Published by Raconteur House

Manchester, TN

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and
incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business
establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

ARROWS OF CHANGE: BOOK ONE OF KINGMAKERS

A Raconteur House book/ published by arrangement with the
author

PRINTING HISTORY

Raconteur House mass-market edition/February 2015

Copyright © 2015 by Honor Raconteur

Cover Photograph by Przemek Koch

Cover Design by Katie Griffin

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Other books by Honor Raconteur

Published by Raconteur House

THE ADVENT MAGE CYCLE

Book One: Jaunten

Book Two: Magus

Book Three: Advent

Book Four: Balancer

Advent Mage Compendium

The Dragon’s Mage

Lost Mage

Special Forces 01

The Midnight Quest

Kingslayer

THE ARTIFACTOR SERIES

The Child Prince

The Dreamer’s Curse

DEEPWOODS SAGA

Deepwoods

KINGMAKERS

Arrows of Change

A hero is a man who does what he can.

—Romain Rolland

Chapter One

Riana ducked around the side of the butcher’s shed, keeping
her profile flat as possible to the wooden planks, and eased her head around
the corner. Then she stopped short, nearly gagging on the smell. Phew, it be
ripe over here. Didn’t Old Man Coltrin believe in hosing the shed out now and
again?

Taking a deep breath and holding it to avoid the worst of
the stench, she tried again to peek around the corner. The inner square of the
village was livelier than normal, and for once, not because of market day.
Everyone was curious and wanting to meet the stranger in their midst. It took a
minute for her to spot him amongst the villagers.

The man had arrived this morning, all on his lonesome, which
was a strange thing in Cloud’s Rest. No one here went alone—anywhere. It invited
the worst kind of trouble because bandits and thieves and murderers thrived in
this place. The town itself was safe enough for a man to walk about by himself,
but take more than ten steps away from it, and that changed.

He introduced himself as Ashtian Fallbright, Court Wizard of
Estole. Riana didn’t think that half the village believed him, but she did. The
man had this…aura about him. This assurance and confidence that no matter what
danger he might face, it wouldn’t touch him. Besides, anyone that could travel
all the way up the mountain and to Cloud’s Rest without being molested had
to be a wizard.

“—will not need to lumber much,” he was assuring Eden, their
ombudsman. His voice was smooth, cultured, and somehow kind. “The trees on this
mountain are very large, after all. I did not want to take anything without
speaking to you about it, or without offering payment first.”

Eden scratched at his scraggly beard, bloodshot eyes
narrowing. He thought himself a shrewd businessman, so no doubt he looked at
the wizard and thought Money! “No’ much, ye say. Ye bring any teams of
horses or the like with ye?”

“No, I did not,” Fallbright responded pleasantly. “But you
needn’t worry, I have a method of taking everything down with me.”

“Huh. That so? Well, I will charge ye one hundred deneres,
and ye can cut down trees as ye like.”

Riana gasped in outrage. One hundred deneres?! Was the man a
thief in disguise? A man could feed his family on that for three months!

Fallbright didn’t even blink, simply held out a hand to seal
the deal. “Done.”

With a gap-toothed grin, Eden accepted the hand and shook it
firmly. The man’s expression fairly oozed greedy satisfaction. Riana would lay
odds that the village would never see a single deneres from him.

Disgusted with him, she looked back at the wizard. He was
calmly counting out coins into Eden’s hand, and from the way that money pouch
of his bulged, it wouldn’t make much of a dent. Carrying that much money in the
open was a sure way to attract a horde of bandits. Really, it was a wonder that
the man had gotten all the way up here with his coat still on his back, the way
he was acting. Even if he was a wizard!

A thought struck her, and she studied him with new eyes. The
man didn’t know the lay of the land at all, and he was sure to attract bandits,
so wouldn’t it stand to reason that he’d need to hire guards? Or at the very
least, a guide? She could show him where the best trees to lumber grew. But
mayhap if she and Da approached him right, then he would hire them on as guards
as well. Heavens knew the man could spare the money, and they could sorely use
it.

“Riana!” an outraged voice squawked behind her. “Ye
benighted child, get out of here!”

The “child” bit smarted, as Riana was now twenty years old
and a woman by anyone’s standards. But she recognized the voice all too well,
as it belonged to Eden’s wife—and a meaner, more shrewish woman didn’t exist on
this planet.

Ducking to avoid the matron’s eyes, she slipped past her and
headed for the woods that ringed the village. As she moved, the woman snarled at
her in open distaste. “I do no’ know why we even let yer family come in here, I
truly do no’. Ye heathens should no’ be allowed near anyone at all. It’d be
best if ye’d never been born!”

Riana had been hearing this since she was a child, and it
rolled right off like water on a duck’s back. She tuned the woman’s voice out
and focused instead on finding her da. If she could catch him quickly enough, mayhap
they could work out a deal with that wizard.

He wasn’t in his first favorite spot—hiding in the eaves of
the tavern—but he was in his second, sitting on a large branch that hung over
the road. Stopping just underneath it, she called up, “Da?”

“I hear ye, daughter.” Broden Ravenscroft had spent his
entire life in these woods and knew how to blend in with them well. Even she
couldn’t spot him all the time. Standing at nearly six feet tall, he had the
bulky build of a man that worked hard for a living. His swarthy skin and dark
hair hid him well, only his grey eyes truly visible.

Even with his voice guiding her, it took a second for her to
see his outline against the trunk. “Da, did ye see the blond man that came into
town this morning?”

“Aye, I did at that. Who might he be?”

“Wizard Ashtian Fallbright of Estole.” Belatedly, she added,
“Or so he says. I believe he might be.”

“Oh?”

Spreading a palm out, she shrugged. “He has the money for
it. Man just shelled out one hundred deneres so he can log trees up here.”

Broden nearly lost his balance on the branch. “That be quite
the sum of money.”

“I know it.” Quirking an eyebrow at him, she said in a
cajoling way, “And would no’ a man like that be needing guards up here against
all those nasty bandits?”

Broden’s grey eyes started twinkling. “Daughter, I like how
ye think. Has no one else in the village offered to guide him?”

She shook her head. “They seem content to take his money and
send him about his way.”

“Hmm, that so.” Stroking his chin, Broden ordered, “Go back
in and catch the man. Offer to guard and guide him, see if he takes it.”

“Me, no’ ye?” she objected. Her da didn’t have a lot of
experience in negotiating deals like this, but he had some. She, on the other
hand, had none at all. It seemed a poor choice to send her to talk to the man
alone. She didn’t even know how much to ask for.

“Men always let a pretty woman get her piece out afore
interrupting, daughter. It be best if ye ask him first. If it does no good, I
be willing to try me hand next.”

Well, alright, as long as he realized he’d probably have to
step in. “How much should I ask for?”

At this, Broden hesitated. “Offer…offer thirty deneres for
just guarding up here. Offer forty if he wants us to guard him all the way to
Estole.”

She blinked. “To Estole? Da, we’ve never left the mountain
afore.”

“Aye, I know.” Broden’s voice became grim and sad. “But,
daughter, I think we’d best do that soon, if we can.”

Oh. Considering what their treatment by the other villagers
had been recently…well, he might have a point at that. Their family had always
been outcasts of sorts in Cloud’s Rest, but recently, they were barely
tolerated at all. Being chased out of the village for just standing there and
breathing wasn’t uncommon these days. Her mouth tightened in understanding. “I
ken. I will go and speak with him.”

Turning, she hefted the bow in her hand into a slightly firmer
grip, automatically checking that her belt quiver was in place as she moved.
Her hood slipped, and she paused long enough to readjust it, hiding her
flaming-red hair. Red hair like hers was something of a rarity up here in The
Land Northward, although according to her da, she’d inherited it from her ma.
She had the green eyes and fair skin to match it. Because of her coloration,
she took care to wear layers of browns and greens to make herself blend in
better with their surroundings.

She kept an eye on the forest-shrouded road as she walked,
as she always did. Only a fool would just walk and not think to question every
shadow and movement. The air near the village was warmer than here in the
trees, where the sun had to struggle to reach the ground. It made her wish
she’d donned her gloves earlier, but she didn’t dare to stop and do it now, not
alone. Well, Da was nearby, but this bend of the road had a blind spot, and he
might not be able to see her from there.

Because of what had happened that morning with Eden’s shrew
of a wife, she didn’t think it a good idea to walk into the village again. So
she stopped ten feet shy of it, smack in the middle of the road, and waited. It
didn’t take long before the wizard came into view, walking as if he didn’t have
a care in the world.

When he saw her, he slowed his pace, and when he realized
she was looking directly at him and didn’t intend to move, he stopped
altogether three feet away from her. “Hello. Might you have some business with
me?”

“I might,” she allowed. It really depended on him. “I be Riana
Ravenscroft. May harmony find ye, Wizard Fallbright.”

He blinked. “Ah, how do you know who I am?”

She snorted. “Ye make that grand an entrance in the village,
people mark it.”

“That was a grand entrance, eh?” Amused, he shrugged and
didn’t argue. “I greet you, Riana Ravenscroft. Now, what can I do for you?”

“I be a-thinking it be more what I can do for ye. Did
Eden tell ye a good place to get yer lumber?”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “To the south, he said, near the
road.”

Riana rolled her eyes. “That cheap old goat. No, Wizard,
that no’ be the best place. He told ye that to clear the space around the road
a little more, to make it harder for bandits to ambush travelers.”

“Oh? So where would you suggest?”

She promptly turned and pointed toward the east. “There.
There be a good crop of virgin trees that grow straight and tall. Perfect for
building things.”

His eyebrows rose a hair. “You surely didn’t come over here just
to tell me that.”

“No,” she allowed, hoping that she’d paved the way enough
that he’d hear her out. “Wizard, to be frank, it be dangerous, what ye be
doing. Going about in those fine clothes, with that much money jingling on yer
belt, well…ye be a prime target for thieves. It would no’ be the best of ideas
to go into the forest alone.” Actually, it’d be downright foolish, but it never
went well if you told someone to their face that they were being stupid. It
seemed a poor business tactic to say it that way. “Me Da and I, we be good
archers. Best up here, in fact. We know the woods, we know the roads, and we
can get ye in and out with yer hide intact.”

“You want me to hire the two of you as guards?” The way he
said this suggested he was open to the possibility. “Just for up here?”

“We be willing to take ye all the way to Estole,” she
offered hesitantly. “Or at least all the way down the mountain.”

An unreadable mask fell over his face. “How much for the
trip to Estole?”

“Forty deneres,” she answered promptly and prayed her da was
right to put that much money on the line.

His eyes widened a notch. “That little? I just paid more
than twice that to log up here.”

“Ye got robbed,” she told him bluntly. “Eden does no’ own
any property or rights to the road leading up here. Cloud’s Rest will no’ see a
single deneres in its coffers.”

Fallbright looked more amused by this than peeved. “I
thought that might be the case. Zounds, I should have listened to my instincts
and bartered with him.” Blowing out a resigned sigh, he let this go with a wave
of the hand. “Well, I admit that you give me a fair bargain, Miss Ravenscroft.
But I am a wizard, you know. I can protect myself quite handily.”

