Shadow Knights

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  “And what role is that?” Reid asked, not sure if she wanted to know. The room suddenly felt too hot, the walls too close, the air too thick.

  “There are a series of plans in place right now. A lot of time and energy has gone into this. Dexter is becoming a liability. We need him controlled.”

  Reid snorted. She couldn’t control that man. They weren’t even friends.

  Anna leaned forward, her eyes boring into Reid’s. “You are going to get close to Prince Dexter. We know he’s going somewhere a few nights a week, but no one has been able to find out what he’s doing. I suspect he’s leading a group of revolutionaries and he plans to incite a war. I believe he wants Axian to be its own kingdom, one separate from Marsden. Our resources are spread too thin to investigate further, so it is up to you. You will become Prince Dexter’s shadow. Where he goes, you go.”

  “Isn’t he on our side?” Weren’t they fighting for the same thing?

  “There are no sides. He has his own agenda. It might be the same as ours, or it might be in direct opposition. I don’t know. What I need you to do is keep him on a leash, and report his movements to us.”

  Reid didn’t miss the irony. She couldn’t continue being a Knight once she married because that wasn’t fair to her marriage. However, she could lie, spy, and report on her fiancé’s actions now since they weren’t wed yet.

  Anna raised a single eyebrow, observing Reid. “You understand that if you fall in love, your loyalty to the Knights is compromised?”

  A laugh escaped Reid’s lips. “You don’t need to worry about that.” She couldn’t imagine being in love with Dexter. Sure, she might admire his physique. And the way he wielded a sword. Even the curve of his lips when he bestowed one of his rare smiles. But love him? Absolutely not. Needing to change the subject, she asked, “What are the other Knights doing?”

  “I’m not at liberty to discuss that with you. The less you know, the better.”

  Reid nodded, although she wasn’t sure she liked the position she was in. She didn’t want to blindly follow and trust. She may be going along with them for now, but that didn’t mean she had to do what they said. She would do what she felt was right and what benefitted Ellington and Axian.

  “Which brings me to why I brought you here.”

  Reid waved her hand, signaling for Anna to continue.

  “I need to make sure you understand what’s at stake.”

  “I do.” War, death, destruction.

  “I don’t think you fully do.” Anna came around the side of the table, perching on the edge of it beside Reid. “The speech you gave during your engagement party was out of line.”

  Shock rolled through Reid. One, how did Anna know about it since it just happened? And two, Reid thought her speech was what the people needed to hear to rally behind the engagement.

  “You shouldn’t give the people false hope,” Anna said. “You can’t make promises or expectations you can’t deliver on.”

  “I disagree.” How dare this woman tell Reid what she could or could not do? “You said that once I’m wed, I am no longer a Knight. That means I’m Duke Ellington’s heir and a princess of Marsden. I will have the power to incite change. And I plan to use my position to do so.” She stood so she was at eye level with Anna. “You can’t marry me off for your convenience, then expect me to idly sit around for the rest of my life. I’ll be in a unique position, and I plan to make the most of it.”

  Reid could have sworn the corners of Anna’s lips rose ever so slightly, as if she fought a smile. Was the woman laughing at her? Did Anna think Reid young and naive?

  Anna reached out, patting Reid’s shoulder. “Even though you won’t be an active Knight, I hope you’ll work with us when we need you.”

  “We’ll see.” Reid folded her arms, taking a step back from Anna.

  “Fair enough. The other reason you’re here is because you lack some basic skills.”

  The woman was starting to get on Reid’s nerves. “My father taught me how to fight. I may not be the strongest person, but I can hold my own.”

  Anna stood. “I’m referring to a different skillset.”

  Reid’s brow scrunched in confusion.

  “You need to learn to spy, snoop, and stealthily gain information from someone.”

  “I can do those things.” Otherwise, Ackley wouldn’t have made her a Knight. They exited the dining room and headed down the hallway.

  “Against an amateur, you can, but not against one of the king’s Shields.”

