“Wait!” Renna pushed herself away from Leith and forced herself to face the rest of the room. She scrubbed the tears from her face. “Could you bury him in Blathe next to his wife? They should be together.” It seemed right, somehow, even though no one else would understand.
After a moment’s consideration, Keevan nodded. “All right. I’ll send General Stewart and his men on a decoy trip into the Hills. If we plant the rumor that we buried in him in the Hills in the right ears, no one will question the addition of an unmarked grave in Blathe.”
“Thank you.” She sagged. It really was over. Behind her, the others started to chatter. She should join them, but she couldn’t at the moment.
Leith held her close and swiped a thumb over her cheek. “You’ve always had a kind heart. It was the first thing I noticed when I met you.”
She smiled and slipped her arms around his neck. “And I noticed that you were humble. It confused me, coming from a Blade.” She studied the way his black hair fell across his forehead and his green eyes danced above the fading bruises on his cheekbones. She loved him. Her imagination spun into dreams for the future.
“I’m sorry about Stetterly Manor.” Leith hung his head, a fringe of his hair hiding his eyes. “You and Brandi won’t have much to return to.”
“It’s all right. Too many memories in that house.” The loss of the manor didn’t give her the pang it once had. Starting over without the burden of the past hanging over them held a certain appeal. “I think we should build a cabin, something small, with a view overlooking the Spires Canyon.”
“We?” Leith raised his eyebrows.
If he couldn’t figure it out on his own, she wasn’t going to explain it to him. But she would give him plenty of hints.
54
If his leg wasn’t aching so much, Leith would’ve pressed Renna until she admitted what had her grinning like a hawk that had swooped down on a plump prairie dog. But he needed to sit down before he passed out.
His hand tucked in Renna’s, he limped forward, spasms of pain shooting down his leg and into his chest with every step. As he reached the nearest chair, he leaned against it and glanced at Prince Keevan. “May I, Your Highness?”
Prince Keevan waved a hand. “Please do before you fall over. I don’t think my cousins would appreciate me forcing you to stand on formality.”
Leith collapsed into the chair. His cracked ribs ached. His burns throbbed. Renna fetched a footstool, propped it under his bad leg, and slid a chair next to him.
Prince Keevan picked up a folded piece of paper from his desk. “After much discussion with my advisors, I have decided not to pursue punishment for the remaining Blades. Acktar has seen enough bloodshed to last for years, and I don’t want to spend the first months of my reign conducting trial after trial. The blame for those deaths will remain on Respen’s head.”
Leith nodded. Too many executions would resemble the first months of Respen’s reign. “What do you plan to do?” He twined his fingers through Renna’s once again. Keevan had once told him he had no intention of letting Leith go free.
“The Blades locked in the Tower will be banished on pain of death should they ever try to return.”
“They’ll cause trouble.” Leith clenched his fist.
“I know. Hopefully whatever trouble they cause can be dealt with quietly.” Prince Keevan ran the paper through his fingers.
Leith swallowed. When that trouble came, he’d have to deal with it. They’d come hunting their former First Blade, the one who’d betrayed them and Respen.
But that was a problem for tomorrow.
“Besides, I couldn’t conduct their trials without your name coming up and forcing me to hold a trial for you as well.” Prince Keevan paced closer and extended the paper. “My cousins are the only family I have left. I cannot afford to lose them.”
Leith took the paper and opened it. He scanned a few words. “A pardon? You’re pardoning me?”
“Yes, however the pardon isn’t going to be made public. It’d cause too much resentment. Perhaps someday Acktar will be ready for the truth, but for now, it’s best left a secret. As far as the official records will show, the Blade Leith Torren died in the final battle.” Prince Keevan strode back to his desk. “You’ll be able to choose a new name and start over with a new life. The pardon is only a security measure in case anyone should discover your past.”
More secrets. Leith released a slow breath. Could he ever live without secrets? Was a new name the only way he could make a new life?
Prince Keevan returned and dumped a bundle onto Leith’s lap. “And these are in case someone ignores the pardon.”
Leith pushed aside the cloth and found all his knives in their sheaths. He touched the initials LT carved into the hilt. Secrets had a way of coming out. How long would it be before someone discovered his past as a Blade? “And Martyn and Ranson?”
Prince Keevan held up two more folded papers. “They’ve been granted clemency. Not a complete pardon, but they’ll be able to start over, should they decide to remain in Acktar.”
Ranson rose to his feet. Leith hadn’t seen him or Martyn since the battle. Leith hadn’t had the strength to climb the stairs to the rooms in the Tower where they were being held and, until today, Keevan hadn’t let them out. Ranson’s eyes were ringed with red, and his hands trembled as he took the paper from Prince Keevan.
He turned to Leith. “Did you mean what you said? About forgiveness?”
