“You two are just rays of sunshine aren’t you?” Sir Don chuckled, his horse moving forward again. “Come on now. Don’t look so worried, Will. You won’t run into people because we’ll be taking a side route, not the main streets.”
“How come?” Will asked. He urged Admere alongside Sir Don, starting down the ridge and toward the sound of a market in full swing.
It was the King who answered, his roan falling into step next to Admere on Will’s other side. “Because I am here.”
“And, in case you didn’t know, he’s the King and people generally will flock to him.” Sir Don grinned at Will and reached over to slap his shoulder. “Oh, don’t be so sullen. We aren’t about to leave you in the city again. We’ve grown fond of our common bred squire. If you’re not in Alamore, I worry Rowan will burn it down.”
Will gave a forced laugh. He doesn’t know. Out of the corner of his eye, Will noticed the King’s lips twitch into the shadow of a knowing smile. He was the only one in the group who knew the truth, other than Will himself of course.
When they neared the town, the King drew his hood to shadow his face and Sir Don led them east, away from the main road, and onto a familiar and empty dirt track. Will’s throat tightened and he had to wipe his hands on his tunic to dry away the sweat.
The houses here were derelict, many staring at the riders through lifeless shattered windows, their yards overgrown and doors rotting. In spite of himself, Will found his eyes straining to see the houses ahead, hidden by a curve further down the road, desperate to see the house at the end of the street, the last one that lingered out of sight.
“This part of the city used to have a fair few people. The houses were built mostly for soldiers who didn’t want to live at the castle, who had families or thought they needed extra space,” Don said, noticing Will staring at the houses. “It was growing back in King Valren’s day–Revlan’s grandfather–but it lost popularity after Valren’s death.”
“Why’s that?” Will asked, trying to sound interested. He was still transfixed by the twist of the road fading from sight. Each step toward it made his heart slam harder into his throat.
“Well,” Don said, laughing coldly, “it turns out that they didn’t just want the space for their family. They wanted to be away from the castle. The soldiers who lived here weren’t loyal to Valren’s heir, Paradon. They’d sworn loyalty to Prince Temrod instead, Paradon’s younger brother. When that treason was found out, this place became rather unpopular, a slum even.”
“What happened to the soldiers?” Stop looking ahead, stop looking ahead, Will. You don’t want to see it, you’re being stupid.
“They were cast to the tunnels with their families,” the King growled darkly. Will at last turned, surprised. “What? That was your father who did that?”
“Yes, it was.” The King sighed, the eyes under his hood narrowing. “I don’t think he understood the problem he was creating at the time, though.” He smiled slightly gesturing behind them with his head to where Airagon, Haru, and Novin were riding, still discussing swordsmanship. “I won’t complain. I’ve had the honor of an excellent squire and a good page from the tunnels. As in life, not everyone turns out to be what people predict. Blood and past don’t make a man, his decisions do.”
Will nodded. He had the feeling that the King’s words weren’t only referring to Airagon and his page, a young boy named Mark. “Right, King.”
“Yep,” Don said, nodding. “That’s the truth, but the superstitions continue to keep these houses empty for the most part. People still sometimes call it Traitor’s End. Here, we turn here.”
Bitter relief riddled with disappointment washed over Will as Don waved them through a side alley and off the road. Will couldn’t help but glance back over his shoulder as they turned off the familiar dirt track. Traitor’s End. A fitting name for the street where Marl had raised him before showing his true colors as a Thornten loyalist. As they rode further from Traitor’s End, Will found the disappointment mounting. For some reason he felt drawn to the house at the end of that street. It was as though he needed to see the house at the end, the place he’d grown up before the world had been turned upside down.
Don led them through two more alleyways until they rounded a bend and were met with a solid wooden fence that blocked the street and the view beyond. They waited while Sir Don dismounted and knocked on the gate, the rap of his knuckles over the wood a loud cracking in the quiet still of the alleyway. Will barely noticed. The part of him that wanted to return to Traitor’s End was consuming his mind.
