"No," I said, shaking my head. "I should've been a better leader, and you shouldn't have felt the need to argue with Jorad like that."
"You should've seen my fights with Felix," she said dryly. "I suppose we both could've been better. I'm not sleeping lately and my temper isn't as controlled as it used to be."
"Bea," I said, laying my hand on her arm. "You don't have to kill yourself to keep us all fed. We can get others to help."
"I wouldn't be sleeping either way," she said, wiping her eyes. "I'm so worried about Kat and Felix. We haven't heard from them in weeks. They were hurting him in the dungeons, Brynna. How much of that is a man supposed to endure before he…"
"I know," I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Trust me, I know."
"I didn't mean to talk with you about this," she said with a watery smile. "You have enough on your plate without taking on my worries as well."
"After what you've done for us here, I always have room on my plate to listen to you." I took her hands. "Tell me everything."
It was a waterfall of fears, worries, anxieties, and even some details of their love life I wasn't sure Katarine would've appreciated Beata sharing. But there, beside the small creek in the forest, Beata poured her heart out to me, half-crying, half-laughing, and making my heart hurt for what she'd given up and for what she'd been holding back.
"I hadn't realized you two were so…serious," I said. "Or that you'd been together for so long."
"I always knew," Beata said with a warm smile on her face. "From the moment I laid eyes on her, she was the one. And your brother, oh, what a scoundrel!" Her entire face lit up. "I think he delighted in getting the two of us in compromising positions. I don't think I've ever cried harder than the day he died." She paused, pressing her hand to her chest. "I pray I never have to cry that hard again."
I took her hand. "They'll be here. One way or another, Felix is too stubborn to die, and Katarine's too…Katarine to let herself get captured."
"She is that," Beata said, wiping her eyes. "What do you think you'll say to Felix when you see him again?"
"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps yell at him for getting himself captured?" My cheeks warmed. "It's been…months since I've seen him. I don't think I'd even know where to begin."
She nudged me. "You won't confess that you love him?"
The lump in my throat reappeared and I swallowed hard to dismiss it. In truth, I hadn't thought much about it because I wasn't convinced our reunion would ever occur. My deepest fears I kept locked away, buried under a mountain of more pressing worries.
Beata graciously gave me an out. "Mother above, I've kept you so long. You've got to return to camp to lead things." She beamed. "Unless you feel like hiding in the kitchen and peeling potatoes."
I smiled weakly. "I think I can safely delegate that to someone else for a change. I just hope there's enough interest in this vigilante army."
"Getting to run around in a mask?" She shook her head. "I'd be surprised if the whole camp didn't sign up."
Chapter 36
In fact, thirty soldiers remained in the mess hall after dinner. Some were ones I'd gone toe-to-toe with, like Malka and Enos. Others I'd seen around the camp. All of them eager to learn.
"It's going to be a lot," Locke said, scratching his nose with the tip of his knife. "I'm not sure I want to train fifteen at once. They may end up killing each other."
"Let's hope they don't," I said, rising to my feet.
I welcomed everyone and gave them a brief summation of what we were up against and why a vigilante army was the best solution to dealing with Beswick. I told them about Kieran and sending the message down to Forcadel, as well as how we had the only bag of ond outside the Niemenian mountain with us in camp. I felt Luard's gaze on me, and knew he was thinking of our agreement.
"My gut tells me Beswick will bring everything he has to reclaim the ond," I said. "Therefore, we need to be ready to meet him on his level. He won't be fighting graciously or honorably. His goal is to win at all costs. So we have to play the same game."
"With all due respect, Your Majesty," a lanky kid stood. "We've been training our whole life."
"And with all due respect, didn't I watch your ass get dropped by a twelve-year-old earlier today?" Jax strode into the room wearing a black tunic and holding a crossbow on his shoulder. "I wouldn't be speaking if I were you."
"Are you here to offer your services?" I asked.
