The King's Obsession

by Tanya Bird

‘Where’s Petra?’ he asked, his mind ticking over.

  Hali frowned and glanced at her husband. ‘In her room, I imagine. How about I go?’

  ‘She’s not upstairs.’

  ‘Well, she cannot have gone far,’ Yuri said, gesturing to the servant waiting nearby. The man stepped forwards. ‘I want you to ask around and locate our missing guest. Check the entire manor.’

  ‘Yes, my lord,’ the servant replied before rushing from the room.

  Leksi turned to Charis. ‘Saddle my horse, just in case.’

  ‘In case of what?’

  He did not want to admit the possibility aloud. ‘And ensure I have enough supplies to last a few days.’

  Charis looked confused. ‘Why?’

  ‘Just do it.’

  ‘Leksi,’ Hali called, rushing after him.

  He turned to her, jaw set.

  ‘Does she know the location of her son?’

  ‘Yes.’ He had handed Petra the letter to read for herself. It contained every detail they had learned about the situation so far. She deserved that. Of course, in hindsight, if she was going to resent him anyway, he should have kept the details to himself until he got her to Archdale.

  Hali’s face was pinched with worry.

  ‘She would not attempt such a journey alone, surely,’ Yuri said, walking over and joining them. ‘If she had requested a horse, I most certainly would have heard about it.’

  Leksi closed his eyes. ‘She will be on foot.’

  ‘Well she won’t have gone far,’ Hali said. ‘It’s a two-day journey to the Corneon border on foot.’

  ‘Perhaps she just took a walk of the grounds to clear her head,’ Yuri offered.

  Hali chewed her lip. ‘No. She has gone to her son.’

  Lord Yuri frowned. ‘She is a smart woman who would surely understand the dangers and ramifications of such a decision.’

  ‘She’s already proven that she doesn’t care about the dangers and ramifications,’ Hali said plainly. ‘She wants to see her son.’

  ‘But to go on foot,’ Yuri continued, ‘with no coin or supplies…’

  Leksi suddenly remembered the jewels she had in her possession. Shaking his head, he marched out of the hall and headed for the front door.

  Chapter 18

  It was tempting to run, but Petra knew the journey would be long. Only a steady pace and some clever thinking would get her to Corneo. After she had been walking for about an hour, she moved off the main road to study the map she had stolen from Lord Yuri’s study, one she had every intention of returning—after she had seen her son. She would need to veer north, to Soarid, in order to get some supplies. The most direct route was to Lirald, but without water, food or shelter, she would never make it that far. All she had was the map and the jewels. She would need to find a merchant or nobleman willing to trade them for coin or supplies.

  The moment Leksi had announced he was taking her to Archdale, she had been wary. Her son was in Corneo, and she knew he would have no control over the situation once she was inside the castle walls. Leksi must have known it too, but he had followed orders his entire life and was incapable of disobeying them. She understood—as long as he understood that her loyalty was to her son. He could not expect her to follow him blindly to Archdale so another king could decide the best course of action. No, she was done letting men make those decisions on her behalf—Leksi included.

  The knight would have likely figured out that she was missing by now. He had left Charis to play watchdog, and she had waited for the sound of his familiar snoring before opening the door, stepping over his legs, and slipping from the house. The entire manor had been secured so no one could get in. They had not been expecting anyone to sneak out.

  Knowing it would not take him long to catch up, she decided to stay off the road. Instead, she walked parallel to it, continuing that way until she arrived at a fenced paddock containing sheep. They watched her with suspicion, and while she knew they were not aggressive animals by any means, she still returned to the road, just as the sun disappeared.

  From Soarid, she would make her way to Lirald, and from there, she would cross the border. It would be at least another day of hard walking to get from the border to Paton in Corneo’s north. That was where Xander was waiting.

