by Jude Marquez
Josette had no words.
"Come, we have no time to waste," Alik said.
Josette looked over at Paige and Paige seemed to also be at a loss.
After another moment's hesitation, Josette sighed, got on Eros and then helped Paige up.
"I'm surprised that you got away from Issat and Margrave," Josette said.
"Lady Sexton slipped something in their dinner last night," Alik said.
Josette laughed and turned Eros northeast.
∞∞∞
Evander watched the moon pass over his tower. There were bars across the top, though who was mad enough to climb these walls to try and get out that way, was beyond Evander.
Gael was with him today.
"Make sure that he is happy, Gael. I know that it is hard for him to be happy so Eamon has to try. He has to make an effort to show him that there are good things out there in the world. I want you to do the same. Try to make yourself happy for Kielan and Cordelia," Evander whispered.
It had been a very long time since he was given water.
"I think he hated us from the very beginning. I don't think there was a thing we could have done to make him love us," Evander told Gael.
Gael stared down at him serenely.
"I'm going to die here," he told his brother.
Gael did not reply, but they never did. Evander had to figure it was because he was forgetting the sounds of their voices and that made him immeasurably sadder than almost anything else about his situation.
There was a clatter of noise outside and a strange howl that Evander was not familiar with. It tugged at his memories, like he used to know that sound, but it was different and wrong somehow.
It didn't matter.
"I left my last instructions. I believe in him. I do believe that he can rule but should he not, Gael, you promised to take care of him."
Someone was shouting outside.
The howl was much closer now and it was accompanied by snarls and growls that Evander would find very worrying if he was not about to die anyway.
Someone screamed. Evander hoped it was Vail or his father but it didn't sound like either one. He wanted very much to outlive them, just to see this world for a moment without their presence sullying it.
The door clanged open and Paige stood there, panting. Her dark cloak flared wide around her and there was an artful splatter of blood across her face. Her cheeks were red and her eyes sparkled and in her hand was a curved knife that looked like it belonged to Alyx.
Behind her, there was a wolf, black as night and large enough for her to ride.
This was by far the most realistic hallucination he had to date.
"That would be a pleasant picture, to see you ride a wolf," Evander informed her.
She looked at him, confused. "Kane would never let anyone ride him."
Evander jerked at the sound of her voice, loud and sweet and bewildered all at once.
"Paige?" He said.
"Yes. Can you stand?"
∞∞∞
It was on their third night together that Josette thought she saw something.
It was a trail, new, but well used. They were too far into the woods for it to be anything but suspicious. She chewed on an apple and studied it. If she followed its logical direction, it went up to the base of a snow covered mountain.
"I don't like it," she told Kane.
He dipped his head and looked at the trail as well. His muzzle was still red from the rabbit he had found for himself earlier. His large paws dug into the ground beneath him.
"You don't have anything to add?" She asked him.
He turned away from the trail and back to camp. Josette stared at the trail for a moment longer and then slid back into some thick underbrush when she heard men approaching.
"He will die soon," one man said to his companion.
"Will he? He has held out for a very long time."
"What's the point? King Alyx is set to marry before the next full moon. To one of the barbarians, I hear."
"I suppose."
And then they were gone.
Josette fell back on her ass and stared at the trail in front of her. How bad were things back home that Alyx would be marrying one of the Ataton family? What was Eamon thinking?
Alik found her there a while later.
"Does something trouble you?" He asked.
"Alyx is set to marry."
Alik paused. "Who?"
"One of the Ataton family."
"...why?"
"I know not. It makes no sense. He told me many times he would abdicate before he marries again. He is not interested in power or wealth. He only had it because Evander did."
Alik snorted.
When Josette looked up, he was struggling to contain his laughter.
"What?" She asked.
"The Alyx we know would not do this. The Alyx we know would prefer death than to have anyone but Evander touch him. This is a ploy. They wish to use the Ataton family, the big one, I would bet-"
"Eamon."
"As a target. To draw them out and show that Evander is still alive."
"I hope so," Josette said and stood slowly.
"Is that it?" Alik asked and tipped his head towards the trail.
"I believe so."
"Well, that absolves me. We crossed my borders yesterday."
Josette glared at him. "We should go, now. I fear for Evander's life."
"Don't we all?"
Packing up camp was a swift affair. Eros didn't appreciate being saddled so soon after she was allowed to rest but Paige spoke to her and then they were off. They rode for several silent hours, only occasionally seeing Kane next to them before he disappeared back into the shadows.
Over a crest they spotted it.
A single tower, rising into the night.
There were other buildings, most with straw roofs, with the exception of one large manor house. It seemed like the manor house and the tower were the only original buildings of the land. Everything else looked hastily erected.
Josette slid off Eros first, then Paige. Alik hopped off his own horse and came round to stand next to them.
"If each of those houses has two men, there are at least twenty here," he noted.
