“Listen to reason?” Haru stood, standing eye to eye with the Kelkorian woman, his face set and eyes narrowed. “Reason? You think not trying to save a man who’s sacrificed himself for my squire, who nearly died bringing the last Kelkorian royal here alive, is reason? Are you so childish as to let some feud between the two of you sign his death warrant?”
She stepped nearer to Haru, her hand gripping the sword at her side. “Child, am I? Coming from the boy who hasn’t had his sword long enough to know how to sharpen it? If I were you, I’d keep my mouth shut on things that didn’t concern me. Ignorance is unbecoming of a knight, boy.”
Will’s hand shifted to his dagger automatically, not sure what to do but, to his relief, Richard clapped his hands, breaking the tension. “If you’d both resume your seats, I think we’d all appreciate it. Serena, your lecture on keeping lives would make more sense if you aren’t threatening to kill people who just disagree. Haru; you’re a knight of Alamore. Act it.”
Both threw themselves into their seats with sidelong looks of purest loathing at one another.
“We can’t let him just be killed.”
Will started. He had almost forgotten that Niet was in the room at all, seated quietly in the shadows, watching with his arms folded.
“Don’t speak of things above your status, squire,” Serena snapped.
“Haru’s right,” Niet said, his voice still quiet, smooth and even, the musical accent slipping between the words. “You’re so ready to throw his life to Thornten because of the past.”
“Some men don’t deserve saving,” Serena snapped. “And even if he did, even if he wasn’t the filth and traitor that he is, it would still be stupid.”
“But you would try if it was someone else! If it had been me or Kalia or Eldin, you would have tried!” Niet’s voice was raising, color flushing his cheeks.
The room fell silent, eyes flitting from Serena to Niet, waiting.
“Leave this chamber,” Serena snarled at last. “This isn’t a place for any squire, so you should all leave.”
“I’d thank you to keep your orders to your own squire,” Rockwood broke his silence. “Rowan, stay in your seat. This concerns you as much as the knights.”
“Same with you, Colin,” Ross growled, glowering at Serena.
“And the Ranger is your uncle,” Haru muttered to Will, the words so quiet that even he barely caught them. “So, if you would like to stay, I ask that you do.”
Will nodded, not sure he could trust himself to speak.
Serena looked to the King who raised his eyebrows then she snorted in disgust and turned to Niet again. “You’re still my squire. Get out.”
He stood, face twisted with fury, and stalked from the room. He slammed the door hard enough that the frame trembled, the iron ring handle crashing against the wood again.
“Then we should make our plan of who will ride,” Ross said, as though nothing had happened. “Laster has already volunteered, as have Robin and Haru. I will go as well. Rockwood and Miller, I would be happy to have you along as well if you choose.”
“Of course,” Rockwood said, and Miller nodded firmly.
Serena scoffed, shaking her head. “On your own heads be it then, fools.”
“Bold of you to call us fools when it was your squire who caused us to be here in the first place, darling,” Laster purred.
Serena gripped her sword, half rising, and Laster opened his arms–halfway between a challenge and some mocking embrace. Will tensed, sure that someone was going to get killed before the meeting was out, before they could save the Ranger.
The King stood first, however, his dark eyes warning both knights to resume their seats. Something in the way he stood before them was ominous and an icy tension ran up Will’s spine. He wasn’t the only one who felt it, he was sure, as Rowan, on his other side, gave a slight shiver.
“We can’t risk it,” the King’s voice shattered the still that had fallen over the roof. Will’s mouth fell slightly open, a buzzing filling his head, as he stared at the King and saw the grief in the dark eyes.
“The Ranger knew the risks, he knew what it might mean to turn spy for us, to be my Ranger. To send knights to save him means risking more lives than just one, and I would never dream of sending Will, even as bait. The Ranger would not want it either. No. I’m afraid…” He swallowed hard, closing his eyes, and years lined his face in the time it took to inhale an uneven breath. “we must leave things as they lie.”
