Deliver (The Blades of Acktar Book 4)

by Tricia Mingerink

  “Guarding them would take men away from the windows.” Leith shook his head. “Unless you planned to shoot them down in cold blood, there was nothing else we could do.”

  “That didn’t stop you from interrogating that one Blade.”

  Behind Renna, Leith went rigid. “I didn’t draw so much as a drop of blood when I questioned him. I didn’t have to.”

  Renna scrunched her fingers into her skirt. She’d seen the Blade in Leith again that night. For a moment, it had scared her. Not that he’d hurt her. Never that. But that he’d do something he’d regret.

  He hadn’t had to. Peering through the crack between the door and the dirt wall, she’d watched the former Blade Uldiney crack under the coldness of Leith’s voice and the reminder of what he’d once been.

  Lord Norton eased his horse to a halt. “Lady Rennelda Faythe.”

  She shivered under the sneer in his words. Lord Norton expected her to crumble into a weak, simpering girl who’d beg for mercy.

  But she’d survived King Respen. Lord Norton couldn’t be worse than that.

  Leith rested a hand on her shoulder. “None of his archers are in range. Go ahead and step into sight. I’ll be right here to pull you out of the way if I spot trouble.”

  With a deep breath, Renna stepped in front of the window. This was her town, and Lord Norton wasn’t welcome. “Get your men out of my town.”

  Even at this distance, Renna could see the hard lines of Lord Norton’s angular face. “You are hardly in a position to make demands, Lady Faythe. I have five hundred riders with me. My quarrel isn’t with you, but with your cousin Keevan. If you surrender now, you and your people will not be harmed. You and your people will necessarily be kept prisoner until after your cousin arrives. Can’t have you warning him.”

  “Why are you doing this? To be king?” Renna had to keep him talking. As long as he was talking under that white flag of truce, he wasn’t attacking.

  “I wouldn’t have a quarrel with Keevan either, except that he kept several Blades in his employ. I won’t wait for him to turn them on my family. Or do you deny the former Blade Martyn Hamish has been snooping around Kilm?”

  If Lord Norton knew where Martyn was, then Martyn had been spotted, at the very least. “What about him?”

  “He won’t be a problem now. I turned him over to Flayin Falls. Last I heard, they planned to burn him alive.”

  Martyn. She shuddered as tears pricked her eyes. Leith’s grip tightened on her shoulders above the wound in her arm. Martyn couldn’t be dead. Not after everything she and Leith had tried to do for him.

  She glanced over her shoulder. Leith’s face had hardened into cold lines. A Blade’s face.

  “Which reminds me of my other demand. Hand Leith Torren over to me.”

  So that Lord Norton could kill him? “There’s no one by that name here.”

  “Don’t play word games with me. He goes by a different name now, but he’s still Leith Torren, First Blade of King Respen. And the man you are set to marry in less than two weeks.”

  Renna’s blood iced in her fingers. Murmurs stirred through the gathered townsfolk along the parapet and below in the sanctuary. Lord Norton’s voice carried far too well, echoing through the church building.

  “You didn’t tell them, did you?” Lord Norton’s eyes burned across the space as if he could melt the stone walls around her. “He has the blood of your parents and your townsfolk on his hands. Yet you’re going to marry the dog.”

  Renna sagged against Leith, her hands shaking. The whispers built behind them.

  They knew. Everyone knew about Leith. All the secrets they’d tried so hard to hide. She’d known it would come out, but not like this.

  Leith tugged her from the window, and Sheriff Allen stepped in her place. He planted his hands on the sill. “I don’t care who you are. I won’t stand for you to slander Lady Faythe.”

  She let Leith pull her into the dark stairwell and leaned against him. “I knew trouble would come. I knew it. I hoped it wouldn’t be this soon. I hoped the town would get to know you before they learned about your past. I…”

  “It’ll be all right.” Leith pressed a kiss into her hair. “I have to go.”

  “What?” Renna stumbled back. The cold was into her chest now. What was Leith talking about? “Why?”

  His eyes—green and piercing—met hers. “I have to. The townsfolk won’t stand to have me here, and you need the town united under your leadership if you’re going to survive this.”