He was still lost in thoughts when the gate swung wide, framing a teenager, his stocky frame muscled from years of hard labor, black hair falling across his soot-stained face. He greeted Don with a broad grin, reaching out a callused and scarred hand.
“Not ‘xpecting you back again this soon,” the teenager said, beaming and taking in the group of riders. “But I take it you’re not here ‘cause your own squire this time, less that sword needs an edge again.”
“No, we’re here regarding mine,” the King said, swinging from his saddle and pulling his hood away from his face.
The boy paled and hurried to drop to one knee, bowing his head. “Majesty.”
The King shook his head, chuckling. “Rise, boy. You must be Glimmern’s apprentice.”
“That’s right, I am, eh, King Revlan,” the apprentice said nervously, standing and brushing the street dust from his tunic.
Will frowned, taking in the teenager’s appearance, temporarily forgetting about the street at their back. “Zudin?”
The boy started, looking over the rest of them. His face took on a bewildered expression for a moment on seeing Will, then the broad smile returned. “By the walls of Alamore, if it ain’t Will!”
He seemed about to say more but Don cleared his throat then, hiding a smirk behind his fist. “If you don’t mind, Zudin, I think it best we get the King off the streets. Can we come into the yard?”
“Oh, right.” Zudin’s face flushed with embarrassment and he scrambled backwards. “Come in, come in. I’ll tend your horses and get them tied.”
They dismounted in the street, Will sliding from Admere’s back and patting his sweaty neck. Admere gave him a gentle shove, trying to itch his face against Will’s shoulder while they waited for the others to file in first. Ahead of him, Will could see Airagon’s hands were shaking on his horse’s reins as he led the grey through the gate.
Stepping through after, Will glanced around, finally recognizing his surroundings. The gate made up one wall of a vast courtyard while the two walls on either side were the stone of shops and the wall at the back, directly across from the fence, was the back half of a stable. An old cart horse watched the newcomers with mild interest, a mouthful of hay dangling forgotten on his lips.
Will moved across to where the others were tying their horses. Zudin had already moved to tend King Revlan’s large blue roan, tying him to the furthest end of the rail.
“If you want to go inside the shop, it’s through that door there.” Zudin gestured to the solid wood door at the side of the stable. “Glimmern’s expecting you, I’d imagine, not that he told me who exactly was coming but he’s got the swords set out.”
“We’ll meet you inside,” Haru said when the King hesitated. “You and Don go on in, Will and I can help Zudin get horses taken care of. Anyway, I’m not sure there’s enough room in the shop for all of us to hang around.”
The King chuckled, gripping Airagon’s shoulder. “Thank you, Haru, Will, Zudin. I think it best we get this boy a sword before he dies of excitement.”
Airagon’s face reddened as the knights and Novin laughed but he didn’t argue when the King steered him toward the door. Novin passed Will his reins with a nod of thanks then darted to catch up with the others.
Will watched them go, smiling to himself at Airagon’s obvious excitement. He was brought back to his surroundings by Zudin’s low whistle.
“First name terms with the King, the
King of Alamore! Blimey, Will, here I was, thinkin’ you was dead and all along you’re living large in the castle!” Zudin shook his head, in obvious awe.
“How do you know Will?” Haru asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Cause he lived here in the town, now, didn’t he? Not far from this shop actually.” Zudin seemed struck between awe and giddy excitement. “Didn’t know he’d gone to the castle!”
“I’ve been there almost a year,” Will explained, tying Novin’s horse to the rail.
“Blimey! Really?” Zudin shook his head, whistling again. “I leave to train with Glimmern, then go to see you, and find your house empty, you gone and all that talk of Marl… never thought you’d be at the castle.”
“I didn’t think I’d get to go there either,” Will said, half laughing. He saw Haru’s brow furrowed with a bemused smile out of the corner of his eye.
“Can’t blame you a bit on that.” Zudin shook his head disbelievingly. “What a bit of luck. But, hey, I got to get inside. Glimmern told me I’d have to learn today how to better fit squires to blades.” He grimaced. “And I don’t care to make Glimmern mad. I’ll see you in a bit then.”