“But King,” Ross started, standing and stepping toward him, brows furrowing.
The King opened his eyes, staring at Ross sternly. “Do you have a suggestion that doesn’t risk the lives of others? Because if you do, I beg for you to speak it. But I can’t let you and the other knights tear into Thornten by force and try to release him. If you have an idea though…”
Ross closed his mouth, his face closing again, and the King nodded solemnly. The room had gone still. Even Sir Laster seemed speechless at the King’s decision, his lips pressed thin, posture rigid. Only Lady Serena nodded her agreement, her eyes blazing. Will’s loathing of her twisted: a knife slicing through his chest, white hot and poisoned.
“Very well.” The King ran his hand through his dark hair, looking haggard and tired. “This council is adjourned.”
Will didn’t move, frozen to his seat as knights stood to file from the room. His ears were ringing, horror rising inside him. This couldn’t be real. This was a bad dream. They were not just leaving the Ranger of Kings to be killed in Thornten. Where was the rescue he was so used to, a knight, any knight, to stand for the Ranger?
“Will?” a great distance away, he could hear Rowan’s voice, feel his hand shaking his shoulder. “Will, we have to leave. Come on.”
Will broke his eyes from the wall he hadn’t realized he was staring at and blinked up at Rowan’s face. Breathing felt strange, rattling air through his lungs, through his body. Next to Rowan, Colin looked how he felt; pale and dazed. “We aren’t going to save him?” Will heard the question but wasn’t aware of asking it.
Rowan swallowed hard and nodded, pulling his arm. “We can’t.”
In a dreamlike state, Will stood and followed Rowan and Colin back across the squires’ chamber where curious faces turned up to them, not knowing that their King had condemned the Ranger to die, ignorant of what had been decided. He didn’t know where Rowan was taking him and didn’t know that it mattered. If anything mattered.
“I can’t believe it,” Colin said at last, breaking their silence when Rowan pushed open the doors of the castle, leading them into the courtyard. The sun was sinking, painting the sky with the blood of the dying day. “I can’t believe this happened.”
Will shook his head, fighting the buzzing in his mind. “It can’t be happening.”
“It is though,” Rowan muttered. “I mean, you heard the King. If we go charging to his rescue, we’re risking too many people.”
“But look how many times the Ranger risked his life for us,” Will snapped, turning on Rowan, anger fighting to break the fog in his mind. “And we’re just going to let him die? Just like that? We’re not even going to try to save him?”
“How are we supposed to take on an army of men expecting us?” Rowan retorted. “Do you honestly think you’re the only one who doesn’t want the Ranger killed? Don’t be such a selfish prat!”
Will’s hands balled into fist and a mad urge to punch Rowan right in the face rose inside him. It would release some of the tension in him, the grief, the fury.
“Stop it, both of you!” Colin stepped between them, eyes flashing. “This isn’t helping anything.”
“That’s the point! I can’t help anything! I can’t help the Ranger!” Will threw his hands in the air. “I can’t help him and it’s my fault they took him! My fault that he had to come for us, that the soldiers are dead! It’s my fault he’s going to die!” His voice broke on the last words.
Rowan and Colin stared at him and he hated the pity i
n their faces. At last, Rowan shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Don’t be thick, you moron,” he said, his voice gentle. “I mean, you honestly think they weren’t wanting the Ranger nearly as much as you? He’s been a right pain in Tollien’s left buttock for about all our lives. Plus, I was there too, and Eldin, and Niet for that matter. It’s all our faults.”
“But they would have released him if I’d just given myself up.” Will strode to one of the water tanks at the edge of the courtyard, sinking onto the edge in sudden exhaustion.
“I doubt that’s what they wanted at all,” Colin said, shaking his head and joining Will on the edge of the tank. “I think this is what they wanted–to play some mind game to make you think you were the reason for this when it’s them. It’s always been them.”
