith shoved the back of the man’s neck and brought his knee up at the same time. The man’s nose crunched, spurting blood onto Leith’s trousers. The Rover dropped his sword and fell to his knees, both hands clamped over his gushing nose. Leith clubbed the back of his head with the pommel of his knife.

  As the third and fourth Rovers whirled to face him, a hiss cut the air. One of the Rovers staggered, an arrow in his chest.

  Leith glanced over his shoulder. Sheriff Allen nocked another arrow to his hunting bow. He drew back, aiming at the remaining Rover. “Drop it.”

  As the sword clattered to the ground, a cry pierced the night behind Leith. He whirled and drew another knife.

  Captain Loust, the Rover who’d raided their campsite, held a knife to Renna’s neck. Behind him, Jamie and Brandi picked themselves off the ground.

  Captain Loust met Leith’s gaze. “Drop your weapon, boy, before I slit her throat.”

  Leith glanced at Renna. Her eyes were wide, her body trembling, but her hand inched into her right pocket.

  The knife he’d given her. She was still wearing it. Would she use it?

  Leith dropped his knife. He still had one more in a boot sheath. If he’d been dressed as a Blade, he would’ve been wearing two more strapped across his chest. Perhaps he should’ve taken the risk in being recognized and remained fully armed, even here.

  Renna eased the knife from her pocket, her hand hidden at her side. Behind Captain Loust, Jamie and Brandi both drew knives. Jamie’s mouth moved, as if he were giving instructions to Brandi in a low tone.

  Leith had to keep Captain Loust—and any of his Rovers who might be watching—distracted for a few more seconds. Leith stepped forward, his hands palms up. “What do you want? Stetterly was burned to the ground in the war. We have nothing valuable.”

  “A wagonload of corn fetches a good price these days. Aven, Walden, Uster, Duelstone, and more, they all had their crops destroyed in the war and will pay any price we demand.” Captain Loust snorted and adjusted his grip on Renna’s shoulder. His knife never wavered from her neck. “All we want is your cooperation. You load a few wagons full of corn, this little lady writes a letter certifying the corn came from Stetterly, and we ride away with no one getting hurt.”

  That wouldn’t be the end of it. This Rover would be back. He’d demand more corn or Stetterly’s herd. Perhaps he’d even take over the town. There were stories, back before the Blades wiped them out, that the Rovers had done just that to the town of Dyman. Did Captain Loust want to set himself up as the next great Rover leader?

  Not at Stetterly, he wouldn’t.

  Renna gripped her knife, her eyes focused on Leith as if waiting for a signal. Both Jamie and Brandi also watched him. Leith met Jamie’s gaze and slowly tapped his right arm. Jamie nodded and leaned over to whisper instructions to Brandi.

  Switching his gaze back to Renna, Leith gave her one, slow nod.

  She drew in a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and stabbed the knife into Captain Loust’s thigh. Only the tip plunged into his leg, but it was still enough.

  Even before Captain Loust howled at the pain, Leith swiped his knife from his boot and sprang forward. Jamie jumped to his feet and grabbed Captain Loust’s right arm. Brandi joined him a heartbeat later. Their combined weight jerked Captain Loust’s knife away from Renna’s neck,
and their knives stabbing into his arm caused him to drop his knife.

  As Renna stumbled free, Leith darted between her and Captain Loust. A kick to the back of Captain Loust’s legs brought him to his knees. Leith twisted his uninjured arm behind his back and pressed his knife to Captain Loust’s throat.

  Captain Loust peered up at him, his eyes widening.

  The heat of battle coursed through Leith’s body. At that moment, he wasn’t Daniel Grayce, the meek role he’d been trying to play. He was Leith Torren, former First Blade.

  Years ago, he might’ve killed Captain Loust right then and there. It was how the Blades had dealt with Rovers.

  Now, Leith wasn’t going to kill him, not when the man was on his knees and no longer armed. But Captain Loust didn’t know that, and Leith didn’t let any hint of softening touch his face or voice when he leaned closer so only Captain Loust could hear. “Leave this town. Tell any Rover you meet that Stetterly is mine.”

  Leith lifted his knife so the initials on the hilt were visible. Captain Loust’s eyes followed his movement, and his throat bobbed. “You’re a—”

  Leith pressed the knife to Captain Loust’s throat again, cutting off his words. “I’m a man you don’t want to cross. Get out of my town.”

  He shoved the man away. Captain Loust scrambled to his feet, hobbling as he tried to press a hand to his injured leg and arm at the same time.

  The other Rovers scrambled to their horses. Within minutes, none of the Rovers remained. Even the wounded lit out at a gallop, bent over the saddle, hands pressed to wounds.

  Leith drew in a deep breath. An ache stiffened his left leg as the surge of battle wore off, but that was all.

  Was it a mistake to let Captain Loust recognize Leith as a Blade? For now, it spared Stetterly. Once word got out that a former Blade had claimed Stetterly as his own, other Rovers would think twice before troubling the town. They all knew how Blades dealt out justice.

  But if the word spread beyond Rovers?

  Leith couldn’t hide his identity forever. It would come out, eventually. But hopefully not anytime soon.