"Do you really think you can do this without me?" he asked, his voice echoing across the room. "Who taught you everything you know?"
I quirked a brow at him. "Callum."
"And who do you think taught him?"
Celia. But I wasn't going to go there with him. With three trainers, we'd have ten soldiers each to take out into the forest. "Divide yourselves into groups," I told the soldiers. "And I pity whoever gets stuck with Jax. You're going to get very familiar with Nicolasa and her healing potions."
Unsurprisingly, I had to shoo away a few soldiers who wanted to go with me. The group that followed me out into the forest was comprised of a mix of familiar faces and new ones—including a couple who'd shown up not a few hours before. They'd left their swords in the camp in favor of crossbows and quivers, carrying them clumsily. And they certainly had a lot of complaints.
"I can't see."
"Where are we going?"
"I just dropped my arrows."
It was going to be a long night.
"We're going to the northern road from Kulka," I said. "Far enough from Jax and Locke that they won't interrupt us."
"And what, exactly, are we doing?" This was from Narin, an eighteen-year-old from the capital. From the looks of him, he seemed more the type to have been volun-told into service, instead of being here of his own free will.
"It's creepy out here, Your Majesty." Orman also came from the capital, but looked a little less like he was of noble blood. "Are you sure we're safe?"
"We're trained soldiers," Narin shot at him. "Which is why it's insane that we're out here learning how to fight. We know how to—"
I reached behind for my crossbow and shot an arrow at him. It landed just above his shoulder.
"What the—? You shot me!"
"Are you bleeding?" I asked, turning around and lifting my crossbow.
"I…" He rubbed his shoulder. "A little."
"That's why we're out here," I said. "I want you to be able to fire off a shot like that. In the dark. Without looking. Purely based on the sound of his voice."
"That's impossible."
"She just did it."
"This is how Celia trained us," I said. "You can train all you want in the ring. Learn how to use weapons, perfect your aim. But all of that is controlled. In the thick of a fight, you have to trust your instincts. Move without thinking. The best way to do that is to put yourselves in as much danger as you can survive."
"Did anyone ever die?"
"No, but we surely got bloody," I said. "Everyone pick a tree. We're starting with target practice."
By the time the sky turned pink, my vigilantes-in-training were hitting trees instead of bushes. Even Narin, with a bloody shoulder, fought through the pain and found his targets. But more than their aim, they had improved in their confidence. They were no longer afraid to move in the dark, nor were they shy about their crossbows. It wasn't perfect, but it was certainly a good start.
"You all did exemplary work tonight," I said, leading the soldiers back to the front of camp as the gray sky grew lighter. "Tomorrow, we'll start working on target practice while up in the trees. Balance, of course, makes all this harder. So everyone get some breakfast and rest." I paused. "Dismissed."
They saluted then marched through the front gates, their prior stoicism gone in favor of excited discussions. A few moments later, the other two groups of bleary-eyed soldiers appeared from the darkness, followed by their trainers.
"How'd it go?" I asked Locke.
"They're a little too smooth," he said. "Need
to rough them up."
"You said it," Jax barked, wiping a little blood off his ear. "Never seen people so respectful of trees before."
"I'm sure you'll break them of their delicate natures soon enough," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "You certainly have a way with people."
He made an offensive gesture and walked toward the mess hall.
"Don't let him fool you. He likes it," Locke said, flashing me a toothy grin.
"Do you think they'll be ready for Beswick?" I asked. "Honestly."
"I think they'll do their best, ready or not," Locke said. "They all want to impress you. And I think they're excited to run around in a cloak and mask. They kept talking about the things you did while you were The Veil. I can't believe you took on ten guards at once."
"Five," I said with a look. "But good that they've got aspirations. This crazy idea might just work yet. Between the vigilantes and the soldiers, we'll have plenty of backup when Beswick finally reappears."
"If we can be half the warrior that you are, he doesn't stand a chance." He pressed his fist to his chest and bowed. "Have a good night, Your Majesty."
