The King's Obsession

by Tanya Bird

  Her eyes closed for a moment. ‘You mean work hard?’

  ‘And pray.’ He put a small hand on hers to stop her pouring. ‘You can use the rest for your flasks if you want.’

  She stared down at the callused hand covering her own. Callused.

  ‘What is your name?’ she whispered.

  His hand fell away. ‘Boy.’

  She raised her eyes to him. ‘Boy? Your name is Boy?’

  He shrugged. ‘That’s what everyone calls me.’

  She swallowed down the emotion choking her. She could hear the man’s footsteps approaching. ‘A handsome child like you deserves a real name.’

  He tilted his head, studying her with the same eyes he had years earlier. ‘What name would you give me?’

  ‘Xander,’ she breathed.

  He practiced the word aloud a few times. ‘Xander.’

  ‘Boy!’ came a voice.

  They both jumped and turned to look at the man striding towards them. Xander picked up the pail with both hands and by some miracle lifted it. As he tried to rush off, the water slopped over the sides. The man reached him then, clipping him over the head, causing more water to spill. Petra felt a roar forming in her throat but swallowed it down.

  ‘Slowly,’ barked the man. He paused to look at Petra. ‘Who are you?’

  Not the friendliest priest she had ever encountered. His mother, she wanted to say. Touch my son like that again and I will tear your hand from your arm with my teeth.

  ‘Daria,’ she lied. ‘My husband and I are on our way to the flag tournament.’ She regarded his sour face and decided she did not like or trust him. ‘That pail is quite heavy for one so young.’

  He continued to study her. ‘Only God knows his limits.’

  Xander glanced over his shoulder at her, and she noted the change in his face. She knew it well. It was the same expression she had in King Nilos’s company. Gone was the curiosity of a five-year-old boy. She gave him a small smile before he faced forwards again and continued down the road.

  ‘You from up north?’ Father Gabot asked.

  ‘Thovaria.’ She looked the priest straight in the eye as she lied to him.

  Before he could ask any more questions, Leksi approached them, his horse trailing behind. The priest turned to look.

  ‘How long does it take to get water?’ Leksi said, casting a knowing look at the priest at her expense. ‘My wife is blessed with the art of conversation. Or cursed. I haven’t figured it out yet.’ He took the flasks from her and kissed her. ‘Ready?’

  She managed a smile. ‘Ready.’

  The priest took in Leksi’s uniform, the one stolen from a soldier he had killed just hours earlier.

  ‘God bless you on your travels,’ Father Gabot said before turning away.

  ‘Thank you,’ Leksi called to his back.

  He mounted and pulled Petra up behind him. Without another word, they exited the village.

  Chapter 22

  They had moved off the road and were standing amid the trees so Petra could come undone away from prying eyes.

  ‘I cannot leave him there,’ she said again. She was pacing, holding her stomach like she might be sick at any moment.

  Leksi was being patient with her because he could see she was in pain—and it was killing him.

  ‘They have made him a slave. What sort of priest makes a child pay for the sins of his mother?’ She stopped and turned to face him. ‘And what of the sins of his father? Who pays for his sins?’

  He would let her cry, scream, shout, throw punches at him if it helped. He would hold her while she cried, comfort her, soothe her. What he could not do was let her go back to her son.

  ‘And what sort of man refuses to give an innocent baby a name when taking him in? No man of God. He is a monster. My son is being raised by a monster.’ She resumed walking, head shaking. ‘I am sorry, but I cannot return to Archdale with you. I am going back for him.’

  ‘Father Gabot is not going to just hand the boy over to you. He has made his opinion of you quite clear.’

  ‘He does not even know me.’ There was a curve in her back now, like she was in physical pain. ‘I will not ask, I will just take him. You saw it for yourself, the guards do not shadow him.’

  ‘You’ll never even make it out of the village, and the boy doesn’t even know you. Why should he trust you?’

  ‘His name is Xander,’ she snapped.

