Until Idina was officially married to Owen, she was Ackley’s responsibility. And even then, Ackley doubted he’d just walk away and leave her alone. The need to protect her was second nature. Even though Idina was intelligent and headstrong, she was still a woman and his sister.
Gytha stood. “You’re supposed to prepare to board a boat for shore.”
He had no idea what that entailed. Since he’d been lying half-dead on the deck for most of the journey, he’d learned nothing about the ship or sailing. He hadn’t even learned anything about those here with him. Before they’d boarded, Owen had mixed the Melenia and Marsden soldiers in order for them to get to know one another better since they’d be fighting side by side.
As Gytha went to the other end of the ship, joining Idina, Ackley wondered how Owen was holding up. Owen was close to Ackley’s age and far too young to be shouldering the responsibilities of a kingdom. Ackley knew what it was like to have a parent and sibling murdered. Thankfully Ackley’s mother, his sister Idina, and his brother Gordon were still alive. Owen had no one. The letter he received stated that the royal family had been slaughtered by Russek. It didn’t offer any other details. Ackley didn’t think Owen would want them anyway.
Ackley didn’t know much about Russek, other than it bordered Melenia. King Dexter of Marsden had sent seven hundred soldiers with Owen to help reclaim the kingdom. Once Owen was established as the king and wed to Idina, Ackley would return home with the Marsden soldiers.
Not that there was much to return home to. He supposed he should go back and take over the Knights of the Realm. However, he’d left it in capable hands while he was gone. Some time away would do him good.
Owen approached. “Scouts report no one in sight.” His right hand gripped the hilt of his sword and he took a deep breath. “We’re going on shore. We’ll stay in the valley until everyone has regained their land legs.”
“Land legs?” Ackley really should have asked questions about traveling via a ship across the ocean before he boarded. It would have saved him these past two weeks of torture.
“It’ll take a day or two to adjust to land. I don’t want everyone marching toward the castle until we’re ready. If we’re attacked, or cross paths with Russek, we need to be able to defend ourselves.”
Ackley nodded. He had no idea what the plan was since he’d been barfing his guts up instead of attending any of the meetings. “We’re heading straight to the castle?” Shouldn’t they figure out where Russek’s main troops were located? Then ambush them until they could easily retake the castle?
“Eventually.” Owen glanced about before squatting eye level with Ackley. “As soon as you’re able, I need you to go on a mission for me.”
For the first time in two weeks, Ackley became intrigued. “I’m listening.”
“There’s a coastal city to the south, only a couple days’ journey away. I need for you to go there and find out if it’s been taken. And then I need you to locate my cousin.”
Ackley raised his eyebrows, trying to understand why Owen would want to seek his cousin out when he needed to focus on regaining the throne.
Owen lowered his voice. “The correspondence I received informing me of my family’s demise came from this city and was written by my cousin.”
“And?”
“My cousin should be dead.” Owen pursed his lips. “She would have been at my sister’s birthday party when the takeover happened. Which means she managed to escape. She may be the only living relative I have.”
“Are you afraid she’ll challenge you for the throne?” There was something Owen wasn’t telling him.
“No.” He scratched his forehead. “It’s complicated.”
“If I’m going to find your cousin, I need to know.” He wasn’t going to walk into the situation blindly.
“This city, Kreng, it’s not part of Melenia. Meaning, we were never able to gain control of it. We reached a treaty with the people there and allow them to function independently of the crown. They have their own army. My family isn’t allowed to step foot in the city.”
“Then why would your cousin go there?”
“An excellent question. It is, however, the only city that could have dispatched a letter to me.”
Ackley considered what Owen had said. “Do you trust your cousin?”
“I do.”
“Do you think she is in Kreng of her own free will?” Or had someone kidnapped her, dragging her there in order to lure Owen to Kreng so he could be murdered?
“I certainly hope so. I also pray she has remained a free citizen.”
“Are you afraid that those ruling Kreng may have taken her hostage?” Ackley asked, getting to what he suspected was the heart of the matter.
Owen stood. “While we’ve gotten along peacefully for decades, they may be holding her captive to use as a bargaining chip with Russek. It’s what I would do to keep an enemy off my land.”
Knowing that this mission would require someone of Ackley’s skillset and that this cousin could be Owen’s sole remaining family member, he had little choice. “I’ll find her for you.” It was the least he could do for Owen. Especially since Owen had helped Ackley recover Idina when she’d been kidnapped.
The lines around Owen’s eyes relaxed. “Disembarking will begin shortly.”
That was the best thing Ackley had heard in a long time. The sooner he got off this blasted ship, the better.
Ackley cursed. As he stood on the shore, he could swear the ground moved up and down, just as the ocean did.
Gytha patted his back. “They say it only lasts a day or two.”
He knew it would take a couple of days to feel normal. What he didn’t expect was to not have a reprieve—no matter how small that might be.
She jerked her head to the north. “Let’s go.”
Reluctantly, Ackley followed her, hoping he didn’t topple over like a drunk fool. The half circle cove was carved into a mountainside. The narrow beach wasn’t large enough for the hundreds of men still making their way to shore. Where the ones who’d already disembarked went, he didn’t know. At the northern end, there appeared to be a cave cut into the rocks. Gytha headed straight for it, entering the darkness without hesitation. Ackley followed, but his vision struggled to adjust to the solid black around him after spending so many days in the bright sunlight. After a hundred feet, the tunnel opened to a large grassy area surrounded by steep mountains.
“We’re setting up camp here.” Gytha motioned to the soldiers already busy erecting tents.
Ackley squinted, scanning the mountaintops. “Isn’t this too exposed?”
“Owen insisted it’s safe.” She folded her arms. “This was all decided at our meetings.”
Of which he hadn’t attended. He pressed his palm against his forehead, willing his queasy stomach to settle into something more manageable. Maybe eating would help now that he had two legs firmly planted on the ground.
“Your tent is over there. I suggest you go and rest. You look like death. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to help Idina.” Gytha bowed, then left.
Ackley focused on the tent she’d pointed out. Maybe if he rested a bit, the ground would stop moving. Forcing one foot in front of the other, he went to his tent. Once inside, he stretched out on the bedroll and pinched his eyes shut. He hated relying on others to make sure the area was secure, the tents erected, and people had been put on watch. However, he was useless in his current state. And maybe, just maybe, a couple hours of rest would get him back to some semblance of normalcy.
He drifted in and out of sleep for the next several hours, knowing Gytha would get him if trouble arose. When the dim light of dawn cut through the entrance of his tent, he sat up. A bowl of some sort of soup had been placed just inside the tent flap. Needing to regain his strength, he made himself eat the cold soup. It wasn’t that bad. For the first time in two weeks, his stomach didn’t cramp with the need to expel its contents. He stood and stretched. And then he gagged. Not from the fo
od or the feeling of going up and down, but from the awful stench radiating from his body and clothes. He needed a bath. Desperately. How had he not noticed how awful he smelled until now? His belongings were stashed in one of the corners. After he bathed, he’d change.
Exiting the tent, he scanned the area. Hundreds of tents were set up in the grassy valley. Next to his were two larger ones; most likely Owen’s and Idina’s. Gytha was probably stationed inside with his sister.
Movement caught his attention. To the north, three soldiers began climbing the steep mountain. It appeared steps had been carved into the rocky side. Wanting to find out where they were going and what lay beyond the surrounding mountains, Ackley ran over, climbing the steps after them. In order to curb the sensation that the steps were moving like water, he kept one hand on the rocky wall next to him. He wasn’t used to having any sort of a physical limitation that kept him from doing what needed to be done. At least the perception of swaying had lessened significantly from yesterday. Hopefully by tomorrow, the world around him would remain steady.
