Sovereign Sieged

by Sarah E. Burr

  Charles put a comforting hand on her shoulder before continuing. “I examined the blade thoroughly to ensure it was not coated in poison. I’ve given the Captain a draft to help him sleep through the pain, as well as some tonics to alleviate any infection in the wound.” He gave her shoulder a squeeze before clasping his hands in front of him. “He’ll be all right. He just needs a few days’ rest.”

  Positive that Charles was minimizing the seriousness of George’s injury for her sake, Jax moved to the side of the bed and gently threaded her fingers through those of the slumbering Captain. “I need him to be able to ride horseback by tomorrow morning.”

  Charles stumbled back into the shadows at her request. “W-whatever for?” he stammered. “Jax, I don’t want to alarm you, but the Captain must be allowed ample time to heal, or he may never fully recover.”

  A flurry of panic seized the air in her lungs, but a faint moan sidetracked her response.

  “Planning on going somewhere, Duchess?” Slowly, one of George’s chocolate eyes cracked open as a sly smirk wiggled across his lips.

  Fresh tears peppered her cheeks as she sank onto the bed to sit beside her injured guardsman. “Praise the Virtues,” she bleated out in a strangled whisper.

  Charles cleared his throat. “I guess I need to see about procuring more sleeping tonic for you, Captain.” With a curt nod, he disappeared into the recesses of the infirmary’s storeroom, giving them privacy.

  George captured her hand and squeezed it, the simple act causing him to wince as pain erupted on his features.

  Jax reached for a damp washcloth on the Captain’s bedside table and wiped the agitated streams of sweat from his bloodless face, watching as he seemed to relax under the coolness of her touch.

  Pulling her hand back, she stared down at him wordlessly for a long time as she stroked the palm of his hand with her thumb. “I owe you my life,” she said after a time, her voice small and weak.

  George held her gaze. “Any blade meant for you is meant for me.” His reverent answer held a hint of a challenge.

  “If Charles hadn’t been able to mend your side…” Jax choked back the thought, her tears once again falling without mercy.

  “Then you would have promoted Sergeant Orinth to Captain and moved on.”

  Anger flared inside her at the flippant remark, but then the truth in George’s eyes quenched the flame.

  “If that blade had found you and not me…” A vulnerable tremor pulsed in his neck as he spoke, “I would have thrown that villain off the highest tower and jumped after him.”

  She shushed him, a frown on her face. “Don’t speak like that. If anything were ever to happen to me, Saphire needs you alive to protect her.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I could say the same, Duchess.”

  She rolled her eyes as she wiped the lingering tears from her cheeks. “Fine. What do you want me to say, then? ‘Oh, sorry you got stabbed instead of me. Care for a cup of tea?’”

  A chuckle sputtered from George, although lines of tension seared into his face at the strain. After he managed to recover from the discomfort in his left side, he said, “I’m just pointing out that you can’t let the fate of one member of your Ducal Guard cloud your judgement.”

  Jax crossed her arms in indignation. “And when are you going to get it through that dense head of yours that you’re more than just a member of the Ducal Guard to me?”

  A surge of color returned to his pale skin, and he proceeded to change the subject. “Now,” he said after clearing his throat, “what’s this about you needing me to be able to ride a horse tomorrow?”

  Content to leave their childish squabbling aside, Jax quietly brought him up to speed on what she had learned about the assassin and informed the Captain of the Ducal Guard about the plan she’d formulated during dinner.

  “Not that I’ve had much time to gather my thoughts since returning to consciousness,” George murmured as he mulled over her strategy, “but I believe that is the best course of action we have for now. You’re right, you can’t entirely trust anyone in the duchy’s employment, and the Ducal Guards will need time to ensure every staff member is thoroughly investigated. We need to discover if others were involved in Raulph’s plot.”

  The knot in her shoulder loosened just a bit upon hearing George agree with her. “If you had to choose a hideaway, where would it be?” She tapped her foot on the stone floor, eager to hear his answer.