“The Ranger wouldn’t want you to beat yourself up anyway,” Rowan said, shrugging. “He’d want you to train so you could beat them up instead. Come to think of it, I want that too at this point. Wish I could punch that Prince right now.”
Will snorted an unbidden laugh and, to his horror, felt a knot constrict his throat. Quickly, he looked down at his hands on his lap, blinking back the burning feeling of tears in his eyes.
“I hate to admit it, but Rowan’s got a point.” Colin patted Will on the back. “We’ll just keep training harder, figure out a way to get our revenge.”
“Yeah, we’ll get our revenge on the whole lot of those prats,” said Rowan, laughing darkly.
Will nodded, not trusting his voice. After a long moment, Colin broke the still with a hollow laugh. Will and Rowan turned to him, bewildered.
“Alright, Will.” Colin ran a hand through his hair with a resigned grin. “You might as well tell us your stupid idea this time.”
“What stupid idea?” Will asked, somewhat defensively.
“To save the Ranger,” Colin said.
Will stared between them. “What? I hadn’t come up with anything! The knights will suspect I’m up to something, honestly, and look what happened last time. Plus you heard the King–there’s going to be knights guarding the wall. We’d never get out of here.”
“And has that ever stopped us before?” Rowan said, winking. “This time, I’m going to make sure this goes off without a hitch.”
“Alamore, I hope you’re not thinking you’re in charge,” Colin snapped. “We’d be better off without a plan.”
“Which we are at now.” Will shook his head. “Look what happened when I tried to help! The Ranger is going to die because of me. What if this ends up with one of you captured or dead? What if it’s Ross, or Haru, or Rockwood, or Laster…”
“Well, that last one wouldn’t be much of a loss,” Rowan interjected. When Will didn’t laugh, he rolled his eyes. “Lighten up. We’ll think of something.”
“You’re not seeing how serious this is,” Will pressed on. “And the only thing I’ve come up with is turning myself over and you two are right, that won’t work. They’d never keep their word. Plus, I don’t see how the blazes we are going to get out of Alamore. Haru’s going to be watching me like a hawk.”
“Right,” Colin said, his jaw set in a determined way. “Then that’s where we need to start, finding our way out of Alamore.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
No ideas came to them even after hours of plotting. Rowan threw out several schemes, each crazier than the last, and Colin insisted on reading through a stack of old volumes that might assist them in planning an escape, but they found nothing. Will’s head was throbbing and each time he rested his forehead in his palms he had a terrible vision–the Ranger lying on the ground in a pool of growing blood.
“This is stupid,” Rowan announced as the sunlight faded to red, snapping the book he had been reading shut.
Will lifted his head to blink blurred eyes at his two friends and take in their surroundings. They had taken shelter at the very back of the Hall of Records, as far from the doors and prying eyes as they could get. Not that anyone was searching for them. The castle was eerily silent, and Will felt sure it was the news of what had happened, of the Ranger’s capture, Kelkor’s collapse, that brought the deadly still.
“There has to be something in here,” Colin said, setting aside his own book and glowering at the shelves. “People have escaped before!”
“I mean, Will and Niet showed it can be done, but I don’t think the answer is in a book,” Rowan complained. “It would take more than that to get us out and, Will’s right. Haru is going to be watching him.”
“He’s right,” Colin moaned, running his hands through his hair. “I don’t see us getting over that wall or through the gates.”
Will smacked himself in the forehead, causing his two friends to jump in surprise.
“What the blazes did you do that for?” Rowan demanded.
“I’ve been an idiot!” Will hissed. He glanced over his shoulder before leaning across the table, eyes gleaming with mischief. “We can’t get through the gates or over the walls, I agree with that.”
“Yeah, Colin just said that,” Rowan complained. Will and Colin both made hushing motions at their friend. Will’s heart was picking up speed, excitement running through his veins.
“So, what are you saying?” Colin asked, furrowing his brow.
“What about under the walls?” Will watched the comprehension wash over Colin’s face, a grin starting to turn the corners of his mouth. “What if we got out of the castle that way?”
