Realm of Knights

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  Reid didn’t know if she would ever marry. Once everyone found out she was a woman, she wasn’t sure how they’d react. Plus, she’d spent so much time with the men who lived in the town and nearby villages that she couldn’t imagine marrying one of them.

  On several occasions, she’d tried asking her father about the future, but he’d been evasive. Once one of her sisters had a boy, how would Reid reveal her identity? Would Duke Ellington simply announce he’d lied to everyone all these years? That would constitute treason, an offense punishable by death. Which meant Reid would probably have to go live somewhere else, pretending to be someone she wasn’t yet again.

  She’d never stepped foot outside of Ellington before. And what would happen if every single one of her sisters failed to produce a boy? Did that mean Reid had to pretend to be a man for the rest of her life? Would her father force one of her sisters to lie and say her daughter was really a boy, thus continuing the charade for decades to come? Reid wondered how in the kingdom her father was going to get them out of this mess.

  Taking a deep breath, she went under the water, trying to convince herself that none of it mattered. She just had to continue doing what her father requested of her. Once one of her sisters had a boy, her family would probably send Reid away to avoid the controversy surrounding what they’d done. The lie she’d lived all these years.

  When she resurfaced, something felt different. Mirage was still tied to a tree, munching on grass. Reid turned slowly, treading water. If there was a dangerous animal nearby, Mirage would have noticed. A tingly sensation brushed along Reid’s spine, and she knew something or someone was nearby. In the dim light of dusk, it was hard to see beyond the tree line surrounding the lake. Forcing herself to remain calm, Reid continued to tread water in the middle of the lake, scanning the bank, looking for something out of place.

  She blinked.

  Leaning against one of the trees was a man wearing a black cape, a hood concealing his face. He was one of the men who’d arrived at her home earlier in the day. Intuition told her it might even be the same one who’d watched her sparring match. Not saying a word, she studied him. His body faced her direction, so she knew he was aware of her presence.

  Reid couldn’t tread water indefinitely, and darkness was starting to descend. After an uncomfortable minute in which neither spoke, she decided to say something. Once she discovered what he wanted, he’d leave. Then she could get out of the water and dress. Why had she thought it a good idea to swim naked? “Who are you?” she asked, deepening her voice.

  Still leaning against the tree, he pushed his hood back. It was the young man she saw at the sparring match.

  “What do you want?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Yet, it carried over the water and sounded loud in the quiet air.

  The man tilted his head to the side, folding his arms across his chest.

  Her body started to shake from the frigid water. She needed to get out to put her dry clothes on. How was she supposed to do that with this strange man staring at her?

  He made no move to come any closer. “Who are you?” His deep voice was smooth, and it had a hint of confidence she wasn’t used to hearing. Few people demanded something of her since she was Lord Ellington, the second highest-ranking person in the county.

  “I believe I asked you first,” she said. At least he didn’t know who she was supposed to be. If he didn’t know her identity, then she could pretend to be a commoner from a local village.

  His lips curled into a smile, and he raised his eyebrows as if her question amused him. “I’m not from around here.”

  She’d guessed that much. “Why are you here?”

  He continued to lean against the tree. “If I answer your question, do you promise to answer one of mine in return?”

  “Yes.” Since he hadn’t specified which question she had to answer, she didn’t hesitate to agree.

  “My brother and I have come to speak with Duke Ellington.”

  An answer that really wasn’t an answer. She was no closer to discovering his identity.

  He pushed away from the tree. “Why don’t you come out of the lake so we can talk?”

  Panic flooded Reid. Was he going to try to hurt her? What did he want from her?

  He turned and went into the forest. Reid could no longer see him between the dense trees and the cover of darkness descending over the land. Regardless, she remained in the middle of the lake where it was safe. Her arms were becoming weak. He emerged with an armful of branches, tossing them on the ground. He left again. When he returned, he tossed another load of branches to the ground. Then he crouched and fiddled with them. A minute later, he had a small fire started.

  Still crouched on the ground, he lifted his head and looked directly at Reid. “My horse is tied to a tree about thirty feet from here. I’m going to go get it. I suggest you get out and dress before I return. You have five minutes.” He stood and strode away.

  Reid wanted to reprimand him. How dare he tell her what to do? She almost remained in the water to spite him. However, she knew she couldn’t last much longer. Her arms were barely holding her up as it was. At least her clothes were on the opposite side of the lake from where the man had built the fire. If he returned before she was fully clothed, he wouldn’t be able to see much across the distance.

  Not having a lot of time to spare, she swam to the side and climbed onto the shore. Reid fumbled with her undershirt, yanking it on. Then she finished dressing, her shaking hands and wet body making it difficult. Before she finished, movement on the other side of the lake caught her attention. The man returned with a horse in tow. After tying the animal to a tree, he pushed his hood back. He sat next to the fire, not once glancing her way.