They watched Zudin dart across the courtyard and through the door before Will turned to Haru, laughing at his bewildered expression. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I don’t know,” Haru said sheepishly, running a hand over the back of his neck. “I didn’t think about it I guess.”
“About what?”
“About you being from here.” Haru waved an arm and Will knew he was trying to encompass the entire city with the gesture. “It’s like an entire life you had before Alamore and I don’t know anything about it.”
“There’s not much to know about it,” Will said, shrugging. “It wasn’t really interesting.”
“Come off it, you have to know this place like the back of your hand! Short of Glimmern’s shop and the Dancing Stag tavern, I’ve barely even seen the place.” Haru laughed. “Alamore, I can’t believe you never talk about it.”
“I don’t talk about it because I don’t miss it,” Will muttered.
Haru seemed to read his mind and his grin faded. “I’m sorry, Will. I forgot about Marl…”
“Don’t apologize,” Will said hurriedly. “I got the chance to become a knight. Even if I’d been happy here, I’d have left for that.”
Haru’s smile returned. “I get that. I just never think about it, you know? If I had, I would have said we can come down more often, let you see people.”
“Other than Zudin, there isn’t really anyone I know anymore. My mother left before I did and Marl…” Will let his voice drift then shook himself. “I didn’t really hang out with anyone after Zudin got his apprenticeship. Glimmern’s the best blacksmith in this place which means he’s working most the time. Zudin is too.”
Haru didn’t answer, focusing on checking the knot he’d tied on Novin’s horse. Will had the sense that he was weighing something. After a minute he straightened, eyeing Will with a mischievous look. “Since that shop’s going to be crowded and hot as the blazes, maybe we should explore, eh? You can show me what I’m missing when I just come here for swords and to annoy Richard’s wife at the tavern.”
“There’s not much to see,” Will said, trying to keep his voice casual. The strange desire to see the place he had lived was rearing its ugly head again.
Haru raised an eyebrow. “You alright?”
“I’m good.” Will shook himself. “Right, let’s go see the city. Do we need to tell the others or…”
“They will survive, Will.” Haru grinned. “I mean, I’m a knight, I don’t need permission.”
“Right.” Will’s mouth felt dry as he led Haru back across the courtyard, through the gate, and into the narrow alleyway they had ridden down. He and Haru didn’t speak, Haru turning his head to look at the building on either side of them as Will retraced their steps. It wasn’t long until they were stepping back onto the dirt track, onto the road they’d entered by. Will glanced in the direction of his old house, hidden around the curve of the road.
You don’t need to go down there, Will told himself firmly. Just go one alleyway down and you can turn onto the High Street, show Haru around the city where there’s people. You don’t need to go back there. You hated growing up there.
Even as he thought it, Will found himself striding past the alleyway that he knew was the fastest route back to the crowded market and main road.
“Shouldn’t we go this way?” Haru had paused at the alleyway’s opening, bewildered. Will could hear the chaos of the market drifting down the narrow street toward them.
“If we go down further, we can walk up the road instead of passing all the same places twice, and it’ll be faster without all the people.” Will hated himself for how easily the lie fell from his lips. He waited for Haru to argue with him, to tell him that he was being an idiot. He hoped he would, that he’d grab Will’s arm and drag him down the street and tell him off for trying to waste time.
But Haru only shrugged, grinning again. “Makes sense to me, mate.”
They moved on. Will’s heart slammed against his chest with each stride. Haru was taking in their surroundings with curious interest, gazing at the empty houses, the rotten and collapsing fences. They were nearing the curve and braced himself, pushing his hands into his pockets to hide their shaking. And there, ahead. His heart froze as his eyes locked on the familiar, grimy house.
The house looked as hollow of life as all those around it. The steps were coated in dirt, the fence collapsing, and the window that looked from the kitchen to the street had been shattered.