  “Shields? What are those?” Reid had lived in the king’s castle, yet she’d never heard the term before.

  “Shields are the king’s personal guards. Those closest to him. The king has a dozen men who bear the title.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Unfortunately. Prince Ackley informed us Prince Gordon personally trains the Shields. In fact, Prince Gordon even suggested the king should increase the Shields’ numbers and duties.”

  Reid tripped on a loose rug in the hallway. “Gordon is a good man,” she mumbled, feeling a headache coming on.

  “Prince Gordon believes he is helping the king whom he’s sworn fealty to. He also wants to make sure his brother’s throne is secure. You of all people should understand Gordon’s loyalty.”

  Reid had to bite her tongue to keep from uttering a snide comment. If she did, it would only add fuel to the fire, and she had no desire to stoke those rumors. While she may have found Gordon attractive and considered him a friend, that was all he could ever be. He was married.

  They rounded a corner, stopping at a large door. Before Anna could open it, Reid asked, “Why wouldn’t Ackley discourage Gordon from expanding the Shields? Especially since Gordon knows about the Knights?”

  Anna’s entire body went rigid. “What?”

  “When I was at the castle, both Gordon and Idina knew Ackley was a Knight. They’re aware of the organization.”

  Anna blinked, processing the information.

  Feeling as if she’d made a huge blunder, Reid forged on. “Gordon and Idina even help Ackley. Idina gathers information, and Gordon allows a dozen Knights to function as a unit within his army.” How did Anna not know any of this?

  “And the three siblings manage to keep this from King Eldon?”

  Reid thought so, but she couldn’t be sure. The three brothers often spoke with one another behind closed doors. Neither Idina nor Reid were ever privy to these conversations. Based upon what Reid had seen at the castle, she believed Eldon knew nothing about the Knights. As to why Ackley would have told Idina and Gordon if he wasn’t supposed to, she couldn’t say. But one thing was certain—Ackley had a reason for everything he did.

  “I’ll think more about this later,” Anna mumbled as she opened the door, revealing an expansive room lined with various weapons. “This is our training facility.”

  “It’s quite big.” It reminded Reid of where she’d worked with Ackley at the king’s castle.

  “We’ll start here with a few simple exercises so I can ascertain your skill level.”

  Reid went to the sword-lined wall. Before she could choose one, Victor burst into the room, his shoulders heaving.

  “We have a problem,” he said, panting. “Prince Dexter was seen leaving the palace on horseback, accompanied by some of his men. He’s tracking Lady Reid instead of going to her grandparents’ house, and he’s headed this way.”

  Dexter was coming after Reid? She couldn’t fathom why he’d bother. He had plenty of other things to do besides follow her around.

  “How far away is he?” Anna demanded.

  “About ten miles.”

  “Are you sure he’s tracking me?” Reid asked. Maybe Victor was mistaken.

  Placing her hands on her hips, Anna started pacing the room. “Let’s enact the contingency plan.”

  “I’ve already saddled two horses.”

  Anna stopped beside Reid, placing a hand on her arm. “Go get your bag and anything else you brought
. You are to leave at once.”

  Instead of questioning Anna, Reid ran upstairs and collected her things. Then she headed to the front of the castle where Anna and Victor waited. After attaching her bag to the horse, Reid mounted. The only reason she could imagine Dexter chasing after her would be if something bad had happened. Fear gripped her. Was her father okay? Had one of her sisters fallen ill?

  “I wish I had more time to work with you,” Anna said. “You need proper training.”

  “What we need is to get moving,” Victor reminded them.

  Anna agreed. “It was nice to finally meet you, Reid.”

  “Likewise.” Reid nudged her horse, following Victor to the narrow passageway. When she exited it, she was at the top of the steep mountain. Trying not to look down, she stayed behind Victor as he descended in a zigzag pattern.

  When her horse’s hooves slid, Reid’s heart lurched into her stomach. She pulled on the reins, trying to help the horse regain its footing.