"Impressive," I said with a small laugh.
"We're supposed to be your royal guards, ain't we? Gotta look the part." With that, he bowed once more and left.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he has a crush on you." Luard cracked a loud yawn as he appeared in the doorway of the sleeping hut nearby.
"What are you doing up so early? It's not even dawn yet." My gaze narrowed. "Are you sleeping with my soldiers, Luard?"
"Brynna, I'm wounded," he said, though his hurt was masked by another loud yawn. "Asdis has been keeping me on a tight leash."
"Oh? Has something happened between you?" I asked. "Finally consummated your long-running flirtations?"
"If only, if only," he replied with a sly grin. "No, my dearest guard tells me I should keep my irresistible charms to myself, so as to not distract your soldiers. As a personal favor to our budding queen."
"Well, I appreciate that," I said. "Why are you up so early, then?"
"Hard to sleep with all this fresh air." He inhaled deeply and made a face. "But while you've played vigilante all night, a message came from Neveri."
I took the paper from him and opened it. Inside was a short message—the envoys had returned, but nothing other than that. Ammon was fast becoming the thorn in my side I needed to deal with first.
"I think it's time to send some real spies into Neveri," I said. "Maybe I'll pay him a visit. Things seem to be functioning well enough here."
"Maybe you and some of these new recruits could go," Luard said. "They seem eager enough."
"They can barely hit trees. I'm not sure I'm ready to plunge them into true vigilantism."
"We learn best by doing," Luard said, putting his arm around me as he walked me into the camp.
"It's a possibility." I chewed on my lip. "But I—"
A whistle broke the night. Someone was riding on a horse through the forest—no, two people.
"What is it?" Luard asked.
"Someone's coming," I said, quieting him to listen for the next sound.
A Niemenian woman and a Forcadelian man.
My heart stopped in my chest. Without another word, I spun on my heel and took off toward the southern entrance of the camp.
Chapter 37
I almost didn't believe my eyes.
Katarine, wearing a dark tunic, her blonde hair falling out of a braid and her face smudged with dirt and sweat, led a horse through the forest. Riding the horse was Felix, bruised, bloody, dirty, and unconscious. She'd tied him to the saddle so he wouldn't fall, and his head lolled uncontrollably. But he was alive.
They were here. They were safe.
I took a hesitant step forward, a sob releasing from my lips.
Katarine looked up and she stopped, even as the horse continued forward.
"Brynna?"
I sprinted toward her, tears bursting from my eyes, and when we connected in a tight embrace. She sobbed, I sobbed, and before long, we were two red-faced, wet-cheeked messes.
"I'm s-sorry, I look t-terrible," she said, running a hand over her yellow hair.
"You're such a sight for sore eyes," I said with a laugh.
"You said it." Luard had joined us, his blue eyes shining with unshed tears.
Katarine pushed me away and ran toward her brother. He held her close, the relief and love shining on his face.
I turned to Felix, and my heart stopped in my chest. Scabs and fresh wounds lined his pale face and his tunic was ripped and bloody. What had those monsters done to him?
"He's very sick," Katarine said, wiping her cheeks. "I didn't know if you had—"
"We'll take him to Nicolasa," I said, untying his hands. He rolled onto me, his weight buckling my knees, so we fell to the ground together. I cupped his sallow cheeks and brushed the dark hair from his forehead. "You're safe now."
"You both are," Luard said.
Two soldiers came running from the camp, this time carrying a makeshift gurney. They rested Felix on it and carted him back into camp. I stood, watching him leave, torn between going with him and staying with Katarine.
"Go," she said. "I'm fine. Just in need of a stiff drink."
"I'll be back as soon as I can," I said. "Luard—"
"I will." He gathered her into his arms. "Go to your captain."
I flashed her one more smile then ran back into the camp. By now, the soldiers had all been roused by the breakfast bell, and most of them had seen Felix carried inside. They'd gathered around Nicolasa's hut and turned their furious questioning on me.
