Defy (The Blades of Acktar Book 3)

by Tricia Mingerink

  They blew by the sentry so fast he didn’t have time to raise his bow and nock an arrow. Brandi cupped her hands around her mouth and hollered, “Rider coming in! Captain Alistair’s rider reporting in!”

  She kept shouting as she neared the large tent flying Keevan’s banner of prairie-green silk with a silver cross. The mare’s hooves skidded. Dust rattled into the air. Brandi launched herself from the horse even before it stopped.

  Keevan stepped from the tent, General Stewart at his heels. Shad hurried from the darkness. “Randy, what is it? Where’s Jamie?”

  Brandi caught her breath, hoping the dust would add enough gravel to her voice to disguise it. “Lady Emilin pledges aid. Her men are moving toward Nalgar Castle as we speak. On our way back, Jamie and I swung by the castle. Respen entered the Blades’ Tower. Jamie says he never enters there after dark. He must’ve called a Meeting of the Blades. Tonight. Jamie stayed behind to see what he could do to delay him.”

  Keevan rubbed his scar, as if he was undecided about changing their plans. “The men are tired. We had a long march today.”

  Shad stepped in front of Keevan. “We have to move out tonight. He’ll kill Leith and Renna if we don’t hurry.”

  Keevan turned to General Stewart. “What do you advise?”

  “The men are tired. But this is our opportunity to corner Respen and his Blades in the Tower. And Respen’s men will be just as tired as ours.”

  “His army is unorganized. It was still retreating while we watched. If we hurry, they won’t have time to get organized, especially with Respen busy in the Tower.” Brandi curled her fingers into fists. Couldn’t Keevan see how urgent this was? Yes, the men were tired. She was too. But so was Respen’s army. They couldn’t miss this chance. Leith’s and Renna’s lives depended on it.

  Keevan gave a nod. “All right. We’ll attack tonight. Captain Alistair, gather your division. General Stewart, rouse the divisions and gather the additional riders and archers aiding Captain Alistair.”

  “Yes, sir.” Shad saluted and spun on his heels. He waved for Brandi to follow him.

  Brandi trotted to keep up, leading the huffing mare. At their section of the camp, Shad barked orders. He arranged for someone to take care of the mare and fetch a new horse for Brandi. In minutes, Shad had gathered his division. Brandi fell into line next to Ian, her aches forgotten. She was headed back to save Renna and Leith.

  As they trotted from the camp, more riders joined them, reinforcements from Captain Stewart’s Riders. One of the riders wore a cloak and hood over his head. Brandi caught sight of a scar running across the man’s face. Keevan? What was he doing joining them?

  The prairie rumbled with four hundred hooves as they galloped to Nalgar Castle. Brandi’s heart pounded with each hoofbeat. They had to get there in time. Respen couldn’t kill Leith and Renna. He simply couldn’t.

  Shad signaled a halt at the base of the hill overlooking the castle. They dismounted and dropped their reins to ground hitch their horses.

  Gathering them into three groups, two small groups and one larger group that comprised the bulk of the men, Shad pointed at each of the small groups. “You’ll go with me to attack the Blades’ Tower, and you’ll take the front gate. The rest of you will reinforce them once the gate is open.”

  Brandi frowned. She’d been set aside as part of the large group.

  “No.” The figure in the black cloak stepped forward. He tossed his hood back. Brandi rolled her eyes. Of course it was Keevan. He did have a taste for the dramatic, and that scar just helped the whole impression.

  Keevan waved at the top of the Blades’ Tower peaking over the crest of the hill. “I’ll take the group of men into the Tower. Captain Alistair, you’ll lead the men at the gate.”

  Shad clenched his sword’s hilt, as if he wanted to protest.

  Keevan speared Shad with a look. “Respen’s mine to face. You’ll help your friend more by taking and holding the gate. You’ll have to hold it longer than we originally planned. Your men will need their leader with them. If we lose at the gate, none of us will get out alive.”

  Shad gave a sharp nod and whirled. “Let’s go.”

  The two groups of men followed Shad and Keevan toward Nalgar. Brandi moved to join the group following Keevan. No way was she letting them leave her behind.

