“And you think he will be here, in Northsbury?” Ernst asked, his voice incredulous. He remembered the knight chasing after him. He hadn’t seemed the traitorous type.
Talbot nodded. “We have reason to believe he will chase down the Rogue and try to capture him to clear his name.”
Ernst flinched. “That doesn’t sound like Aston. He’s always been the careful knight. Why throw everything away for a woman?”
Talbot laughed aloud. “Aston didn’t do anything wrong. I’m the one who let the murderer get away.”
“But you said--”
“I know what I said, Ernst. I lied. I couldn’t tell my father I’m the reason his closest friend is now dead. Or that I did it all to save a princess. So I lied. Aston was the only person there who could take the blame, so he did.” Talbot said, standing tall as if proud of himself for his cleverness.
“Wow, Talbot. Sounds like you really thought that out,” Ernst said, trying to keep his voice even. He’d been a close “friend” of Talbot’s for years, and he had always known the prince was lazy and irresponsible. He hadn’t, however, known Talbot was capable of condemning a man to save himself. Thinking about it now, Ernst realized it was completely in Talbot’s character to do so.
“I did. I spent the ride home from Adion trying to think of something to tell my father. I realize he wouldn’t have killed me, but I still didn’t want to deal with him over something so…trivial.”
“Duke Aeron’s death was trivial to you?” Ernst asked, his voice incredulous. While he had been the one to kill the duke, it was everyone else’s duty to mourn. He looked down at the black ribbon tied around his upper arm and sighed. He hated having to publicly mourn the people he killed, but it couldn’t be helped. He couldn’t have anyone asking questions.
“It was Duke Aeron, Ernst. He was stuck up and perverted. Everyone knew that. Lady Viola knew that, but she still stayed with him. Isn’t that why he was targeted? Does the Rogue kill people who don’t deserve to die?”
Ernst frowned. Yes, in his mind, the Duke had deserved his fate. Talbot was the only person who seemed to agree with him.
“I suppose he doesn’t. Do you fear for your life, Talbot?”
The prince looked at Ernst questionably. “Why should I?”
“Well, you seem to fit the profile. Arrogant, selfish, and uncaring; you’d make the perfect target for the Rogue.”
Talbot scoffed. “I don’t think so, Ernst. I have no say in the world. The Rogue only kills people with the power to make bad things happen.”
“What about Prince Orion? He was in the same position as you, but the Rogue still killed him.”
Talbot shrugged. “Prince Orion’s father was on the verge of death. He would have ascended the throne soon.”
“You have an answer for everything, don’t you, Talbot?” Ernst asked, smiling his crooked grin.
“Always. Now, what say you we head to the palace? If Aston wants to catch the Rogue, the palace is the perfect place to start.”
Ernst nodded and followed after Talbot. He pulled his cloak closer to his body, fingering the dagger at his waist. If it wouldn’t have blown his cover and ruined his plans, he would have killed Talbot then and there. Instead, he would do what he had come to do. He would kill the king, and then he’d make plans to go to Fridel, where his next target would be waiting for him.
Talbot wouldn’t have to worry about his life or his problem with Aston Smith for much longer.
“You never really leave a place or person you
love; part of them you take with you,
leaving a part of yourself behind.”
- Unknown Author -
Twelve
Aston woke the next morning to laughter coming from the kitchen. He stretched and yawned, blinking the last of his dream from his eyes. He sat up slowly and looked around, momentarily forgetting where he was. Delgrab walked by and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Morning,” he said, continuing towards the kitchen.
“Morning,” Aston yawned in response. He stood and followed Delgrab, wondering what the commotion in the kitchen was about. He stifled a laugh when he walked into the chaos.
Alys and Jade were standing in the middle of the room, covered in flour. As Aston watched, Alys grabbed a handful and threw it at Jade, laughing as Jade squealed and ducked around the corner, running into Aston. Aston caught her by the shoulders and held her away from him, not wanting to clean her mess with his shirt.
“Morning,” he laughed, raising an eyebrow at her appearance.