  George needed only a moment to sort out the options. “The Galensmore estate,” he decided. “It’s situated in the middle of the Valencrown Forest, and the barrier wall lining the perimeter alone makes it one of the most defensible keeps in the duchy.”

  Jax’s lips curled into a coy grin. “Great minds think alike, Captain.”

  His dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. “You bequeathed Galensmore to Lord Brunovaris after the Isla DeLacqua acquisition, didn’t you?”

  “Indeed,” Jax said with a flick of her hair. “In allowing the former Duke to live on the estate, I also had to ensure it was well-fortified with some of the reserve Ducal Guard.”

  “I remember the order.” George’s eyes twinkled. “So, by permitting the lord and his designated household to inhabit the estate, you ensured the keep would already have assigned protection, should you need to seek refuge within Saphire’s borders.”

  Jax beamed at the pride in his gaze for her shrewd planning. “There were far more socially suitable manors I could have given to Lord Brunovaris, but I couldn’t ignore the siege advantage of Galensmore. Considering I’d just made the Isla DeLacqua purchase and had been implementing the elected premiers for quite some time, it would have been naive to think I could do those things without drawing ire from the other sovereigns.”

  “So, you made sure you had an exit plan, should things take a turn for the worse.” George’s smirk drooped into a frown. “Without letting me know your true intentions as to why you sent more men than was really necessary to mind Lord Brunovaris.”

  “Would you believe me if I said I did it because I didn’t want you to worry about the storm to come?” Jax took his hand in hers once more. “When I started pushing my plans for a better world forward, I didn’t want you to hold me back for fear something would happen to me.” Her gaze trailed to the dark shadows lining the room. “This cause is bigger than even my life. I wasn’t sure you’d understand that.”

  George struggled briefly to prop himself into a sitting position against his pillow, allowing him to be more at eye level with her. “Believe me, Jax, no one more than I understands the magnitude of the change you’re enacting. Being the son of a common-born farmer didn’t leave many options open to me. Everyone deserves a chance to become who they want to be.”

  Sadness tinged her smile. “What would you have done, if the world had been at your feet back when you were sixteen?”

  George looked like the wind had been knocked from his lungs. “I’m not sure I’ve ever asked myself that question.” His eyes flickered down to their entwined hands. “I can’t picture a life without you, Duchess, and I’m not sure I even want to.”

  Warmth spread from her fingers until her cheeks pulsed. “I’m so glad you found your way to me.”

  Once more George cleared his throat, wriggling his hand out of her grasp as the mood changed. “I take it you want to ride to Galensmore in the morning?”

  “I think it would be best. We cannot be certain Raulph’s attack was a solitary endeavor.” Jax stilled as her mind swirled with shadowy threats. “There might be others waiting in the wings to strike.”

  George growled. “Have my men been able to determine if he was acting of his own volition?”

  Jax bit her lower lip. “We know that he came by way of Tandora. I can’t help but wonder if Delphinia sent him as a failsafe in case the Ogdam Oasis plot fell through.”

  “Or, the Duchess could have contacted him once she learned her plan had failed,” George pointed out. “Perhaps Raulph came to Saphire with hopes of
a bright future, yet somehow was brainwashed by his former ruler.”

  Jax snorted, but her expression settled into one of woe. “I almost feel sorry for the lad, if that’s the case.”

  Using his good arm, George poked at different areas of his wounded left side, as if testing Charles’s work.

  Jax batted his hand away after he winced for the fifth time. “Stop it. Charles will shackle you to the bed if you keep doing that.”

  Through gritted teeth, George let loose a long breath. “Galensmore is but a two-hour ride. I should be able to make it.”

  As much as she wanted her trusted friend at her side, the reality of seeing him lying in the infirmary filled her with guilt. “You’re in no shape to sit up, let alone sit up on the back of a horse.”

  George shrugged a sluggish shoulder. “We’ll bring Charles with us in case things get messy. I’ll even ride with him if it will make you feel better.”