  “But…” How could she survive this without Leith? She needed him. She couldn’t do this by herself. What did she know about war and sieges and fighting off the massive army gathered outside this building? She didn’t.

  He cupped her face with his warm, calloused hands. “You can handle this. You’ll have Sheriff Allen, Jamie, and Brandi to help you. But I can help you more out there. I’m a Blade. I have to fight like a Blade.”

  Like a Blade? Surely he didn’t mean…Renna would’ve dismissed the idea entirely, but the cold light in Leith’s eyes chilled her. He looked like he could kill. After what Lord Norton had done to Martyn, she couldn’t blame him. Not when she could too easily imagine Martyn screaming, flames covering him.

  She shook. “I can’t do this without you.”

  “Yes, you can.” He kissed her forehead. “I won’t go far away. Together, we’ll hold off this army until help comes. We’ll survive this. God is with us as He was at Nalgar.”

  They could do this. Renna shoved all the cold into her spine until she could stand straighter. From the first, Leith always told her she was brave. She’d been brave at Nalgar Castle. She could be brave again, with God’s help. “Go. Fight your way. I’ll fight here.”

  He leaned closer and kissed her. She fisted her hands in his shirt, feeling the strength of his heartbeat and the steel of his muscles.

  He pulled away, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand. “Stay safe.”

  Then he was gone, vanishing into the dim stairwell. Renna leaned against the cool stones of the wall and wrapped her arms around her stomach. Was this how it would always be? Leith having to leave for some reason or other and her waiting, always waiting?

  The voices outside the stairwell rose. Brandi shouted above them, but Renna couldn’t bring herself to concentrate on the words.

  She had to go out there. This was her town, and it was her responsibility to restore order. But it would be so much easier if she could just curl up in this corner until someone else did it for her.

  There was no one else. This duty belonged to her. No more shirking.

  She raised her chin and marched onto the walkway. Brandi had her hands on her hips, face red. “Leith isn’t a Blade anymore! He’s my friend!”

  Men and women gathered in the sanctuary below. Some raised their fists and yelled back. Renna rubbed at her temples. Was anyone even watching the windows anymore? Or had their personal mutiny driven all thoughts of the army outside from their heads?

  Outside the window, Lord Norton still perched on his horse, close enough that he would be able to hear the raucous shouting.

  This wasn’t acceptable. Bad enough to argue among themselves, but they shouldn’t give their enemy any satisfaction. If Renna could manage as much when facing Respen at Nalgar Castle, then surely her town could pull together long enough to fend off Lord Norton.

  “Quiet, please.” Not loud enough. Renna drew on the fire building in her chest. She stomped to a spot next to Brandi, drew in a deep breath, and shouted with all the breath in her. “Quiet!”

  The townsfolk below cut off mid-shouts.

  Renna pressed her fingernails into her palms to stop her smile. That actually worked. She filled her voice with sharp steel. “Yes, Daniel Grayce is Leith Torren, a former Blade, who has been pardoned by King Keevan. Yes, I’ve known who he was since the day I met him. No, I will not discuss it any further right now. Our current concerns must be directed to fending off the army intent on wiping out Ste
tterly again, an army led by Lord Norton, one of Respen’s staunchest allies, and the five banished Blades. Or do you really think they are of less concern than Leith, who helped you build this refuge and trained you to fight off this attack?”

  The townsfolk muttered in a low rumble. One of the farmers stepped forward, arms crossed. “Maybe so, but I refuse to fight under him.”

  Of all the prejudiced, intolerant…Renna ground her teeth together. How had they forgotten everything Leith had done for them in the past six months? They would all be dead, killed out in the fields, if not for Leith’s preparations.

  Yet the mere mention of his past destroyed all of it.

  “You won’t have to. You will fight under me. Leith’s gone. He left so he wouldn’t be a distraction.” Renna pointed at the window a few paces away. “The enemy is out there, not in here. Get back to your posts, all of you, before Lord Norton decides to storm the place and finish this siege here and now.”