Haru brushed past him, unaware that anything was wrong until he’d gone several strides further and turned to Will, grey-green eyes concerned. “Will? You alright?”
Will didn’t answer. He couldn’t answer, as all the air seemed sucked from his lungs. All he could do was stare at the grey cloaked figure who had appeared in the broken window and turned to look directly at him. The Cutthroat Prince had found him again.
CHAPTER TEN
Life rushed back into Will’s body and he sprang forward, seizing Haru’s arm. “We have to go, now!”
“What? What’s the matter, what’s going on?”
Will pulled with all his strength but Haru was unmoving, shaking his head in annoyance and confusion. “Will, what’s got into you?”
“Back to Glimmern’s, we have to get back to Glimmern’s shop. Please, Haru, we have to go, we have to go!” When Haru only stared at him, panic flooded Will. Miller was right then. Haru had to know, he had to be the spy.
Something of that horror must have shown on his face. Haru reached for his sword, tensing. “What’s the matter, Will?”
“Did you…are you…”
“What?” Haru demanded. Will saw his own fear now leaching into the knight. “The blazes has got into you, Will?”
“Are you the spy of Thornten?” The question came out in a hoarse whisper.
Confusion, shock, anger–they crossed Haru’s face in the span of a few seconds. He stepped forward and Will almost fell in surprise. “Of course I’m not! How could you think that, Will?”
The relief that flooded Will was short lived. Still gripping Haru’s arm he pulled harder. “Then we have to go, we have to leave now. I’ll explain later but Haru, please!”
“Wait just a minute!”
“We haven’t got a minute!” Will shouted, pulling harder. “Haru!”
Swearing now, Haru started forward again, letting Will drag him back up the way they had come. He wasn’t the spy. Will was sure of it but how could they have found them?
No matter. They couldn’t stick around and ask questions. Will saw the street that he hadn’t taken, and his heart leapt. There. If they just took that street and ran, they could make it to the main road and get lost in the crowds at the market. If they hurried, if they turned down there, they would be…
Hooves rattled the earth, the dust trembling
at their feet and Haru grabbed Will by the shoulder, yanking him backwards and away from the mouth of the alleyway. A rider cantered onto the deserted street, shrouded in the hood of his grey cloak, sword drawn. Will didn’t have to see the face. He recognized the jagged-edged sword the rider held–Draccart.
Haru swore loudly, drawing his own sword and shoving Will protectively behind him. But Draccart had stopped. He was blocking their path, stopping them from returning to Glimmern’s shop or running down the alleyway he’d appeared from.
The beady eyes glinted with malice and the mouth beneath the hood stretched in an ugly leer. His gaze flitted from Haru to the sword in the knight’s hand and he laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls of the houses that edged the street. “Oh, this should be fun.”
“One more step and I’ll make you wish you’d never been born,” Haru snarled. Will tried to step out from behind Haru but his knight sidestepped, keeping his body between him and the Cutthroat.
“The theatrics of Alamore knights are rather boring.”
Haru wheeled, almost knocking Will to the ground as he pushed him backwards again, trying to block him from the appearance of this new danger.
The Cutthroat Prince was stepping from the house as though it were the stairwell of a castle, his tone casual, bored even. He smirked, pausing to survey Will and Haru.
“You know, I always thought people were exaggerating when they said that Alamore knights will always play the hero. But, here we are, faced with a real Alamore knight and-” He tilted his head to one side, sighing sadly. “It proves disappointingly true. Just once, I would kill to see one of you sacrifice someone else to save your skins, or anything other than the predictable. It would make a much better story.”
“If your mate there doesn’t sheath his sword, the story will be short and end with you begging for your worthless lives,” Haru snarled threateningly.
“Oh?” Will could hear the laughter in The Cutthroat Prince’s voice. “That is intimidating. A novice knight, his barely armed squire, and no one to help them against myself, Draccart, and five riders who are waiting for me to simply cue them to join me. Really, I should have thought this through better, I am simply petrified.”
The Cutthroat Prince (William of Alamore Series Book 2) Page 12