“The fact that you’re all standing here today tells me everything I need to know about the sort of men you are.” She was standing in front of her horse, flanked on either side by her guard detail. “You’re Anthenian men: strong, loyal, courageous. An attack on you is an attack on all of us. Rest assured that the perpetrators of these latest attacks will be found and they will face our justice. Also, know that we are taking extra steps to make sure that you are adequately protected. For now, I’d like you to do me the honor of taking me on a tour and if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me know.” She smiled, expecting them to return the gesture; they didn’t.
“The name’s Niall, and yeah, I’ve got one.” The old man with the club stepped forward. “Where’s your brother? Our friends died. Men were taken. And he can’t even bother to show his face? We’re breaking our backs for him. We pull his ore out of these gods-forsaken tunnels.”
For a moment she was tempted to throw her fist up in agreement and lead a march on the castle. But she strangled her desire. Unlike Byron, her actions were dictated by her duty…by the Tenets.
“While I understand your frustration, your words do not reflect your duty to Anthena.” Her voice was firm, but not without empathy. “The ore you pull from these tunnels belongs to all of us. It is traded for the food that goes in your bellies and the materials that line your beds. Make no mistake, your role in this kingdom is invaluable. Why do you think the Eval attack the mine? They know it’s our lifeblood. And if my brother’s absence here today has in any way made you feel devalued or diminished, then you have my sincerest apologies. But rest assured, he is not absent without reason. Your King ventured beyond the wall this morning on a very important mission, one that could turn the tide in the fight against the Eval. He told me to give you his love and said that he will be visiting with each of you when the first opportunity presents itself.” The words tasted bitter; another lie on behalf of Byron, one told with the best interest of Anthena in mind.
The men seemed to accept her explanation, looking briefly to one another and granting shallow nods of approval.
“Alright then, my lady, follow me this way.” Niall waved her forward.
Two of her guards went ahead, putting a barrier between her and the crowd. There were torches on either side of the jagged entrance to the mine tunnel, pushing back the darkness.
Hoof-beats caused her to turn.
It was Emily, riding at full gallop. She leaped from the saddle and handed the reins off to one of the guards.
“I’m so sorry, my lady. I have no excuse.” Emily stood before her, head bowed, hands folded beneath her chin. “Please, forgive me. It’ll never happen again.”
“Have fun with Coen?” She raised a single eyebrow, a smile yanking hard at the corners of her mouth.
“My lady!” Emily hissed. “Don’t be cruel!” She looked around to see if anyone had heard, only to find a group of expressionless soldiers and miners waiting impatiently for them by the mouth of the tunnel.
“Are those claw marks on your neck?”
“No!” Emily’s hands came up, feeling frantically around her neckline. When she noticed Roserine shaking with laughter she let her hands drop back to her sides. “Are you done having your fun at my expense?”
“It’s what you get for being late.” Roserine offered Emily her arm, a playful smile still dancing on her lips. “Will you join me? I think we’ve kept these gentlemen waiting long enough.”
“You’re fortunate that I take my oath to you seriously.” Emily hooked her arm and they entered the mine.
“Was it behind the smithy?”
“Lighthouse, actually.”
“Never took Coen for such a romantic.”
Their voices began to echo.
“He is many things…”
“Go on.”
“Not here, my lady!”
Roserine sighed. “Fine, you old prude. But later: me, you, and a bottle of wine.”
“Deal.”
Niall led Roserine and Emily through tunnel after tunnel. The spaces were cramped and drawing a full breath became increasingly difficult. Roserine was sweating more than she had in some time. She did her best to hide her exhaustion, discreetly wiping her brow.
“My lady, just let me know if you need to stop and catch your breath,” Niall said more than once, his breathing pattern infuriatingly even.
“I’m fine,” Roserine sputtered back, waving him on.