“That so?” Cernunnos take it, she’d been afraid of this. How
was she to prove to him that he needed them? She thought hard and fast before
asking, “Wizard Fallbright, be we alone?”

He blinked at her. “I’m sorry?”

“Be we alone? Right now?” she pressed.

Taking a look around them, he paused for a long moment
before answering slowly, “I believe we are. Why?”

Riana lifted her head a little and called out, “Da?”

Not a second later, an arrow whizzed past with a whistle of
displaced air and landed in the ground between them.

Fallbright jumped back a good three feet, swearing, eyes
glued to the arrow that quivered ever so slightly in the dirt. Then his eyes
slowly came back up to meet hers. In a faint voice, he said, “I take your
point.”

She grinned but didn’t mock him. Gently, she asked, “Would
ye be wanting to work while keeping both eyes over yer shoulder, sir?”

“Not in the least. If you would call your father down here?”

Riana put two fingers to her lips and let out a sharp
whistle.

There was the sound of rustling leaves and then a faint
thump as Broden came down from his lofty perch. It took another moment or two,
but he finally melted out of the woods and into plain view. When he was within
reach, he offered a hand. “Broden Ravenscroft.”

Fallbright took the hand and smiled slightly. “You and your
daughter proved your point admirably. Forty deneres all the way to Estole, she
said. What if I just need you to get down this mountain?”

“Thirty.”

“The price isn’t much different even though you’re going a
shorter distance. You’ve deliberately made it only ten deneres more for an
additional two days’ journey.” Fallbright’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why is
that?”

Broden inclined his head toward Riana. “Gives her experience
on the road. She has never been that direction afore.”

“Ah.” Fallbright clearly didn’t take that explanation at
face value, but he didn’t ask any further questions. “I understand. Well, let’s
say to the foot of the mountain for now, and see how things go. If I feel like
I truly need you, we’ll go all the way to Estole.”

“Fair enough.” Broden gestured toward the eastern section of
the mountain. “Then follow us, Wizard.”

Chapter Two

“So, that be the wizard from that new country, eh?” Riana
balanced easily on her tree limb, leaning forward slightly for a better angle
through all the leaves.

“No’ much to him. Looks like a strong breeze would snap him
in half,” her da commented.

Riana gave a “heh” of agreement. Truly, the wizard didn’t
have much girth to him. He was tall, thin, with platinum-blond hair and pale
skin, and looked to be a handful of years older than her. He’d blend right into
a winter setting. The way he felled one massive tree after the next with merely
a spoken word and a gesture of his hand stated plainly he wasn’t the pushover
he appeared to be. But then, with a reputation like his, she hadn’t expected
differently.

“Do ye think he be willing to take us all the way to
Estole?” she asked hesitantly.

Broden let out a soft sigh. “I hope so.”

Her da had talked several times about leaving Cloud’s Rest,
but they’d never had a viable way to get down the mountain and into the country
before. It was dangerous to just strike blindly ahead, not knowing the lay of
the land or where to find work. Besides, they never had enough money to make
traveling possible. But still…

“Ye sure that going to Estole be a good choice?”

“I know it be a new country, daughter, and no’ a stable
one.” He rubbed at his chin before offering a shrug. “But to me mind, that
makes it a better choice for us. They will no’ be as picky about who comes in,
as long as we have the skills to fight off Iyshian soldiers. At least, I’d lay
the odds on that.”

Well, he might have a point there. A new country would
likely be desperate for good fighters while they tried to get themselves
established. She and Da might be able to find work readily, considering their
skills. And they truly needed to leave sooner rather than later. Cloud’s Rest
was becoming more dangerous for them than the bandit-infested woods.

That wasn’t to say that Estole would be safer, though.

She looked again at her wizard-employer. Wizard Ashtian
Fallbright was famous, even all the way out here. The king he served, one
Edvard Knolton, had just this year declared his separation from Iysh. The
country of Iysh had been facing civil wars and internal conflicts for the past
two generations, but no one had expected someone to have the guts to split off
from it entirely. The whole world had waited with bated breath to see what
would happen next. Bets were made on how long Edvard Knolton would get by with
his declaration.

The Iyshian king had immediately sent out his troops to
subdue the rebel. Only, it hadn’t worked. Edvard Knolton had won in an
astoundingly short amount of time, decimating the army sent to defeat him. Iysh
sent another—and that army was defeated as well. A third army hadn’t been sent,
although no one was quite sure why. There was speculation of all sorts going
around, though, which ranged from the Iyshian king giving up on the small part
of land Knolton owned, to him not having enough troops to challenge the rebel
again.

Personally, Riana bet it was the lack of troops.

But all the rumors agreed on one thing: Knolton had won largely
because of two very strong wizards that had fought with him. And one of those wizards
was none other than Ashtian Fallbright.

Strange, he didn’t look that intimidating cutting down
trees.

She glanced at her da. “Why be ye on me branch?”

“It be a nice branch.” He grinned but didn’t look at her.

“And how do ye know it can support both our weights?”
Broden Ravenscroft was many things, but light wasn’t one of them.

Broden shot her a grin. “Now, daughter, I do no’ hear
creaking noises. It be safe enough.”

“The last time ye said that, it creaked right afore we fell.
Six feet. Onto no’ nice ground.”

He just chuckled, a low, rumbling sound.

Riana tossed a hand into the air, giving up. Fine, he could
stay, but she wasn’t risking that again. As it happened, both of them had
nearly broken bones because of that poor decision. With a slight huff, she
strapped her arrows firmly into the belt quiver at her waist before she sprang
off that branch and onto another, her gloved hands easily finding purchase on
the rough bark. With a flex of the shoulders, she swung herself on top of it. Ancient
trees in a virgin forest really did offer the best perches.

They’d been guarding for an hour now, eyes peeled for
trouble. In that time, the wizard had felled nearly three dozen trees, all of
them stacked neatly in piles.

“How much lumber did he say he wanted?” she asked slowly.
Surely that was enough for whatever project the man had in mind. These weren’t
normal trees, after all. One trunk could build three cottages without strain.

“I do no’ think he mentioned an amount. Man knows how to
work; I give him that.”

She could see the patches of sweat under his arms and down
his back from here. “But how does he plan to move all of that? He did no’ bring
wagons or any teams to pull them with.”

“Man’s beat two armies we know of. I do no’ doubt he will
win against trees, too.”

Good point.

Riana turned her head in a smooth, slow motion, eyes
drinking in her surroundings, ears searching for anything out of place. Her da
had trained her from the time she was knee-high how to read the moods around
her. The way the branches swayed, the amount of sounds a body should hear while
walking, the scents of the forest and what they meant—it all told a tale. Often,
it wasn’t a noise that told her something was wrong; it was the absence of it
altogether. The animals that lived here hid when there were strangers or
trouble, taking all their chattering along with them.

The forest here was thick, trees so massive they could crush
houses, their branches interweaved to block most of the sunlight, marking the
forest floor with areas of twilight and shadow. The air carried the pungent smell
of earth and vegetation, mixed in with the faint scent of running water. Because
of this, she had to rely more on her nose and ears, rather than her eyes, to
tell her if there was something amiss. Most of the time, this place had a
stillness to it, an aura as if it were more ancient than she could ever guess.
It seemed a little sacrilegious, somehow, to let anyone lumber here.

Even if it’d been her suggestion.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a color not found in
nature, nothing more than a blur of blue. She turned her head sharply, trying
to get a better look, but it was gone. Brows compressing, she flipped an arrow
in her hand and notched it in a smooth motion, but didn’t raise the bow just
yet.

“Daughter?”

“Something moved. Me left, just ahead.”

Broden immediately looked as well. “A few branches be
swaying.”

“Opposite to how the wind be blowing,” she noted grimly. “We’ve
got bandits.”

Broden grunted, holding his peace for a long moment before
offering, “I spy two. They be closing in on our wizard. Down or up, daughter?”

Making a snap decision she said, “Down.” She couldn’t get
any angle up here; too many leaves and branches and tree trunks blocked her
line of sight. Maneuvering bow and arrow to her left hand, she hopped lightly
from her perch, fell to the one below it in a crouch, then sprinted down its
length three strides before taking another flying leap, this time using a
branch closer to the ground as a springboard to halt her fall. She landed with
catlike grace on the moss-covered ground, barely settling before taking off in
a fast sprint toward Fallbright.

The man had stopped working, eyes following her as she moved
toward him. Of course he’d noticed, the way she’d noisily and hastily descended
to the forest floor. She paid scant attention to him, her eyes darting about,
trying to spy the bandits her da had seen from above and any others that might
be closing in. She swore softly as two of them dashed between the trees. They
were closer than she’d thought.

“What—” Fallbright started to ask, his tenor voice harsher
than usual.

“Do no’ move,” she ordered sharply. Skidding to a halt, she
snapped the bow back up, drawing the line taut this time, fletching to her ear.
Breathe in, hold, sight the target, release. The arrow whizzed past
Fallbright’s head, barely two inches from his cheek. The bandit’s guttural
scream sounded as her arrow found its mark unerringly. Before the first one had
been fully released, she was yanking the tie around her quiver free and
reaching for four arrows to hold in her hand.

The wizard froze, eyes glued to her, as she downed the
second bandit in the time it took for him to finish his sentence “—is wrong?”

“Bandits,” she supplied shortly.

Fallbright’s hands were already weaving in the air, leaving
behind trails of light in strange patterns. He fell into a fighter’s stance,
which looked odd, as he held no weapon. “Stand at my back,” he ordered tersely.
“But stay two feet away; don’t come within my shield.”

As Riana had no inclination to be in front of whatever
magical fury he unleashed, she promptly obeyed, leaving enough distance between
them to do as commanded.

From above, she could hear the whistle of arrows being
released, one after another. Her da must have a better vantage point up there
than she’d had. Then again, he had stolen her spot.

Her eyes searched for movement, instincts rattling. There.
Years of experience let her sense the direction the wind was flowing, judge the
speed of her target, and know where to aim. She took in a breath as she notched
the arrow between two gloved fingers, then held it to keep her aim steady.
Release. Her target tripped and hit the ground with a gurgle.

Riana’s attention only stayed on him long enough to assure
he was down before she searched for any other threats. She swung an arrow free
from the three she still clutched and up to the right of the bow. Notch, pull,
release.

Again.

The once still air clamored with the thwang of
bowstrings, the whistling of arrows, the meaty thunks of the injured,
and the strange humming sounds of Fallbright’s magical attacks. It sounded like
a swarm of angry hummingbirds. That was the closest she could come to
describing the way the magic slashed through the air. It looked pretty, though,
from the glimpses she got of it. The air around him glowed like he was standing
in a cloud of fireflies.

She pivoted in place, drawing and releasing her longbow in
an almost hypnotic rhythm. At all times, Riana kept the wizard at her back,
making sure that no one could sneak up on him. He, in turn, guarded hers as
faithfully as her da would have. Well, it shouldn’t be a surprise that he was a
good fighter and a decent partner in a skirmish.