  Ian grabbed her arm. “Where do you think you’re going? We’ve been ordered to stay here.”

  Brandi glanced from him to the men disappearing over the crest of the hill. They were getting farther away. She was missing her chance to save Leith and Renna.

  But what had Keevan said? If they didn’t hold the gate, no one was leaving Nalgar alive. Not Jamie. Not Leith. Not Renna. No one.

  For all the practice she’d had, Brandi wasn’t the trained fighter like the men going with Keevan. She might even get in the way as Keevan’s men fought the Blades.

  Perhaps she’d do more good by staying here. She’d help hold the gate until the rest of the Resistance army arrived. For once in her life, she’d follow orders.

  She nodded at the top of the hill. “Someone has to keep watch.”

  “Good idea.” Ian followed her as they reported what they were doing to Shad’s lieutenant.

  Stalking up the hill, Brandi and Ian wiggled to the top on their stomachs, much the way she and Jamie had less than half an hour before.

  In the time since Brandi left, Nalgar’s gates had swung closed. Soldiers milled in the courtyard, as if they weren’t sure where to go.

  Shad, Keevan, and the men were nearly to the castle. They stuck to the shifting shadows as they crept to the base of the low wall by the dry moat surrounding the Blades’ Tower. The guards on the wall tops seemed too busy staring at the bustle inside the castle to notice, and the torchlight blinded them to the darkness at the base of the walls.

  As Brandi watched, the sentries walking the perimeter of the low wall crumpled, probably struck down by Shad’s arrows. Though Brandi and Ian could see them, the Blades’ Tower hid the fallen sentries from the view of the rest of the castle.

  Several of the men tossed grappling hooks over the wall and snugged them tight. They scaled the walls quickly and disappeared.

  “Yes.” Ian pumped his fist against the sand. “They’re in.”

  “Now we wait.” Brandi tapped her fingers against the sand. How she hated waiting. Hated it.

  Down below, Nalgar Castle remained still. The guards patrolled. The soldiers in the courtyard tried to get organized.

  “How long is this going to take?” Brandi tried not to squirm.

  “Look.”

  Brandi peered into the darkness. There was a commotion at the front gate. The guards patrolling the wall fell. The gates swung open.

  “They did it!” Brandi jumped to her feet. She waved toward the men “The gate is open!”

  The lieutenant straightened. “Come on! Charge!”

  They charged down the hill. Brandi pelted along next to Ian, her smaller legs barely keeping up with all the longer legs around her. As they reached the gates, they filled the opening shoulder to shoulder.

  Shouts echoed in the courtyard as Respen’s soldiers noticed the intrusion at the gate. Boots clapped against the cobblestones. Swords swished from their sheaths.

  Shad placed himself in the center of the line of men. A few yards away, Aindre the blacksmith hefted his double-bladed battle ax. Brandi glanced between them and the guards charging toward them. Shad brandished his sword. “Stand steady, men! No matter what, we will hold this gate.”

  Brandi gripped her short sword in one hand and a dagger in the other. Chills bolted through her, but she planted her feet against the cobbles. No going back. No running. They’d hold this gate or die trying.

  If they failed, she wouldn’t mind dying. At least she and Renna would die together.

  47

  The edge of the knife nicked his neck. Leith breathed out for the last time. As much as he thought he’d regret his past, he didn’t. His past was g
one in the blood of Christ. The only thing he could regret was that his blood would stain Martyn’s hands.

  The pressure against his throat eased. Steel clanged against the stone next to his ear. Leith cracked his eyes open. Martyn’s head hung. He peered at Leith with tortured, brown eyes. “I can’t do it. I thought I could, but I can’t.”

  Leith blew out a long breath and flexed his fingers. Martyn wasn’t going to kill him. “All right. What are you going to do?”

  Martyn gripped his knife tighter, his eyes hardening. “Fight until the king kills us.”

  He reached up, and Leith felt something cold and hard press into his palm. The key to the manacles.

  Martyn turned and faced Respen. “No.”

  “No?” Respen rose to his feet, glowering.

  A chair scraped against stone. Blane pushed to his feet. A moment later, Ranson stood as well. Blane raised his chin. “We won’t kill him either.”