"That's not counting whoever is in the larger one," Josette said.
"And the ten to twelve that are pacing the area."
"Would you say fifty?"
"Sounds right."
They fell silent, watched the purple cloaks of the small village walk around the area and circle the tower.
"Looks locked," Alik said.
"I can pick it," Paige said.
Josette and Alik looked to her.
"I was an orphan and without means to feed myself for most of my life. If I did not learn how to pick locks, my siblings and I would have starved to death," she muttered.
Behind them, a twig snapped.
The three of them whirled around, weapons at the ready.
Issat and Margrave stood there. Margrave had two pieces of a stick in his hand.
"Could we be of service?" He asked.
Alik glared at them.
"Lady Sexton told us when we woke up. You only had a headstart," Issat said.
Josette sighed and turned back around. She would not begrudge them this. She would have done the same thing.
"What is our plan?" Issat asked and came to stand with the others.
"Kill them all," Paige whispered.
"I like the way the young one thinks," Margrave said.
"Of course you do," Josette muttered.
"Do you have a plan?" Issat asked.
Josette pursed her lips and considered what they could do. It was hampered by the fact that she had someone of royal blood with her, the last heir to his kingdom, but Josette was at a loss. There wasn't much she could say or do to get him to stay, she knew.
"Would you be willing to stay up here? Shoot from on high?" Josette asked Alik.
"And miss all the fun?" Alik sn
orted.
Josette stared at him, unwilling to give into his humor. When he saw how serious she was, his face fell before he squared his shoulders. "My older brother would have been the best one here, but I'm all you've got. I believe that Margrave should stay up here and shoot. He's second only to Issat with a bow and his limp makes him an easy target. No offense, cousin."
"None taken."
Josette wanted to argue but they simply did not have the time. She honestly didn't know if they were looking for Evander or his grave.
"Okay, so here's what we need to do..."
Chapter 13
The days following the prisoner being dumped outside the guardhouse and his subsequent death were quiet around the castle. Auelina's warning rang true to everyone. Lies, falsehoods, and refusing to let the royal family know any kind of information that might be helpful would not be tolerated. Lissandra had more information than she knew what to do with now. She did her best to sort through it but her meetings with Alyx became longer each day, deciding what was relevant and what was not.
When Edmond found him, it was after such a long day, on his way to his own quarters.
"Your Highness," he said.
"Just call me Alyx, for god's sake, Edmond," Alyx said.
"Is this not a good time?"
Alyx wanted to laugh. There was never a good time anymore. "What can I help you with?"
"I know that you are busy but there is one other thing that I wanted to ask of you, if we could possibly fit it in your day," Edmond said and squared his shoulders, like he was preparing for a fight.
Alyx was curious. "What is it?"
"I know that you are an accomplished fighter, but if it's no offense, I would like to teach you," he said in a rush.
Alyx was surprised. Since his initial teachings with Edward, no one else had offered to teach him or train him. He didn't think that Evander had anything to do with that, just that it had fallen by the wayside during all the events that transpired.
"No offense taken, Edmond, but your style of fighting and what I am physically capable of are not compatible."
"I spoke to Edward about why you didn't use a sword. He explained to me what happened, what was done to you. I agree, you cannot fight with a sword like my brother can and a bow tires you easily, but there are other ways. Eamon is a great warrior because he found what worked for him and stuck to only one style of fighting for his entire life. His strength is his best weapon and he taught me much, but I am a far better teacher, and far more knowledgeable in ways of fighting that he is not," Edmond said.
Pride was a good look on the young man.
"Does anyone else know of your offer?" Alyx asked. He didn't imagine Eamon or even Gael backing such a plan.
"Edward, I suppose, could guess. But no. No one else."
Alyx nodded. "We will begin tomorrow. Do not let anyone else know."
Edmond looked relieved and straightened up. "Of course, Your- Alyx. Dawn?"
Alyx groaned inwardly. "Excellent."
∞∞∞
The plan was clear and simple in Paige's mind.
That did not mean that her hands didn't shake as she ran out into the village, screaming her head off, with Kane just behind her, snapping at her heels. She was so glad that Eamon had shown her this game that he liked to play.
Except now it sounded too real.
Paige knew that Kane was smarter than he let on and the snarls and snaps at her back as she screamed and ran for the first man in a cloak that she could see were not for her, but to keep the others at bay. Paige knew that she was stepping into the middle of the enemy's home and that was the real terror.
"Please!" She screamed and ran for the first man she saw. His eyes were wide as he saw Kane bearing down on her and then she ducked and Kane flew over her, slammed into the man and then he was screaming.
Everything became a blur after that.
Paige only had one mission. Get to the tower. Get the door open. Get Evander out.
Kane stayed with her the whole way.