In minutes, they all stopped attacking and waited with bated
breath. Nothing. Had they taken all of them out?

From her position in the middle of the clearing, whole
armies could be hiding behind the trees and she wouldn’t see them. She called
to her da, “I will guard him if ye want to poke about!”

A low, mournful whistle sounded in the air, signaling his
agreement.

Fallbright turned to her with an admiring look. “Your
eyesight is excellent. I would not have noticed them until it was far too
late.”

“I be used to this terrain,” she denied, although her cheeks
flushed at the praise. “But thank ye.”

“At first I was uncertain about hiring you and your father
as escorts—I don’t have much experience working with archers, you see—but I’m
now very glad I did. You just proved to be worth every deneres I’m paying you. You
were right earlier about me being a good target for thieves.”

“No’ just that,” she responded in amusement. “Wizard
Fallbright, do ye no’ know how famous ye be? Even up here, we know ye.”

He blinked, those clear blue eyes surprised. “Truly? Well,
that’s certainly food for thought. So, they had ransom on their minds?”

“Belike.”

Fallbright shook his head, mouth quirked wryly. “They’d have
been sorely disappointed, then. New kingdoms are rather short on money, I’m
afraid. Besides, Edvard and Ashlynn don’t take kindly to things like that. If
they’d tried to ransom me, they’d have just as likely been massacred for their
trouble.”

To her right, Broden strode out of the woods and into the
clearing. Fallbright immediately whirled in that direction, hand raised,
prepared to shoot off another spell, but he halted straightaway when he saw who
it was.

Broden lifted a hand and drawled, “I’d rather no’ be
attacked by me employer, if it be all the same to ye.”

“My apologies,” Fallbright responded, lowering his hand.
“After being in two battles, it’s become automatic for me to raise shields and
attack…first….” He suddenly went taut, head snapping around to stare at Riana
in wonderment.

She blinked up at him, not understanding why he was wearing
that expression. “Eh?”

“I…had my shield up.”

Wasn’t that just common sense? To put up a shield when you
sensed danger? He’d snapped it up so quickly that she’d barely realized what he
was doing before it was gone again. “And?” she prompted after he stumbled into
slack-jawed silence.

“No, you don’t understand,” he denied, hand slashing through
the air. “Urgh, how to explain?” This was muttered more to himself. “How much
do you know about wizards?”

“No’ a great deal,” Riana admitted frankly. “We never had
cause to work with them. I think me village called them in about fifteen years
ago for some sort of help in finding a cure to an epidemic, but I do no’
remember much of it.” Considering she’d been just shy of five at the time, that
was understandable.

Fallbright leaned in closer, eyes and voice becoming
intense. “Then, the basics. As formidable as magic is, we have many weaknesses
too. We can’t do multiple spells at the same time—not spells of different types,
at least. For instance, I can’t use a fire-based spell with a water-based spell
because they’ll cancel each other out. So always I have to choose which spell I
want to use, then figure out what I can partner it with, otherwise I risk
destroying my own efforts.”

“I think I follow.”

“Now, there are multiple shields that wizards can use to
protect themselves, but we can’t use them all at the same time. So if I’m
fighting another wizard, or at risk of being hit by a magical backlash, then I
must use a power shield. But doing that leaves me vulnerable to ordinary,
weapon-based attacks. Someone could skewer me with a sword, and I wouldn’t be
able to shield against it.”

She blinked. “That be…”

“Dangerous?” he finished for her with a wry smile. More of a
grimace, really. “I’m well aware. Most wizards don’t care for leaving ourselves
so vulnerable, so we partner with someone who’s a good fighter. A soldier,
warrior, etc. Someone that we can trust to watch our backs as we work.”

“Makes sense,” she allowed. “So, where be the problem?”

“Not many people can tolerate being within a wizard’s shield.
The reactions vary, but I’ve seen everything from people screaming in pain to
simply flinching away from it. Finding someone that can be within the shield
who’s also competent at fighting is,” he let out a long sigh, “difficult.”

“That be a kind way of stating things,” her da said with a
pensive frown. “I would say the odds of that be slim.”

“Very. So, when we do find someone,” his eyes went back to
her with that fervent light, “you can imagine our delight and greed. And then
there’s you. Someone who doesn’t just tolerate it, but don’t even seem
to notice it!”

She hadn’t, actually.

Grabbing up both of her hands, he pleaded, “Please. Please
be my partner.”

Riana froze, unable to look away from those penetrating
eyes. He was sincere in his desire to be partners with her, which was a
sensation that she wasn’t accustomed to. To have someone actively want her
was a foreign feeling. It lit her blood like quicksilver, making her flush and
stutter, unsure of how to respond.

“Hey, now!” her da protested. “We did no’ agree to that.”

“I can’t leave her be,” Fallbright returned, those hypnotic blue
eyes never breaking contact with hers. “I’ve spent the past decade
trying to find a partner. And here your daughter is with all the skills I need,
and on top of all that, she’s an easy woman to get along with. She’s a godsend!
I do not exaggerate.”

Her? A wizard’s partner? It’d never been an aspiration of
hers to tie herself to just one person, but then, she’d never thought of it as
an option before, either. To top it off, it wasn’t just anyone asking her—a
king’s wizard himself was literally begging.

Her da hadn’t raised her to be a fool. Before deciding, she
needed to ask some questions. So she swallowed hard and somehow found her
tongue long enough to request, “Raise yer shield for me again.”

He blinked, head slanting slightly. “Why?”

“I did no’ truly see it afore,” she admitted. “But it might
have just been because I focused on the bandits. I want to feel it properly.”

“Oh.” Fallbright nodded, silently agreeing that was a good
point. Releasing one of her hands, he traced a symbol into the air. A perfect
circle of light surrounded them in the next moment, looking like sparkling
fairy dust hovering about them.

She turned her head this way and that, taking it all in. How
pretty. Her lips parted in delight.

“It really doesn’t bother you,” Fallbright said softly, eyes
glued to her face.

“It feels nice, actually,” she responded absently. “Like
standing in a sunny spot on a cool day.” Tearing her eyes away from it, she
beckoned to her da. “Da, try it.”

With a wary look on his face, Broden gingerly stuck one hand
inside. Then he blinked. “She be right. This does no’ feel odd at all.”

The wizard’s eyes snapped to the older man. “How does it
feel to you?”

“Rather like sunlight on a cool day,” her da agreed in
bemusement. “This bothers people, ye say?”

“Yes.” Those clear blue eyes shot wide. “Both of you
are potential partners. Ye gods!” His free hand reached out and snagged her da’s
arm. “Broden. Please. Both of you are too valuable to the magical community to
do just this one job and return to your home. Won’t you at least consider
staying?”

Broden’s eyes met hers and she knew exactly what her da was
thinking. What they had left behind—and more importantly, what they hadn’t. It
was why they’d offered to escort the wizard to begin with.

Searching their expressions, Fallbright pressed forward, “As
partners of wizards, you’d be granted automatic citizenship rights, a monthly
stipend, and considerable esteem by everyone. Wizards themselves would pay a
small ransom just to have you, I promise. Especially in Estole. We’re so short
on wizards right now, so short on manpower, that the king is very welcoming to
anyone willing to work to protect the new country. He’s outlawed most of the
usual Bindings as well.”

Riana’s eyes went huge. He’d outlawed the Bindings? Holy
heavens, that was cause enough right there to go along.

Broden got that twinkle in his eyes that she knew well. “Be
part of building a new kingdom, eh? Well, I admit, that be an offer a man does
no’ get every day. This new king—ye know him?”

“Very well,” Fallbright admitted, excitement growing. “We’re
blood brothers.”

“Good man?”

“The best. Well, he has a bad habit of teasing people, but
other than that….”

To her da, that’d be a point in the man’s favor. “What say
ye, daughter?”

“We came looking for work. I say this fits the bill.”
Frowning, she added, “I just do no’ ken how this will work exactly. Will both
of us partner with ye? Or should we split up somehow?”

“I’m really hoping that one of you will partner with my
sister,” he said optimistically. “She’s my twin, actually. We share the
position of Court Wizard.”

Twin wizards? Their poor parents. The apprenticeship fees
must’ve beggared them. “Da?”

Broden frowned, thinking hard. “This partnership thing, it
works best if one person be dedicated to one wizard?”

“Yes. We form magical ties to them, you see, so that they’re
automatically under magical protection.”

“Well, we do no’ know yer sister.” Riana knew without asking
how her da would feel about this. “So let us do this: we go meet her first,
give us all a few weeks of working with each other, and figure out who mixes
well. Then we will decide.”

“Fair enough.” Fallbright lit up into a smile bright enough
to shame the sun. “But shouldn’t you be asking me questions on salary and
such?”

“We will sort that out as well in due time,” Broden rumbled.
“Let us meet yer sister first. If we can no’ work with the woman, there be no
reason to argue about such things now.”

“Excellent point.” Fallbright rubbed his hands together, for
all the world like a beggar that had just been handed a purse full of gold.
“I’ll finish this up in the next hour, and then, let’s go directly to Estole.”

Chapter Three

Broden had been right—the wizard did have a way to get all
those trees down from Cloud’s Rest. In fact, all he did was cast a few spells, crook
his little finger, and the logs trailed after him like well-trained dogs.

He sent his daughter ahead, having her take point, while he
guarded their rear. Spaced out as they were, they did not talk much, nor should
they have. This was the worst area for mountain bandits, and a wise man kept
his eyes peeled and his ears trained on his surroundings if he wanted to get
out of here with throat and purse attached.

The road had seen better days, and after the recent heavy
rainfall, most of it was washed out and muddy. They all had to watch where they
put their feet. The wizard managed to get the logs around each twisty bend of
the road—an impressive feat in and of itself, even though the man had gone
through the trouble of shearing off the tree limbs before trying to move the
trunks. If wizardry ever failed him as a career, he’d make a fortune as a logger.

They finally left the cool mountain forests and came down to
Jacob’s Ladder, the rocky section of the river that divided The Land Northward
from Iysh. Or what used to be Iysh’s border before Estole was established as a
kingdom. Right now, no one knew exactly how much territory the Estolian king
planned to claim.

Broden still did not know what to make of Fallbright’s
offer. Oh, he had no doubt the man had meant what he’d said. His open delight
and the urgent way he’d tried to convince them to come to Estole said he’d
spoken truth. But Broden did not for one second believe that was all there was
to it, and for good reason: his daughter was a pretty woman.

Now, this was not a father’s prejudice speaking. (Much.)
Riana took strongly after her mother in looks, and Fianna had been a stunning
woman. So stunning, in fact, that he’d fallen for her twenty years ago at first
sight. With that thick red hair, fair skin, and those clear green eyes, their
daughter turned men’s heads all the time without trying to. Ashtian Fallbright,
civilized and worldly man that he was, had not proven to be an exception. He
had that same admiring look in his eye whenever he looked at Riana. So, while
Fallbright likely was sincere in his desire to have her as a partner, he had no
doubt entertained the idea of having her as something more as well.

It was the more that Broden struggled with.

Mayhap it’d be best if he maneuvered Riana into choosing the
sister instead.

Fallbright slumped against the nearest stack of logs, hands
braced against his knees, and breathed hard for several minutes. Broden’s eyes
narrowed as he observed the man. The road had been steep coming down, aye, but
not that bad. What had winded the man so? “Ye alright, Wizard?”

“Ash, please,” Fallbright requested, looking up with a
smile. “We’ll be working with each other, after all.”

Oh? With their status difference, Broden had never
considered calling the man by name, much less by nickname. Fallbright had all
the looks and mannerisms of the nobly born, but his direct approach in dealing
with them did not speak of arrogance. Well, mayhap he could learn to like the
man after all.

“Ash, then.”

Ash dipped his head in silent thanks. “To answer, using
magic to do the work is not unlike using your own muscles. Oh, the magic makes it
far faster and easier, certainly, but it still takes a physical toll.”

Broden’s eyes roved over the six dozen logs stacked neatly
along the riverbank, each of them large enough to build three good-sized
cottages apiece. “A toll, be it.”

Chuckling, Ash pushed himself to his feet. “Everything
requires energy, Broden. Even magic. Now, before we leave altogether, I have to
ask you both some questions. I don’t want to presume anything and be proven
wrong later.”

Broden had found it strange the man had not asked more about
them, so this sudden curiosity was not unexpected. He gestured with a wave of
the hand for the man to ask, even as Riana came to stand at his side.

“Is there nothing that you want to reclaim from Cloud’s Rest
before we go all the way into Estole? We’re barely an hour’s walk from there
now, and it’ll be easier to grab it now than to try and get it later.”

Broden rubbed at his jaw, feeling stubble scrape his hand,
and wondered how to respond to that. A straight no, while truth, would
sound odd.

“Da…” Riana said uneasily in a low tone. “We should tell
him.”

Blowing out a long breath, he thought about it, watching Ash
as the man studied them with curious eyes. Well, his daughter spoke true; it
would not be fair to the man to not tell him why they wanted to leave. But at
the same time, he’d hoped for a clean start when they’d left Cloud’s Rest.

When they did not speak, Ash prompted patiently, “Tell me
what?”

No, Riana be right. Best to clear the air now rather than to
be all the way in Estole, in a strange land, and have the past come back to
haunt them. If Ash had a problem with their family history, they needed to know
afore traveling anywhere with the man. “Ash, we have nothing to reclaim.”

Ash blinked at them, confused. “You do hail from Cloud’s Rest,
do you not?”

“We do,” Riana assured him, tone heavy. “Ye see, the
clansmen of Cloud’s Rest do no’ like our family.”

“They never have,” Broden added, picking up the explanation.
“But there be reason for that. Do ye know why Cloud’s Rest exists?”

Rubbing at the back of his head, Ash admitted slowly, “I
remember studying about it at one point. It’s been years, though, so my
memory’s murky. Something to do with a religious edict banishing a group of
archers from the old Empire to the far north?”

“That be the basics of it, aye.” Deciding he’d better start
from the beginning, Broden cleared his throat and began, “When the Empire still
existed, there be a group of archers handpicked by the emperor himself to guard
the palace. Oh, they be a skilled set of men, and cocky because of it. No one
could best them. They could no’ even best each other. One day, the most
arrogant of them decided that since he’d defeated every mortal man, he’d
challenge the gods themselves. So he picked up his finest bow and arrow and raised
it high to the sky afore firing it. The arrow never came back down.”

Ash snapped his fingers. “I remember now! After that, the
Empire experienced nothing but lightning storms for weeks, which set
practically everything on fire. The emperor was beside himself trying to
rebuild the kingdom.”

“The priests and priestesses of the gods knew that something
had happened to anger the heavens so, and went to investigate, finally ending
up with the archer who had fired the arrow—Namsin. Namsin admitted he be the one
that challenged the gods, and because of that, he and the men who served him be
banished to the far north and commanded to never set foot inside the Empire
again.”

“Namsin,” Riana said softly, “be me many-times great
grandfather.”

Ash’s eyes flew wide. “Grandfather?!”

Broden’s mouth flattened into a grim line. “When he and his
men finally reached Cloud’s Rest, there be nothing except wild game and timber.
They struggled to build a place to live, and every day the men grew to hate
Namsin more and more, for it be his foolishness that led to their banishment.
The resentment grew so, that it passed down from one generation to the next so
that none of Namsin’s descendants could know peace.”

“Out of everyone in Cloud’s Rest, we be the only ones that
still use archery,” Riana added with a shrug. “The rest view it as an evil
practice and will no’ touch a bow.”

Ash rubbed at an eyebrow. “I understand. So, you offered to
escort me down because you were looking for a way to escape Cloud’s Rest and
the prejudice surrounding you. Is that it?”

Broden nodded, his heart in his throat. If Ash refused to
take them further than this, then…well, he did not know if they’d fare well
waiting for the caravan to come again. That was their only other hope of
getting out of Cloud’s Rest.

But Ash did something completely unexpected. Instead of
eyeing them sideways or sending them home, he reached out with both hands and
clapped them each on one shoulder. “Now I know I was right to invite you to
Estole. You need to come with me, not just for my and my sister’s sake.”

What? “I do no’ ken.”

Ash beamed at him. “Estole, you see, was founded because my
king was tired of people blaming the sins of the father on the children. I told
you he broke the Bindings, didn’t I? In fact, it was the first thing he did.”

The Bindings were what controlled class and structure and
law in Iysh. To completely overturn them was, well, nigh unthinkable. But a man
that could do that would not be one to hold their family history against them.
Or at least, that was what Broden hoped. Ash’s reaction made him think so.

“Then,” Riana’s eyes lifted in hope, “ye do no’ care about me
ancestors? At all?”

“I care about you,” Ash told her firmly, his hand
tightening on her shoulder. “I care about what you do, what you think, what you
feel. Edvard—that’s my king—will feel the same way, I promise you. If prejudice
and hatred is all you face in Cloud’s Rest, then don’t stay there. Come with
me. I insist you come with me.”

There it was again. Broden could see it clearly in Ash’s eyes,
hear it in the man’s tone. He was already half-besotted with Riana. Whether he
realized it yet or not, well, time would tell about that. Broden sent a prayer
to any god listening that he’d not be forced to break the man’s arms at some
point in the future.

Riana beamed up at him. “Truly? Then, Da, let us go.”

If his daughter had any chance of having a good, happy
future, then it would not be in Cloud’s Rest. He hoped for all their sakes it
would happen in Estole, but he would not set his heart on that just yet either.
“Aye, daughter, we will go. Ash, be that the only question ye had for us?”

“You actually answered the majority of them while telling me
your family history,” Ash admitted. He had to tear his eyes away from Riana,
and when Broden gave a pointed look at the hand lingering on his daughter’s
shoulder, he flushed and jerked that away as well. “Ahem. You, ah, don’t have
anything else you want to take with you?”

Riana put a hand to the bag slung over her shoulder. “This be
all we have. Anything we left unguarded would always be destroyed by someone.”

Ash’s blue eyes grew dark with anger. “Is that right. Their
hatred of you is that intense?”

Worse, some days. It depended on how freely the mead flowed
that night. He and Riana were good scapegoats for everyone’s troubles. Broden
would have left the place years ago if they’d had any currency or knowledge of
the roads. It was sheer ignorance that had kept them tied to Cloud’s Rest.

“It’s settled,” Ash informed them firmly. “You’re not
staying there. You’re staying in Estole from now on. Now, I only have one other
question I need answered. Do you mind if I put marks on you?”

He and Riana shared a blank look before they parroted in
unison, “Marks?”

“You won’t feel or see them,” Ash explained, “but they’re a
way for me to keep track of you. The marks are temporary, but I like to put
them on people that I’m traveling with. They tell me your location, making it
easy to find you if we’re separated, but they also give me a general sense of
your wellbeing. If, for instance, one of us fell into this river and got swept
away, I would not only be able to find you quickly, but I’d know if you were
injured.”

While this sounded like a good idea, Broden was not sure
what to think of something he had no knowledge of. Half-suspicious, he asked,
“How long do these last?”

“However long I set them for. We’re only about three days
away from Estole and the main hall, so I’ll set them for four. Just in case we
get delayed.”

Riana gave their surroundings an uneasy sweep with her eyes.
“I think they be a good notion.”

Broden also gave the forest around them a long look, and
then another at the rushing river next to them. Aye, mayhap those marks were a
good notion at that. “Alright then, Ash.”

“You agree? Excellent. Then, if the two of you will stand
perfectly still. This will only take a moment.”

Broden had no real experience with magic before, and when
they’d been in the mountains earlier, he’d been too far away to get a good
look. So he took advantage this time and watched Ash closely. For all the good
that did him.

Ash traced a finger through the air as if he were writing on
paper with an ink-dipped finger. A finger dipped in glowing ink, at that. He drew
a symbol with quick precision, as if he’d drawn it a million times before. Then
with a spoken word that did not sound like anything Broden had ever heard
before, he pressed the mark into Broden’s forehead.

It felt…warm. Like warm water, alive and moving, as it
flowed over his skin. As foreign as it felt, Broden decided that it was somehow
refreshing as well.

Ash gave him a wink. “I thought it wise to put it on you
first.”

Broden grunted, mouth quirked in amusement. Wise of the man.
He preferred to test things out on his own skin before exposing Riana. He’d not
have taken it kindly if Ash had put this magic doodling on his daughter first.

Riana stood perfectly still as Ash performed the magic again
and pressed it into her forehead. When it was done, she blinked, looking
disappointed. “That be all?”

Ash looked mildly surprised. “You thought it’d be
different?”

Her shoulders slumped. “I hoped it’d feel like standing in yer
shield did. That felt nice.”

The wizard looked at her as if the sun had just risen for him
alone. “You really are destined to be a partner.”

Broden cleared his throat before Ash could get his mind set
on anything. “Aye, well, let us be off.”

Ash blinked several times, visibly forcing himself to switch
mental tracks and stay on task. “Oh, yes, quite. Well, let’s borrow one of the
logs and use it as a bridge to get over the river, and then we’ll make our way
down the road as far as we can.”

Broden nodded in agreement, as it was a sensible enough
plan, and they did just that. With the work they’d done and the time they’d
spent getting down to the river, they did not have much daylight left. In fact,
they only managed to get the logs across and another two miles down the highway
before the sun threatened to set on them.

Displaying good road ethics, Ash set all his logs off the
road entirely before they went about setting up a camp. Well, as much as they
could. There was not much traffic in this area of the world, so the trees and
underbrush stayed thick and undisturbed. Ash had to use a bit of magic just to
clear a broad enough area for them to sleep in.

As they had scant provisions on them for supper, Broden
disappeared into the forest for a spell and hunted down some rabbits. When he
came back, he found that Riana had gotten a fire started and gathered up some
wild herbs and onions, already placed in a boiling pot of water. Her eyes
caught sight of him as he stepped into the firelight, and she beamed. “Rabbit?”

He handed her three of them to clean and cook. “I reckon it
will make a decent stew.”

“I have a loaf of bread in my pack,” Ash volunteered. “It
should be fresh enough, as I bought it yesterday.”

Oh, bread too? A good meal in the making, this one was.
Broden smiled as he sank down onto his haunches and helped Riana with the
rabbits. “Ash.”

“Yes?”

“I be a-thinking that we still be in the bandit territory,
and we should no’ be taking our ease here without someone standing watch.”

“If that’s your worry, I can put up a ward.”

Riana looked up, brows drawn together in confusion. “A what
now?”

“A ward,” Ash repeated, fishing out the loaf of bread from
his pack. “It’s a magical shield that can tie itself to an area. It won’t let
anyone in or out of a place until I dismantle it. Once it’s up, we’ll have to
stay within it until morning, but it’ll keep everyone else out as well.”

That sounded perfect to Broden. He preferred being able to
sleep peacefully as opposed to with one eye open. “That be fine, then.”

Riana dumped the last of the rabbit into the pot and put the
lid on. “There. Let it stew a mite. Ash, as we wait, tell us the story of how yer
new kingdom came to be.”

Ash blinked. “Haven’t you already heard?”

“Only bits and pieces,” she denied.

“Ah. As you wish, then.” Settling in across the fire, he
crossed his legs comfortably. “Now, let’s see, where to begin?”

Chapter Four

“The beginning would be a fine place,” Riana suggested, seeing
that he truly was at a loss for where to start. “We do no’ even know who Edvard
Knolton be.”

“Oh. Truly?” Ash seemed flabbergasted by this. “He’s from
one of the oldest families in Iysh. Very well, from the beginning, then. Since
Iysh was formed, the Knoltons have had close ties with the royal family. They’ve
been appointed as the ruling family of Estole since the very founding of Iysh,
actually. Edvard is the sixteenth heir and Duke of Estole, the only surviving
member of his family—legally, that is. He has several half-siblings because of
his father’s promiscuous ways. Actually, it was because of his siblings that he
wanted to break away from Iysh entirely.”

Her da frowned in confusion. “What be this, now?”

“Edvard has four sisters, you see,” Ash sought to explain.
“When his father passed on, he tried to legalize them so that he could protect
them and provide proper dowries. But the church and the court blocked his every
effort. It made him truly question the Bindings for the first time. It enraged
him as well, that he was prevented from doing the good and proper thing. I
helped him research, even helped him petition, but after several months of
fruitless effort, he gave up. That’s when he came up with the idea of breaking
off from Iysh completely.”

Riana’s eyes crossed. “Lovenanty, be that no’ a bit
extreme?”

“Very,” Ash responded dryly. “I felt so too, at first. Then
he started pointing out all the flaws in the government, the corruption, and
how many people were suffering under Iysh’s rule. He was very persuasive about
it. He had Ashlynn convinced before I even knew what was happening. I must
admit that Iysh’s rule is very…fractured at the moment.”

“Rebellions do that,” Broden noted laconically.

“Granted, but it was fractured before that,” Ash refuted.
“The old king is ailing, and he won’t pick one of his sons to succeed him, so
there’s a power struggle among the family. The rest of the officials are taking
advantage of their preoccupation and using it ruthlessly to their own ends.
That’s what made it so easy for us to break away from them. They can’t even
agree on how to subdue us.”

“How do ye break away from a kingdom?” Riana asked,
fascinated by this thought. She hadn’t questioned it before, but really, how
would one do that? Just write a simple declaration?

Ash shook his head in exasperation. “I was all for writing a
declaration of intent and sending it to Kremser Palace. But Edvard has a taste for
the dramatics, and that wasn’t enough for him. Instead, he had Ashlynn and me
guard him as we strode right into the throne room. He was wearing armor, of all
things, as if prepared to go to war on the spot. He declared right to the
king’s face that he’d had enough of this foolishness and the king had two
choices: he could overturn the Bindings and replace them with something more
moral and sensible, or Edvard would take Estole and break away from Iysh’s rule
completely.”

Broden leaned forward, spellbound, eyes huge in his face.
“He said that to the king himself? Glory. That must have been a sight.”

“What did the king say?” Riana pressed, just as enthralled,
trying to imagine in her mind’s eye how it’d all played out.

“Not much, at first. He was too busy choking, so astounded
anyone would say something like that to him that he couldn’t catch his breath.
Then he started bellowing, outraged and unwilling to listen to anything Edvard
had to say. He started shouting for someone to throw us all in prison.” Ash
rubbed his hands together in a slow, circular motion, eyes lost in memory. “We
had a fine time escaping from the palace, let me tell you.”

She bet they had!

“That wasn’t the end of it, of course, not by half,” Ash
continued ruefully. “We returned to Estole easily enough, but we barely had two
weeks before an army came knocking on our doors. The whole estate was behind
Edvard, as they’d had enough of Iysh’s rule as well, but we weren’t very large in
number. Not in comparison to a whole country, at least. Edvard assembled people
as he could, arranging the ranks to meet the army, but the bulk of his defense
rested on my and Ashlynn’s shoulders.”

So the rumors had been right. The main reason that Estole
was free really was because of the wizards.

Ash lifted one hand and stared at it for a long moment. “The
spells that I use for everyday tasks, I discovered, work just as well for
fighting. I can cut down trees and men with equal ease.”

Seeing what he’d done to trees, well, that idea made her a
trifle squeamish.

Shaking his head, he came back to the present. “The first
army sent wasn’t particularly large. We fought them off without any true danger,
and they were routed within a day. King Zelman sent a much larger army the
second time. We were better prepared after that first battle, with armaments
and caltrops and the like set up around the estate. Still, it was a miserable
three days of pure fighting before we forced them into a retreat. Zelman hasn’t
dared to send another army after us. He’s so low on troops now that he barely
has enough to maintain the rest of his kingdom.”

Riana slapped a hand against her leg. “So I be right! Zelman
did no’ try again because he be short on troops.”

Ash blinked at her. “Is that what you thought? Then, yes,
you’re quite correct. Our spies reported that to us. At any rate, after the
last battle, we did nothing but bury the dead and reinforce our defenses, just
in case we have to fight again. Part of the lumber that I’m bringing with me
will be used to build a defensive wall around the estate.”

Oh? That explained why he needed so much of it, then. Riana
imagined it’d take a lot of wood to build a wall around a mansion.

“A part of me now believes that declaring independence to a
king and fighting off two armies is the easy part of building a
kingdom,” Ash bemoaned, not at all joking. “Don’t mistake me, throwing off the Bindings
was a wonderful thing to do, but Edvard didn’t have anything to replace them
with. He got so caught up in the enthusiasm of the idea that he failed to plan
very far ahead. We’re now being swarmed with immigrants from the other estates
and countries, all of them hoping for new and better lives, but without any
true rules to govern them with. Trying to apply the old rules in any
form makes them rebel against us. They’ve had enough of those laws, even if
they were good ones. So we’ve had to throw out the old system completely and
come up with something new, something that people will accept. We’re scrambling
now to create laws and put together a team of people to enforce them.”

That wasn’t well thought out. Wouldn’t it have been better
to make the new laws and have a guard in place afore declaring independence?
Well, belike they hadn’t expected a flood of people to come in.

“I imagine,” Broden said slowly, “that it be no’ just good
folks coming in. Ruffians of all sorts would like a place where there be no Bindings.”

“And that’s a problem as well,” Ash acknowledged with a wave
of the hand at him. “Crime is rapidly increasing. When I left, my sister and
Edvard had their heads together, pouring over the history books for any hint of
the old laws. I expect by the time we reach Estole that they will have at least
a rough set of laws to present people with. But you see now why I’m so
desperate to keep you. Good people with fighting skills will be dearly welcome
in Estole.”

After that story, Riana had no doubt of it.

Broden rubbed at the stubble along his jaw, studying Ash
through narrowed eyes. “So, Edvard Knolton be behind this whole thing, eh?
Anyone else know about this?”

“I imagine anyone who’s heard the story would. Edvard wasn’t
shy about explaining his motivations.”

“Be that right.” Broden nodded to himself, as if having had something
confirmed. “Now I ken. Daughter, best brace yerself and keep a wary eye about ye.
It be about to get hairy.”

Hairy? Why would it…oh. Oh. She smacked herself on
the forehead, feeling like an idiot for not connecting things quicker.

Ash’s eyes darted between the two of them, brows drawn
together in confusion. “I feel like I’ve missed something.”

“Ye said the Iyshian king sent two armies that failed.”
Broden shrugged, palm splayed. “If I be him, I would no’ send a third. I would
send assassins.”

Ash’s mouth fell open, stunned, then he groaned. “Storm and
winds! Why didn’t I think of that?!”

“I would no’ send ‘em after just the new king, either,”
Broden continued with a pointed look at the wizard.

“A wise man would take out the wizards that helped him
defeat those two armies,” Riana stated the obvious conclusion out loud. “Ash, I
think it be a blessing that ye found us when ye did. Da be right, it be about
to get hairy.”

Ash grimaced. “Well, that part I’d sort of reckoned and
braced myself for. But…why would this be the first thing you think of?”

“Oh, the bandits up here be no’ strays. They be in gangs or
clans of their own most of the time. We get wars up here all the time atwixt
them. If they rush into a fight against each other and it does no’ work out,
the next thing they do be send assassins.” Broden scowled. “We learned
quick-like to keep an eye on the lot of them so as to know when to be on the other
side of the mountain when they got it in their heads to fight over territory.”

“Ahhh, makes sense. So, in essence, you’ve seen fights of
dominance between kings before, just on a smaller scale.”

“Much smaller,” Broden agreed, eyes twinkling.

Riana’s mind was already skipping ahead, thinking from every
angle. “Ash, did ye make any secret about coming out here for lumber?”

“Ah…no? Quite a few people knew where I was going.”

“I think ye’d best put that ward up,” she advised grimly.
Her skin felt like something was crawling along it even as she spoke the words.
The air was getting colder, the light failing as night settled in, which
limited her vision even further in these crowded woods. A whole platoon of
soldiers could hide in the brush, and she wouldn’t have a notion they were
there. Never mind how well an assassin could make out.

Ash’s eyes darted around, making the same consideration she’d
just made, and took her point. “I’ll do that. When I’m done, I’ll put a
temporary hold on both of you so that you have some magical protection.”

She blinked. “Be there assassin-wizards, then?”

“More than I care to think about, yes. They’re always in the
employ of some important, powerful person with a good cause in their pocket,
but that doesn’t make a difference if you’re their target.”

Good point.

Ash put a hand on his knee, preparing to rise, before
pausing and saying, “If anyone wants a privy break, take it now. You won’t be
able to leave the ward later.”

Taking that as a prudent suggestion, Riana did just that,
leaving the ring of firelight behind for a few moments. By the time she made it
back, Ash had made several preparations already. Her da was already seated,
dishing himself up some of the stew and dipping his bread into it with a smile
of relish.

Ash glanced her direction, making sure she was close enough,
then he turned back to the tree he had a hand against. He drew something
complicated into the air, spoke a word in that strange singsong language, and
the sigil he’d drawn embedded itself into the trunk of the tree. It stayed in
the bark, glowing mutely, like a ring of controlled fire. When it was there, it
connected to several other trees, and a dome of glowing firelight weaved its
way around their camp and above their heads. Riana’s eyes tracked its progress
even as she smiled. It was a thing of beauty, this ward of his. It wasn’t solid
like she’d assumed it would be. Instead, ever-moving lines curled and about
like they were living things.

Sidling up beside her, he cautioned, “Unlike my shield, this
won’t feel good if you touch it, so don’t try that.”

“I ken,” she promised him, not looking away. “Be magic
always so pretty?”

“No,” he denied in amusement. “But most of the time, it is.
At least, I think it is.”

“It be pretty enough,” Broden acknowledged slowly. “But what
can get through it?”

“Air,” Ash answered dryly.

Riana blinked up at him, astounded. “No’ even rain?”

“I prefer not to be rained on when I’m sleeping outside, so
mine are waterproof.” He shrugged, as if what he’d just said wasn’t anything
remarkable.

Riana found it very remarkable. Despite the fact that she
could see right through it, this thing was as solid as a house? Lovenanty! Was
there any limit to what magic could do?

Oh, right, there was. Which was why Ash so desperately
wanted them. She’d almost forgotten that for a moment.

Tearing her eyes away, Riana forced herself to sit down and
drag her bowl out of her pack, eating dinner while it was still hot. Cold
rabbit stew wasn’t her favorite thing to eat.

For a few moments, that’s all everyone did—eat dinner and
enjoy not being on their feet for a while. She saw her da take several peeks at
Ash, as if wanting to ask something, but not sure of either the timing or the
wording. Since the beginning, her da had been a little cautious around Ash. She
understood why—they knew little about him—but her gut said that Ash could be
trusted. Da must’ve thought the same, as he’d agreed to go to Estole with him.

“These temporary magical protections of yers,” Broden
finally asked, “what do they protect us from?”

“Unfortunately, not much,” Ash responded with a helpless
shrug. “If you were true partners with me, I could bind you to my magic, and my
own shield would activate around you at the barest hint of danger. But because
these are temporary, I’m having to give you your own shield, independent of
mine, and that limits what I can do. After all, you’re not a magician—you have
no magic to feed into these shields to keep them active. So there’s only so
much it can do. It’ll protect you from any fire-based spell, at least.”

Broden, his mouth full of bread, waved a hand to encourage
Ash to continue.

“Most attack spells are fire-based,” Ash explained, stirring
his stew to let it cool a little as he spoke. “They’re more fluid, easier to
manipulate over a distance, so it’s the perfect element to attack with. Not all
of them, you understand, but a good majority of them are. The spell I used to
log the trees is fire-based.”

Riana thought about this, comparing it with the little she
knew about magic, and asked slowly, “This shield ye will give us, will it clash
with yers? The one that ye use to protect yerself?”

“Yes,” Ash sighed. “Unfortunately. My personal shields are
wind-based, as they’re more resilient and work better against all magic.”

“So I can no’ step inside yer shield while mine be up?” she
pressed, making sure she understood.

“Right.”

Riana frowned. She didn’t like that answer one bit. “Can ye
no’ give me a shield like yers, then?”

“Unfortunately, no. It takes too much magical power to
activate. It’s something only a wizard can use.”

Well, that wasn’t the answer she wanted.

“We will take what we can get for now,” Broden said with a
long look at her. “Daughter, do no’ fret about this. We’ve done well up till
now and did no’ have a thing to shield us from harm. We will be fine.”

They also hadn’t been up against any wizards, or had the
threat of magical assassins dodging their footsteps. Right now, it was simply a
possibility and she didn’t have a shred of proof to back it up with, but she
couldn’t help but feel that danger was very close to them. This reassurance from
her da failed to comfort her.

But Da was right in the fact that they couldn’t do much
about it at the moment, not without creating a more permanent link with Ash. Which
neither of them was prepared to do. For now, the temporary shield would have to
do. So she subsided and didn’t argue the point.

Ash, sensing that they wouldn’t ask any more questions, set
his bowl aside. “Let’s get these done, then, and settle in for the night. We
have a lot of walking to do tomorrow.”

Chapter Five

Estole did not look a thing like he’d imagined.

Granted, Broden did not have much knowledge of towns or
such. Still, when a man hears the words “new kingdom” he thinks of a small
gathering of people and maybe one major building standing with tents and such
gathered about it. This place had “age” written all over it. The town nestled
near the channel water, with solid buildings and businesses all lined up along
cobblestone streets. In the center of it, like a spider in its web, sat a large
building that bordered on being a castle. It was made of that light grey stone
he’d seen in the mountains, with two turrets, battlements, and enough space to
house the whole town without much strain.

There were tents—he had not gotten that part wrong—and they
were clustered in every available space in and around the town. They were of
every size, every color, and people could be seen coming in and out of them, their
cook fires blazing. He watched it all for a moment as they traveled down the
slight slope leading into a shallow valley. “Ash.”

“Hmm?”

“How many people did ye say abide here?”

“Five thousand at last count.” Ash paused on the roadway,
his trail of logs pausing with him, and he stared with judicious eyes. “I’d say
they’ve gained another five hundred since I was last here. Place is growing faster
than we can manage, I swear.”

Five hundred in the five days he’d been gone? That was an average
of a hundred a day! No wonder the man was desperate for help. “Yer king, he
plan to conquer any land? Mayhap move up toward the northern territory?”

“He hasn’t mentioned it,” Ash denied, a puzzled expression
on his face. “Why?”

“Ye’d best encourage him to, then.” Broden jerked his chin
to indicate the valley spread out below them. “Growing like this, soon ye will
no’ have land enough to support them all.”

Ash’s mouth opened, paused, then closed thoughtfully. “You
might be right. I’ll talk to him about it.”

They set off again, winding their way down and into the
town’s main street. Neither he nor Riana had ever seen a proper town before,
and their eyes darted hither and thither, trying to take it all in. He fancied
he did a better job of not gawking than his daughter. Her head was like to fall
off, it turned about so.

He had a notion that the first few weeks would be brutal to
his senses. Cloud’s Rest did good to have three streets to its name, so he had
no experience with finding his way in a place like this, where one street
crossed another at random, alleys poked their heads out here and there, and the
whole place looked to be a copy of some other part of town. It was like to make
a man’s head spin, it was. And that did not take into account the sheer noise
of the place, like a gathering of angry magpies all fighting over the same
shiny thread.

From the way that Riana flinched now and again, hand half-up
to her ear, she was not faring any better than he.

Ash did not try to take the logs all the way into the town.
Instead, he found a clear patch in a woodworker’s lumber yard on the outskirts
and deposited it all there. The place had obviously been built for more than
just lumber, as Broden could smell that peculiar scent of metal being forged,
but he could not see much through all the logs. As Ash sat them neatly in
piles, he called out, “Ho, Tennon!”

“Ho, Ash!” A man that resembled a beer keg on legs came out
of the nearby building, a hammer in one hand and his beard full of wood
shavings. He had laugh lines around his eyes and a look to him that said he’d
be a fine man to know. “Well, you’ve brought me some good wood, it looks like.
But I told you to get three dozen trees, you young whelp, not six! What
am I supposed to do with all of this?”

“Build some houses,” Ash suggested dryly. “Unless you want
all our new citizens living in tents the rest of their lives?”

“Well, now, that’s a thought. I won’t pay you for the wood
we’ll use on the wall, but I’ll pay you for the rest of it.”

Ash nodded, agreeable. “Pay me for it as you use it. Tennon,
this is Broden Ravenscroft and his daughter, Riana. They’ve come to join us in
building Estole.”

Tennon extended a hand, which Broden took in a firm clasp.
“Welcome, both of you! From where do you hail?”

“Cloud’s Rest,” Riana responded, also clasping hands with
the man. She did not flinch under his grip, which could have crushed boulders.
“May harmony find ye.”

“Is that right?” Tennon looked them both over more
carefully. “Mostly bandits live up there, I hear.”

“Ye hear right.” Broden gave him a dry, tight-lipped smile.
Mayhap they should not have mentioned where they hailed from.

“Then no doubt you’re good with those bows.” Tennon gave a
shrewd look at them. “My son’s got a shop down this street, and he’d be a good
one to get arrows and the like from. Ryer is his name.”

Oh? Not the reaction Broden had expected. He gave the man a
grateful nod. “I will mind that. Me thanks, we be both running low.”

Tennon gave him a brief smile, barely detectable under that
thick bushel of hair, before saying to Ash, “Your brother and sister have been
scheming while you’ve been gone.”

Ash actually blanched. “Didn’t anyone try to stop them? What
did they do?”

“Oh, it’s a shorter list to say what they haven’t
done,” Tennon drawled, not looking at all worried. “So far as I know, they
haven’t killed anyone. But I’d suggest finding them quickly. Only one that can
talk sense into those two is you.”

Growling under his breath, Ash said a quick thanks before
spinning on his heel and walking quickly toward the main street. Broden had to
stretch out a mite to keep pace with him, and Riana had to jog. It became even
more of a challenge to keep pace with the man when they entered the street
proper, as the place seemed fit to burst with people. Broden finally put Riana between
him and Ash, shielding her from the brunt of people’s elbows and making sure
they all kept together.

At some point, Ash must have realized that he could lose
them in the crowd, as he slowed his pace, glancing back over his shoulder.
Seeing them have to fight their way through, he reached back and silently
grabbed Riana’s hand in a tight grip, making sure he had her at least. Broden
grabbed her shoulder, taking the lad’s cue, and then they kept blazing a trail
forward.

It did not escape his notice that a pretty blush stained his
daughter’s cheeks. Then again, this was the first time a man had ever held her
hand, no matter what the reason. Frowning, he promised himself that he and Ash
would have a nice, quiet chat. Soon.

They skirted around something that looked like a main
market, into a side street, and then changed streets again, heading toward the
mansion-castle. Broden’s head spun at the quick changes in directions. If he
did not find a way to mark the place in his memory soon, he’d wind up roaming
the town forever and a day without an understanding of how to get back.

On the way there, they’d spoken briefly about how things
would be set up and where they’d stay when they arrived, but Ash had not
mentioned anything more than You’ll stay with me and my sister, of course.
Broden now realized that answer left much wanting. Where, exactly, did the two wizards
stay? Surely not… His gaze traveled up the tall stone walls, and his mind
refused to wrap its way around the notion that he’d live in a castle.

No. What Tennon said had scared Ash into finding the new
king first. Aye, that be it. He’d get them sorted once he figured out what his
sister and king had been up to.

They barely breached the iron gates, which looked to be more
for decoration than protection, before a voice boomed out, “ASH!”

Ash stopped dead, head whipping about. “Edvard! What have
you been doing while I’ve been gone?”

A man of an age with Ash stepped out from behind a knot of
uniformed guards and toward them. He, too, wore a uniform of dark grey, looking
sharp and pristine. His hair was dark, eyes a penetrating dark blue, skin
tanned from many hours in the sun. He had the looks of a player, that one,
although his smile was genuine and not at all haughty. So. This was the new
king, eh?

Broden watched him as the man approached, weighing him. He
certainly knew how to carry the sword on his hip, so he was no pushover. Better
still, he was courteous to the people around him. Several times, as people
crossed his path, he’d stop to let them go or step around them, instead of
making anyone stop for him. That silent kindness spoke well of the man.

The new king took note of Ash’s hand on Riana’s, which made
Ash flush slightly and abruptly drop it. Broden found that bit interesting as
well. So, the man was not used to being in a woman’s company? Considering his
looks and occupation, Broden would have thought the man had women beating down
his door.

But no one remarked on Ash’s blush. As soon as he was within
proper hearing distance, Edvard said, “Something had to be done about
the crime rate, Ash. It was totally out of hand.”

“I agree, but what did you do?” Ash demanded.

“Well, after due consideration, I appointed Ashlynn as
temporary Sheriff of Estole.”

“You appointed Ashlynn as Sheriff?” Ash demanded
incredulously.

“Why are you so surprised?” Edvard laughed, not at all
worried. “She adores beating people up on justice’s behalf. The job suits her
admirably.”

“Yes, but Edvard, she has no mercy! She’s ruthless with
people that are in the wrong.”

“I know. Crime’s dropped fifty percent since yesterday. Our
sister is amazingly efficient. People are starting to tremble just from the
sound of her name.” Edvard took pride in this as well as amusement. “Now, who’s
standing behind you?”

Belatedly remembering his manners, Ash reluctantly tabled
the discussion of his twin for now and turned. “This is Riana Ravenscroft and her
da, Broden Ravenscroft. I found them in Cloud’s Rest. Riana, Broden, this is
Edvard Knolton, King of Estole.”

Edvard held out a hand to him as if it were a natural thing.
“Broden Ravenscroft, I greet you.”

Broden took the man’s hand in a firm grip, pleased with the
calluses he could feel on the other man’s palm. This was a man that knew how to
work hard. “Edvard Knolton, I greet ye. May harmony find ye.”

“Riana Ravenscroft, I greet you.”

“Edvard Knolton, may harmony find ye.”

Ash barely contained himself until the pleasantries were out
of the way before blurting, “Edvard.” His tone vibrated with renewed
excitement. “They can both be wizard-partners.”

Edvard went from polite to intensely interested in a split
beat. “Is that right? Then, you are both very welcome. I’ve worried about my wizards’
safety, what with everything going on. It occurred to me after Ash left that he
was too vulnerable to normal attacks. If Iysh thought to send assassins after
my wizards, they’d have a good chance of succeeding.”

So. The new king was not a complete fool. He was thinking
ahead, trying to anticipate what his enemy would do.

“Which of you will partner with which?” Edvard inquired.
“Have you decided?”

“Ah, no, King,” Riana responded with cautious courtesy. She
clearly had no idea how to address him. “We thought we’d try it both ways for a
while, see which we like best.”

“Edvard is fine,” he assured her gently. “After all, you’ll
be closely tied with my blood-siblings, so you’ll basically be part of my
family. Well, if you haven’t made any decisions—actually, does Ashlynn know
about this?”

“Not yet,” Ash denied. “I haven’t seen her.”

“Then I’ll let you tell her and sort things out.” He stopped
and appraised them openly for a long moment. “Those bows over your shoulders, are
they your primary weapons?”

“Aye,” Broden said. And waited for the king’s reaction.

“Forgive me for asking this, but since two very dear people
are going to be in your hands shortly…how good are you?”

“Good,” Broden said without false modesty or embarrassment.

“I can vouch for that,” Ash piped up. “I was set upon by
bandits outside of Cloud’s Rest, and these two took the whole lot of them down
before I was properly aware I was surrounded. It’s why I was so adamant about
dragging them here.”

“Is that so.” Edvard took this in, taking Ash’s word for it.
At least, for now. “Then I’m doubly glad to have you. We’ve had need of good
archers recently. I’d like to see your skills for myself soon.”

“That’d be fine,” Riana assured him.

Edvard looked at her, head cocked slightly. “I’m especially
curious to see how good you are, fair maiden. But I will set my
curiosity aside for the moment. I can’t stay here much longer; there’s trouble
brewing that I must deal with. Before I leave, a request. Master Broden, if you
would partner with Ashlynn for the time being? You look like a formidable man,
and our Ashlynn, while capable, is not the type to induce fear in a villain’s
heart. It’d be best if she has someone who looks strong next to her while she
deals with criminals.”

Broden could see the sense in that, if Ashlynn were the type
to look pretty and not a fighter, same as his Riana. “Aye, that I can do.”

“Many thanks. I have a million things to see to before the
sun sets, but I want you both at my table for dinner so that I can talk to you
more and get to know you. Ash, make sure of it.”

Blood-siblings they might have been, but Ash clearly
respected the man as a leader, as he accepted this order with a respectful, “Of
course.”

Edvard beamed at them and said simply, “Welcome.”

“Our thanks for the welcome,” Broden responded, hoping it
was an appropriate thing to say. Really, how does a man talk to a new king that
wants you to call him by name?

With a last smile, Edvard turned and went back to his
soldiers.

Ash rubbed a hand over his face in a weary, frustrated
gesture. “Let’s go inside, get something hot to eat, and change into clean
clothes. I’ll call Ashlynn and have her meet us in our rooms.”

“Call?” Broden repeated blankly. Did the man mean to sound a
horn or some such?

“Magic.”

“Ah.” That was answer enough for him.

Turning, the wizard led the way through the gates. As he did
so, he picked up the gold amulet that hung about his neck and put it near his
lips. “Ashlynn? Yes, I’m home. I have a lot to tell you and two people to
introduce to you, so can you meet us in our rooms? Thanks. No, it’s all good
news. Right? For once, it’s all good news. Sure.”

Broden let these words flow past his ears without any real
notice as he took in the courtyard. Fancy-looking place. Lots of little stone
benches, water fountains, and pretty flowerbeds here and there. The whole lot
was covered in granite flagstone. He’d have no qualm eating a meal off the
stones, the place was kept so clean. Quite a feat to manage with all the chaos
outside.

Ash led them confidently across the courtyard and to a door
that was thick as a man’s arm, carved elaborately with a family crest. Edvard’s
family crest, belike. When they went through, the inside was filled with more
polished flagstone, flowers in vases on every surface, and arched ceilings
overhead. It felt like walking into a mountain cathedral, it did. The air felt
slightly cooler in here, damper, as if the sun could not warm the inside of
this house in spite of all the windows.

Riana seemed to find it pretty, judging from that look on
her face. He could only see all the places a good assassin could hide. Worse,
the place was near impossible to sneak through. Every footstep he made rang
like a dull bell.

They went directly up a flight of stairs without pausing,
then down a short hallway and to the last door, this one a thinner version of
the one downstairs. Ash pushed it open, saying as he did, “You’re welcome to
wait here for a moment. I’ll have someone send some food up. There’s a room
just through there,” he raised a hand to point, “if you want to wash up and
change.”

After three days on the road with no soap to wash with,
Broden admitted a chance to scrub up and change clothes would be a fine thing.

“Be back in a few moments,” Ash promised before scooting
past them and heading back downstairs.

This room did not look like the rest of the place. It felt
more homey and welcoming. There were worn-in chairs near a fireplace, soft rugs
on the floor, and even a whole bookshelf full of books, which was a rare sight.
Broden felt more relaxed here than anywhere else in Estole.

“Daughter?” he asked with a cock of the head toward the
inner door.

“Oh, if ye be offering, I will take it.” With a wink, she
slipped through the door and shut it behind her. Only a split second later, he
heard a moan of bliss and her voice floating through the wood, “Da, there be
hot water in here!”

He chuckled. “The man be a wizard, dearheart, what did ye
expect? For him to wash in cold?”

She ignored him, too wound-up in hot water, soap, and
privacy. Shaking his head and chuckling, he doffed his pack, bow, quiver, and
coat off to the side before sitting in a chair near the fireplace. Little more
than embers glowed in the hearth, but it felt good to sit on something padded.

He enjoyed the silence and privacy after having three days
of neither. Ah, it be a fine thing for a man to have space with his own
thoughts for a spell. If he had a tankard to balance on his knee and a fire
going, it would be even better.

So, that had been the new king, eh? He struck Broden as a
good sort, like Tennon—a man that would be a decent neighbor and friend. He was
not arrogant or self-important, but seemed kind, as Ash had described him. Of
course, Broden had sort of expected him to be. A man that could inspire
thousands of people to rebel against Iysh would have to be likeable.

The patter of light footsteps came from the other side of
the door. Broden’s ear cocked in that direction and he frowned. That was not
Ash returning. It could be the twin, or it could be someone else altogether.
Not one to be caught unawares, he got to his feet. Taking up quiver and bow, he
nocked an arrow and stood waiting as the door flung open.

A pretty blonde woman around the age of his Riana took a
step inside the room before she abruptly halted, blue eyes flaring wide. She
dropped into a fighter’s stance—with glowing hands. This must be Ash’s twin.
The resemblance between the two was uncanny.

“Who are you?” she demanded, voice light and smooth even
though she clearly meant to sound threatening.

“Broden Ravenscroft, I be. Be I speaking to Ashlynn
Fallbright?”

“You are,” she answered, suspicions not eased a whit.

“Ah, that be fine, then.” He lowered the bow and restored
the arrow to the quiver. “Yer brother brought us here, me daughter and me.”

She took him in from head to toe, eyes lingering on the bow
still in his hands. “Is that right. And why would he do that?”

“He has a notion or two about us being partners for ye
both.”

Her mouth fell open. “Partners?!”

“Aye. Me and me daughter, we stood within his shield without
flinching. Felt nice, actually. After he saw that, he dragged us here, taking
nothing but ‘aye’ for an answer.”

Her eyes darted to his forehead. “I see two marks on you.
Come here, let me take them off. I want to test this for myself.”

Amiable, he crossed over to her. “Be yer magic so different
from his, then?”

“Well, not really. But that’s because we’re twins. Most
wizards’ magic is different from wielder to wielder. Which is why not all
partners can change to a different wizard.”

Made sense. No two men were just alike, after all.

With nothing more than a flick of the fingers and a muttered
word, Ashlynn removed both marks that Ash had set. Then she raised her shield
with him still standing almost nose-to-nose with her. He blinked at the speed
of it, but it did not feel any different from the last shield he’d been inside.

Ashlynn stared up at him in wonder. “Storm and winds, I see
why he dragged you here! You really don’t think anything of it. Amazing. I’ve
never seen a man better suited to being a partner than you. And you say your daughter
is just like you?”

“Aye. She be the first one to test it.”

Something that could have been tears welled in Ashlynn’s
clear blue eyes. She blinked and stepped back, her shield dissipating. “It’s a
relief to meet you, Broden Ravenscroft. I cannot tell you how much. I assume
that Ash has tested you and you’ve proven to be a good fighter?”

“Aye. Saved him from a dozen bandits.”

“That’s proof enough,” she agreed with a dry smile. “Well.
Will you partner with him, then?”

“We have no’ decided on partners yet,” he cautioned her.
“But yer king requested I go with ye at first. He said I could scare people in
line by just standing next to ye.”

“Oh.” Ashlynn gave him another sweep of the eyes. “It’s true;
you look perfectly capable of breaking bones. I certainly wouldn’t choose to
cross you. People don’t tend to take me seriously until I start breaking
buildings.”

The casual way she said that sent a chill up his spine.
Break buildings?

“So you met Edvard already? Good. Before we go out, I’d like
to meet your daughter, perhaps spar with both of you to get a feel for how you
move. Then I’ll explain the situation as best I can before we go back out
again. Is that fine with you?”

“At least give the man enough time to eat a decent meal and
clean up, sis,” Ash scolded her gently from the doorway. “We’ve only just
arrived.”

“Ash.” Ashlynn spun like a dancer before launching herself
at her twin, hugging the man tightly around the neck. “You wonderful man! I
need to send you out for things more often; you always come back with more than
you’re supposed to.”

“These two were a fluke,” Ash protested, trying to breathe
while his sister half-strangled him. He was smiling as he tried to win free.

“It always is, with you. I want your luck.” Bouncing back,
she beamed at him. “So? Where’s this daughter-partner?”

“Cleaning up.” Ash jerked a thumb to indicate the closed
door.

“Was it such a rough trip here?” Ashlynn darted a look at
Broden. “I mean, if you greeted me at the door with a drawn bow, then—”

“You did what?!” Ash demanded incredulously.

“Did no’ recognize the footsteps,” Broden explained without
apology. “Keep yer hair on, lad. I would no’ have shot her till I knew she be
foe and no’ friend.”

Ashlynn sighed dreamily. “A man after my own heart. Maybe
Edvard’s right and we really should be partners instead of you being my
brother’s.”

“The fact that you two think alike frankly scares me,” Ash
said in a thin voice.

Chapter Six

Ashlynn Fallbright was a firebrand. It took Riana all of a
minute to realize it. The woman was sweet to look at, with an angelic face and
voice, but she was the sort to throw a curse first and apologize later. She was
so different from Ash, who approached life with more caution, that if not for
the fact they looked akin to each other, Riana wouldn’t have believed they were
kin at all.

Ash gave his sister a brief accounting of how he’d met them
and what their abilities were, and she listened intently without trying to ask
a single question. Only after he’d subsided did she turn those clear blue eyes
to Riana. “So. You’re an archer of good skill like your father, eh? Are you
better?”

“Depends,” she answered promptly, not at all flustered by
the question. “Me eyes be sharper, so over long distances, I be the better. But
if it be speed ye want, then Da be the one.”

“Just practice,” Broden stated with a simple shrug. “Give yerself
another ten years or so, daughter, and ye will be just as quick.”

Taking this in, Ashlynn next asked the question that
everyone usually wanted to ask. “So, how many arrows can you get in the air at
once?”

“Now, lass, that depends.” Her da’s eyes got that twinkle
that said he found the question amusing instead of irritating. “It be no’ a
matter of quickness of hand, y’see. It be more a matter of distance. If ye give
me enough distance, I can have three in the air at once.”

“I can only manage two at the moment,” Riana put in as an
aside.

Ash’s eyes crossed. “Three? Well. If it were my
choice, I’d prefer to take a few hours and spar with you, get a good feel for
how you move. But honestly, I probably shouldn’t have sat down at all. Things
are that hectic in the city.”

“Ashlynn.” Riana leaned forward, arms braced on her knees.
“What be we up against?”

“Madness.” Ashlynn’s mouth twisted into a grim line. “You
both have to understand, this was not what we intended when Edvard
decided to claim independence of Iysh. We wanted to overturn the Bindings,
certainly, but not all of them! Not all at once, anyway. After all, we had
nothing to replace them with. Edvard and I went through the laws and struck out
the ones that we felt were too heinous or unneeded, but some of them were
sound. We were planning to modify the laws rather than come up with a whole new
system.”

Broden grunted in understanding. “I hear a but
hovering about in yer tone.”

“But,” she started dryly, “that wasn’t what everyone else
expected. When we started getting people in, they all thought there were
no rules. Some of them felt they could do whatever they wanted. When we tried
to apply any of the old rules, they rebelled completely, and it was all we
could do to subdue them.”

“Edvard has about five hundred guardsmen in place,” Ash
picked up with tired resignation, “and they’ve been run ragged trying to keep
everything peaceful. But even then, the situation only gets worse with each
batch of people that comes in. Right now we’re working under a martial law that
Edvard invoked, but that can’t last forever.”

No, it couldn’t. Riana could see both sides of the problem,
and it troubled her. “Be Edvard writing laws now?”

“He’s trying to come up with something, yes,” Ash affirmed.
“So far, though, he hasn’t had a spare hour to really turn his mind to it. Between
Iysh’s attacks and the estate’s upheaval, he’s been running around like us,
putting out fires. Some days we’re so busy we’d borrow a cat’s paw if someone
offered it.”

“Which is why Edvard appointed me temporary Sheriff.”
Ashlynn smiled like a gambler with a winning hand. “And no doubt, Broden, why
he assigned you to me. Our job is to crack down on the lawbreakers so hard that
no one dares to cause any trouble.”

“Aye, lass, that might work short-term. Long-term, though,
it be asking for trouble.”

“Short-term is all we need,” she informed him smugly.
“Edvard’s asked for two weeks of breathing space so he can at least come up
with new laws to put in place. He feels sure that with solid rules to follow,
people will fall more in line again, and that will give him the breathing room
necessary to come up with a government.”

Seemed like a sound enough plan. Whether the two of them
could pull it off, well, that would soon be seen. “Ash? What be the plan for
us?”

“We’re building.” Ash smiled as he said this, a light of
excitement in his eyes. “The reason why I have all that lumber is to build a
defensive wall, after all. Ashlynn will come get us if she needs help subduing
any trouble, but right now, our main focus is that wall.”

“And me to guard yer back while ye work, eh? Fine, fine.”

“Sounds like ye’ve been given the easier task, daughter.”
Broden sounded slightly relieved, and she knew he hadn’t wanted her dealing
with criminals at all. Half his desire to leave Cloud’s Rest was to find a
safer place for her to live.

So she flashed him a smile. “Aye, it does. Have fun knocking
skulls together.”

“But first,” Ashlynn rose to her feet, gesturing them out the
door, “sparring.”

Ashlynn led the way to a small, enclosed courtyard to the
side of the castle that she called a training ground. It seemed a nice enough
place to spar in, although half of the things Broden had no notion what they
were meant for. The paving stones were flat and smooth, giving a man solid
footwork, but what were those wooden poles sticking out of the ground meant
for? They were set at intervals along the walls, perhaps a dozen of them
altogether.

As they entered, several people looked up and called out
welcomes. Most of the faces were young, of an age with Riana, but not all. One
face looked worn in, like his own, hair greying a tinge at the temples, but he
wore a sharp grey uniform that looked almost new.

“Bragdon!” Ashlynn called, waving the man over.

He came to them with a quick, ground-eating stride and
offered a duck of the head in greeting. “Ash, Ashlynn, who’s this?”

“Broden and Riana Ravenscroft,” Ash introduced, a mile-wide
smile on his face. “Our partners.”

Bragdon blinked, mouth dropping open slightly. “You’re
jesting.”

“I’m not.” Ash turned and gestured toward the man. “This is Jim
Bragdon, Captain of the Guard here. He’s also primarily in charge of training
new recruits.”

“Mostly because I’m the most seasoned man in the guard,”
Bragdon explained wryly. “Miss Ravenscroft, Master Ravenscroft, I greet you.”

“Harmony find ye, Captain.” Broden studied the man
curiously. Truly, he looked the solid, dependable sort.

“Ash has fought alongside these two before,” Ashlynn
explained to him, “but I haven’t. And I want to get a feel for what they’re
truly capable of before I go into the city with Broden. Can you clear the field
for a few minutes while we spar?”

Bragdon’s eyes took them in, noting that the only weapon
either sported was a bow, and his eyebrows climbed as he answered slowly,
“Certainly. I can do that. Give me a moment.”

The man turned and trotted back to the younger men, who had
stopped waving their swords about when their commander got distracted. Broden
kept an eye on them, watching as they retreated to a roofed-off area, even as
he asked, “So, how do ye want to do this sparring business?”

Ash glanced between the two archers. “Actually, I’m really
curious of how you two would fare if you were pitted against each other. You kept
saying things like ‘I’m better at this, but she’s better at that’ the entire
way here. Can we have you two compete with each other for a while?”

Riana shrugged acceptance. “If ye’d like.”

“Hmm, but targets….” Ash looked about until he spied
something on the far wall. “Oh. That’ll work. Hold on a moment.” He trotted
over to a post that was lying on the ground and knelt next to it. With a spell
and a motion of his hand, the post promptly fell apart into dozens of disks.
Picking one up, he tossed it to Riana. “Will these work?”

She caught it handily before flipping it this way and that,
looking it over. It seemed to be no more than a quarter-inch thick, as big as
her hand, and the perfect size for throwing. “Aye, it should be.”

“Good.” He picked up a whole stack and carted them over.
“Now, what shall we do first?”

Broden knew exactly where to start. “I told the lass earlier
that I can put three arrows into the air at once. Best I prove that here and
now. We’ve got enough distance, I think.”

Picking out three arrows from his quiver, he flipped one
around in his hand so that he could nock it. Aiming for the far post in the
training yard, he let it fly. Before the bow had even fully released, he was
twirling another one about in his hand so that he could nock that one as well.
Within two seconds, he had all three in the air, although barely. The first one
he’d fired hit the post just as he got the last one airborne.

Captain Bragdon came to stand at his elbow, letting out a
low whistle. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen an archer good enough to do
that.”

With a shrug, Riana also took three arrows from her quiver,
holding them in her hand and flicking each one about as she needed it. She
aimed for a spot just higher than her da’s on the same post, firing with quick
precision. Broden could not fault her technique—she was perfect in the way she
drew and released, it was just speed and practice she lacked. The first arrow
hit the post a second before she could get the third one in the air.

“You were right; you can’t get more than two in the air at
once,” Ash agreed. “But you’re very, very close to managing it. Well done, both
of you.”

Broden saw his daughter openly beam at this praise and felt
his own cheeks flush a bit, too. Archery was not something praised in Cloud’s
Rest, no matter how good an archer might be.

“Now, moving targets.” Ashlynn shifted so that they faced a
wall that no one was nearby to before taking a good dozen of the wooden disks
from Ash. “Who’s going first?”

“Just toss them,” Riana and Broden said in unison. Then they
glanced at each other, sharing a smile.

Ashlynn’s eyebrows rose at this. “How fast?”

“Fast as ye can manage, lass.”

“Alright then,” Ashlynn agreed slowly, clearly thinking that
they were biting off more than they could chew. With a slight shrug, she picked
one off the top and slung it into the air so it provided a good, flat profile
against the sky.

Broden and Riana fired at nearly the same time, his arrow hitting
a split second before hers. Ashlynn took them at their word and threw the
second one up as soon as she had the first in the air. