Defy (The Blades of Acktar Book 3)

by Tricia Mingerink

  Something more than anger was wrong with Martyn. Renna limped, winced, and took another step forward. A cold chill swirled into her toes. Martyn’s words during Leith’s attempt to rescue her echoed in her head. You know the punishment I’d face.

  What punishment had Martyn been talking about? Would Respen punish him because he’d failed to stop Leith from escaping and rescuing Brandi?

  Of course Respen would. Since he couldn’t punish Leith, he’d punish Martyn instead.

  As she neared, Martyn pulled himself straighter. The light from the arrow slit fell across darker patches staining the back of his black shirt. Before he could stop her, Renna stretched and touched one.

  Martyn whirled and backed away from her. “Don’t.”

  Renna held her fingers up. A faint sheen of red glinted in the sunlight. “You’re bleeding.”

  “It’s no concern of yours.” Martyn grabbed her upper arm.

  She yanked her arm out of his grip. “Yes, it is. It’s your punishment for Brandi’s escape, isn’t it?”

  He turned away, but not before pain tightened his jaw. Renna fisted her fingers into her buckskin divided skirt. Martyn had suffered for Brandi’s escape. An escape Renna made possible by tackling him. “I’m a healer. I can help you.”

  His brown eyes darted toward her. For a minute, she caught a glimpse of something—an ache, a longing—before shutters walled his emotions away. “No. I’m fine.” He tugged her forward again. “Is that how you got to Leith? False kindness?”

  “It isn’t false.” She bit her lip. When she’d first met Leith, her kindness had been false. But now her heart ached to help Martyn. He didn’t even know how much he needed help.

  Was this the reason she’d been left at Nalgar Castle? To touch Martyn’s hurting heart? Maybe by showing him kindness, he’d see the source of that kindness the way Leith had.

  He needed her help whether he liked it or not. Renna turned to the trainee. “Fetch boiling water, rags, bandages, and salve. Surely you keep healing supplies in the Tower.”

  The trainee glanced from her to Martyn, a wrinkle creasing his forehead.

  Martyn shook his head. “My orders are to transfer you to your new room. That’s it.”

  “Is Respen waiting for a report? Will you be punished if I’m not locked in some cell within five minutes?” Renna met his gaze and refused to look away. He was hurt, and someone had to tend him. He might be stubborn, but he should see the reason in that. “It’s not like I’ll ever be out of your sight.”

  “Fine.” Martyn’s shoulders sagged only a fraction. He waved at the trainee. “Do as she says.”

  Saluting, the trainee spun and clomped down the stairs.

  Martyn stared in that direction for several minutes even after the trainee disappeared from view. “He’s the last loyal one left. All the other trainees went with Leith.”

  The other trainees escaped too? Renna ducked her head to hide her smile. Of course Leith and Jamie wouldn’t leave the young boys behind to be trained as killers.

  She straightened and faced Martyn. “You need to lie down.”

  He shuffled down the passageway slowly enough that Renna managed to keep up with her hopping gait. He halted before the third door from the end. The crossed daggers symbol carved into the door with the number three at their center.

  Renna cocked her head. “Are you the Second Blade now or still the Third Blade?”

  He shrugged and grimaced. “Second Blade, though King Respen hasn’t called a Meeting of the Blades to officially promote me.”

  So why wasn’t he using the Second Blade’s room? Renna rubbed her fingers along her skirt as she followed him inside, leaving the door open.

  The arrow shaft across the passageway lit the inside of the room just enough for her to make out a few black shapes in the darkness. A knife scraped against flint a few times. A candle flared and brightened the tiny room.

  A wood-framed cot took up all of one wall, a small table next to its head. Across from the cot, a basin and washtub sat on a stand underneath a row of pegs. Knives hung in their sheaths from several of the pegs while spare sets of black clothes and one set of tan clothes dangled from the others.

  While the floor was tiled with stone, the ceiling was formed of large beams branching out in a wagon wheel pattern from the far wall. Wooden planks held up the stone of the floor above.

