Ashlynn dropped down heavily right next to him, a sandwich in one hand and a steaming mug of tea in the other. She did not say a word as she devoured the food in quick bites. He glanced at her as he ate, slower than she. It was nerves, he judged, that made her rush through everything.
“Pace yerself, lass.”
She paused with the mug hovering in front of her mouth, and her eyes cut sideways to look at him. “What?”
“Pace yerself,” he repeated patiently. “This nervous energy ye have be making ye jump about, but it will no’ do ye a lick of good in the end. Conserve that energy so that it be there when ye have need of it.”
For a moment, he did not think that she would listen to him. She finished the last bite of her dinner before washing it down with the whole mug in one quick gulp. But then she stopped dead, so still that a statue looked livelier. “Broden.”
“Eh?”
“Riana said that you have seen hostage situations before.”
“Oh, aye. A half-dozen or so. Bandits think ransoming be easy money.”
Ashlynn twisted to face him directly, completely focusing on him with such intensity it started to alarm him. “She also said that the girls would be safe if we could get to them quickly enough. That if Zelman were a truly evil man, he would have killed one of the girls already to prove what he would do to the others if we don’t cooperate.”
It was not a point that he himself would have told either of the twins. It seemed a harsh thing to say to people already near crazy with worry. Broden wondered at his daughter for sharing that information. But maybe she had done so to prove to them that it was not the worst-case scenario. “Aye,” he finally admitted.
“Do you believe she’s right?”
“Lass,” he said gently, “I would no’ have come otherwise. It would be a fool’s errand if I came when I did no’ think we could save them.”
Her eyes shut with abject relief. “We’ve never had this happen before. I have no experience with it. But if you think there’s a good chance…” she trailed off, not needing to finish that sentence.
She needed something else to think about. “Tell me about them,” Broden suggested, not entirely to distract her. “How be they related to you?”
“Well, they aren’t,” she admitted. “Not directly. We’re related through Edvard—that’s usually the case. But two of them, Bria and Catriona, I grew up with. They lived on the same street as I did. We were regular playmates until we all hit our teens. Then Bria went to Honora with her family, and Catriona went to Senn when her grandparents started ailing. I haven’t seen either of them face to face in about four years.”
Sitting back, some of the tension bled out of her face and voice as she talked. “Darisa I’ve only met once, about six months ago. She’s lived in Kremser with her mother her entire life. Unlike the rest of the girls, she did not take after Edvard’s father in looks. She’s as fair as I am. I only got to spend the day with her, but I liked her. She was sweet natured, and spunky.” Her voice fell as she recounted, “Ever since Edvard turned sixteen, he would spend one month of the year visiting them. He would go to each of their homes and stay a few days, making sure they were alright and had everything they needed. He did that right before he broke away from Iysh, too, as he wasn’t sure how long it would be before he could see them again. If he had possessed any idea of what Zelman would do to them…”
“It be the curse of hindsight.” Broden looked up at the starlit sky. Well, that was one question answered for him: How had Zelman gotten hold of these girls? Simple. They were not in Estole. They were in different parts of Iysh. All he had to do was send his soldiers out for them, and no citizen of his country would have dared to refuse handing them over.
“Broden.” Ashlynn also stared up at the stars as she asked, “What exactly is your experience? You’ve told me bits and pieces, but I have no idea what you’ve seen, or what work you’ve done.”
It was a question he had not been asked before, at least not by Ashlynn. Understanding her need to know, he dropped his head down to look at her as he answered. “As to that, I been guarding caravans up and down the mountain every two years or so. We never got further than the river, though. In my younger days, I went further than that, all the way to Senn.” Now that meager distance seemed a ridiculously short trip. “Hmm, I went all over the Land Northward, of course. Hunting, mostly. I’d trade furs and the like with the caravans when they came up. Made decent money at it. As for fighting experience, well, there be bandit gangs and one pirate town up near Cloud’s Rest.”
“Pirates?” Ashlynn said in surprise.