  He looked down. He had been naive to think she would leave with him afterwards. She was a mother first, after all.

  Tucking her hair behind her ears, she wiped at her face.

  ‘No child would choose that life.’

  ‘Xander doesn’t know any different. He’s five.’

  She stopped walking and looked at him. ‘I will show him there is a better life.’

  He took a slow step towards her. ‘We aren’t even meant to be here, and now you’re talking about kidnapping the king’s son.’

  ‘My son!’ she said, pointing to her chest. More tears fell.

  He shook his head. ‘Neither of our kings will see it that way.’

  Her hands went over her face, and it took all of his strength to remain where he was. After a moment, she looked up at him, arms falling to her sides.

  ‘You go. Return to Archdale, tell everyone you tried to track me and failed. No one will blame you.’

  ‘I already told you, I’m not returning without you. And we need to leave.’

  She stepped up to him and pushed his chest with both hands. ‘And I already told you, I am not leaving my son with that man.’

  Leksi’s feet did not move. He reached for her, but she shoved his hands away.

  ‘I just want to know he is safe and loved. That is all I want for myself. After that, you can all do as you please. Use me as a pawn in your game of war or lock me up. At least I go away knowing he has a better future.’ She staggered back from him. ‘That man’—she pointed in the direction from which they had come—‘will break his soul. I got fifteen years before they stripped me of my identity and self-worth. My son was just a few days old…’ She could not finish.

  Leksi turned away, walking to the closest tree and leaning his forehead against it. His throat was tight and his head ached. He should have left her, but he knew there was no way he could walk away from her now. She had nowhere to go. There were no safe havens in Corneo.

  He slapped his palm against the tree while Petra continued crying behind him. The thing was, he could get the boy out if he wanted to. But then what? He was going to be in enough trouble when Tyron found out he had willingly escorted her to Paton. He was supposed to have brought her to Archdale. No one knew where he was. What would happen if he showed up with King Nilos’s son? He could start a war.

  Petra walked over to him and fell at his feet. ‘Please. All you have to do is get on your horse and leave. Whatever happens now is on me. It is my choice, and if it all goes wrong, at least Xander will know he has a mother who loves him.’

  Leksi could not bear the sight of her tear-stained face or the sound of her broken voice. Pulling her to her feet, he held her against him. He knew what it was to be a boy in need of a mother’s love. He got eight years with his own, and he had no doubt those years contributed to the man he was today—or at least the man he could be. What would become of a boy who knew no love at all?

  He kissed the top of Petra’s head, still gripping her tightly. ‘I will get him out.’ The words spilled out as though he had planned to say them all along.

  She looked up at him, eyes red from crying. ‘I cannot ask you to do that. This is my mess.’

  He wiped a tear with his thumb. ‘It seems we’re in this mess together. I can’t leave you.’

  ‘What of your orders?’

  ‘I still have every intention of taking you to Archdale. After we get Xander.’

  Her arms went around his middle, squeezing tightly. ‘Thank you,’ she breathed.

  He exhaled. ‘Don’t thank me yet.’ He neede
d to actually get the boy first. There were a number of ways he could do it, but time was not on their side, and the longer they remained in Corneo, the greater their risk of being discovered.

  He decided on the most straightforward and quickest option. Holding her at arm’s length, he said, ‘You are going to stay here, and you are going to stay hidden until I return.’

  She nodded. ‘All right.’

  ‘If I don’t return before dusk, it means I’ve either been captured or I’m dead.’

  She went to say something, but then closed her mouth.

  ‘If that happens, it means they also have your son. Don’t return to Paton under any circumstances. Make your way to Lord Belen’s manor in the West, tell them who you are and what’s happened. Prince Tyron will come to you as soon as he hears. Tell him everything, hold nothing back. You can trust him as you do me.’

  She stared wide-eyed at him. ‘You are speaking as though you might not come back.’

  He kissed the top of her head. ‘I’ll be back, but we still need a contingency plan should anything go wrong.’ He went to step away but she grabbed his arm.

  ‘I do not want a contingency plan. I want you to promise me that you will return.’

  ‘Stay hidden.’

  Her eyes searched his. ‘But you will come back?’

  ‘That’s the plan.’

  ‘One of the plans. What of the contingency plan?’

  He pulled her to him again, fearing he might crush her bones if he held her any tighter. ‘I’m going to get your son, but I need to know you’ll do as you’re told, just once, if anything goes wrong.’

  She nodded, sniffed. ‘All right.’

  He released her. ‘At sunset, you leave here no matter what. You walk west until you reach the forest, then follow the treeline south all the way to Wripis.’

  Another nod.

  ‘Promise me.’

  ‘I promise.’

  He frowned, doubting her. ‘This is a new promise, because you broke the last one.’

  A smile flickered and faded. ‘I swear to you, I will do as you have asked.’ She paused, swallowing. ‘But please come back to me.’

  Leksi left Petra hidden in a cluster of trees about a forty-minute ride west of Paton. He rode at a steady canter back to the village, straight down the middle of the main road, all the way to the steps of the church. There were a few ways he could play it, but he had already decided on the most direct approach.

  He first suspected something was amiss when the guards were nowhere to be seen. Tying up his horse, he climbed the steps and strode into the church. He was not overly surprised to discover Xander was not in there. There was every chance their encounter had raised enough suspicion to justify removing him.

  Walking down the wide aisle, he stopped in front of the altar.

  ‘Can I help you?’ Father Gabot called to him, appearing in a doorway at the front of the church.

  Leksi turned, trying to read his expression, looking for clues as to how the conversation might go. ‘Yes. I’ll get straight to the point. I’ve come for the orphan in your care.’

  Father Gabot stiffened and was silent a moment. ‘You’re the man I met at the well earlier.’

  ‘Correct. I’m not here to make trouble. Just hand over the boy and I’ll be on my way.’

  The priest crossed his arms. ‘What do you want with the boy?’

  Leksi stepped up to light a candle. ‘I am taking him to his mother.’

  The priest nodded. ‘So it was her. They said she might come for him, but I told them no. A whore does not attach to their offspring the same way a mother in a union blessed by God’s will does.’

  ‘Do you know her story?’

  ‘I know enough.’

  ‘Do you know her father sold her at age fifteen? That she did not want to go?’

  ‘She should have turned to God instead of away from him.’

  Leksi bowed his head and whispered a quick prayer. Drawing his sword, he reached the priest in a few large steps. ‘And there ends your sermon. Where is he?’

  Father Gabot stared wide-eyed at the sword in his hand. ‘You dare draw your weapon in God’s house.’

  ‘It has become clear to me that we’re not going to see eye-to-eye on this particular matter.’ He glanced over his shoulder towards the altar. ‘Besides, I just had a chat with God. He knows I act for the good of the boy.’

  The priest scowled at him. ‘I have been trying to cleanse the child of her sins since his birth. If she really loved him, she would let me save him.’

  ‘Why are you still talking?’ Leksi raised his sword and brought the tip to the priest’s neck. ‘Take me to him.’

  ‘You will burn in Hell for this.’

  ‘Excellent, we can continue our discussion there.’

  Father Gabot’s face reddened. ‘You are too late.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  The priest swallowed against the blade. ‘I asked him to repeat their conversation. He knows better than to lie. Xander. That was the name she said she would give him. A strange coincidence, don’t you think?’

  Petra had failed to mention that part of their conversation. ‘It’s the name she gave him at birth, so I would say it’s quite fitting.’ Leksi took another step towards him. ‘I’m not messing around here. Where is he?’

  Father Gabot shook his head. ‘Like I said, you are too late.’

  Leksi narrowed his eyes and increased the pressure of the sword. ‘If you have harmed him in any way—’

  ‘King Nilos’s men took him. Actual soldiers,’ he added, glancing down at Leksi’s gold tunic. ‘They left for Masville Castle an hour ago.’