“You know,” Colin said, nodding, his grin broadening, “that could work. We could get you out from the tunnels and meet you with the horses on the other side. We already know that the tunnels lead out of the castle.
“Hold up a minute!” Rowan held up his hands, looking between them with an indignant expression. “Don’t tell me I’m about to have to be the voice of reason? Because that means we’ve crossed the line of insanity.”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense!” Will pressed.
“Only thing that makes sense? It doesn’t make any damn sense at all!” Rowan snarled. “Those tunnels were locked for a reason, Will! They’re dangerous! Up until this winter, there were murderous traitors living in them and, for all we know, there might be still! We almost died the last time we went in that tunnel, or have you forgotten?”
“Of course I haven’t,” Will snapped. “If I remember right, that last time was your idea and all because you were bored. This is different, we’re not doing this because we’re bored, we’re doing it to save the Ranger.”
“Oh yes.” Rowan rolled his eyes. “The tunnel people would totally be on board with that. It’s all about the honor of the quest, naturally. If they know you’re going to go save your uncle, of course they won’t want to kill you.”
“The tunnel people are probably well away in Thornten now,” Will argued. “The tunnels are just sitting there, empty. If we can get through the gate in the tunnel that’s in the King’s Crypt…”
“Which we can’t,” Rowan insisted.
“We can.” Will grinned wolfishly. “The blacksmith who built the gates? He’s the same one who made Airagon’s sword.”
“So, what? Because Airagon got a sword we’re all suddenly going to be best friends?” Rowan rolled his eyes.
“No.” Will felt his smile stretch across his face, the rush of hope and excitement making his hands shake as he rested them on the table. “But his apprentice and I are friends from when I was in the city.”
Colin clapped his hands together with a laugh, the sound so strange and loud in the silence of the castle that it made even him start with surprise. Red faced and sheepish, he grimaced apologetically. “Sorry, but that’s just too good. You reckon we can get a key for the gate from him then? Or a copy?”
“I think we could.” Will nodded.
“No,” Rowan said flatly. “You can’t. You can’t even get out of the damn castle, that’s why we are considering this madness in the first place.”
“You’re right.” Will’s heart sank, and he
leaned his elbows on the table again, the excitement ebbing as quickly as it had come. “Alright…I’ll try to think of something else.”
Silence settled over them again, somehow stranger and heavier than it had been before. After a long and excoriating moment Rowan sighed dramatically, pushing himself to his feet. “Fine, since you two are all set on this madness, I might as well get on board. Let’s get into the tunnels.”
“We can’t get to the city,” Will said, raising his brows. “You just pointed that out.”
“We can’t,” Rowan agreed. “But when the blazes has any soldier told a Princess no before?”
***
Will scrawled the note before they left the Hall of Records. It was Rowan who led the way, a jaunty spring in his step, humming and swinging his arms, all the way through the castle and the twisting maze of corridors. The halls of the castle seemed to be holding their breath and their footfalls echoed strangely as they twisted through a network of corridors that Rowan claimed were a shortcut. Whether or not they were, Will wasn’t sure. Time was acting most strangely–somewhere between frozen in a moment and flying through the seconds.
Eventually they were stepping into the guest wing and Rowan was leading them toward the banners that marked the Kelkorian visitors. Will’s eyes flitted to Serena’s door and he tensed. What if she came out? Or what if she was in Kalia’s room? Which even was Kalia’s room?
They weren’t left wondering long as one of the doors was pushed open and Niet stepped out, red faced and still looking murderous. He paused, taking in their appearances. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for Kalia,” Rowan said, somewhat boldly.
“Well, she’s not here.” Niet pulled his door shut behind him. “She’s in the healing chamber, visiting with Eldin. I was going there myself.” He forced a stiff smile. “I just needed a chance to calm down first.”
The Cutthroat Prince (William of Alamore Series Book 2) Page 32