“Oh, further on the coast, ye ken,” he explained with a simple shrug. “During the winter months, they hole up there. There not be much to the place, and it be little larger than Cloud’s Rest. I went there a time or three in me younger days to help people get back hostages.” Riana he hadn’t let anywhere near it. “But the bandits be thick up there, thick as trees. There be five gangs last I counted, all with a good fifty men in each. They pick on caravans, travelers, miners, loggers, but mostly each other. We had territory wars break out now and again, and when that happened, no man stepped outside of the village without hiring guards.” Which is mostly how he and Riana had survived up there. Even though the villagers hated them, when those gang wars broke out, the archers were in high demand for escorts.
She ticked things off on her fingers. “So you’ve fought with bandits, pirates, and the like. You’ve guarded everything from small groups to large caravans. You have experience in hostage situations and hunting in the wilderness. Does that cover it?”
“Aye, in a nutshell.”
“Hmmm.” A slight smile grew on her face. “So really, the thing that you have the least experience with is cities. No wonder you were so lost the first few weeks in Estole.”
He grunted sourly and didn’t respond.
Everyone in the group had more or less picked up on Ashlynn’s mood during the course of the day’s ride. Most had given her a wide berth, and Broden did not blame them for it. But Marissa proved to be of sterner making, and when she saw the two of them conversing quietly by the fire, she dared to come and join them, a mug in her hand that she nursed with quick sips.
“Ashlynn? We’ve all got a few questions we need answered.”
Ashlynn looked up, eyes taking in the crowd of silent faces and blew out a long breath before nodding. “Yes. Sorry, we took off so quickly I didn’t give any of you a proper idea of what to expect, did I? Actually,” she turned to Broden. “You might have a better idea of what we’ll run into than I at this point.”
Marissa’s eyes traveled to him, and from the way she regarded him, it was clear she did not know what to think of this unknown archer. “Is that so.”
“I be somewhat experienced in getting people back from the clutches of evil men,” he answered dryly. “All of ye gather. I will tell ye what little I know, and a few guesses.” It took mere moments for them to come in closer, some sitting cross-legged in front of him, others choosing to stand. Satisfied, he began, “First, assume the girls be safe and dry, as they belike be. If Zelman meant them harm, he would have proved that with his message, and no’ be sending along locks of hair.”
There were more than a few covert exhales in the group, which Broden chose to ignore. It seemed some had assumed this to be a fool’s errand and were glad to hear they were wrong to assume such.
“Now, it be no stretch of the imagination why Zelman took them to begin with. Our guess be this: he’s set at least one trap and be waiting for us to fall into it. If we make it all the way to Lorand without stumbling into an ambush, I will be pleasantly surprised. Belike we will run into several. Zelman likely knows that Edvard would either go for his sisters himself—”
“Or send one of his wizard-siblings in his stead,” Konrath finished quietly. “Yes, you’re quite right on all accounts. If nothing else, it’s a prime opportunity to take away part of Edvard’s fighting force.”
&
nbsp; “Aye,” Broden agreed simply. “He like as no’ will try to attack while one of the wizards be away, or at least, in his shoes I would. So fast and snell we go, so that we can come back quick-like afore real trouble hits.”
“We found them too quickly, too easily,” Ashlynn added solemnly, eyes clouded with worries. “I’m afraid that they’re obvious bait. But even if they are, we can’t leave them there. So we’re going. But like Broden said, we’re going to go as quickly as we can and return before Estole gets hit with any sudden attacks. Now, despite the fact that we found them easily, I don’t expect it to be easy getting them out again. If Zelman has any sense whatsoever, the place he put them will have a great many magical wards and traps around it. I’ll be responsible for those, but I can’t have anyone doing reconnaissance until I’ve found a way around them. So I don’t want anyone playing hero, got it?”
Getting a general assent, she continued, “Also, we do this as covertly as possible. We’re going into a foreign land where we have no support in, and few friends. I don’t want to make any trouble we’re ill-equipped to deal with. So keep yourselves close to the group, don’t drink, and don’t provoke any fights.”
Seth cleared his throat to get her attention. “If you had a guess, where will they be?”
“Somewhere easily fortified. A place that the girls can be kept separate from everyone else without rousing any suspicions or questions. I wouldn’t think they would be in the center of town, but somewhere just outside of it. Possibly on the outskirts.” She looked to Broden. “Am I right?”
“Aye, lass, I think so. One thing more—we can no’ just charge in, snatch up the girls, and go. We be needing information to be quick and quiet. So I will need to teach ye a few things about the culture, so ye know how to approach people right. We be needing help when we get there.”
“I know that you said Cloud’s Rest was formed by Trenenians several generations ago,” Tant said, clearly confused, “but hasn’t the culture changed here in Trenena since then?”
“Well, as to that, aye. It belike has. In many a way, in fact. But I will keep me ears open as we go in and see if certain things still be the same. At least, when it comes to asking a man for a favor, it belike has no’ changed.”
Ashlynn frowned at her partner. “But we have a spy in the city—”
Broden shook his head, cutting her off. “No, lass. Do no’ depend on one man to know all. That be a recipe for disaster. We need to spend a day, at least, talking to the people and knowing what they know. Greet a man, he will smile at you. Win a man’s trust, he will complain to you, and it be the complaints we need to hear. They will tell us more than the spy can.”
Amber snorted. “You know, he makes a good point. And Ashlynn, I’d personally feel better if we spent a day gathering intel before we tried to break into a heavily defended fortress. Especially since there’s only seven of us.”
“Seven people that have not worked together before,” Konrath added in an undertone that everyone clearly heard.
Surrendering, Ashlynn raised her hands in the air. “Fine. You all make a good point. We need to pace ourselves, eh.” She shot a look at Broden, who shrugged back unrepentantly. “Then we’ll plan to spend a day in the city once we reach Lorand. For now, sleep. We’re up at dawn’s light to ride.”
Broden was not one to sleep heavily when in an unfortified place, even if he did have friends standing watch. He kept dagger and bow close as he rolled into his bed, and kept himself in a light sleep—light enough that his eyes snapped open at the first hint of hoof beats thundering toward them.
It was a very strange thing indeed for a man to risk neck and horse riding about this late at night. Why, it be close enough to midnight to question why a man be out on the road at all.
Smoothly, he rolled out of his bedroll and onto his feet, then regretted it as sore muscles twinged. Grimacing in pain, he nevertheless scooped five arrows out of his quiver and set them in his hand, drawing one arrow free and nocking it before joining Amber where she stood. The woman had staff in hand, eyes narrowed in the darkness as she tried vainly to see who was coming.
“How many?” he asked quietly.
“Four or five, I think,” she answered slowly. “I can’t properly see them, that’s just my gut reaction from the sound. Who would travel around at this speed so late at night? You can’t see the road!”
“Aye, they like as no’ break a leg at the pace they be setting.” Which meant that they were desperate to cover distance for some reason. It could be these travelers had no interest in their group, but Broden was a paranoid man, and he would not take bets on it. Turning his head, he called, “Ashlynn.”
His wizard snapped awake and lifted up onto one elbow. “What?”
“We be getting visitors.” Broden inclined his head toward the noise.
She rose without a word and came to stand by his side. As she moved, the whole camp came awake and most at least sat up, weapons in hand, waiting to see if it was danger riding toward them or not.
The group of five thundered ever closer, and as they did, the light from the fire lit up their silhouettes. Broden raised the bow to full extension, aiming for the man in the lead. Ashlynn, he was pleased to note, drew a spell into the air and held it there, ready to fire if necessary. They waited in silence, eyes locked on the riders, ready for trouble.
Ten feet or so from the group, the riders reined to a sharp halt, the back hooves of the horses digging into the ground and sliding in the soft soil. “Ashlynn!” a man’s deep voice boomed out.