  A priest named Father Gabot had taken her son in, ordered to raise him in the church and committed to cleansing him of his sins. The idea of a five-year-old boy having sins made her fingers curl, but she decided to reserve judgement of the man until she could see for herself. That was as far as she let her mind go. Maybe he was happy, loved, part of a family, a community, destined to help people in need. She would not take that from him. But if she discovered he was being mistreated in any way, she would do whatever was necessary to get him out of there before King Nilos came for her.

  Gravel crunched underfoot, and she watched her shoes as she walked. Better than watching the dark trees around her. Occasionally a dog barked or a bird sang, making her jump. Nothing slowed her though. The lure of her son gave her an energy she could never have imagined. A sheep bleated nearby and she glanced at the paddock, adjusting the hood of her cloak so it covered more of her face.

  She swallowed, recognising thirst, though she had only been walking a few hours. The entire night stretched out in front of her; she would need to toughen up if she was to survive the journey.

  As soon as there was light, she would search for water. Until then, one foot in front of the other, towards her son.

  Leksi tried to get inside her mind. She would take the most direct route to Paton. Or would she? As far as he knew, she had no food or water. Soarid was not too far out of the way; perhaps she would go there first and try to sell the jewels. He was certain she would not venture far from the main roads. She would be expecting him, so he was not expecting to find her in plain sight. The mentor was resourceful enough when she needed to be.

  Sheep bleated nearby, and he slowed his horse to a walk so he could watch the trees either side. His eyes were highly trained at spotting men among them, perhaps even better trained to spot her. If she was around, he would find her, then throw her over his horse and take her to Archdale. Those were his orders.

  ‘Pandarus wants her brought to Archdale.’

  That was what Tyron had said in his letter. That was all the information he had needed in the past, but now he found himself asking why. He had spent too much time alone with her, too many hours watching her from across the room, musing at her need for sterile living conditions and marvelling at the soft curves of her body.

  He had witnessed a change in her. She no longer looked through him. Her blank expression had been replaced by something warmer, more reflective. And they had kissed—twice. Not the sort of kiss he was used to, but the type that was an event in itself.

  He shifted in the saddle as he replayed the moments in his mind. The first time was on her. He had tried to do the right thing, be the man people wanted him to be instead of the one they expected him to be. The second time was on him. He had not been in control of himself, fuelled by the fear of almost losing her.

  He prided himself on his ability to keep a cool head. There were only a handful of times in his life that he had not been in complete control of his emotions, but seeing her underwater, her long hair and dress swirling around her as the waves rolled her over in the sea… it had undone him.

  The relief he had felt when he pulled her from the water had not lasted, quickly replaced by uncharacteristic rage. Why? Because he cared—too much. Now if he did not find her before King Nilos’s men did, there was a good chance he might never see her again, and the possibility turned his stomach to stone.

  Petra arrived in Soarid just as the sun kissed the horizon. She had stopped at a well outside the village and now lingered near the market as the merchants set up for the day. It took some time before she finally worked up enough courage to approach someone, walking up to a young woman selling flowers and trying not to appear as exhausted as she fe
lt.

  The girl looked her up and down for a moment before replying.

  ‘You won’t find a jeweller here. You need to go to Veanor.’

  She had just come from there, but was not about to announce the fact. ‘Perhaps you know of another merchant who might be interested?’

  By the look on her face, she did, but she hesitated a moment. ‘Try the goldsmith. He has a workshop next to his house.’ She pointed in the direction. ‘You’ll see on your left.’

  Relief and gratitude showed on Petra’s face. ‘Thank you so much.’

  Exiting the market, she made her way along the road, continuously glancing over her shoulder. She kept expecting to see Leksi. Perhaps he had passed her, or gone straight to Lirald. That was what she hoped, and a part of her wanted to lay eyes on him, revel in the safe feeling she always had in his presence, but a bigger part of her wanted to get to Xander.

  She found the goldsmith already in his workshop. He was seated at a bench, polishing a candleholder. He looked up as she stepped inside, eyes moving over her the same way the woman’s had. In a small village, everyone took notice of an unfamiliar face.

