Cage of Destiny: Reign of Secrets, Book 3

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  “Really?” Allyssa said. “I don’t envision you being slow or clumsy.”

  The corners of Kerdan’s lips lifted. “I faked it,” he replied. “I pretended I didn’t know what I was doing so I’d be placed with the youngest, most inexperienced men.”

  “Why did you do that?” Nathenek asked.

  “Because I wanted to form an elite group of soldiers. And I wanted to create them from scratch. I didn’t want bad habits or competition among them. I wanted men I could mold, train, and shape into what I wanted.”

  “Which was what, exactly?” Nathenek asked.

  “A lethal force no one could push around, fight against, or withstand.”

  Allyssa had heard of his elite force before. Brookfel was a member of it. “You created this group when you were only thirteen?”

  “Yes. And we have been together ever since. We have formed a brotherhood.”

  Allyssa felt as if a piece of him had been hidden from her. He’d never discussed this group of men with her before.

  “You’ve met or seen every single one of my men,” Kerdan said to her. “You just didn’t realize who they were when you met them. They are always nearby. I am rarely without them.”

  Odar had told her Kerdan’s elite squad was ruthless and lethal. He’d chosen to remain with Soma, an assassin, rather than take his chances with Brookfel.

  “Does your elite squad have a name?” she asked. Were they like the men from the cave? Did they torture others? Enjoy wreaking havoc?

  “We are called Hunters.” Not I called them Hunters, or people referred to them as Hunters. But we were called Hunters. Meaning, Kerdan was one of them. And the term said enough about the sort of group they were.

  “Do people know who you are?” Neco asked. “Or is this some sort of secret group you command?”

  “We are well known,” Kerdan replied. “But no one commands us. We are Russeks. We fight for Russek.”

  “Where are your men now?” Allyssa asked. “Are they in the forest by the duke’s house?” Would they be there to support Kerdan tomorrow? Somehow, the thought gave her comfort.

  “Like I said before, my men are always close by.”

  Hurit and Larek joined them at the fire. Kerdan and Nathenek stood, preparing to patrol the area.

  “I thought Neco was on patrol with me?” Nathenek said.

  “I’m taking Neco’s shift,” Kerdan said. “If you’re coming with me tomorrow, there are a few things I need to know beforehand. Let’s go.” He turned and headed out of the camp.

  Nathenek smiled. “I like him.”

  Allyssa didn’t particularly care for this plan. Not because it wasn’t a good one, but because she didn’t have a significant part in it.

  Hurit, Larek, and Nathenek were preparing to leave with seven of Kerdan’s men who had just arrived with the decoys. The young woman looked similar to Allyssa—same brown hair, same eye color, and similar height. There was nothing remarkable about the decoy—which was probably why Kerdan had chosen her. The decoy for Odar was a young soldier about Odar’s age with muscled arms and short hair. Again, Kerdan had chosen him well.

  “Please be careful,” Allyssa said to the decoys. The last time a decoy had taken her place, things went horribly wrong and someone she loved died.

  “We’re both proficient fighters,” the man said. “There is nothing to worry about.”

  Kerdan stood beside her. “With any luck, I’ll be back here in a few hours with Jana’s head.”

  Was he serious about the head? He didn’t laugh or indicate it was a joke. Okay then.

  She wanted to tell him to be careful but refrained from doing so. It wasn’t the Russek way to fuss.

  “What?” Kerdan asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “You look like you want to say something.”

  “Do Russeks have a tradition when saying goodbye to friends or loved ones who are going off to battle?”

  He eyed her.

  “I feel like I should say or do something,” she replied.

  He focused on the group of men. “Everyone into formation,” he called out. Then, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “It is customary for a woman to kiss a man and... slap him on his arse before he leaves for war.”

  Allyssa’s face went flaming red.

  Kerdan chuckled. “Care to try it?”

  “Most certainly not!”