They went up and down ladders, surveyed damaged equipment, and somberly observed the dried bloodstains created by the recent attacks as Niall told stories of heroism and terror. Eventually, they came to a sealed tunnel. It’d been shored up shortly after the wall was built. The other end came out far north of the wall; a small hole, big enough for one person, situated at the bottom of a grassy knoll. If the Eval ever became aware of it they’d be able to breach Anthena undetected.
“Still holding fast, I see,” Roserine said, laying her hand atop a stone taller than she was.
“That it is,” Niall confirmed.
She turned to Niall and smiled. “Despite what you’ve endured, the operations here look better than I ever imagined they would; I’m grateful to all of you for pushing ahead through these dark times. I’d like to see our production pick back up, we’ve got a lot of outstanding contracts, and I’d be lying if I said we weren’t hurting. What do you need from me to make that happen?”
Niall chewed his thin bottom lip and looked around at the rest of his work crew; they were all considerably younger than him. They remained silent, trusting him to answer on their behalf. “Find me a few more boys that can work as hard as this lot, replace the equipment we lost, and we’ll get you your ore.”
Roserine agreed to meet his requests and sealed it with a handshake.
***
It was a good day for riding. The sun was high and the skies were clear. An ocean breeze blew in from the east as he steered his horse through knee-high grass and beneath the shade of drooping willow trees that ran their tendril-like branches through his hair. Yet, he hardly noticed the beauty surrounding him. His mind was on one thing.
Aurora.
He wanted to spur his horse into a high-speed gallop and get to her arms as quickly as possible. But he had to be careful. He had to move steadily. The Eval were a constant threat beyond the wall, Roserine was right about that. So he kept his eyes up. Kept his head on a swivel. But despite his caution, he did not glimpse the men in the distance, the men that had been following him with a growing curiosity since he’d departed Anthena: Eirik and a soldier named Tritt.
The landscape turned from flat fields into gently rolling hills. Far to the northwest, he could see the faded outlines of much larger, sharper hills rising above the horizon. It was thought by many that the Eval operated from that region; it was likely they’d carved a network of caves and tunnels. Going near there was a dangerous endeavor. But Aurora could help lead them safely into the territory. She would fly flags of peace. They would see her—one of their own—and they would be willing to talk. She would help him achieve what his father could not.
It was within reach. He needed her at his side.
Byron crested a final hill and the land below flattened out and turned into a lush meadow of tall grass. Aurora stood in that meadow, facing away from him. She was statuesque; long and lean, still and confident, wearing a loose linen shirt; the bow and arrows on her back were held in place by a leather strap fastened diagonally across her chest. He started down toward her, maneuvering his horse with care across the uneven terrain; better riders than he had lost their steeds to broken legs. Aurora turned as he dismounted, the breeze catching her long, black hair and wrapping it about her neck like a scarf. A smile big enough to light the darkest night spread across her face as she ran into his arms. He picked her up and swung her around twice as he kissed her.
“I’ve missed you desperately,” she said as she brushed his hair back behind his ears.
“And I you.”
“I wasn’t expecting you today, Byron.”
He held her hands to his chest. “Aurora, I need to know if you trust me.”
“What is this about?”
“It’s about us. It’s about love. And right now, more than anything, it’s about trust.”
“Of course I trust you, Byron. But you’re worrying me.”
He nodded, relieved. “It’s time for us to do what we’ve talked about.”
She shook her head, confused.
“Our plan to be together, you remember?”
“That’s your plan. Not mine.” She pulled away. “You know, it’s so easy for you. You’re not the one they’re going to kill. You have nothing to lose.”
“You know nothing of Anthena. Of the Tenets. You’re not the only one at risk. My title would not save me from a charge of treason; at best they’d exile me.”
“Then what is there to discuss? They’ll exile you. They’ll execute me. What sort of plan is that? I told you, you’re a foolish idealist. Dangerous to yourself and to me. I don’t think we should do this anymore.”