"How is he?"
"Is he all right?"
"He's not going to die, is he?"
"I don't know," I said, pushing past them.
"Your Majesty," Jorad said, his expression boyish and fearful. "That's our captain. Please, tell us what's going on."
I stopped, my mouth open as I remembered what Felix meant to them—and my newfound role as their leader. For the moment, I pushed aside my own fears and relief and turned to the gathering crowd.
"Captain Llobrega is back with us," I began. "As is Lady Katarine. I don't know how they arrived, or by what miracle they escaped Forcadel, but the important thing is that they're here and safe."
"He looked like he was on the brink of death," Malka said, her eyes brimming with tears.
I smiled. "Nicolasa brought me back from the Mother herself a few months ago. I have faith that he's in the best hands possible."
"Can we see him?" Jorad asked.
"In time," I said. "But first, I need to assist her. I promise, as soon as I know more, I'll share it with all of you. For now, let's just be thankful they're alive and here with us. Go about your daily tasks. Dismissed."
With my final word, they disbanded quickly, although they didn't go far. They still wore their fear on their faces, none more than Jorad. He hovered in front of Nicolasa's hut, pacing the length of the small building, chewing on his nails.
"Jorad," I said, stopping him. "This isn't going to help him. Go do as I said. I've got to rest for the next training session tomorrow night so I need you to run the camp for me. Can you do that?"
He nodded, but didn't wipe the concern from his face. He wasn't afraid for his captain, but for his cousin. Their similarities had never seemed so great until that moment.
"Jorad," I took his hands, "he's going to be fine. Nicolasa will work her magic and he'll be back to ordering us all around in no time. But right now, you need to pull it together and keep a brave face for the camp. Everyone is worried for him, so I need you to be strong so they'll be strong."
He met my gaze. "Yes, Your Majesty."
I pushed open the flap to the hut and exhaled softly. The Nestori had already stripped Felix down and was cleaning his many, many wounds. My gaze landed on the large purple bruise marring his ribcage, as well as the festering cuts on his arms and back. His skin was sallow, and he'd lost conside
rable weight.
"Is he…" I asked quietly.
"He'll be fine, but it will be a while before he's fully recovered," she said. "They surely didn't spare the rod with him."
I balled my fists. If Jax hadn't pulled me out of the castle, if he hadn't changed my mind, perhaps Felix could've been spared some of these injuries.
"If I may," Nicolasa said, "instead of stewing, you could help tend to him. Four hands are better than two."
We carefully cleaned every one of his wounds, applying a special ointment that made him hiss. Once he was bandaged, Nicolasa gave him a large helping of liver oil and a few other potions to expedite his healing.
"I'm going to stay with him," I said to her, settling at his side.
"He may sleep for a while," she said. "And there's nothing you can do but let the Mother's healing happen."
"I know, but…" I took his bandaged hand in mine. "I don't think I can go back out there until I see his eyes."
She rested a hand on my shoulder and squeezed, then left me be.
This wasn't the reunion I'd hoped for, but at least they were here. For so long, I'd nursed the fear of the worst possible outcome, a simmering foreboding that one day, a messenger would arrive saying Felix had died in the dungeons and Katarine had been executed for treason.
Tears welled in my eyes again, and for once, I let them fall. I held Felix's hand, running the pads of my fingers along the calluses on his palms. His soft breathing was growing stronger and deeper now that he'd had a dose of Nicolasa's medicine. Some of his color had even returned. The anxiety I'd held onto for so long dissipated, and I rested my head on the bed. Before I knew it, I'd fallen asleep.
Chapter 38
Katarine
If not for Luard's tight embrace squeezing the life out of me, I would've thought this was a dream.
Since leaving the village, I'd been sick with dread, praying to the Mother that I wouldn't find unfriendly faces in Celia's forest. I almost turned around when the whistles started, but something kept me moving forward. We would see this through to the end.
The Veil of Trust Page 22