Jade looked behind her, smiling when she saw Delgrab holding Alys in the middle of the kitchen. “Morning.. .excuse me,” she said, stepping out of his arms and going toward the wash room. Alys followed her after planting a soft kiss on the tip of Delgrab’s nose.
Aston shook his head as the women walked away and entered the kitchen, offering to help Delgrab clean while Alys and Jade washed up.
“What was that about?” Aston asked.
Delgrab shrugged. “Who knows? Alys told me she was going to wake Jade and make breakfast. Next thing I knew, I heard laughing, screaming, and squealing. And now I have a mess to clean up.” Though Delgrab tried to appear angered, Aston could see the light in his eyes saying he was more amused.
“Jade and I have to leave today. You understand that, right?”
Delgrab nodded. “You have to get to Northsbury before King Roland is killed.”
This time, it was Aston’s turn to nod. He looked at his friend with a determined fire in his eyes. “The Rogue might be the only person who can clear my name. If he caught any glimpse of me…”
“I understand. Do you really think he’ll waltz up to King Donn and say ‘I’m The Rogue Royal. Your son is incompetent?’”
Aston laughed aloud. “No, Delgrab. I don’t know what I’m thinking. I just know I have to try, and that catching the Rogue is the only thing I can think of right now.”
Jade emerged from the washroom then dressed in her white blouse and brown pants and came to say goodbye to Delgrab.
“I’m assuming we are leaving now?” she asked Aston.
“After a quick breakfast, of course,” Alys announced as she came back into the room.
The look in her eyes told Aston that he would do best not to argue. He nodded. “Of course, Alys, after breakfast.”
The woman smiled and went to her kitchen. Sounds of cooking could be heard soon after: simmering bacon, crackling fire, and the clanking of pans. It didn’t take Alys long to have everyone seated at the table and eating their fill. Aston excused himself while Jade was still eating to prepare the horses.
Jade helped Alys with the dishes before turning to Delgrab. “Thank you for everything,” she said, smiling at him. She wanted to hug the big bear of a man, but she still felt a little uncomfortable. She knew that Aston trusted these people with his life, but she was still a stranger to them.
“You are welcome here anytime, lass,” he said, placing a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. Jade left then, going into the back to say her farewells to Alys as well.
Delgrab walked outside, where Aston was already waiting for Jade, the horses ready to go. The knight grabbed his friend in a hug. “Goodbye for now, Delgrab.”
Delgrab leaned in close to Aston, whispering in his ear. “You take care of her, Aston. She needs you.”
Aston nodded at his friend, a small smile gracing his features. “I will.”
Alys came out of the cabin and grabbed the knight in a hug, squeezing his arms to his sides. Aston laughed, pushing Alys back and giving her a gentle hug in return.
“You be safe, Aston Smith. Do you hear me?” she scolded, tears in her eyes.
Aston nodded. “I will, Alys. I’m going to fix this, I promise.” Seemingly convinced, Alys smiled at him, pulling him forward and giving him a light kiss on the cheek. Jade came out of the cabin and walked over to her stallion, clambering on. Aston followed suit, hoisting himself onto Sterling. With one last look at Delg
rab and Alys, standing arm in arm in the cabin’s front yard, Aston and Jade rode into the forest.
**
“How far is Northsbury from Fridel?” Jade asked Aston.
Aston frowned. “It’s almost a two day ride. I’m afraid we can only rest as long as the horses need to. I can’t afford to miss the Rogue.”
Jade nodded and turned away. The Rogue Royal was a touchy subject for her. She needed to tell Aston what she knew, but she feared he would abandon her. Instead, she kept her secrets inside. “I guess it’s good that we stayed with Delgrab and Alys, then. It was nice, sleeping in a real bed, having dinner with real friends.”
“That won’t happen very often as long as you’re with me, Jade. I don’t have friends aside from Delgrab and Alys. Even in the palace, I was always alone,” Aston warned her.
“I don’t mind. I’m sorry I was a bit…stuck up when we met. I’ve never been on my own before. I’ve always had my parents around to take care of me,” Jade apologized.