  Grumbling, the people drifted away, most avoided looking at her. Most of the women remained clustered, whispering and shooting glances at her.

  There went her reputation. Not that Renna cared a dead grass stalk for it.

  She spun on her heel and faced Lord Norton once again. “We won’t surrender. This is our home and Keevan is our king. You claim to fight for your wife and children, but what about the wives and children sheltered here? Are you willing to kill them? Because that’s what it will take.”

  Lord Norton tightened his grip on his horse’s reins. “You’re willing to sacrifice every man, woman, and child in your town for Leith Torren?”

  “He isn’t here.” Renna refused to turn away. She wouldn’t let Lord Norton scare her. She’d faced down both First Blade Harrison Vane and King Respen.

  “Lord Norton!”

  Renna leaned farther out the window at Leith’s shout. He stood on the far hill between Lord Norton’s army and the Spires Canyon. Even that far away, the hilts of the knives strapped across his chest glinted dully.

  And, for the first time since Respen died, Leith wore black.

  “You want me? You’ll have to hunt me. Ask your Blades. I’m no easy prey.” Leith drew his knife, then seemed to disappear.

  Lord Norton cursed and wheeled his horse around. “Fine. Don’t surrender. But don’t say I didn’t give you a chance to spare yourselves.”

  He cantered his horse back to his men waiting on the far side of the dugouts.

  Renna let out a long breath and sagged against the wall. The lives of everyone in this building rested on her shoulders. Had she done the right thing in refusing to surrender? Would it do any good to fight?

  Yes, it would. Surely Keevan would have scouts ahead of him, even if he was riding to what he thought would be his cousin’s wedding. They would see Stetterly under attack and turn back before it was too late.

  And Ranson was out there, riding for Uster. Lord Segon or Lord Alistair might even get a message to Keevan to warn him before he left Nalgar.

  After ordering a bench brought up to her, she took a seat next to the window where she could safely peek out. Thanks to her town’s efforts during the night, Lord Norton had to order his men to clear the barricades before they could get the bulk of their horses and supplies closer to the church. Men rummaged through their dugouts, but they wouldn’t find anything of value.

  Renna was still there, sitting on the bench staring into the night, when Brandi plopped down beside her and held out a plate with cornbread and a slice of dried beef. “You’d better eat something. You can’t go around starving yourself.”

  “I’m not…” Renna shook her head and took the plate. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she probably should’ve been thinking more about food and less about battle tactics, Blades, and Leith.

  Brandi hugged her knees and peered out the window. “Leith will be all right. You’ll see.”

  “I know.” Renna picked up the cornbread and bit into it.

  She shouldn’t worry about Leith. This was the kind of thing he’d trained for as a Blade.

  In Lord Norton’s camp, something flared. Renna leaned forward as several fires spiraled into the night sky. The night was so clear and calm the panicked shouts of fire drifted to her. If she had her distances right, those were the tents Lord Norton’s men had pitched on the freshly tilled fields beyond the town. The bare earth would prevent the fire from spreading.

  Brandi grinned. “That would be Leith.”

  A thunder drummed into the night. More shouting. A herd of horses stampeded through the enemy camp and disappeared into the prairie.

  “Yes.” Renna felt her own grin tug at her mouth. Tonight, Lord Norton would find out exactly how much trouble he’d stepped into when he’d attacked a First Blade.

  31

  The fire devoured his feet, his legs, up and up his body, eating, tearing. He gasped. His breath tore down his throat into aching lungs. Coughing, Martyn snapped his eyes open.

  “How do you feel? Do you need water?” Kayleigh’s voice drew his gaze past the bare, light brown walls to her pale face framed with locks of shining, brown hair.

  How did he feel? Like someone still held his feet in glowing coals. He tried to talk, but all that came out was more coughing.

  She shoved a pewter cup against his mouth. He inhaled a mouthful of water, choked, and coughed it out before he managed to swallow properly.

  When she set the cup aside, Martyn glanced around. What time was it? This room didn’t have a window. Were they in Sierra? Had Shad already left for Stetterly?

  Martyn had to go with him. No matter how badly his burns hurt, he had to get to Stetterly. He shoved himself onto his elbows and started to get up. “Where’s Shad? Has he left yet?”

  Kayleigh shoved him back down with a hand on his chest. “No, don’t get up!”

  Martyn looked down at himself. He seemed to be missing a shirt. He peeked under the blanket. Nope, that wasn’t all that was missing. He wore nothing besides bandages and undershorts, and the undershorts weren’t even his. Though, he was so covered in bandages he was pretty much decent. “Where are my clothes?”

  “Mostly burned off.” Kayleigh grimaced. “They weren’t salvageable.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Did you help? Because that would be improper.”

  Her cheeks and ears flushed as red as the burns visible above Martyn’s bandages. “Owen—Martyn Hamish! I…of course not! I stood outside while Lord Shadrach and your brother helped the healer. I wouldn’t…”

  He smirked. Of course she wouldn’t, but it was worth seeing her squirm. He let her squirm a few more minutes before he let his grin fade. “I’m sorry the clothes you made me got burned.”

  “I don’t care about the clothes. I can always make another pair.” Kayleigh twisted her hands in her lap. “I’m glad we got there in time. I was…really worried.”

  Something warmed in Martyn’s chest. She cared something for him at least.

  This was probably the moment for a heart-to-heart talk. A few apologies. Sappy stuff like that.

  All stuff Martyn wasn’t ready to face. Not yet.

  He had a mission to finish first.

  He propped himself on his elbows again. “I’m glad I lived too. Now, can you fetch Shad?”

  “You need to rest. Lord Shadrach has it all taken care of.” Kayleigh rested a hand on his shoulder.

  Martyn gritted his teeth. Staying in bed would be so easy. Even shifting his legs a few inches sent stabs of agony through his whole body.

  But he couldn’t rest. Not while an army bore down on Stetterly. Not while Leith was in danger.

  Martyn had turned his back on Leith once. He wouldn’t do it again. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, ignoring the pulsing pain eating at his skin. “I’m getting up, clothes or no clothes. So unless you want to help, I suggest you get Shad.”

  Kayleigh bolted to her feet and from the room. Martyn eased himself upright and rested his feet on the floor. Pain shot up his legs.

>   He gripped the edge of the bed, fighting the bile rising in his throat. How was he going to stand the ride to Stetterly if he couldn’t even set his feet on the floor without nearly passing out?

  Somehow, he’d have to tough it out.

  Footsteps halted in the doorway. Martyn dragged his head up and faced Shad. “Get me some clothes.”

  Shad crossed his arms. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “I have to go along.” Martyn clenched his fingers tighter on the edge of the bed. Why was he so tired already? Even sitting up for a few minutes drained him.

  “No, you don’t. My mother-in-law is preparing her men and we plan to meet King Keevan about a day’s ride from here. We’ll rescue Leith. You’ve already done enough.”

  Martyn sucked a breath into his aching lungs and fought the spasm of coughing. “No, I haven’t. Not yet. I stood by and watched while Respen tortured Leith. I put my knife to his neck and told myself I could kill him. I have to prove that this time I have his back.”

  “And nearly getting burned at the stake isn’t enough?”

  “No.” Martyn didn’t let his voice waver. Leith had willingly walked into Respen’s torture, prepared to die if necessary, to spare Martyn. To repair the brotherhood they’d once had, Martyn had to sacrifice just as much.

  Besides, there was no way Martyn would let Shad get all the ride-in-at-the-last-moment glory for this rescue.

  He met Shad’s gaze. “You need me. You know how this will go. Leith will do his best to draw the Blades off on his own. To rescue him, you’ll have to track them down.”

  “I can track.”

  “I know. And I know you’ve had some experience fighting Blades. But not like this. If you aren’t careful, you’ll track yourself right into a trap. I’ve already done it once and look at the mess it got me in. It’ll take both of us.”

  For a long minute, Shad studied him. Martyn tried to sit straight and hide the fact that Shad was blurring in and out of focus.

  Shad huffed something under his breath about stubborn Blades. “Fine, you can come. I’ll scrounge something for you to wear.”