Instantly the spell in her hand faded as Ashlynn responded in surprise, “Tierone?!”
Broden blinked. Tierone of Dahl, Edvard’s older half-brother? Storm and winds, what was the man doing riding like that in pitch darkness?
Tierone lost no time dismounting and striding forward. As he came into reach of the firelight, Broden took his measure of the man. Aside from that inky black hair, he and Edvard did not look kin at all. Tierone was a towering figure of a man, bulky with muscle that was obvious even under a well-tailored black suit. This was the Duke of Dahl? He looked more like a lumberjack.
“Ashlynn, what is going on?” he demanded, grabbing her by both shoulders. “I got a message from Edvard saying that Bria, Darisa and Catriona have been kidnapped and are being held hostage by Zelman two days ago. Then this afternoon, my guards reported seeing you with this group tearing through my lands in a blazing hurry, heading south. Did you find where Zelman put them?!”
“Yes. We know which city they’re in, at least.”
Broden belatedly relaxed his stance and folded the arrow back in with the rest, holding them easily in his hand.
They stood silently by as Ashlynn quickly filled her blood-brother in. Broden studied the group as they talked, and saw patches of sweat on the horse’s hides. They must have been riding hard for hours straining to catch up.
Tierone’s expression was hard to read by firelight, but the way his jaw was set and his hands clenched into angry fists was easy to see. By the time that Ashlynn was done, the man was shaking his head in tiny jerks, as if he wanted to deny everything.
“Why?” he gritted out around a clenched jaw. “Why take them? Leverage against Edvard?”
“It be a sound ploy, from the Iyshian king’s eyes,” Broden pointed out flatly. “It be family that drove Edvard to rebel after all. So what better way to make the man obey again, than to keep his sisters hostage?”
Ashlynn snarled, “Unfortunately true.”
“I’m sorry,” Tierone said cautiously with narrowed eyes, “who might you be?”
“Broden Ravenscroft,” he introduced himself before jerking a thumb in Ashlynn’s direction. “Her partner.”
“P-partner?!” Tierone spluttered. “When did this happen?”
“Three weeks ago,” Ashlynn said with supreme satisfaction.
“Nay, lass,” Broden objected. “It be less time than that. Five days, give or take.”
She snorted,
amused. “You were mine the minute I met you, Broden. We both know that.”
He opened his mouth to protest only to find he couldn’t think of a single word to say. Amused, he simply shrugged and let it bide.
Clearly, Tierone didn’t know what to think about this. He had other things preying on his mind that he had to deal with first. Broden could almost see him shelve their partnership into a slot to be revisited later. “Ashlynn. Tell me that you’re not going after our sisters with just this little group.”
“I have a better chance of getting in and out, quickly, than if I took an army. We both know that.” Ashlynn softened her tone a hair and repeated, “We know that we cannot afford to deploy an army when it’s taking every man we have to hold our own borders. That’s why Edvard sent me.”
Tierone went very still, staring off into the distance as he thought it all through. He could not argue that Ashlynn was not worth twenty fighting men all by herself, not after all the damage she had done in two different battles. “Perhaps you are right.”
Broden freely admitted that Riana got her meddling spirit from him. It seemed he could not help himself sometimes, and this was one of them.
“Duke of Dahl, it seems queer to me that ye be loyal to Iysh still. Does no’ the capture of yer sisters anger ye?”
Ashlynn waved a hand near her thigh, a silent don’t ask that question right now sign, but the question was already out.
Tierone looked him dead in the eye as he asked, “Who are you to ask?”
“I be yer blood-sister’s partner, sworn to her protection. I be the father of Riana Ravenscroft, new citizen of Estole and Ash’s partner,” he answered without a trace of apology in his tone. “New I be to Estole, but she be home to me now, and I wish to protect her. And so I ask ye, Tierone of Dahl, why be ye loyal to a man that will kidnap yer family?”
Arrows Of Change (Book 1) Page 16