  ‘Good morning,’ she called to him, opening her bag to retrieve the jewels.

  ‘Can I help you?’ he asked, standing and putting the candleholder and cloth on the bench.

  She tried to smile as she gathered the gemstones in her hand, wanting to appear friendly. He did not smile back. ‘I am looking for a buyer for some jewellery.’ She stepped up to the table and laid the items in front of him: two large rings and a gem-inlaid bracelet.

  His gaze went from the items to her, no doubt trying to figure out if they were stolen. ‘They yours?’ he asked plainly.

  ‘Gifts.’

  His eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘Generous gifts.’

  ‘A generous lover,’ she replied, hoping that would answer all of his questions and allow them to move forwards.

  ‘I see.’ He picked them up, one at a time, studying them. ‘Fine craftsmanship. Were they made in Syrasan?’

  He must have known they were foreign pieces if he was asking. ‘I’m not entirely sure.’

  He placed them back on the table, closer to her that time—a bad sign. ‘I can’t pay you what they’re worth. You’ll get a better price in Veanor.’

  She was about to say she had just come from there when she realised the less he knew, the better. ‘I only need enough to fund my journey.’

  ‘Where you headed?’

  ‘South,’ she lied. ‘To Braul.’

  ‘Thought I recognised an accent,’ he said, nodding. ‘I’m afraid I can’t even offer you that.’

  She drew a breath. ‘What about some supplies instead of coin?’ She held up her small bag. ‘As you can see, I left in a hurry.’

  He stared at the bag for a moment. ‘I’m not going to regret this, am I? I want no trouble.’

  She lowered her bag. ‘I assure you the jewels belong to me. They are not stolen.’ She hoped that was enough for him.

  Crossing his arms, he asked, ‘Why’d you leave in such a hurry?’

  What answer to give? ‘My family needs me. Let us just say my lover was not keen on me leaving.’ It was partly true.

  He shook his head as though he was about to say no. ‘What do you need?’

  She exhaled, swallowing back tears. ‘What would you recommend for a solo journey?’

  The goldsmith disappeared and returned with a flask filled with water, a sheet of waterproof canvas and some rope that could be used for shelter, a large loaf of bread, a few apples, some salted meat, a wool blanket, a towel, and a piece of soap. He packed all of the items into a saddlebag.

  ‘Where’s your horse?’ he asked.

  She bit down on her lip. That explained the saddlebag. ‘I am travelling on foot.’

  He looked past her, as if she were lying. ‘You’re walking all the way to Braul?’

  ‘It appears that way.’

  He glanced down at her shoes and shook his head. ‘Wait here.’

  She was worried he was going to report her insanity to someone, or worse, bring her an animal of some kind. Instead, he returned with a pair of old boots and a dagger. Crouching in front of her, he measured one of the shoes against her foot.

  ‘You’ll be able to walk for days in these without getting blisters. And they’ll keep your feet drier than your fancy shoes.’

  She looked up at the clear sky. ‘Thankfully, no rain in sight.’

  He gave a low chuckle as she removed her shoes and shoved her feet into the boots, hoping he would not notice the blisters already visible on her heels. When she was done, he handed her the dagger.

  ‘What is this for?’

  ‘Just in case.’

  She nodded. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Don’t be taking rides with strange men. Plenty will offer.’

  Another nod.

  ‘And watch out for wild boars in the South. Better if you were on a horse, but I’m afraid I can’t spare one of those.’

  Boars. She shoved the dagger into her bag.

  ‘The dagger won’t help much with those. Thick hides.’

  ‘Then I shall refrain from stabbing them.’ She attempted a smile.

  He ushered her to the door before heading back to his workbench, shaking his head the entire time.

  She stepped outside and turned to face the rising sun, fear and excitement fighting for room inside her. Then, drawing a breath for courage, she headed east.