  So small. So much stone. How had Leith lived in this room for four years without going insane? Perhaps Respen sent his Blades out so frequently because they would go crazy staying here.

  Martyn rested one hand on the bedside table, the other against the wall. Even more color had drained from his face.

  “Take off your shirt and lie down.” She waved at the bed and bit her lip. Dark brown stains splotched across the blanket. How badly had he been hurt?

  Martyn glanced down at himself, then back up at her.

  She crossed her arms and gave him her best eye roll. Brandi would be proud. “I’m a healer. I need to tend you. Now take your shirt off or I’ll take one of your knives and cut it off.”

  Not that she could go through with her threat, but it’d seemed like something Brandi would’ve said. Surely Renna could at least pretend to be tough and bossy. She pressed her mouth into a frown. Did she look intimidating enough?

  The muscle at the corner of Martyn’s jaw flexed. He unbuckled his knives and set them on the bed within easy reach. With a grunt, he peeled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. He lay down on the cot, propped up on his elbows. The muscles in his arms and shoulders remained tense.

  Beneath a layer of blood, both dried and fresh, lacerations weaved across his back. What had happened to him? What would make wounds like that?

  Martyn gripped the hilt of one of his knives, his other hand clasped around the sheath as if prepared to draw it.

  Renna knelt next to the cot. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  He flexed his fingers on his knife. “Why not?”

  “You need help, and I have the skills to give it. Yes, you’re a Blade, but that doesn’t make a difference.” She toyed with the ragged end of her blouse. “God has called me to love my enemies, and this is one way I can show that love.”

  He snorted. “Love. Loyalty. Friendship. People toss those words around so freely, only to throw them away first chance they get.”

  What turned him so bitter? Was it only Leith’s betrayal or was this more than that? Renna reached out to touch his shoulder but stopped herself. He didn’t want comfort from her. She had to be patient with him.

  Footsteps pounded on the stairs. The trainee appeared in the doorway, huffing and carrying a tray.

  Renna pointed at the bedside table. “Set the tray there. Then fetch a few more candles. I need more light.”

  The trainee’s eyes narrowed, but he followed her instructions. As soon as he left the room, she reached for the bowl of steaming water. Wetting a cloth, she dabbed it against one of the slashes oozing blood.

  Martyn flinched and sucked in a breath. His back stiffened beneath her fingers. He had broader shoulders and bulkier muscles than Leith. Would he lash out at her?

  No. Martyn was too controlled for that. She dipped the rag back into the hot water as the trainee returned with three more candles. He lit and placed them on the table.

  “Do you need anything else, Second Blade?”

  Martyn took his hand off his knife long enough to wave toward the door. “No. Run through your basic fighting moves. Return for the tray in an hour.”

  The trainee saluted and scurried off.

  Renna washed Martyn’s back as best she could. So many slashes. So much blood. “What happened to you?”

  “I was whipped.” Martyn’s words gritted through his teeth. “My punishment.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No, you’re not. You wish you could’ve gone with them.”

  Of course she did, but she wouldn’t tell that to him. He wouldn’t understand how she could be b
oth sorry that he’d gotten hurt and sorry she hadn’t left.

  She wrung the cloth out again. “Why didn’t you go with Leith? You didn’t have to fight him.”

  “Yes, I did. Leith’s the one who taught me that. Always follow orders, and you’ll survive.” Martyn swiped a hand through his thick, blond curls. “I don’t understand what’s gotten into Leith. He used to know the mission always comes first.”

  “Perhaps he found something worth risking his life for.”

  Martyn huffed out a breath. “He thinks you’re worth risking his life?”

  Warmth spread through her chest. Months ago, she would’ve hesitated. But what could Respen do to her at this point? He already planned to kill her. He already knew about her faith.

  This was her chance to finally do something other than hiding. She had a purpose—a duty—to help the hurting souls here, starting with Martyn. “I’m not worth risking his life, but Leith discovered that God is worth it because God has already deemed Leith worthy in His Son, Jesus Christ.”