  “You asked.” He shrugged and went over to his horse, climbing on, a hint of a smile still on his lips. “Listen up,” Kerdan hollered. “This is going to be a fast, clean mission. No room for errors today. We must assassinate the false queen and take back Russek. We will persevere!”

  His men pounded their fists to their chests, shouting in approval. Kerdan gave the signal, and they rode out. Allyssa’s heart squeezed in panic. This had to work. It just had to.

  “It’s taking too long,” Neco said, coming to stand next to Allyssa.

  She’d been thinking the exact same thing. The mood among them had shifted after four hours passed. She stood at the spot where she’d spoken to Kerdan yesterday on horseback, overlooking the valley below. She’d hoped the view would ease her mind, but it had done no such thing. Instead, it mocked her with its serene beauty, gentle breeze, and fragrant smell. It screamed life when all she could think about was destruction.

  If something went wrong, Kerdan and Nathenek could be dead. No, she couldn’t think such thoughts. They were both competent fighters and wouldn’t rush into a situation without thinking it through. She needed to have faith that everything would be all right. That nothing went wrong.

  “Part of me wants to go and investigate,” Neco said. “However, if things went to hell, I can’t leave you or your father.” He glanced over his shoulder. Darmik paced back and forth next to Odar, who lay on the ground staring up at the sky. She suspected he wasn’t sleeping but rather plotting. Just like her father. Just like Neco.

  “Are you armed?” Neco asked.

  “Always,” she replied. “What do you think happened?”

  He shook his head.

  “Are we just going to wait here?” What if Kerdan and Nathenek needed them? Shouldn’t they go and help?

  “We are only four. Kerdan has over two hundred men. There is nothing we can do to help at this point. If we leave, we risk missing them or causing further chaos.”

  The faint sound of horse hooves rumbled in the distance. Neco ran to the nearest oak and deftly scaled it. “Our men,” he said before climbing down.

  “Are you sure?” Darmik demanded.

  “Yes.”

  A moment later, Kerdan burst into the clearing with Hurit, Larek, and Nathenek close behind.

  “Where are the decoys and the rest of your men?” Darmik asked.

  “About three miles from here,” Kerdan replied, dismounting. “I didn’t want anyone to track us to this location in case we were followed.” He instructed Hurit and Larek to take the horses and rub them down.

  “What happened?” Neco asked.

  Kerdan removed his riding gloves, the lines of his face pulled tight. “When Hurit and Larek arrived at Duke Opanek’s, Zerek—the man who had identified Allyssa and Odar—greeted them. Thankfully, he recognized my men. When Hurit asked for the money, Zerek demanded the prisoners first. Hurit said he wouldn’t bring them in until he saw the money.”

  “Then what happened?” Allyssa asked.

  Kerdan rubbed his face. “Zerek said he couldn’t give them the money because it was with Jana at another location.” He shook his head. “I don’t understand,” he mumbled. “My men were in position and shouldn’t have been seen. Yet, something must have spooked her. Unless this was her plan all along, but I don’t think so. Duke Opanek is loyal to her, and it’s the safest place for her to be in this area.”

  “What are you saying?” Darmik asked.

  “Zerek instructed them to take the prince and princess to Duke Chresk’s home. But Duke Chresk is loyal to my father. He would not welcome Jana.”
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  “Can’t we put the same plan in place at Duke Chresk’s?” Allyssa asked. They could still salvage this.

  “There isn’t enough time to move two hundred and fifty men to another location without being spotted,” Kerdan said. “Zerek gave them twenty-four hours to deliver the prisoners.”

  “What do you suggest we do?” Darmik asked, folding his arms. Most likely, he already had an idea and was testing Kerdan.

  “Move as quickly as possible and assassinate Jana,” Kerdan replied. “I will go with Hurit and Larek. Sneak in, kill her, and get out.”

  Nathenek kicked the dirt with the tip of his boot. “Are Hurit and Larek well suited for stealth assassination attempts?”

  Kerdan hesitated. “They are well-trained soldiers, and I trust them.”