Aston met her gaze and smiled. “It’s fine. We should hurry, though. The Rogue was supposed to be at Northsbury in two days. If we don’t ride faster, he will kill the king and leave before we ever get there.”
Jade nodded her agreement and urged her horse into a brisk canter, allowing Aston to move ahead of her and lead the way.
**
As night fell, Aston was forced to slow down. He couldn’t see where he was going anymore, and his knight’s training didn’t help this far from Fridel. It had been almost a year since he’d been to Northsbury. He’d gone with Talbot and King Donn the winter before for the king’s winter ball. The path was unfamiliar, and, for the second time since his death sentence, he found himself afraid.
“Is something wrong, Aston?” Jade asked, bringing her horse up beside Sterling. She gazed around at the surrounding trees.
“I’ve only been to Northsbury once, and it was always daylight when we were travelling. We can’t stop here, though. If we don’t make it there by tomorrow evening, we will be too late to save the king.”
“Do you really care about the king’s life, or do you just want to catch the Rogue?” Jade asked him.
Aston whipped his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “I may be a wanted man, Jade, but I’m still a knight at heart. Saving the lives of innocent people will always come before my own gain.”
Jade nodded and turned away from his piercing gaze. “If you go with what the Rogue says, the men he kills aren’t exactly innocent.”
“Are you condoning killing these people?” Aston asked, reining Sterling in and turning in his saddle.
Jade stopped as well but didn’t turn to face Aston. “I’m not saying it’s right, what he’s doing. I’m just stating an opinion,” she explained, slowly urging her horse forward again.
Aston was forced to follow. “To answer your question, yes, I do care about the king’s life. More than my own. You have to care more about the lives of other people to be a knight. That’s not saying that finding the Rogue isn’t just as important to me, but if I can stop it, I won’t allow the king to die.” Jade nodded, seemingly convinced. “We can go faster now. This road leads to King Roland’s castle,” Aston added, looking down. Jade followed his gaze, noticing they were on a well-traveled dirt road.
As they quickened their pace, Jade glanced sideways at Aston. She sent a prayer upwards, though she wasn’t quite sure what to pray for. Should she pray they would arrive in time to stop the Rogue and capture him? Should she pray they arrived too late and the Rogue would already be gone? Aston and the Rogue were both people she cared deeply about; she didn’t want either of them to be hurt.
With a jolt, Jade realized that she couldn’t keep her promise to Richie. She wanted to help Aston clear his name, but she couldn’t condemn Ernst in his place. She cursed under her breath, fighting the tears welling behind her eyes. She was going to have to choose between Ernst and Aston. After knowing Aston for just a couple of days, she found her choice was becoming harder to make.
**
Jade startled awake, quickly realizing that they had stopped and Aston’s hand was on her shoulder. “Are we there?” she asked, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Aston had allowed her to sleep the night before, saying they would be in Northsbury soon enough and that they could slow down.
“Yes, Jade. Welcome to Northsbury,” he said, gesturing ahead of them. Jade followed his movement, and her eyes widened as she took in the city. She’d traveled to Duke Roland’s every year with her family in the winter, but she never paid much attention to the city. She spent the ride there in a carriage, her nose stuck in a book.
She’d never realized before how beautiful the city was. Where Adion was broken stone streets and drooping trees, Northsbury had streets made of cobblestone and tall, elegant, blossoming shrubs. As they made their way down the street, Jade took in the well-maintained buildings, the smiling citizens, and the flowers blooming in wooden boxes on every window sill. Aston looked a bit uncomfortable, walking in the middle of the day through town, but no one spared him a passing glance.
“I suppose news travels slowly from Fridel to Northsbury. No one seems to know who I am,” Aston said, turning to look at Jade.
“What does that mean for us?” Jade asked him.
Aston smiled, jumping down from Sterling. “It means we can stay here,” he said, motioning to the building they’d stopped in front of.
Jade looked up and smiled, her eyes crinkling. “Really? We can stay here?” she exclaimed, bouncing slightly in her saddle. When Aston nodded, she laughed and jumped down from Edward, pulling Aston into a hug before going inside.