  Martyn shook his head. “That’s even more outlandish than claiming he’s doing this all for you.”

  Patience. That’s what Martyn needed from her right now. Renna washed the last of the blood from his back and reached for the jar of salve. If only she had Brandi’s wisdom when it came to stuff like this. Brandi had taken her time getting Leith interested in her Daniel stories before she revealed the truth in them. She hadn’t tried to force everything overnight, and neither should Renna.

  After spreading the salve across his back, she wrapped bandages around his torso. “There.”

  He pushed himself upright and swung his feet to the floor.

  Renna sat back on her heels and winced at the pain that shot through her leg. “Don’t get up. You need to rest.”

  “I’ll rest after I show you to your room.” He took her hand and hauled her to her feet. “Grab one of the candles. You’ll want it.”

  Of course Martyn wouldn’t rest until he’d completed his orders. After picking up a candle, she leaned on Martyn as he led her from his room, past one door, and opened the door at the very end of the hall.

  Renna hopped forward. As soon as she was inside, Martyn swung the door shut behind her. A bolt scraped, locking her inside.

  She held up the candle to inspect the room. An identical cot, bedside table, and washstand to Martyn’s provided the only furniture in the room, though the hooks above the washstand remained empty. A bucket tucked beneath the foot of the cot while an extra candle sat on the table.

  This would’ve been Leith’s room while he was the First Blade. Had he left anything here? Maybe a hidden knife? She lifted the mattress, felt around under the cot, and checked behind the table and washstand. Nothing. If he’d left anything here, Martyn or the trainee found it already.

  Set low in the wall separating this room from the Second Blade’s room next door, a chip of stone wedged into a crack. She knelt, ran her fingers along the crack, and tugged on the stone shard. It didn’t budge. But if she could pull it out, would the stone below it be loose? Not that it’d do any good. The hole it’d leave in the wall would be barely big enough for her hand to fit through.

  It’d be something to remember, if she should need to see into the next room.

  She sank onto the cot, her leg throbbing. She was a healer. She should know better than to do too much too soon after an injury.

  At least she had a bed. That was an improvement. She’d miss the small dungeon window, but this room didn’t reek of dried blood and death.

  She brought a corner of the blanket to her nose and smelled leather and saddle oil. Leith.

  Was he all right? Would he and Brandi stay ahead of the Blades chasing them?

  They were in God’s hands. She’d trusted that yesterday, and she could trust that today too. Right now she might not be able to help them, but she could pray. It would be enough.

  4

  Leith lay on his stomach on a cliff’s edge, scanning the hills laid out in front of him. The tops of pines spiked as far as he could see, broken only by jagged cliffs. At the edge of his range of vision, the rocky pass between two cliffs remained empty.

  If any Blades were trailing them, Leith would spot them here. Unless they took a circuitous route that risked losing the trail and losing time, the Blades had no choice but to skyline themselves in the pass.

  How far behind were the Blades? Traveling light as they were, the Blades would move much faster than the group Shad led deeper into the mountains. It’d be only a matter of time before they caught up.

  Movement caught his eye. A black speck trotted through the pass, followed by another. Leith counted a total of five figures as they crossed the pass and disappeared into the trees in the valley below.

  Five Blades stalked them. More than he’d hoped, but fewer than he’d feared. Still, they’d closed the distance.

  Leith squirmed backwards into cover before he stood and crept to the stand of trees where he’d tied Big Brown. The horse glanced at him before it returned to nibbling the leaves from a nearby tree. Leith patted its neck. “You appear as bored as your name.”

  Swinging on, he urged the horse into a fast walk up the trail left by Shad and the other travelers. With his quicker pace, he covered the miles up the rocky slopes and cedar-covered ledges and caught up with the larger group when they stopped at noon to rest the horses at the banks of one of the many streams that meandered down the slopes.

  As soon as Shad spotted him, he looped his horse’s reins over a log and walked over to Leith. Lady Lorrine joined them.

  “What did you find out?” Shad held Big Brown’s head as Leith slipped from the horse.

  “We have five Blades tracking us.”