  The knight leaned in. ‘How do I know you’re telling me the truth?’

  The priest looked genuinely offended by the question. ‘Because I am a man of God.’

  Leksi withdrew his sword, but his eyes remained on him for a moment longer. ‘God must be shaking his head right now.’ With that, he turned and strode from the church.

  Chapter 23

  Petra did her best impersonation of patience, waiting in the exact spot he had told her to, still and quiet. Leaning against a tree, she watched the sun on its journey west. It moved quicker than she would have liked, eventually reaching the horizon. She stopped watching then, staring into her lap. The prospect of losing light terrified her for so many reasons.

  What have I done? King Nilos would show no mercy to the man who had kept her from him. Leksi would be executed, but probably tortured first to extract any information that might benefit them. Not by the king, of course; he never got his hands dirty. He had an army of men for that, including Prince Felipe, who did much of his less honourable work.

  Insects chirped as though shouting at her. ‘Get up,’ they screamed. ‘You promised him you would walk west.’

  ‘It is not dark yet,’ she replied to them, her forehead resting on her knees and eyes closed.

  Press, press, press.

  She focused on the pain in her fingers, and it helped for a while, but eventually, she was forced to open her eyes and blink into the darkness. Suppressing a sob, she pushed herself to her feet and looked around. He needed her to do this. If she could make it to Lord Belen’s manor, someone would send for Tyron. He would know what to do. She could trust him.

  Bending, she picked up the flask and blanket Leksi had left her, just in case. Perhaps he had known all along he could not succeed. She hugged the items to her chest as she made her way to the road, checking both directions before heading west. That was what he had told her to do, so that was what she did.

  As she walked, she could not help but glance over her shoulder. Perhaps he had gotten lost, or Xander was refusing to go with him. Or maybe he was dead and her son taken once more.

  She recalled the feel of Xander’s small hand spread over hers, wondering if he had felt the outpouring of love.

  The sound of hooves made her turn. She stared into the dark, waiting for the galloping horse to appear in front o
f her. She should have moved off the road, hidden herself, been smart, but hope anchored her feet to the ground. The horse came into sight, and she tried to focus on its rider. The animal charged towards her. When she realised it was not going to stop, she leapt out of its way.

  Then she recognised Leksi, holding Xander in front of him.

  ‘Leksi!’ she called, running after the horse.

  The mare slowed to a canter, to a trot, and finally stopped. He did not jump down, did not run to her. He did not even turn in the saddle to look in her direction. It was Xander who peered around the knight’s arm, looking suitably terrified. She was out of breath by the time she reached them.

  ‘Leksi,’ she said again, then saw the arrow protruding from his back. ‘Oh God,’ she breathed.

  ‘Take Xander,’ he said.

  She opened her arms and Xander leaned towards them.

  ‘Are you all right?’ she asked the boy, checking him for injury. He did not reply. She placed him on the ground and crouched down, holding his arms. ‘I promise you I will explain everything soon, but first I need to take care of Sir Leksi. Do you think you can help me?’

  The smallest of nods from him.

  Petra stood just as Leksi slid from the saddle. She grabbed him, eyes on the arrow sprouting from his shoulder, then to the spread of blood on his side. So many questions, but only one of them urgent. ‘What do you need me to do?’

  He glanced behind them. ‘We need to get off the road.’

  She dragged his arm over her shoulders. That weight alone almost buckled her knees, but there was no way she would fall down while he needed her. ‘Xander, can you please bring the horse?’

  He stared blankly, clearly not connecting with the name she had used.

  ‘It’s all right,’ Leksi reassured him. ‘Be a good lad.’

  Xander walked over to the horse and took the reins, guiding it some distance from the road because there was no tree cover nearby, only bare paddocks. Leksi eventually sank to the ground, taking Petra with him. She freed herself from his arm and kneeled beside him.

  ‘First, I need you to take the arrow out,’ Leksi said.