  Renna’s eyes widened. She moved just enough for Leith to see that her hands were free. She was ready to bolt the moment fighting broke out.

  “Leith is my friend.” Martyn gripped his knife. “I won’t kill him.”

  Respen slowly drew a knife from his dark blue clothes. “I am surprised at you, my First Blade. I expected such foolishness as friendship out of Torren. But you have always placed your duty above such frivolities.”

  Leith’s stomach clenched. He knew something no one else but Respen knew.

  Respen had taught Harrison Vane how to throw knives.

  Once Vane had mastered knife throwing, he’d taught the rest of the Blades. Only Leith, Vane, and Hess had known that Respen was the best of all of them.

  Switching the grip on his knife, Respen raised his arm and swiped it forward. Leith wrapped his fingers around the chains and yanked himself off his feet. Gritting his teeth at the agony shooting through his chest, he kicked Martyn in the back with both feet. Martyn sprawled on the floor.

  A sharp pain blossomed in Leith’s leg.

  Respen raised his hand again. “Kill them.”

  Blane and Ranson lunged away from the other Blades while the Blades supporting Respen scrambled toward the hooks along the wall holding their weapons. Leith tried to ignore the chaos as he twisted his hand and fitted the key into the lock. He’d do little good to anyone with his hands chained above his head.

  Martyn was on his feet, facing two of the Blades. Ranson and Blane joined him a moment later, though they lacked weapons.

  Then Renna was there, handing her knife to Blane and pressing her hands to the blood dribbling around the knife in Leith’s leg.

  Leith gritted his teeth as one manacle clacked open. “I told you to run.”

  “I did. I ran to you.” She gripped the knife’s hilt and yanked it from his leg.

  He groaned and re-focused on unlocking the second manacle with his free hand. It clicked open, and he sagged against the wall.

  Renna stopped him from sliding all the way to the floor. He leaned on her shoulder, fighting the burn of his cracked ribs and the cramping in his thigh. She slid the knife between his wrists and sawed on the rope still holding his wrists together. The rope parted.

  Sixth Blade Uldiney charged past Martyn and Blane. Leith lunged and gripped Uldiney’s knife wrist, stopping his stab.

  Renna pressed the hilt of the knife that had been in Leith’s leg into his hand. He swiped upward with it, catching Uldiney across the forearm of his free hand. Uldiney stumbled backwards.

  The door slammed open. Jamie burst into the room, knife in his hand. He swiped a set of knives off their hook on the wall, vaulted onto the table, and jumped off the other side. Dodging the other Blades, he landed near Martyn and placed his back to Leith. “Would’ve been here sooner, but ran into a little trouble. Help’s coming. We just have to stall.”

  Prince Keevan was on his way. Shad would be coming, and he’d stop at nothing to breach this Tower. Leith gritted his teeth and limped forward as Jamie handed two knives to Ranson and gave another one to Martyn and Blane.

  When Leith swayed, Renna’s hands pressed against his back, holding him upright. He reached behind him, and she clasped his hand.

  Together, they faced King Respen and his Blades.

  Brandi shoved a dead soldier off her sword and swung to face the next man charging her. The Resistance soldier to her right fell to the ground. She stepped sideways to fill the gap. All along their line, others fell, pierced by arrows or run through with swords.

  “Hold the line!” Shad shouted, kicking a man away from him and stabbing his sword at another.

  Brandi’s arms and shoulders ached. She staggered as she swung at the next man charging her. The cacophony of screaming wounded, clanging swords, and shouting men pounded against her ears. The stench of blood sliced into her nose. Her own hands and clothes bore splatters of blood. She didn’t have time to dwell on it. The ranks of soldiers charged them in an endless stream.

  They’d be overrun in a few more minutes. She didn’t have the time to worry about her coming death. She dodged a sword thrust and whacked it away with her knife.

  Hoofbeats sounded behind them. She glanced over her shoulder to spot a stream of riders coming down the hill from the west. Dently’s banner, white with a blue tree, flapped above them.

  She whirled back to face the battle. Reinforcements. Not Keevan, yet. But Lady Emilin had kept her word.