He forged ahead, ignoring the unthinkable notion of ending their forbidden affair. “They’ll listen to me. They’ll see what an asset you can be to our fight against the Eval, the intelligence you can give us. I’ll explain everything, how you’ve turned your back on them. You’ll sit beside me on the throne, I swear it.”
She laughed and shook her head. “Who do you think I am? Just because I’ve turned my back to the Eval doesn’t mean I’ve turned my face toward Anthena. I love you, Byron…so much. But I want nothing to do with your war. I left to get away from the war and the bloodshed, not to embrace a different side of it.”
“I can’t say that’s what I was hoping to hear.”
“As I said before, there are some pages of our destiny for which we hold no pen. I’m afraid this is where our stories diverge.” She turned her back to him and lowered her head. “Just go.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his hands on her stomach. “No, it’s where our story begins. If you won’t sit beside me, then I don’t want the throne.”
“Your head is clouded by—”
“No, I’m not clouded.” He circled around in front of her, clutching her shoulders with urgency, bent slightly at the waist, his forehead pressed to hers. “I’ve never been clearer. I’d give up a thousand kingdoms for you. The throne will crumble before I’ll ever sit on it without you by my side.”
“But your people, they need you.”
“My heart is not with my people. My heart is with you. Others can lead. There are plenty that are qualified to take the throne in my stead. I’ve made my choice, Aurora. I choose you.”
Her chin began to tremble and tears began to slide down her cheeks. He moved to comfort her, but she shook her head and took a step back.
“My parents are old. Broken. They are haunted by the things they saw, the things they did. Most days, they say nothing; we pass each other like ships in the night. I’ve been alone for so long, Byron. I’ve learned to accept that it’s the way I’ll live out the rest of my days. I’m able to survive and be okay because I’ve learned to accept that. But if I do this…if we do this…and you leave me or something happens to you—”
“Nothing will happen to me.” He held her face, wiping her tears with his thumbs. “You’ll never be alone again.”
Both of them startled at the sound of hoof beats. Byron turned and, for a moment, thought he was hallucinating. It was only when Aurora said something that he realized his eyes weren’t deceiving him.
“You treacherous snake! You’ve deceived me!” Aurora shoved him, drew her bow, cocked an arrow, and aimed at the two armed riders atop the hill.
“No!” Byron extended an arm as if his bare hand could somehow stop an arrow. “I didn’t bring them.” Byron turned his attention to the men on the hill, he now recognized them as Eirik and a soldier named Tritt. “What is the meaning of this?”
“I could ask you the same, my King.” Eirik descended his horse, gloved hand on the hilt of his sword, seemingly unperturbed by the arrow aimed at his chest.
“I am your King! You do not get to ask me questions!”
“I swore my oath to Anthena, my King. You swore one as well. It would appear to me that you are betraying it and colluding with our enemy. Tritt, what’s the penalty for treason?”
“Last I heard, it was death.”
“And what’s the penalty for being an Eval?”
“We kill ‘em on sight, sir.”
“Kill them on sight is correct. What did our King appear to be doing?”
“Looked to me like he was kissing on her.”
“So my eyes were not deceiving me?”
“No, Commander, they were not.”
Byron was in front of Aurora, standing slightly off to her right; her arms were beginning to shake from the tension on the bowstring. Tritt slid to the ground and took his place beside Eirik. Byron thought of grabbing Aurora and trying to flee by horse. But flee where? Eirik and Tritt would just follow and with two horses at their disposal, they’d easily ride them down. And even if they got away Eirik would just return with an army. They’d never be safe. This had to be handled here.
“Do not loose that arrow, I will handle this,” Byron spoke with a clenched jaw from one corner of his mouth. His heart was racing in his chest. Everything was slipping away. “Listen to me, both of you. This Eval, this woman, is to be my Queen.” Mocking laughter rolled down from the hilltop, but Byron ignored it and continued. “She has knowledge that can help us. She will lead us right to their front door; give us the edge we’ve been lacking in this fight.”