  “Five?” Shad gripped his sword’s hilt so tightly his knuckles paled to a sickly blue-white. “I was hoping maybe three. But five?”

  “It’s not the end of the world. We can handle five Blades if we have to.” Lady Lorraine touched the hilt of her dagger.

  Shad glanced at the rest of camp, and Leith followed his gaze. Five of the guards paced around the perimeter while three more were hidden in the trees farther out. The rest of the guards lolled on the ground, some napping, others checking weapons. A maid from Walden, who’d waited until the last moment to leave, had gathered the former Blade trainees into a circle while two other maids laughed as they talked to some of the guards.

  Jolene sat on a log between Lady Alistair and Lydia. All of them wore knives buckled to their waists, and Jolene wore her quiver filled with arrows. Brandi slumped on a log, eyes blank and staring, while Jamie lounged against a tree a few feet away, alternating glancing from Leith to Brandi to the knife he was polishing.

  Could they handle five Blades? Between Shad and Jolene, they had more than enough arrows, and Lady Lorraine could handle herself if it came to a fight.

  Did Leith want a fight? People got hurt in battles, and they had too many unskilled people along to risk forcing a fight between themselves and the Blades.

  “It’d be best if we avoided a confrontation.” Leith drew in a deep breath. “They’re mainly after me. If I draw most of them off, you’ll only have to worry about one or two.”

  “How do you plan to do that?” Lady Lorraine’s hard gaze searched his face as if still wary of any plan he might present.

  “I’ll ride into the Waste.”

  “The Waste?” Shad gaped at him. “Surely you aren’t insane enough to go in there.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’ve been there before.” Leith forced himself to grin. “I was the First Blade, after all.”

  The dreaded Waste spread to the east of the Sheered Rock Hills, a stretch of desolate, jagged rocks devoid of water. Many failed Blades fled into it. None had ever succeeded.

  Shad crossed his arms. “Being the First Blade won’t protect you from dying of thirst. Or a rattlesnake bite.”

  “No, but the other Blades won’t be immune to those things either. The difference is that I’ll be p
repared.” Leith layered steel into his voice. This was their best option. He wouldn’t let Shad talk him out of it. “When I reach the Waste, the Blades following me will have two choices. They can either track me into the Waste or they can spread out along the edge hoping to spot me when I leave. Either way, I’ll double back, sneak past them, and rejoin you.”

  “They do have a third option.” Lady Lorraine arched an eyebrow. “They could give up on capturing you, turn around, and pursue us again. Then we’d face all five Blades without your help.”

  “I’m their main mission. They have no choice but to pursue me.”

  Shad straightened and met Leith’s gaze. “So what do we do while you’re gone?”

  “There’s a cave to the northwest where you can hide the women and children. You’ll be in a better position to defend yourselves should the remaining Blades attack you.” Leith rubbed the hilt of his dagger.

  “I know the one.” Shad frowned and touched his sword. “And if the Blades kill you? Or you die in the Waste?”

  “If I’m not back in a week, assume I’m dead.”

  Not that he planned on dying. He needed to stay alive so Respen didn’t kill Renna.

  “I don’t like it.” Shad’s shoulders sagged. With Lord Alistair fighting for his life in the besieged Walden or possibly even dead, the duty of leading fell on Shad. If only Leith didn’t have to make the burden heavier by leaving. “We have other options.”

  Lady Lorraine fingered her knife’s hilt. “Perhaps, perhaps not. We have to either kill or lose the Blades before we reach Eagle Heights. Unless you want to set up a pitched battle against five Blades, we would be better off losing several of them.”

  Leith eyed Lady Lorraine. He probably shouldn’t have been surprised that she took his side. He was nothing more than a strategic asset to her.

  “All right.” Shad clapped Leith on the shoulder. “But you’re not allowed to die. We need our First Blade.”

  “You’re the one I’m worried about. You’re going to fall off a cliff or something without me around.”

  He and Shad hiked back to the rest of their group. Most looked away from Leith quickly. Still wary. Would they ever realize Leith was safe?