by David Estes
“If you’d let me see them,” Arch said, and Annise was glad the quickness was returning to his mind. He’d always been one of the few in the castle who could rival the speed of her tongue.
“It’s for your own good. We don’t want you to overexert yourself.”
Archer narrowed his eyes and chewed his lip, not looking convinced. His tone turned serious. “What I really want to know is: How did I get knocked out in Raider’s Pass and wake up in Castle Hill?”
Annise cringed. It was the question she was hoping he wouldn’t ask for a good long while. She’d received a three-day respite, as he’d been too weak to do more than slurp soup, sip water, and sleep, but now there was no dodging it. She decided to face it head on.
“Well, there was a horse attached to a cart. And you were in the cart. The horse pulled the cart, and here we are.”
“I see you haven’t lost your sense of humor, sister.”
“It’s a permanent attachment to my body, lest I fall into despair.”
“Annise.”
“Archer.”
“I’m the king, I need to know what I missed. I’m ready to lead again. To rule.”
“About that…”
She was saved by a knock on the door. “You may enter,” Arch said, sounding kinglier than he had since reawakening.
Sir Metz entered, bowing at the waist. As usual, his silver armor was so well-polished Annise could see her wobbly reflection in it.
“Good evening, Sir Metz,” Annise said. “Allow me to formally introduce you to my brother, Archer. Archer, this knight was responsible for your protection many times while you slept. May I present Sir Christoff Metz.”
“Well met, Sir,” Archer said. “Thank you for your service. Now what can we do for you?”
“Do for me?” Metz asked. “Nothing. I serve the kingdom.”
Arch cocked his head to the side and glanced at Annise. She shook her head. She could explain the knight’s eccentricities later. “What my brother meant was: Why have you disturbed us so late?”
“That’s a rude way of putting it,” Arch muttered.
Metz looked right at Annise when he said, “Apologies Your Highness, may I have a word?”
Frozen hell, Annise thought. Could he be any less subtle? The answer, of course, was no. Sir Metz was about as subtle as a stampeding mamoothen trying to cross a frozen lake.
“Of course,” Arch said, sitting up straighter. Annise saw a flash of pain cross his face, but then it was gone, hidden behind her brother’s calm, confident expression. “Whatever you need to say, you can say in front of my sister.”
Metz looked at Arch, then back at Annise. “Yes,” Annise said, hoping to salvage the situation. “Speak freely in front of both of us.”
The knight raised an eyebrow, but then said, “A stream has been received from Darrin. There is a storm gathering strength in the east. It looks to hit Castle Hill directly.”
“We have weathered many of storms before,” Arch said. “Why are you telling us this?”
“Because we have delayed depart—”
“Thank you, Sir,” Annise said. “That will be all.”
The knight, seeming almost relieved, bowed again and departed the way he’d come, leaving them alone once more. Annise avoided Archer’s stare as it bore into her from the side.
“Why did he stop answering my question upon your command?” he asked.
Annise said, “There is much I need to tell you.”
“Then tell me.”
Just like ripping off a bandage…
“I had a name day, Archer. I’m eighteen now.”
“And?” He still didn’t get it, still hadn’t thought things through enough to understand. I guess that’s what happens when you’re brought up assuming you will be king someday.
“And you’ve been unconscious for more than a fortnight.”
“A fortnight? That long? I suspected, but I couldn’t be certain. I think I understand what you are saying.”
“You do?” Annise was surprised at the lightness in his tone.
“Of course, sister, my injury didn’t dim my wits. You’ve been leading my soldiers, haven’t you? Knights like Sir Metz have been obeying your commands while I slept. They’re in the habit now, and we haven’t formally returned the torch to its rightful place.”
“Archer—”
“Tell me everything. The sooner the details are filled in, the sooner I can return to the throne and decide the next course of action.”
“It has already been decided. I will be going north, into the Hinterlands, along with Sir Metz, Sir Dietrich, Sir Jonius, and maybe some others. We are going to find the Sleeping Knights.”
Arch frowned. “Enough japes. I’m no longer in the mood.”
“It was no jest.”
His frown deepened. “The first thing I will do is revisit this decision. On whose authority was it reached?”
“On mine,” Annise said, rising to her full height and jutting out her jaw. “Under northern law, you have not yet reached the age of rule. I have. I am the queen now.”
SOULMARKED by David Estes, available NOW!
Table of Contents
Map of the Four Kingdoms- Circa 532
The story so far…
PART I
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
PART II
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
PART III
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
PART IV
Thirty-Four
Thirty-Five
Thirty-Six
Thirty-Seven
Thirty-Eight
Thirty-Nine
Forty
Forty-One
Forty-Two
PART V
Forty-Three
Forty-Four
Forty-Five
Forty-Six
Forty-Seven
Forty-Eight
Forty-Nine
Fifty
The Fatemarked
Royal Genealogy of the Four Kingdoms (three generations)
Acknowledgments
A sample of SOULMARKED, Book 3 in the Fatemarked Epic by David Estes