  Not exactly what Nathenek had asked. Which meant that while they were good fighters, they were not necessarily the best men for the job.

  “I will go with you,” Nathenek offered.

  “As will I,” Neco said.

  “Who will remain here to protect Emperor Darmik and Princess Allyssa?” Kerdan asked.

  Odar laughed, still sprawled on the ground. She’d completely forgotten about him.

  “Hurit and Larek will stay here while we go,” Neco said. He looked at Darmik, raising his eyebrows.

  Darmik nodded. “Nathenek and Neco are the most qualified men for this job. The two of you will go with Kerdan. Assassinate Jana. I want it done as soon as possible before something else goes wrong.”

  “Wait,” Allyssa said. Everything was happening too quickly for her. “What if Jana suspects something and that’s why she changed the location?” They could be walking into a trap.

  “She probably does suspect something,” Darmik said. “That is why we must act fast.”

  “I think we should call it off. Come up with another plan.” She couldn’t send three men she loved and respected into a location they knew nothing about just to kill Jana. It was too risky. There had to be better options.

  “Part of me agrees and thinks we should call it off,” Kerdan said. “However, this might be our best shot at getting her.”

  “What are your reservations?” Darmik asked Allyssa.

  “We have no information about the duke’s house. Jana could be there with an army, just waiting to kill Kerdan.”

  “Is there a town near the duke’s residence?” Darmik asked.

  “There is a small village,” Kerdan replied. “If there’s an army at the duke’s, people will have noticed and be talking about it.”

  “Then tonight, we do some reconnaissance. Send a couple of men into the village to scout things out. If we discover nothing amiss, Kerdan will go in with Neco and Nathenek just before dawn and assassinate Jana. If something seems off, we devise a different plan. Agreed?”

  Everyone agreed.

  “No,” Odar said.

  “It’s not up to you,” Kerdan snapped.

  “It’s not up to you either,” he retorted.

  Both men turned their attention to Darmik, waiting for him to answer. Darmik had a blank expression on his face, giving nothing away.

  “I’ll do it,” Allyssa said. Pretending to be a commoner and sneaking around town was nothing new to her.

  “What do you think?” Darmik asked Nathenek. A sense of thrill filled Allyssa that her father was even considering it.

  Nathenek grinned. “She’s more than capable.”

  She wanted to kiss him on the cheek for his vote of confidence.

  “I know you can do it,” Darmik said to her. “But do you want to?”

  “Yes,” she said without hesitating. The excitement of pretending to be someone else gave her a sense of freedom. Besides, she wasn’t allowed to participate with the actual assassination attempt, so this would be her contribution.

  “Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea?” Odar asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You want to send the heir of the Emperion throne to a village that could be infested with enemy soldiers.”

  She was no longer engaged to Odar. He had no say in what she could or could not do. “How is this any different from what we did in Lakeside? You snuck me out of the castle to meet with an assassin.” She looked pointedly at him, awaiting his response. Allyssa had been in danger then with only Odar for protection. Surely Kerdan was equally capable of protecting her.

  “You weren’t in enemy territory.” Odar leaned forward, into her personal space. While his face was red with anger, his eyes were wide, pleading with her to listen to him. She took a step back.

  They’d set up camp just outside the village. The sun had already set, and the sky was turning dark. The frigid wind gusted, making her shiver.

  “Allyssa is not in enemy territory,” Kerdan said. “She is in my kingdom. I know these people. They are good, hard-working citizens. She’ll be fine.” He sounded irritated that he had to explain himself. He must be used to people agreeing with him and following his orders without question.

  Odar glared at him. “How can you be sure no one will recognize you?”

  “Since this is a small village, no one will even consider the possibility that the prince is walking among them.”

  Kerdan had sent Hurit and Larek ahead to scout out the village. They’d been gone for a couple of hours and should be returning any minute. If they found nothing amiss, then Kerdan planned to go—with or without Allyssa. Personally, she liked the idea of going into the village alone with Kerdan to talk to the local people to try and ascertain if Jana was at the duke’s house.

