Unbroken (Unarmed Trilogy #2)

by Nina Monroe

  "I told you to wait in the wagon," Will scolded as he watched Tamzin take the boy from his arms and place the boy back on the ground. She ignored him as she placed her hands on her dress, where she tore a large part of her skirt. With that fabric, she pressed down on the boy's gaping wound in his stomach. Her gentle voice sounded like music to Will as he listened to her comfort the boy. She told him everything would be fine and asked if he had any extreme pain?

  "I don't feel anything," the boy slurred out as he looked up to the sky. With his eyes open, Will could see the boy's blue eyes. The resemblance between them was too much to handle as Will felt his eyes well up.

  "I can't stop the bleeding," Tamzin whispered softly to Will as the boy continued to hold his hand. "The wound is too big to cauterize, and even if I did, I think he lost too much blood."

  "Where is Jacque?" Will asked angrily as he felt the boy's grip loosen from his, before it slid to the ground. "Hey! Hey!" Will yelled as he grabbed the boy's shoulders and shook him. "Wake up!"

  "He's gone, Will," Tamzin said sadly as she touched his arm, her hand still covered in blood. "His wound was too great."

  "Why didn't you save him?" Will asked as he felt the tears in his eyes begin to slip down his cheeks. He wiped them away hastily, as to not let his men see him show this much emotion.

  "I couldn't," Tamzin soothed as she placed her hand on his neck. "Will, I'm sorry, but some people can't be saved." It was words he had said countless times to her, but when he was actually confronted with the idea that innocent people were being killed, he felt the same as Tamzin. Watching a child die over a grown man was a very different experience. Will stood abruptly and turned away from the boy's dead body. Garrett stood behind him.

  "Should we bury them?" Garrett asked as he watched the other men inspect the bodies for signs of life. No man openly wept, but they were disturbed by the amount of children they found.

  "It would take too long to bury them and if we start a fire to burn them, someone could be alerted to our presence. These fire pits are almost out," Will said solemnly, emotionlessly. "We didn't notice them until we were close enough. How far are we from Bradford?"

  "Not far," Garrett answered as he placed his hand on his neck. "You would want someone to bury you."

  "I do, but I didn't kill these people and if I didn't have a pregnant wife in my care, I would bury them," Will responded as he turned back around and found Tamzin wiping the dead boy's face clean of dirt.

  "Strengthen the dying fires and burn the bodies that way," Tamzin suggested as she bit her lip while staring at the boy's corpse. "If that is what you think is best," Tamzin added. The men looked to Will to make a decision, but no one said anything or offered their own suggestions.

  "We have to move," Will said. "We don't know if the people who did this are still nearby."

  "Okay," Tamzin agreed, though she looked back to the boy's corpse and then the bodies of the others. Will didn't remark on her agreement, though he could see she did not wholly agree with him. She took his hand in hers and together, they returned to the wagon. Will helped Tamzin onto the wagon, and they sat towards the edge of the wagon. The men that sat by them ignored them as Tamzin laced her arm through Will's.

  "There isn't going to be some public argument about how I'm not making a good decision?" Will asked bitterly as he hunched forward to hide his face from her.

  "I was wrong," Tamzin said simply as she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "I feel like everyone dismisses me because I'm a woman. I know you don't, but I just want your men to trust my judgment just like they do yours. I shouldn't have questioned you in front of your men. It was wrong of me," Tamzin said as she offered him a small smile. "Can you forgive me?"

  "I think I can do that," Will smiled back, though it wasn't a true smile. As Will leaned forward, he buried his fingers in his hair. "Have you seen a child die before?"

  "I saw a lot of people die in Thurston," Tamzin frowned as she remembered. "But this was worst. Duke and his men didn't kill the whole population..."

  "But they tried. And they did it the same way. By fire," Will said gravely as he took a deep breath and tried to steady himself. "The Johanssons did this."

  "Why, though? This is a Southern town. They wouldn't help Northerners," Tamzin said as she felt the wagon buck before it began moving again.

  "It is a Southern town, but it's closer to Bradford than Johansson. It's safe to determine that the town is loyal to Bradford, which means the town would be loyal to me," Will explained as he looked forward through the opening of the wagon. The sky was still dark, but there was enough light from the fading moon to see that the sun would rise shortly. "But something is bothering me me."

  "What?" Tamzin asked.

  "Spears. It's not something used in wars much. At least, not anymore," Will said before he ran his hand through his hair. "My father won his battles by using spears, but now that crossbows are so popular, we don't use spears anymore."

  Tamzin didn't respond, though she laid her head against his shoulder.

  "My father went North..." Will reasoned.

  "You don't know that," Tamzin said sadly as she kissed his shoulder again. "You haven't heard from your father or aunt in ages..."

  "Stop," Will nearly growled and pulled away from her embrace. "It may be too dangerous to send word. Isabelle doesn't know where we are. She could be waiting for me to send the first word."

  "Yes, that is possible, but you also need to prepare for the worst. And you know what the worst is," Tamzin frowned before she felt Will reach for her again. "I could be wrong about this. I could be wrong about your father as well," she said as she cupped his cheek, his rough beard scratching at her soft palm. "But I don't think I am."