  Chapter 19

  The forest between Soarid and Lirald was dense and alive with creatures Petra had only encountered in books. Birds crowed, lizards clicked and colourful fur flashed in the shrubbery. She clutched the saddlebag in one hand and the dagger in the other. The goldsmith had mentioned boars in the South, but she preferred to err on the side of caution in case they had wandered north.

  Tall pines loomed overhead, stretching in all directions. She should have moved off the track, but her fear of getting lost kept her feet firmly on the path winding between the trees. The setting reminded her of the night she had slept on the forest floor, certain that if the cold did not kill her, the insects would. She had eventually surrendered to sleep only to be woken gently by a rather handsome Sir Leksi.

  Another glance over her shoulder. He was not there.

  The sky rumbled overhead, and she stopped walking and looked up. At some point, clouds had swallowed the sun, their colour suggesting it might actually rain. That explained the goldsmith’s laughter. She had almost forgotten that Syrasan was capable of rain in the warm season. That was why they had food while their neighbours wilted. It would probably just be a shower, and the trees would provide enough cover for her to continue. She resumed walking. The sooner she got to the border, the better.

  A drop of rain splashed on her forehead and she wiped at it. Another rumble of thunder made her look around, worried she would not hear approaching horses over the noise. A sudden wind hit her from the north, causing all the hairs on her arms to stand on end. She reached up and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head as more rain began to fall. Within minutes, she noticed the heaviness of her cloak as it collected the water. Not quite the shower she had predicted, but rather steady rain, which seemed to have settled in the skies above her.

  Another glance behind. She wondered how far she was from Lirald, not that she was planning to stop there. Leksi would likely be waiting for her to make a mistake so he could drag her back to Archdale. He would be expecting her to seek shelter indoors, but she had everything she needed with her, and she could survive outdoors if it meant reaching her son.

  Water began to pool on the forest floor, the earth too dry to absorb it. Her boots held up well at first, keeping her feet dry. Then every part of her was wet, her dress soaked through, and her feet slushing in her boots. She stopped walking, looking around for shelter, but water seemed to trickle from every nook of the forest. With no idea how long the downpour might last, she realised that she was actually going to have t
o attempt to build some.

  She blinked, eyes heavy from lack of sleep. Perhaps she would allow herself an hour’s rest until the rain stopped. She moved off the track for the first time since entering the forest and moved among the thick trees in search of higher ground where there was less water. Crouching, she pulled the canvas from her bag and unrolled it. There were holes sewn in the corners, no doubt reinforced for the rope. She thought she had tied enough rope in her youth to know what she was doing, but when she tried to recall the different types of knots, nothing came to her. One of the most educated women in Corneo, but no one had taught her how to tie a good knot.

  Standing, she shook the canvas out, blinking against the rain. The wind had picked up, and the moment the canvas was flat, it took off like a sail, pulling free of her hands and wrapping the closest tree. She stared at it while rain splattered her face, fighting the urge to cry.

  Leksi didn’t mind rain to a point, but he suspected this was going to be more of a downpour judging by the darkening sky. Thunder clapped around him, and he imagined Petra’s face in that moment. She stood no chance against the elements, and he could not help feeling slightly pleased by the fact. She had chosen to run off, after all. Perhaps she would finally realise her mistake.

  The thought left as quickly as it came, however, because he knew she would be afraid, and that did not sit well with him.

  He kept to the path, eyes searching the trees, because the forest was too big to try any other tactic. The goldsmith informed him that he had missed her by an hour, so he felt confident he would find her soon enough. The man had frowned at him, almost hesitant to answer his questions.

  ‘She told me the jewels weren’t stolen,’ he had said.

  ‘The jewels were hers,’ Leksi had answered honestly.

  He had clicked his tongue before asking, ‘You the man who gave them to her?’

  Whatever story she had fed him did not seem to paint Leksi in a good light. Eventually he had gotten all the information he could before heading off after her. He disregarded the part about her travelling south to Braul. There was only one direction she was going, and that was to her son.