  “There’s no need for her to go,” Odar insisted. “If your men are as capable as you claim, they should be able to gather all the information we need.” Odar wouldn’t even look at her as he argued with Kerdan.

  “I understand what you’re saying,” Kerdan replied. “However, I do have an ulterior motive.”

  “Ha!” Odar shouted. “I knew it.”

  She shook her head, wanting to smack him for being such a prick.

  “Allyssa has agreed to enter into marriage negotiations with me,” Kerdan said.

  All color drained from Odar’s face. He opened his mouth several times to speak, but nothing came out.

  “I want her to see my people so she can start to understand the Russek culture,” Kerdan continued.

  “She can do that... after,” Odar whispered.

  “She could,” Kerdan conceded. “However, after I am crowned, the chances of the two of us having time to slip away for such an excursion are slim to none. It’s not like I’m asking to take her into hostile territory. She’ll only go if my men deem the village safe.”

  Odar turned to Darmik. “How can you allow her to do something so stupid?”

  Darmik cocked his head, observing Odar. “If anyone’s behavior is stupid, it is not my daughter’s.”

  “When something goes wrong, don’t count on me to help,” Odar said before turning and storming away.

  Darmik nodded to Nathenek, who silently followed Odar out of the camp and into the woods.

  “Am I allowed to go with Kerdan?” Allyssa couldn’t contain the huge smile on her face.

  “You can go so long as you’re armed, you remain with Kerdan at all times, and you don’t do anything foolish.”

  She tried not to laugh at the foolish part. Foolish was a state of opinion. “Agreed.” She hugged her father. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

  “You better go and get ready. Make sure you blend in. We want to prove Odar wrong. Got it?”

  She nodded and went over to her bag, rummaging around in it. Most Russek women wore ankle-length dresses, usually made from brown or gray wool. She didn’t have anything like that.

  “You’ll want to make sure your hair is in a bun,” Kerdan said from behind her. “Women here don’t do fancy braids. What do you plan on wearing?”

  “I have a cloak I’m thinking of tying around my waist to look like a long dress.”

  “I have a better idea.”

&nbs
p; She raised her eyebrows, wondering what he had in mind. As she waited for his answer, she reached up, undid the tie in her hair, and ran her fingers through her braid. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders in soft waves.

  “I’ll, um, be right back with something for you to wear.” He turned and headed into the surrounding forest, tripping over a stone in his haste to leave. She’d never seen him be clumsy before.

  Pulling her hair back, Allyssa twisted it around and made a bun at the top of her head.

  “Make sure you’re careful tonight,” Darmik said, sitting next to her.

  “Why are you letting me go?” While she was elated to be going, it was unlike her father to allow such a thing.

  Darmik rubbed his hands on his thighs, hesitating before answering. “I want to make sure you know what you’re getting into with Kerdan.”

  She’d spent a good amount of time with Kerdan. Granted, it wasn’t under normal circumstances, and they didn’t interact in public much. Still, she thought she knew who he was. “What are your reservations about him?” After all her father’s talk about the need to marry, here she was willing to do what was best for Emperion, and now Darmik was questioning it.

  Her father smiled. “I didn’t consider Kerdan to be a potential suitor, so I never bothered spying on him.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Maybe you should be the one going with him tonight, not me.”

  “You’re the one who has to marry and live with him. He seems a little rough around the edges. That doesn’t bother you?”

  Was it supposed to? “He was groomed for the military. That’s the Russek way.” And her father, of all people, should know that considering his own upbringing.

  “But not the Emperion way.”

  “If you don’t want me to marry him, just say so.”

  He kissed her forehead and stood. “The union would benefit both kingdoms. Strategically, it makes sense.”

  “But?”

  He rubbed the back of his head. “But that’s the emperor in me speaking. The father in me wants you to marry for love.”