  With a sigh, Jax rose from the bed and paced the length of the gaping room. “Why not rest a few days and join us when you’ve had some time to recover?” She was being selfish, and she knew it. She had the power to command the Captain of the Ducal Guard to remain behind. She could select other, highly qualified soldiers to accompany her to Galensmore…but she didn’t want to. Not simply because she didn’t trust anyone but George, but because in this tumultuous time, she wanted her closest friend by her side.

  “Would it make you feel better to know that even if you ordered me to stay behind, I would ride out after you, anyway?”

  Halted by George’s words, Jax blushed. She’d let her guard down. As Duchess, her warring thoughts should never be so transparent.

  The Captain’s face softened at her evident distress. “I’ll speak with Charles about my medical needs. You focus on readying yourself for the ride.”

  “I’m not telling Uma and Vita that we’re leaving,” Jax blurted out. “Not because I don’t trust them, but I don’t want their actions to give away my plans. They think I’m going for a sunrise horseback ride tomorrow with a picnic breakfast. I’ll tell Sabine the same.”

  “You plan to take Sabine along, too?” George’s expression was cautiously curious.

  Jax’s nose wrinkled. “I wouldn’t be much of a host if I invited the girl to Saphire, only to leave her alone in the castle. Besides, she can assist Charles with your care.” Only after she pressed her lips shut did Jax realize how irritated she sounded at the prospect of Sabine tending to the Captain.

  George winced as he folded his arms across his chest, oblivious to her change in attitude. “What will you tell your court?”

  “They survived living in the dark while I visited Ogdam Oasis.” A devilish grin wormed its away across Jax’s features. “I plan to send word back to my advisors once we are settled at Galensmore that I have gone into hiding for the time being.”

  George dipped his chin. “I’m sure they’ll appreciate that.”

  She chuckled. “Get some rest, will you?” She paused as she returned once more to his bedside, bending to press a light kiss on his forehead. “We ride out at dawn.”

  Chapter Five

  Jax spent much of the night packing her things, cramming as much as she could into her leather saddlebags. She kept her actions secret and covert, even from Uma and Vita, for fear the castle would get wind of her plans to leave. With guards stationed throughout the royal wing, she felt safe enough for now, but she found herself jumping at the slightest shadow as she worked. Had Raulph acted alone? Had he been following the orders of Duchess Tandora? If so, had Delphinia sent others should Raulph fail? These lingering questions trampled any hopes of getting any sleep.

  If only Perry were here. She missed her husband’s protective embrace, how he always managed to calm her doubts with his simple gestures of love. Instead, intent to busy herself with matters of state, Jax holed up in her study, idly working her way through trade agreements requiring her signature and village reports from the elected premiers until the eerie glow of morning came through the window and tickled her cheeks.

  Taking one last look around her father’s old workspace, she pondered just for a moment what he would think of all this. Jax had always held her father in the highest regard. In her eyes, there was no finer Duke in the realm’s history than Duke Richard Xavier. Yet, throughout her reign, Jax couldn’t help but wonder why her father had never made mention of the blatant inequality that divided the common-born from the nobles of the realm. It had taken Jax herself a long while to understand the injustice growing throughout the continent, mainly because she couldn’t believe that her father hadn’t done anything about it. What would he say now, with his daughter leading the charge into an unknown and untested future? Would he be angry she was throwing away their heritage for the sake of people they did not know? The thought that her father knowingly had allowed his people to suffer in silence weighed heavily on her, more than she cared to let on.

  A knock on her study door shifted her focus. “Come in.” Jax rose from her chair, putting away the last of the documents she’d worked all night on.

  Uma appeared, clad in a riding habit. “I got your note.” She motioned to her ensemble, as Jax had sent word to Vita, Sabine, and Uma to join her for the morning ride.

  “Excellent.” Jax hurried toward her friend, taking her by the elbow. “Come with me a moment.”

  Escorting Uma through the alabaster hallways twinkling in the waning torchlight, Jax kept vigilant. Even with the guardsmen lining her path and following in her wake, she half expected someone to jump at her from the shadows.

  “Did you get any sleep at all?” Uma asked, clearly noting Jax’s frequent twitching.