She caught glimpses of the simple houses catching fire from the relentless barrage of flaming arrows from Margrave up on the hill. She saw Issat and Josette bearing down on the men that were attempting to form some sort of line, she saw Alik pushing other men towards them, all three on horseback.
Paige clutched the leather bag that held the tools she would need to pick the lock.
She ducked when a man ran straight for her and slid, tumbled, and then came to a rest against one of the thatched houses on fire. A nearby growl brought her back to her senses and she jumped to her feet and headed for the tower once more.
She was within a few feet of the tower when she was knocked to the ground and then there was a large man on top of her, pinning her to the ground with one hand around her throat and the other in grasping her wrists together.
"Thought it would be this easy, did ya? Well, let's take you to Thomas, see-"
Then there was a spray of blood and an arrow was inches from Paige's face, coming to rest in the man's throat.
As the man fell, Paige saw Margrave pull another arrow from the ground next to his feet.
If she wasn't mistaken, he was grinning.
Kane was there, pushing her to move, and she turned towards the tower once more. She ran for it, the path clear for the first time. She couldn't focus on anything but picking the lock and Kane at her back and finally the damn thing popped open in her hands and she threw it away. She jerked the door open and stared at the man lying on the ground in front of her.
It took every bit of will she had not to break down into tears right there.
Evander was laying on a small pile of hay, one eye swollen shut, his face a myriad of cuts and bruises. He had lost so much weight in the time that he had been gone, Paige wondered if she weighed more than the man that was king in front of her.
"That would be a pleasant picture, to see you ride a wolf," Evander informed her. His voice was dry and it cracked and hurt to hear.
It didn't make any sense, what he said to her and all the noise around her faded away into nothing. All her attention narrowed down to Evander and how to get him up and out of this miserable hell hole.
At a loss, Paige said, "Kane would never let anyone ride him."
Evander startled, like he didn't expect her to reply. Some clarity came to his eyes once again and he stared at her for a moment before he struggled to sit up.
"Paige?" He asked, like he was afraid of the answer.
"Yes. Can you stand?" She asked.
Kane pushed past her and went over to Evander. Evander threw one arm over Kane and with his help, Evander stood. He limped towards the door as Paige held it open for him.
"Where did you come from?" Evander asked.
His lips were cracked and she couldn't find a place on him not covered in dirt or blood.
"Home. That's where I'm taking you," Paige said.
"Who-?" Evander said and looked around him.
"Your Highness, please. Let's go," she begged. The tears were threatening to fall.
"Yes, of course."
Just then, Josette ran up next to them. "Up, get up," she ordered. Eros pranced and seemed to want to greet Evander but there was no time. There were men all around them, things were on fire, the ground was turning to mud beneath their feet with the blood of the ones killed.
"Remember our plan?" Josette asked.
"I can't-"
"Oh, yes you can. You have to. You have to get him back. That's why we are here. Go. Run. As fast as you can and I will be right behind you. Do not stop for anyone," Josette ordered. Her words were short and clipped and filled with a rage that Paige understood was not directed towards her.
Josette pulled out her sword, the one weapon she kept on her always. She shoved it in Paige's belt and then helped her up on Eros's back.
"Save him once more, Paige," Josette ordered and slapped Eros's backside.
Paige didn't get to say anything more before they were off, f
lying through men, knocking them aside. They ran past Margrave, didn't stop, and the only one with Paige was Kane.
∞∞∞
"Not sure about your plan of sending a girl off with the king," Alik said as they retreated to the forest by Margrave.
"I figured it was best to get him away as soon as possible," Josette said and wiped her face off with her sleeve.
"What now?" Issat asked. She had long since lost her horse but the three of them stole the ones from the dead soldiers.
"I will follow her. I cannot ask you for your help, you have done so much, but I will not refuse it either," Josette said.
"Oh, what's a little sport without a hunt?" Margrave asked and took the horse from Alik's hand that he had brought for Margrave.
The four of them did not look back at the village they destroyed as they ran off in the direction they last saw Paige leave.
∞∞∞
Paige did not know how long they rode, but by the time Eros slowed, the sun was setting and they were in the middle of gods knew where. She did not hear anything around them and Kane made a slow circle around them, as he always did when they set up camp, and sat down. It seemed safe.
Paige slid off Eros and Evander, barely conscious, almost fell off his horse after she was down on the ground. He stood on unsteady feet until she was able to lay him down.
"Evander, what do I do?" Paige asked, unsure of where to put her hands to not hurt him.
Shivers racked his body.
"Water?" He asked.
She stood, fumbled for one of the water skins on Eros and brought it to him. After remembering her sister nurse one of the orphans back from a stomach sickness, she cautioned him to drink slowly.
Kane crept up next to them and looked down at Evander.
"Be useful and keep him warm," Paige ordered.
Much to her surprise, Kane did as he was asked. He stretched out next to Evander and put his great head next to Evander's.