  Reid pulled her wet hair back, tying it as best she could without a mirror. She put her cap on, trying to shove all her dripping wet hair under it. After she finished, she took hold of Mirage’s reins and led the horse toward the mysterious man. If he made a move she didn’t like, she wanted her horse close by in case she needed to make a quick getaway. Reaching into the saddle bag, she withdrew a dagger and slid it under the belt of her pants. Just in case. She hadn’t noticed a sword on the man, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t armed. When she reached the fire, she put Mirage’s reins over the branch of a nearby tree, pretending to secure him. If her horse pulled, the tie would come loose. However, she wanted it that way in case she didn’t have time to untie it.

  “Sit,” the man commanded, pointing to the opposite side of the fire.

  Reid did as he instructed, not uttering a word. She decided to let him lead this conversation. There was no point in accidentally revealing something she didn’t need to.

  “I saw you fighting earlier,” he said, his focus on the flames of the fire and not on her.

  Now that she was closer to him, she could see he was younger than she’d first thought. Maybe a year or two older than she was. His face was long, his ruffled hair accentuating his features. He glanced up, his eyes meeting hers.

  She shrugged, not sure what to say.

  “Now it’s time for my question,” he said. “Where’d you learn to fight like that?”

  She forgot she’d agreed to answer one of his questions. As she mulled over it, she tried to determine why he wanted to know and if there was any harm in answering. Was it simple curiosity? Did he want to learn to fight with a sword as well? Though the young man had on a long-sleeved top and a cape concealing most of his body, his shoulders were wide, his posture rigid. Reid had seen enough of her father’s soldiers to know one when she saw one. So if this man already knew how to fight, why was he asking the question? What did he want?

  “A friend,” she answered, keeping it vague.

  He nodded, his focus back on the flames. “Do you have a name?”

  “Yes.”

  He smiled at her over the fire. “Why are you wearing pants?”

  She swallowed. “If I didn’t wear pants, my legs would be cold. And I might get
poison ivy. The plant is rampant around here.”

  Amusement flitted across his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman wear pants before.” He locked his eyes directly on hers, his expression hardening.

  It felt as if he’d punched her. He knew. And he was testing her. “Why do you think I’m a woman?”

  “You have a woman’s voice.”

  “Maybe my voice hasn’t changed yet.” She stood to go.

  “Your features are far too delicate for a man.”

  She went over to her horse.

  “Earlier today, I saw you pretending to be a man. Is it just so you can fight? Or do you have other motives for lying?” He remained sitting next to the fire, making no move to come after her.

  She swung her leg over Mirage, then readjusted the reins in her hands.

  “You are aware it is illegal to lie about who you are, right?” the man said.

  It was a good thing she hadn’t told him who she was then. She turned Mirage, ready to get away from this strange interrogator.

  “Lying about your identity is a punishable crime. You can be put to death.”

  Thankfully, her father was in charge of the county of Ellington. The only people who outranked him were members of the royal family. And her father had been good friends with the late king.

  “Or,” he said, his voice suddenly loud in the quiet forest, “your land can be taken, your title stripped.”

  Even though her back was to the man, she knew he was staring right at her. Shivering, she nudged Mirage, willing him to carry her far away from this dangerous person.

  Her hands shook, and she gripped the reins even tighter. She needed to get home. When she reached the trail, she dismounted and led Mirage down the hill. It was too dark for the horse to traverse on his own. The last thing she needed was to fall and break a leg. Especially with the strange man so close. At the bottom of the hill, she climbed back on Mirage and headed home.

  Nearing the rear entrance to her property, Reid saw someone standing next to the gate. She slowed Mirage just as a whistle rang out. The stable hand, Royce, used that whistle when training the horses.

  “What’s going on?” she asked when she was close enough to see Royce’s lanky arms and legs.

  “Your father sent me,” he answered. “He wants me to take Mirage to the stables. You can sneak into the house using the servants’ entrance.” He reached for the reins.

  Reid dismounted before handing them over willingly. “Do you know who the visiting men are?”

  “I do.” He fumbled with the reins. “Listen, I don’t know what’s going on.” His black hair fell into his eyes. “I mean, I’ve had my suspicions, but my father told me to do the work assigned and not to question anything.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I don’t know if they’ve discovered something or if they’re here for a visit.”

  “Who?” she asked, dread filling her.

  “The royal convoy.”

  The words rang in the air around her. A royal convoy was here? No wonder her father was nervous. She rubbed her eyes, trying to think logically. The king had only died last month. Maybe the new king was sending men out to ensure loyalty among the counties. Regardless, she needed to get out of sight.

  “Thanks, Royce.” She patted him on the shoulder even though he was quite a bit taller than her. Moving off the dirt road, she headed toward the castle, trying to remain hidden amongst the vegetation. Since it was dark out, it was easy to blend in with the shadows.

  When she reached the castle, she went to the servants’ entrance. Not hearing any voices nearby, she stepped inside. None of the sconces had been lit so when she closed the door, she was plunged into darkness. Creeping along the hallway, she headed toward the handful of rooms that contained cots for the servants. Few were in use, so no one should notice her sleeping in one of the unoccupied rooms.

  About halfway there, she came to an intersection. Pausing, she listened. To the left was the kitchen and the great hall. On the other side, the servants’ quarters were only another fifty feet or so.