  The Duchess rubbed at her heavy eyes. “I had matters to tend to.”

  Uma ventured further. “How is George?”

  “Alive.” Despite her worries, she realized how much she had to be thankful for in that moment. “Come now and be quiet.”

  Uma obeyed and within minutes, Jax was shutting her bedroom door behind the two of them.

  “What is going on?” Her lady-in-waiting tapped a foot rhythmically against the stone floor. “I thought we were going on some ridiculous sunrise picnic?”

  Jax hurried to her wardrobe and pulled out one of her less ostentatious riding habits. “More or less.” With rapid fingers, she untied the corset of the gown she’d worn to dinner last night, and unabashedly pulled on the fresh set of clothes. “We are going riding, and I suppose we’ll eat along the way.”

  Uma’s eyes narrowed. “The way to where?”

  Buttoning her outfit as she moved about the room like a whirlwind, Jax reached under her canopied bed and pulled out her overstuffed saddle bags.

  Uma sighed at the sight. “I suppose I was foolish to hope we’d actually come back to the palace.”

  The wearied resignation in her friend’s voice made Jax’s heart clench. “I know we only just arrived home, dear one, but given the circumstances, it would be better for me to go into hiding immediately before our enemy can regroup.”

  “Vita and I figured as much, given how our dinner conversation went.” Uma continued, seeing a flicker of panic in Jax’s gaze. “Don’t worry. We did as you requested and made like we were all preparing for a delightfully diverting morning ride.” Uma smiled. “But we have bags packed and hidden away in our chambers. I even managed to pack a few spare things for Lady Sabine, although she still thinks we’re just going for a morning ride of the Saphire countryside.”

  Without warning, Jax rushed across the room, closing the space between them and hugged her friend fiercely. The loyalty her lady-in-waiting continued to demonstrate soothed her drained heart.

  “Thank you,” Jax choked out, realizing she was near tears once more.

  Patting her on the back, Uma held Jax at arm’s length. “You requested eight horses. With you, Vita, Sabine, and I using four, who are the others for?”

  “Depending on how he’s doing this morning, George will either be on one alone or sharin
g the saddle with myself or Master Charles.”

  Uma bit her lip in worry. “Jax, he was stabbed in the side last night. Is it really wise for him to make such a strenuous journey?”

  “No, most certainly not.” Jax blew out an annoyed breath. “But I’d rather have him travel with us, instead of him trailing after us on his own.”

  “All right, so who are the remaining horse riders?”

  “Escorts from the Ducal Guard. I want to bring Sir Olavo.” Before Uma could protest, Jax held up a hand. “I need more time to question him, and where he is such a valuable witness, I want to keep my eyes on him. If we leave him behind in a holding cell, any of Raulph’s remaining co-conspirators may devise a way to set him loose.”

  Uma shuddered. “I suppose that makes sense. I just dread being in that man’s company once more. There’s a darkness in his eyes that scares me.”

  Jax took her friend’s hand. “I promise, once we arrive at the safehouse, you won’t have to be anywhere near him.”

  Uma sighed, but her lips curled upward. “There you go again, reassuring me when you’re the one with the real worries.”

  Chuckling, Jax threaded her arm through Uma’s. “Let’s go find Vita and Sabine.”

  ‡

  Jax’s spirits soared to the awakening sky as she spied George atop his own horse, a disgruntled Charles situated on another steed by his side. Uma and Vita, whose riding skills were somewhat to be desired, shifted uncomfortably on top of their mounts, both wearing anxious expressions as they monitored the Captain of the Ducal Guard. Sabine, too, had concern written all over her, but she sat confidently atop her own bay mare.

  Picking up her pace as she hurried to the entrance of the palace stables, Jax lifted her right arm to the air. Even through the thick leather brace, she felt the talons of one of her father’s prized crowned falcons dig into her skin as the majestic bird launched into the sky. Although no note was attached to his foot, the arrival of the regal messenger bird at Galensmore would surely alert the stationed guard that a member of the royal household was approaching. Jax couldn’t risk any other form of communication.