  "You understand I cannot breathe a word of this to any of my men without proof? It would be treason to accuse my father of these crimes. Oh, the irony," Will said as he leaned back and smacked his head against the wall of the wagon. "Why attack an irrelevant Southern town?"

  "An irrelevant Southern town that wouldn't bend their knee to him? Perhaps your father wanted their help in planning a trap for us? Similar to the attack in the forest when we were returning from your aunt's territory?" Tamzin offered. "This is purely hypothetical, but I think your father heavily planned the attack on us in the forest. The men we met the night before we left, at the inn where Kendall and Garrett were married. I think Duke and his men followed us and waited in the forest. If Duke's arrogance hadn't gotten in the way, you and I would be dead right now and then your father could declare war easily on Johansson. He did it, even after we lived. No matter what the ending is, your father can claim the North for himself and invade Johansson. Gregory probably promised Johansson something for his cooperation. Bradford would side with him and my father would have joined him in battle. If my father had been killed by friendly fire..."

  "My father wants me dead," Will half whispered and whimpered. "And I can't tell anyone until something terrible happens."

  "We are close to safety, Will," Tamzin said as she dropped her hand into his, where she laced them together and squeezed. "When we are in Bradford, your father won't touch you."

  "I'm worried about you and our baby. My father knows that if he wants to kill me, he will kill you," Will leaned forward and took her face in his hands. "If you or our baby die, I will follow..."

  "No, you won't!" Tamzin gritted her teeth. "If something happens to me or our child, you become angry. You go after the man who did this to us. What you do is destroy your enemies and take no prisoners. Your bloodline is full of Kings and conquerors. You will live up to your name as a Thurston," Tamzin whispered before the jolt of the wagon as it came to a halt. "What's happening?"

  "Your Grace," a Roth archer said from the opening of the wagon. "We are near the gate."

  "What do you mean 'near?'" Will asked as he crawled towards the opening and peered out. "Dear God," he said as he stared up. They were near Bradford; in fact, they could see the outer walls of the palace up i
n the distance. When people said the walls were as high as the sky, it wasn't a lie. Bradford Territory lied atop of a long and treacherous mountain, with a rickety road that wound around the mountain.

  "No wonder no one wants to attack Bradford," Tamzin said as she stared up at the mountain. "And that explains why no one wants to visit, either."

  Will didn't hear her words. All he could think about was how was he going to get 1500 men and 50 carts up that mountain without attracting attention. It would be a long journey, indeed.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "What do we do?" Garrett asked, with Seraphina at his side. Tamzin had come out of the wagon and stood next to Will, as he inspected the mountain. She glared at Seraphina briefly before she returned her attentions to the mountain.

  "We can't bring the wagons full of men up this mountain. The horses will be unable to handle the weight of the men up this steep. We will have to leave the wagons behind, and everyone will walk. I will help the men push up the cart with the supplies," Will ordered before he began to take off his armor.

  "You should keep it on," Tamzin stopped him by placing her hand on his shoulder. "I know it adds extra weight, but we don't know what's in the woods or on this mountain."

  "You're right," Will said, though he grumbled at the thought of the excess weight on his shoulders. "You can't walk this distance."

  "It's not right that I sit on a cart while these men walk and push the carts up the mountain," Tamzin answered as she watched the grim faces on the men's faces. They were unsure they could complete this task. "There has to be an easier way up. How on earth could they trade with this as their main road?"

  "Well, you can't ride a horse either, so you must sit on the cart. You're too far along to do long bouts of walking, especially a walk this strenuous," Will responded as he stared up the mountain. He felt anxiety sit in the pit of his stomach and gnaw at him before he turned to look at his men. "We are leaving the majority of the wagons behind. Unhinge the horses and everyone walks. We are pushing the carts with the supplies up the mountain. Someone will need to lead the horse first and then some men will push. When we reach a plateau, we will switch," Will ordered as he took Tamzin's hand. "Sit on the medicine cart with Jacque. I want him to monitor you."

  "There's nothing to monitor," Tamzin said with a slight eye roll. "I am fine, Will."

  "You had cramping. I don't want to exacerbate your condition," Will said as he gently took her arm in his hand. "I'm worried enough. Please just sit on the wagon."

  "Okay," Tamzin said with a slight smile. "I love you," she said as she reached down to his belt and brought him closer.

  "I love you, too," Will said as he kissed her lightly. Her lips were chapped and Will felt his tongue swipe across her bottom lip before they pulled away. "I worry about you when you're like this."

  "This is the first time I've been like this!" Tamzin laughed as he helped her onto the wagon. "And when I have our second, third, and fourth child? Will you still be like this?"

  "You want four children?" Will asked with slight surprise. "So that means we get to lie together at least four more times?" He teased.

  "Well, I would like five," Tamzin said with a devious smile. "So we get to lie together at least five more times."

  "How Southerners live like that, I will never know," Will said as he secured her in the wagon. "Jacque?"