  “Easy,” Victor said, trying to soothe his own horse. “Slow and steady.”

  Reid’s grip tightened. She had to force herself to relax so she wouldn’t spook the horse. The animal had probably traveled this way dozens of times before. Reid had nothing to worry about. Her vision narrowed until the only thing that existed was the back of Victor’s head and his horse’s tail. Not once looking down the mountainside, she focused only on those images until they finally reached the bottom.

  At the road, they headed south, pushing their horses hard.

  “Where are we going?” Reid asked, wondering if they’d try to head Dexter off or return to the palace.

  “Since we’re supposed to be at your grandparents’ house, we’ll go there now. We’ll just tell Prince Dexter we traveled at a leisurely pace.”

  If she hadn’t been sitting on the horse, she probably would have fallen over. Jubilation at the prospect of meeting her grandparents filled her. Riding in silence, Reid tried to imagine what they would be like. Would she see her sisters in them? What about herself? She still couldn’t get over the fact her mother was from Axian.

  After several hours, Victor slowed his horse. “The estate is right over there,” he said, pointing to the right.

  As the tree-lined road curved, a square manor situated in a clearing appeared. “It’s beautiful.” A bright green lawn surrounded the estate.

  At the front, they dismounted. Reid grabbed her bag before sprinting up the steps to the front door. She was about to knock when she heard hooves pounding behind her.

  Chapter Twelve

  Reid swiveled around. Dexter rode up the narrow pathway, accompanied by a handful of soldiers. When he reached the steps, he dismounted, then handed his horse over to one of his men.

  “What are you doing here?” Reid asked, trying to seem shocked by his arrival. She descended the stairs to confront him, not wanting an argument right in front of her grandparents’ front door.

  Instead of answering her question, he asked one of his own. “Are you only arriving now?” He eyed Victor suspiciously.

  “We stopped along the way,” Victor explained. “I pointed out a few landmarks to Lady Reid.”

  “Did you deviate from your course at all?” Dexter demanded.

  Reid decided to let Victor handle this one.

  “Yes. We left the road to find a safe place to sleep at night,” Victor answered. “Why all the questions? Is something the matter?”

  “I’m just surprised you’re only arriving now, the same as me.”

  “What are you doing here?” Reid asked again.

  Dexter rolled his shoulders. If Reid didn’t know better, she’d swear he looked uncomfortable. “I came after you because I thought I should be here.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  Dexter scratched the side of his neck. “Lord Victor, show my men to the stables and get them situated.”

  Taken aback, she blurted, “You know Lord Victor?”

  “He’s your second cousin.”

  Reid blinked. Her second cousin was a Knight? While she’d assumed her second cousin existed, she hadn’t thought Victor was actually him. Disappointment filled her. She’d just spent a couple days with a new-to-her family member, yet she hadn’t asked him a single personal question. He hadn’t inquired about her life either. What a waste. Folding her arms, she waited for Victor to lead the soldiers and horses around the side of the property.

  Dexter cleared his throat. “This is the first time you’re meeting your grandparents, correct?”

  Reid nodded.

  “Well, as your fiancé, I figured I should accompany you. This is an important moment in your life. I want to be here for it…and for you.”

  Dumbfounded, Reid could only gape at him, not knowing what to say.

  The door swung open, and a gray-haired woman with a round face appeared. “Welcome, Prince Dexter,” she said.

  “Duchess,” he replied.

  The woman’s attention landed on Reid. Scanning Reid from head to toe, the older lady squinted. “Reid Ellington?” Shock laced her words.

  “Yes.” Was she Reid’s grandmother?

  A kind smile transformed the elderly woman’s face. “Welcome, child. It’s nice to finally meet one of our grandchildren.” Still beaming, she waved Dexter and Reid inside.

  The entryway was long and narrow, with several doors on either side and a staircase at the back. They entered the first door on the right. A single sofa and two chairs adorned the room.

  “We have company,” the duchess announced.