Leith couldn’t help the smile that warmed his face. “Yes.” He glanced at Renna. He thought he understood her meaning earlier, but he didn’t dare assume.
She squeezed his hand. “We’re going to need a lot of help rebuilding Stetterly. You’re welcome to come, as long as you don’t mind a little hard work.”
Ranson’s face broke into a smile. Perhaps, Leith wasn’t too late to help Ranson adjust to life outside of the Blades. If only he hadn’t been too late for Blane.
Martyn inched from the wall and took the paper as if he was afraid it might turn into a snake and bite him. His brown eyes stayed on the ground before swiveling to the door. “I guess this is goodbye. I’ll be leaving shortly.”
Leaving? Leith shook his head. “You can’t leave now, Martyn. Where would you go?”
Martyn shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll go south to the Great Mountains. Or I’ll join the Surana to the west.”
“You don’t have to leave.”
Martyn finally met his gaze. “You can’t want me here. Not after what I did to you.”
“You saved my life. You refused to kill me.” Leith swiped his free hand against his trousers. Martyn did have a point. Would Leith be able to trust Martyn? Whatever friendship they’d had, it was broken. Could it be fixed?
“I captured Ladies Rennelda and Brandiline. I stopped you from rescuing both of them. I whipped you. I stood by and watched Respen torture you within an inch of your life.” Martyn dragged a hand through his curls.
Brandi scowled and narrowed her eyes at Martyn. Shad jerked, and his eyes widened. Leith gritted his teeth. Brandi and Shad hadn’t known the details of how Leith had been tortured. Shad flexed his fingers, crossed his arms, and glared at Martyn like he was contemplating punching him.
Leith waved around the room. “I helped kill Renna and Brandi’s parents. I tried to kill Prince Keevan. I understand the guilt you’re feeling. But running away from guilt doesn’t make it go away. You have to face the ones you hurt. If they’ve experienced the forgiveness of Christ, they’ll extend that same forgiveness to you.” As Renna and Brandi had done to him. Prince Keevan hadn’t fully forgiven him, but he was working on it.
Martyn groaned and tugged at his hair. “I still think you’re chasing fantasies with all this God talk of yours, but fine. I’ll try to stick around.”
“Thanks.” He and Martyn had a long way to go to repair their friendship, but at least they’d have a chance now.
Sitting across from Leith, Brandi swung her feet a fe
w inches above the floor. “What’re you going to pick for your new name?”
Shad leaned a shoulder against the wall. “He should go with Daniel for a first name. He already has a backstory and everything set up for that name already. If anyone asks, he can truthfully say he was a farm laborer in Walden before joining the Resistance where he was wounded in the Battle of Nalgar Castle.”
“I like the name Daniel.” Brandi grinned. Jamie stood over her, as if making sure she couldn’t do anything reckless.
Leith grinned back. Brandi had started all this with her Daniel stories. If he was going to carry a new name for the rest of his life, Daniel was better than most.
He turned to Renna. The look in her eyes stole his breath away. He cleared his throat. “I’ll need a last name too, and I’d like you to share it someday. Eventually. Not right away. If you’ll have me. I—”
She put her finger over his mouth. “Whether you go by Daniel or Leith Torren, it doesn’t matter to me. You’re a Blade saved by God’s grace, and I’ll be proud to carry your name someday.”
Grace. The word wrapped around him. Cleansing from the blood of his past in the blood of Christ. All undeserved. He never wanted to forget the wonder of it. He clasped both of Renna’s hands. “How does Daniel Grayce sound?”
“Perfect.” She leaned forward and kissed him.
He tugged one of his hands free so he could pull her closer. He could get lost in this moment, the feeling of loving and being loved.
Someone coughed. He pulled away but couldn’t stop grinning, especially when he spotted Martyn, red-faced and uncomfortable, rocking on his heels. “We’re making Martyn uncomfortable again.”
Her grin matched his. “As well as everybody else in the room.”
A quick glance told him she was right. Prince Keevan looked like he wanted very much to punch Leith. He couldn’t be happy knowing his cousin would eventually marry the Blade that tried to kill him. Ranson and Jamie both stared at the ceiling like they wished he and Renna had waited for a more private setting.
The only one who didn’t look uncomfortable was Brandi. She smirked like this had been her plan all along. Leith wouldn’t put it past her.
He bent to kiss Renna again. Might as well let Brandi enjoy her victory.
Character List
Abigail Alistair – third child of Lord and Lady Alistair. Friend of Brandi’s.