  “We can discuss the details tomorrow,” an unfamiliar voice said.

  “Of course, Prince Gordon,” Duke Ellington responded.

  Reid almost fell to the floor. The royal convoy included one of the princes? She’d mistakenly assumed King Eldon had sent men to do his bidding. She didn’t think he’d send his own brother.

  “How much longer do you intend to stay here before you return to the City of Buckley?” the duke asked.

  “Once your soldiers are ready, we’ll return.” Prince Gordon was the newly appointed commander for the King’s Army. At twenty-one years of age, he was a couple of years younger than his brother, the king.

  “It should only take a couple of days to organize and procure everything.”

  “Ah, look who has come to join us,” Prince Gordon said. “Where have you been, brother?”

  “Just out and about, mingling with the locals.” The voice was one Reid recognized—it was the man from the lake. And if Prince Gordon had just referred to him as brother, that meant the man from the lake was Prince Ackley, the youngest of the three royal brothers.

  Reid slid to the floor, vomit rising in her throat.

  Chapter Three

  Reid tossed and turned all night. Without a fireplace, the room remained frigid. To make matters worse, the meager cot only had one thin blanket. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the realization she had not one but two princes in her home was too much to take. What if they discovered her? Clearly the prince she’d met last night knew she was a woman. If Prince Ackley learned she lived here, her cover would be blown.

  She flew upright in bed, blinking at the gray light of dawn filtering in through the tiny window. What if he’d asked who she was after she’d finished sparring? Any of the men watching would have told him. She groaned. What was he doing here? Ackley was only nineteen, and she hadn’t heard about him holding any sort of position besides being a prince.

  Prince Gordon had said something about needing soldiers. Since the duke oversaw the county of Ellington, he was responsible for providing soldiers when the king requested them. Maybe Ackley was helping Gordon manage the army. Or Ackley could simply be tagging along with his brother because he had nothing better to do.

  The door creaked open. Duke Ellington stood there, leaning on a cane. He’d been out riding when his horse spooked and threw him. His injured leg wasn’t fully healed, and he’d been limping.

  “Is your leg worse?” Reid asked. If something happened and her father died before he appointed a new male heir, she would be in serious trouble.

  He shook his head. “It’s just sore. Probably from all the rain.” He stepped inside the room. “You look as if you’ve slept with the pigs.”

  She shrugged. Dried mud caked her clothes since she couldn’t go to her room to change. “I was hoping you had food.” As if on cue, her stomach growled. She hadn’t had supper last night.

  The duke sat on the cot beside Reid, stretching his bad leg out before him. “I want to apologize.” Both his hands rested on the handle of his cane.

  She wasn’t sure what he wanted to apologize for. For forcing her to pretend to be a man? Making her sleep in the servants’ quarters? Or for not bringing her food? There were many things to choose from.

  “I’m sorry you’ve had to grow up without a mother.”

  Reid hadn’t expected that. “Don’t worry,” she replied, trying to lighten her father’s somber mood. “I’ve had four.” Even though three of her sisters were married and lived elsewhere, they still checked on Reid often.

  Duke Ellington chuckled. “Then I regret you haven’t had the same upbringing as your sisters.”

  Reid didn’t know how to respond. Some days, she envied her sisters and the other women around town who wore dresses and were courted by men. But there were other times when she was secretly thankful she could ride her horse without an escort, go shopping on her own, and spar with swords. Even though she
wasn’t thrilled with the predicament she was currently in, that didn’t mean she resented her life or her upbringing.

  Duke Ellington stood. The skin under his eyes appeared darker than usual today. As if he hadn’t slept well either. Over the past few years, his black hair had started to gray. The lines in his face were also becoming more pronounced. “Go and put clean clothes on. Then I need you to pull off a flawless performance at being my son. There are some guests here who insist on meeting you.”

  “The princes?”

  “You know?”

  Reid nodded.

  He glanced around the small, utilitarian room. There was only the single cot and a dresser. The lines in his forehead deepened. “If you don’t pull this off, we lose everything.” With that, he hobbled out of the room.

  It appeared there was only one thing to do. If the princes wanted to meet the male heir, then she would give them what they wanted.

  Reid strutted into the great hall, pretending to have just arrived. Even though it was considered improper to wear a cap inside, there hadn’t been enough time to chop the rest of her hair off. The most logical solution was to act as if she was only stopping by to greet their guests before she returned outside to work. To help with the ruse, she wore a wide cape to conceal her narrow shoulders, she’d shoved a stocking in her pants to make it look like she had a male part, and she wore riding gloves to hide her delicate hands.

  “You wanted to see me?” she said to her father in the deepest voice she could muster.

  The duke sat at the head of the long dining table in the great hall. The rectangular room always felt welcoming to Reid. Dark wood paneling covered the walls, and tapestries hung at evenly spaced intervals. A massive stone hearth with a roaring fire heated the tall, two-story room. The ceiling consisted of intricately carved wood, which could be seen better from the gallery above. Soft area rugs covered the stone floor. Situated in one of the corners was a small, round table littered with books and Kamden’s sewing supplies.