  Seated at a desk under one of the windows was an older gentleman with thick gray hair. He somehow swung his entire chair around, then pushed it forward, all while still seated. With utter amazement, Reid realized there were two large wheels attached to the chair, which allowed him to move throughout the room.

  He stopped before Reid, taking her hand in his. “After all these years, I can’t believe you are truly here,” he said, tears in his dark eyes. “Welcome.”

  “I’m sorry,” Reid said, “but my father never even told me you were alive.”

  He squeezed her hand, then released it, waving her toward the sofa. She sat, facing her grandparents, with Dexter at her side, though he’d left a respectable space between them.

  “I bet there’s a lot your father never told you,” the woman—Reid’s grandmother—muttered.

  “Lady Reid,” Dexter said, his voice oddly formal. “I want to officially introduce you to Duke Gregor Axian and his lovely wife, Duchess Constance Axian.”

  While Dexter had referred to the woman as duchess earlier, the fact hadn’t registered until now. Her grandparents were the duke and duchess of Axian? How had Reid not known this? Nara had said they were one of the ruling families, but she’d failed to mention their titles.

  “You look a wee bit shocked,” Gregor said, chuckling.

  “We never had a male heir,” Constance explained. “Our land reverted back to King Broc.”

  So many questions swirled through Reid’s mind. She settled on one. “Why didn’t my father tell me about you? For that matter, why didn’t either of you ever try to contact my sisters or me?”

  “I can’t speak for your father,” Constance said as she stood. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and fetch some tea so you can warm up from your journey.” She exited the room.

  Gregor lifted his right leg with his hands, adjusting it to the side a bit more.

  “Is there something wrong with your legs?” Reid asked. She’d only seen a wheelchair once before.

  “I was injured many years ago,” he replied. “Unfortunately, it has prevented me from doing many of my duties.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Her father had suffered a fall from his horse last season, which had allowed Reid to see first-hand the consequences of such an injury. Thankfully, due to her father’s insistence she be trained as a man would, it had been a simple matter to take over his duties for a few weeks until he was able to ride again. If she hadn’t
been there—if he hadn’t raised her as he had—she wasn’t sure what he would have done.

  “I heard your father named you as his heir,” Gregor stated.

  “He did.” She held up the ring as if that were proof, wondering how the news had traveled so quickly.

  “An interesting turn of events,” he said, forehead creased in thought.

  “I agree,” Dexter said. “And I’m pleased Duke Ellington managed to do so given Marsden’s strict laws.”

  Reid wholeheartedly concurred, especially seeing as how she’d spent most of her life trying to figure out a way around Marsden’s laws.

  Constance returned, carrying a tray that held four teacups. She set it on the side table, then handed each person a cup. “We hadn’t anticipated our granddaughter or the prince coming to visit, so we don’t have anything special prepared,” she said as she resettled on the sofa. “Do you know how long you plan to visit?”

  “Only a day or two,” Reid replied.

  “You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,” Gregor said. “But we understand if this must be a brief visit. From what we’ve heard, you plan to be wed in three and a half weeks.”

  Reid nodded, still not able to dwell on being physically married to Dexter.

  “We’ll be traveling to the palace for the wedding,” Gregor announced.

  “Speaking of weddings,” Reid said, “how did my father and my mother come to be wed?”

  “It was an arranged marriage,” Gregor revealed. “Duke Ellington had just died, his title and land passing to Tatum, his son. Tatum wanted a strong alliance. I’d been friends with Duke Ellington, and I knew the sort of man Tatum was. I wrote to him, offering my condolences on the death of his father and mentioning the possibility of a match between him and my only daughter, Brianna. He agreed to the contract terms, and Brianna traveled to Ellington to wed him. At first, their relationship was rocky. Your mother is an extremely strong-willed woman. However, they quickly realized they had a lot in common and became friends. It didn’t take them long to fall in love.”

  “Was,” Constance stated, staring down at her tea. “She was a strong-willed woman.”