  Jacque had been standing with Seraphina. It was then that Will realized that Tamzin and Seraphina would have to spend some time together on the same cart. He heard Tamzin huff behind him as Will helped Jacque and then Seraphina into the cart. Tamzin pursed her lips into a thin grimace as Seraphina sat across from her and Jacque next to Tamzin. Jacque looked exhausted, with circles under his eyes and his skin was thin and white, with the veins evident just beneath his skin.

  "Are you well, Jacque?" Tamzin concerned voice rang out as Will braced against the wagon with Garrett and few other men before they began to push. Will felt the strain in his legs and lower back as he and the men pushed up the uneven dirt path on the mountain. The air was different; it was thinner and colder than the humid thickness at the base of the mountain. Will's feet began to ache and he longed for his Northern boots, over the unsupportive sandals of the South. He gritted his teeth together so hard that he felt the intense pressure in his temples and down into his jaw.

  "Is this a good time to talk?" Garrett asked as he pushed alongside Will.

  "Is there anything to talk about?" Will asked as he and the men continued to grunt as they pushed the wagon up the mountain.

  "You saw the spears in that village," Garrett said as his fingers tightened on the end of the wagon to keep a better grip. "There's only one person we know who has used spears."

  "We can't have this conversation out in the open," Will said as he stopped pushing. The men followed his lead and Will stared at their sweat covered and panting faces. They couldn't have been more than halfway up the mountain. The twists and turns made him contort his body into odd positions and his sides ached just as intensely as his legs and arms. "I need undeniable proof. Finding some spears at a battle site isn't enough."

  "I know that," Garrett said with irritation as he leaned against the side of the wagon. "I will find you the evidence you need."

  "Thank you," Will replied curtly. He was still unsure of Garrett's intentions but didn't express these sentiments to anyone but Tamzin. He was just starting to regain control of his breathing when he heard Rolf's exasperated voice.

  "We're pushing wagons up a mountain? Your leadership is certainly one of a kind," Rolf said gruffly, with sweat pouring down his face. "It's extremely hot and this is what we're doing?"

  "What would you suggest we do?" Will replied before he stood up straight. "We need to get these supplies up the mountain, along with our horses. If you saw another route, it's your fault you didn't speak up."

  "Why don't the Bradfords know we're coming?" Rolf asked as he and the Roth archers began to approach them. "We could be walking all the way there and up this mountain and could they turn us away?"

  "It is a possibility," Will began before he heard the groans of the men. "But I'm his family. As long as I'm alive, Aidan Bradford has to honor the agreement he made with my father when he married my mother."

  "Your mother's dead, so why would he honor some agreement?"

  "Don't you dare talk about my mother in that tone," Will growled as he approached Rolf with anger in his eyes and venom in his voice.

  "Stop, both of you," Garrett said as he stood between the two feuding men. "We're wasting time and energy on fighting. You," Garrett said as he looked to Rolf, "promised to leave Will alone if he beat you in the Tournament. He did, and now you need to listen to him. He is royalty and your superior."

  "Do you always defend your superiors so enthusiastically?" Rolf mocked, though he took a step back from Will. "If the Bradfords don't take us in, then what do we do?"

  "They will let us in," Will insisted, though he had been trying to think of a plan b since they left Roth the night before. They couldn't hide out in the woods, and he supposed they could return to Roth, but that didn't seem like a viable option. "I will make them let us in."

  "Yes, fight our host. That will end very well," Rolf said sarcastically as he crossed his arms over his chest. "What kind of leader are you?"

  "You will talk to me with respect..." Will gritted his teeth.

  "Why? Because your father is a King? You think you deserve respect because of who your father is? You should be the leader just because?" Rolf asked as he continued to raise his voice in anger. "You're going to be a terrible King."

  "Will?" Tamzin groaned behind them, which interrupted their fight. "My stomach hurts."

  "It's the stress," Jacque said as he placed his hand on her back and tried to make her sit back down. "Arguing amongst yourself is not going to get us to the top of this mountain and a potential enemy seeing discord won't help either."

  "The Bradfords aren't an enemy," Will said weakly. Ho
w could he say that about complete strangers but the same couldn't be said about his own father? Will bit his tongue. "And Jacque is right. We need to stop fighting for the sake my wife and how it could be perceived to an enemy. I know I am not the best leader, but I am all we have right now. If the Bradfords don't allow us to stay, I will figure something out."

  The men didn't say anything to Will's remarks and the silence was nearly unbearable. The silence spoke more than words could; none of these men thought Will could lead them to safety. Did they think his countless battle wins were a fluke or luck? Will turned around to see Tamzin, who was having her hand held by both Seraphina and Jacque. She kept her eyes closed and she took deep breaths before she exhaled slowly. Will was surprised to see Tamzin's hand tucked so firmly in Seraphina's, but her pain made her blind to who was her friend and who wasn't.

  In the flurry of activity, something caught Will's eye. They were on a plateau on the mountain and against the side of the mountain was an opening. It was jagged and rough, with a green growth on the outside. Inside, it was extremely dark, but Will could see the end of the opening, where there was light again. Will inspected the opening and found it to be narrow, but enough to get through with the carts and the men with the horses. The problem was that Will had no idea what was at the end of the tunnel. He gripped the sword at his hip.