Blane Altin – one of Respen’s Blades
Blizzard – Leith’s horse
Brandi Faythe (BRAN - dee) – Renna’s younger sister. Her full name is Lady Brandiline Faythe
Esther Alistair – fifth child of Lord and Lady Alistair
General Uriah Stewart – general in the Resistance army
General Wentle – general in King Respen’s army
Ian McCrae – Resistance member
Jeremiah Alistair – fourth child of Lord and Lady Alistair.
Jolene Lorraine – Lady Lorraine’s daughter.
King Leon Eirdon (ee - EAR - don) – the former king killed by Respen
King Respen Felix (REH - spen) – king of Acktar. He was the lord of Blathe.
Lady Annita Faythe – Renna and Brandi’s mother. She was the sister of King Leon.
Lady Eve Alistair – Lord Alistair’s wife
Lady Paula Lorraine – lady of the town of Sierra
Leith Torren (LEETH TOR - ren) – former Blade, now on the run
Lord Hector Emilin (EHM - ih - lihn) – lord of the town of Dently, killed by King Respen
Lord Henry Alistair – lord of the town of Walden
Lord Laurence Faythe – Renna and Brandi’s father
Lydia Alistair – second child of Lord and Lady Alistair. Friend of Renna’s.
Martyn Hamish – one of Respen’s Blades. Leith’s former friend.
Queen Deirdre Eirdon (DEER - dree) – the former queen killed by Harrison Vane
Quinten Daas – one of Respen’s Blades
Ranson Harding – one of Respen’s Blades
Renna Faythe (REHN - nuh) – The lady of the town of Stetterly. Her full name is Lady Rennelda Faythe (REHN - nehl - duh).
Shadrach Alistair – Lord Alistair’s oldest son
Location List
Acktar (AHCK - tar) – a country mostly made up of flat prairie
Nalgar Castle (NAHL - gar) – the capitol of Acktar
Eagle Heights – the Resistance base
Stetterly (STEHT - er - ly) – a town near the Spires Canyon
Walden (WALL - den) – a town near the Sheered Rock Hills
Uster (UH - ster) – a town near the Spires Canyon
Sierra (see - AIR - uh) – a town on the prairie between Walden and Nalgar Castle
Sheered Rock Hills (SHEERD) – the mountain range that forms the northern border of Acktar
Spires Canyon – the canyon that forms the eastern border of Acktar
The Ramparts – the section of steep cliffs that border the Waste
The Waste – the desert on the eastern side of the Sheered Rock Hills
Map of Acktar
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This past year has been such a crazy, amazing journey! Thank you to all the readers who stuck through the cliffhanger at the end of Deny to pick up Defy. You guys are the best!
Thank you especially to those who submitted names for this book, especially Emily Drown, Addyson Huneke, Amy K., and Valerie S for submitting the names Uriah, Stewart, Ian, and McCrae. Honorable mention to Chloe L., C.B. Cook, Jesseca Wheaton, Josie Ophoff, and Sierra Faith for submitting names I loved but weren’t quite right for the book.
To all those who participated in the fan art contest. It was amazing to see all your talent and enthusiasm!
Thank you to the students and teachers of Eastside Christian School in Grand Rapids, MI, who made me so welcome during my first ever school visit.
Also thanks to the students and teachers at the Protestant Reformed School and Heritage Christian High School of Dyer, IN for being so enthusiastic about these books! You have made my day more than once!
To my family for once again being supportive and enthusiastic. My mom for spreading the word. My dad for being an early reader. My brothers Ethan and Josh for helping me with the guys’ perspective. My brother Andy for being the real Aindre the blacksmith. My sister-in-law Alyssa and my soon-to-be sister-in-law Abby for being the most amazing sisters a girl could ask for.
And of course, my friends Bri, Paula, and Jill. You’re the best street team and early readers ever.
My author friends (Angie, Jaye, Shantelle, Kim, and many, many others) who keep me sane and help pray these books into existence.
To Nadine Brandes, whose edits once again made all the difference in the world. I don’t know what I’d do without you!
Thanks, Sierra, for once again making time to critique Defy and give lots and lots of comments. I can’t wait for the day when I’ll be able to return the favor on your books!
To Mindy Bergman, who stepped up and offered to proofread Defy. Thanks for helping anhililate those pesky typos!
Thank you also to a few of my early readers who also found a few missing words and typos.
And Ashley, for once again putting together a vibrant cover that captures the book perfectly!
All praise and glory be to God. He is my Light and my Salvation each and every day.
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THE BLADES OF ACKTAR
BOOK ONE
DARE
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Books by Tricia Mingerink
The Blades of Acktar
Dare
Deny
Dare
THE BLADES OF ACKTAR
BOOK FOUR
DELIVER
Coming Winter 2016
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, bo
ok-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.
To learn more about Tricia Mingerink and get a behind-the-scenes peek at her books, visit triciamingerink.com.
Defy (The Blades of Acktar Book 3) Page 31