  The riders from Dently dismounted and dashed to defend the gate.

  For a few minutes, the reinforcements steadied the line. Brandi was able to step back and catch a breath.

  But only for a minute. Then the crush of Respen’s army shoved against them. Brandi raised her sword again and joined the line. Blood drenched the cobblestones beneath her boots. Bodies piled before the gate. Each time she moved, she nearly tripped on the dead and dying.

  Ian cried out and crumpled to the ground.

  Brandi’s stomach lurched at the sight of the blood pumping from his chest. “Ian!”

  “Rand…” He weakly pointed at something past her shoulder.

  She whirled in time to see a man rushing at her, sword raised. She threw herself sideways. Something crashed into her leather helmet.

  Pain burst in her skull. A rioting, searing pain.

  She blinked. She was lying on the ground. How had she gotten here?

  The ground seemed to be humming. Drumming.

  A horse leapt over her. Several more followed it, leaping over her along with the other dead and wounded lying in the gateway. A green and silver banner streamed over her head.

  The army had arrived. They’d held the gate long enough. She let her eyes flutter closed and gave in to the crushing darkness.

  48

  Renna bit her tongue to stop her shriek as Leith stumbled backwards into her, a Blade plunging a knife at his chest. The clash of steel, the grunts of fighting men, and the scuffing of scrambling boots filled the room. Bodies moved in a chaotic tumble, and it was all Renna could do to stay out of the way.

  Maybe she should’ve fled the room when she’d had the chance. She wasn’t a fighter. She wasn’t doing a whole lot of good here.

  No. She wasn’t going to doubt herself. Not this time. Her place was here, doing what she could to help Leith fight. If only she could figure out how best to help.

  The Blade fighting Martyn crumpled to the floor. Martyn leapt his fallen body and slammed a shoulder into the Blade trying to stab Leith. That Blade tottered backwards, fending off Martyn’s thrusting knife.

  Leith’s grip on her hand tightened as his leg buckled. She staggered but managed to keep them both upright.

  “You doing all right?” Leith gasped as he steadied himself against her shoulder.

  She nodded. No way would she admit her muscles ached with his weight and a shriek was building in her chest. She wasn’t going to turn into a screeching, hysterical mess.

  Leith limped a step, probably to help Blane, Ranson, and Jamie, who were trying to hold off three more experienc
ed Blades, but he halted. Renna froze next to him as Respen strode forward.

  Respen raised his hand, a knife flashing in the candlelight. Leith pressed her against the wall, shielding her.

  But the knife wasn’t for them. Blane cried out and dropped to the floor, Respen’s knife in his stomach.

  “Blane!” Ranson froze, gaping. He would’ve been killed then and there if Blane, wounded as he was, hadn’t stabbed the Blade attacking Ranson in the foot.

  Renna peered around Leith’s shoulder. Respen stalked toward them, knives in both of his hands. She bit her lip. How many knives did he have left? Surely he couldn’t have too many more, not with the one he’d given Martyn, the two he’d thrown into Leith and Blane, and the two he held.

  Leith limped two steps forward. Respen strode to meet him. Their knives clashed.

  Renna clenched her fists. Leith wasn’t strong enough to fight Respen, not after the week of torture he’d suffered. She glanced to Martyn, but he, Jamie, and Ranson struggled to hold back the four remaining Blades. They couldn’t help.

  Respen slammed Leith against the wall. Leith cried out. The veins in his neck pulsed as he strained to keep Respen’s knife away from his throat.

  No. She would not stand by and watch Leith die.

  She threw herself at Respen and yanked his arm away from Leith. Respen whirled and tossed her to the ground. Her shoulder smashed against the stone floor.

  Leith swiped his knife at Respen’s neck. Respen staggered backward to avoid the cut. He and Leith grappled again.

  But Leith was losing. His body shook with each ragged gasp for breath. Sweat rolled from his hairline and between his shoulder blades. Respen’s knives inched closer to his skin, one aimed at his chest, the other at his stomach.

  Renna grabbed Respen’s arm and threw her weight backwards. This time she held on as he tried to shake her off.

  Respen shoved her into Leith. She let go as both of them tumbled to the floor.