At the top, the three soldiers spread out, relieving the others to take up watch. Ackley joined them and scanned the surrounding area. While he’d initially had concerns with Owen choosing to set up camp in a valley surrounded by mountains, he now understood his worry had been for nothing. The other side of the steep mountain was rugged and impossible to traverse. One of the soldiers explained that the only way in or out of this secluded valley was through a tunnel. And if anyone tried to go that way, the narrow entrance would serve as a bottleneck, prohibiting large groups from getting in. An additional half dozen soldiers were on duty there.
Not seeing a single city or dwelling in sight, Ackley thanked the soldiers and headed back down the steep steps. At the bottom, he inquired about a place to bathe and was directed to the cove where they’d come on shore yesterday. Apparently, there was a freshwater area to clean up in. After a thorough bath, exhaustion consumed him. He made his way back to his tent and climbed inside. Tomorrow, everything would stop swaying and he’d feel better. Tomorrow, he’d be back to normal. Himself. Tomorrow…
Ackley woke up. The fabric of his tent remained in one place, unmoving. He breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in weeks, the world around him didn’t sway. After dressing, he exited the tent and headed for the larger one with the flag atop it, assuming he would find Owen in there.
A soldier standing guard granted him entrance. Ackley stepped inside and spotted the new king hunched over a table covered with maps.
When Ackley approached, Owen glanced up. “Nice to see you up and about instead of sprawled out half-dead somewhere.”
“It was all an act so I didn’t have to work on the ship,” Ackley said with a sly smile.
Owen folded his arms, considering him. “You’re a prince. I sincerely doubt I could make you do anything you didn’t want to do.”
Ackley laughed. “True.” He came around the side of the table so he could see the map of Melenia better. “What’s the plan?”
“The army will remain here while I send out scouts. Once they inspect the nearby cities and report back to me, I’ll decide how to proceed.” He folded his hands behind his back, his blue eyes focused on the map. “Since most everyone will remain here, doing nothing, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to head south to Kreng. You leave as soon as you’re ready.”
Ackley noted the way Owen’s back arched, the line across his forehead, and that his right foot hadn’t stopped tapping. “You seem unusually tense.”
Owen nodded. “As the fourth child, I didn’t train in battle strategy, moving an army across a kingdom, or politics.” He closed his eyes. “I was never meant to have the throne.” He opened his eyes and glanced at Ackley.
Ackley shrugged. “My father never knew what to do with me either.” As the third born son, there had been no need for Ackley to learn those things. His father had wanted him to go into finance. Since he found the study of numbers so boring, he’d pretended he couldn’t add or subtract. Thankfully, his father had let him learn sword work instead. And then there was the matter of Anna stepping in and recruiting him as a knight.
“Don’t forget that my sister can help you,” Ackley said. “You don’t have to carry the burden alone.” Idina had an uncanny knack for spotting patterns and understanding people’s motivations. Ackley scanned the map, searching for Kreng. It was just south of their current location. It should only take him a day or two to reach it. “There are also several good, qualified men here who can give you counsel. Utilize them. Don’t try and do it all on your own.”
“It would be nice to have a commander.”
Ackley agreed. However, since Commander Beck had turned out to be a traitor, it was best the man was dead. “You should probably appoint a new one.”
“I know.” Owen rubbed his face. “There’s so much to do.”
“What do you want the scouts to discover?”
“I need to find out how ravaged the kingdom is. How many towns have been destroyed? Where are the Russek soldiers located?” He swallowed, anger clouding his eyes. “I swear I’ll kill King Drenton and his son, Prince Kerdan. I won’t rest until I’ve run my sword through both of them.”
Ackley nodded, wondering if either the king or prince were here leading their men, or if they remained safely holed up in Russek.
“Before I can focus on revenge, I need to know if my cousin is alive and well.”
“I’ll leave right away for Kreng. I’ll find her. I promise.”
“I’d like to request something of you.” Owen sat on the edge of the table.
“Something besides me going on a mission to rescue your cousin?” He smiled sardonically. Not that he minded doing this errand for Owen. In fact, he’d much prefer to go rescue a damsel in distress than sit around here for several days.
“Please be kind to her. I don’t know what she’s been through.”
“Of course I’ll be kind.” He wasn’t a monster.
“Maybe I didn’t say that right,” Owen muttered. “I want you to treat her as you would your own sister. Be friendly, nice, and accommodating. If that’s even possible.”
Ackley snorted. Instead of replying, he studied the map, contemplating how he would make his way to Kreng since he’d need to avoid major roads. “When I get to the city, I’ll need to be able to identify your cousin.”
Owen nodded, his shoulders rising and falling. “Her name is Harley. She’s eighteen years old. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes.”
Ackley gripped Owen’s shoulder in reassurance. “I’ll find her. I promise.” After all, this was what he’d been trained to do. If Harley was in Kreng, it was only a matter of time until he discovered her whereabouts.
“There’s one more thing you should know. The only way to reach Kreng is by water.”
“Water?” Ackley repeated, wanting to make sure he’d heard correctly.
Owen nodded. “The city is well protected.”
Ackley would swim there before he’d step foot in another boat. “Good to know. It shouldn’t take me more than a week to get there, locate her, and return here.” Hopefully Harley wasn’t dead. That would certainly complicate matters.
“My cousin could be in prison,” Owen reminded him. “It might take you longer than a week if that’s the case.”
Ackley’s lips curved into a smile. “You forget, I’m an expert locksmith. Prison or not, I’ll rescue your cousin.” He headed toward the exit.
“Will you be taking anyone with you? Gytha seems the most logical choice.”
“I want Gytha to remain here as Idina’s personal guard.” As a woman, she could be inside the tent at night with Idina.
Owen smiled. “I’ll make sure your sister is well protected. I’m entrusting you with my cousin, you can offer me the same courtesy with your sister. After all, she will be my wife shortly.”
Ackley had seen Owen wield a sword and knew he was well trained. Even though he might not know how t
o lead an army—or kingdom for that matter—he certainly knew how to fight and take care of himself. And the match between Owen and Idina wasn’t just political. Since the moment Owen met Idina, he’d been taken with her. Any time she snapped at him, he only fell deeper for her. Rationally, Ackley knew Owen would protect Idina. But they were in an unstable kingdom. And this was Ackley’s only sister they were talking about.
Instead of arguing or voicing his concerns, he simply nodded and headed back to his tent to gather supplies. He wouldn’t need much. Just some food and his weapons. Traveling alone would allow him to move faster. And once he reached Kreng, he would be able to discover the information he sought without a clumsy soldier tagging along. He’d gotten a good look at the map and knew the terrain and where he needed to go.
After shoving everything in his traveling bag, he exited his tent, coming face to face with Idina. “Is something the matter?”
She folded her arms and raised her eyebrows. “You’re not going anywhere alone. It’s too dangerous.”
Not in the mood to verbally spar with his sister, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Of course not. I don’t even know my way around this kingdom.” He shouldered his bag.
“Please be careful.”
He knew what she wasn’t saying. That they’d lost too much already—their father, their brother. “I will. But you have to promise me you won’t go anywhere without Gytha.”
Her eyes searched his. “Take Gytha with you.”
“I’ll take a Melenia soldier.” He couldn’t believe he was lying to his own sister, but he had to go alone. He needed to clear his head.
Gytha approached the two of them. “You look better.” She sounded mildly disappointed.
“Don’t let my sister out of your sight.”
“I won’t.” She jerked her chin toward him. “But before you leave, I want to see you throw that dagger in your boot. How about you hit the wood peg holding up the right side of the tent over there.” She pointed behind him.
What an insult—he could hit that blindfolded.
Sword of Rage: Reigning Kingdoms, Book 1 Page 5