“Oh yeah? Ask her where our boys are,” Eirik said.
Byron looked back at Aurora; she was focused on keeping her arrow pointed at Eirik’s chest. “She hasn’t seen her people—”
“They are not my people!” Aurora growled.
“Now isn’t the time, Aurora!” Byron shot back. “She hasn’t seen her people…for many years.”
“Ah. I see. That is convenient, my King.” Eirik drew his blade; the sunlight caught every inch of the sharp steel as it slid from its sheath. “You know what I think?”
“It doesn’t matter what you think! What matters is what I say! As your King, I command you to sheath your sword!” Byron drew his blade and held it above his head with both hands.
“I think you’ve betrayed Anthena. You’ve been sneaking out to meet this Eval whore for a long time. If she had such valuable intelligence, why not bring her in when you first set eyes on her? You could have saved lives. Saved our boys from being taken. But you didn’t. I think you’re a lying dog. I think you’re the one that’s been doing the talking, spilling your secrets right into that warm, wet spot between her thighs.” Eirik started down the hill with Tritt behind him. “Take the girl alive, we need to find out what she knows.”
“Don’t you move any further, Eirik! I command you!”
“You’re done giving commands, little King.”
Chaos took control. Eirik and Tritt charged down the hill. Aurora’s arrow danced between the two aggressors, trying to decide on a target. Before Byron could stop her, she set her arrow free. It soared by, inches from Byron’s cheek. There was a cry of pain as Tritt spun around, the arrow protruding from his shoulder; he fell down the rest of the hill, toppling end-over-end. Byron moved in to strike a killing blow on Tritt, but Eirik dropped into a slide and quickly finished his descent, intercepting him with an overhead block. Eirik was stronger and was able to push Byron back before ramming him in the ribs with his knee.
“Aurora, run!” Byron coughed.
She wasn’t listening. She was notching another arrow. Tritt was on his feet and moving toward her, bloodied and furious. She fired at him. It went wide, her aim shaken by the sight of the murderous Anthenian. She took a defensive stance, holding her bow out as if it were a shield. Tritt slapped it away with his
sword and hit her square in the chest with his shoulder, lifting her up and carrying her backward before slamming her to the ground.
“No!” Byron wanted to run to her side. Wanted to cut Tritt’s head from his shoulders. But he didn’t dare present his back to Eirik. “Call your man off!”
“You’re free to rough her up, just make sure she can still talk.” Eirik smiled cruelly at Byron as he gave the order.
“I’m going to kill you.” Byron’s voice shook as he listened to Aurora cry out from the pain of Tritt’s fists pummeling her face.
“No, you’re not, little King. We both know it. It’s why you’re shaking. It’s why your eyes are filled with tears and your cheeks burn red. It’s why you stand frozen before me as your beloved cries out for your help. You’re powerless.”
Aurora’s sobbing broke him. He didn’t plan his attack. Didn’t think of the consequences. He simply moved to kill. His attacks were impotent. He swung left and then right as Eirik moved back, deflecting each blow with ease.
“You could not defeat your sister, yet you dare to swing a sword at me with intent? You’re pathetic. Weak. It was only my oath to your father that stopped me from driving you into the dust during our sparring sessions. You know what he told me? He told me to go easy on you because you take after your mother. Don’t you see? You’re a disappointment. Always have been. At least now Anthena will be spared your rule.”
Byron pushed off his back foot and drove the tip of the blade at Eirik’s heart. Eirik sidestepped it and swung low, cutting Byron across the belly; it wasn’t a fatal wound, but it sent fire through his body and caused him to wince and stumble, leaving him vulnerable to further assault. Eirik swept his feet from beneath him with a single kick and planted him on his back before kicking the sword from his grasp, sending it twirling off into the tall grass.
Blood & Stone: The Saboteur Chronicles Book 3 Page 8