Aston looked up again, his eyes glancing at the sign. The triangular board depicted the silhouette of a knight on a horse, a plume rising from his helmet: Knight’s Inn. It was fitting, he thought. He handed Sterling and Edward over to the inn’s stable hand and followed Jade inside. He was surprised he didn’t find her in the main room.
Aston walked to the desk at the front of the inn, clearing his throat to get the innkeeper’s attention. When she looked up at him, she immediately stopped what she was doing and leaned forward, exposing a good amount of her chest for his eyes.
“I was wondering where the young woman who just walked in went,” Aston said, deciding to get right to the point.
The woman frowned and straightened, crossing her arms over her chest. “Upstairs, third room on the right,” she said, looking down at her desk.
Aston pulled his coin purse from his pocket and opened it. “How much for the room?” he asked.
The lady waved him off. “It’s been taken care of.”
Aston frowned as he put his purse away before heading up the stairs. He found the third one and knocked, not wanting to intrude on Jade.
“Come in,” she called.
Aston stepped inside and smiled. Jade was lying on the only bed in the room, her arms crossed behind her head, her legs taking up most of the rest. She pulled her legs together when he walked in and patted the empty side of the bed beside her.
Confused, Aston walked over and sat beside Jade, glancing around the room. A tall wardrobe occupied one corner, and there was a single window overlooking the town with thread-bare brown curtains. Aside from that, the bed was the only other furniture in the room.
“Well, lay down. Get some sleep,” Jade ordered, interrupting his thoughts. She folded her arms back under her head and closed her eyes.
“This isn’t proper,” Aston said, uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and looked away from the princess, folding his hands in his lap and squirming.
“Well, I didn’t think to get two rooms. I thought it would be pointless. Besides, if you are going to be my protector, you need to be in the same room as me,” Jade stated, opening her eyes again and looking over at Aston.
Aston looked down at her and sighed, giving in and laying down beside her. “How did you pay for this room, anyway?” Aston asked.
Jade cringed. “I ‘borrowed’ some
money from my parents when I left,” she answered.
Aston laughed and turned onto his side, facing the wall away from Jade. He felt Jade turn around as well. Aston didn’t intend to sleep. He didn’t want to fall asleep and not wake up in time to catch the Rogue. The knight didn’t want to have to go back to Fridel. By now, everyone would know what he had done, and the price on his head would be high.
He heard Jade’s slow breathing and knew she’d fallen asleep. He got up slowly, careful not to jar the bed and wake her. He left the room, locking the door behind him, and went downstairs, going to the stable to grab their bags. When he reached the room again, Aston remembered the letter Richie had given him from King Aric. Curious, he dug the letter from the pack and went downstairs to read it.
Donn,
I appreciate the help you sent. Prince Talbot held everyone together when The Rogue Royal got away. You should know I don’t blame your knight or your son for what happened to Duke Aeron. If Aston and Talbot had not been there, we wouldn’t have found The Duke when we did, and my daughter might be dead as well. I want you to thank Talbot for staying with her while Aston went after the Rogue. She is a fragile soul, so like her mother.
That said, I have news of her. My daughter has run away. I haven’t seen my son in a month and now she is gone as well. I don’t know where I am failing as a father, but I fear she was angry with me. I had arranged for Duke Aeron’s eldest son, Marquess Jacob, to marry her, but my daughter is spirited.
If you could send someone to help me find her, I would be most grateful. Maybe Aston? I have heard he is the best of your knights, and I believe he would be able to coax her into returning home. I hope for word from you soon.
Your friend,
Aric
Aston raised a brow at the letter. King Aric had wanted him to come and find his daughter? He wondered what Donn’s reply would have been. I’m sorry, I can’t send Aston because I hanged him? Rereading the letter, Aston found what he needed.
“I want you to thank Talbot for staying with her while Aston went after The Rogue… King Aric knows it was Talbot that stayed with the princess, and not me,” he whispered, reading the line again. This letter could be the key to his salvation.
Knight's End (The Knight Trilogy) Page 8
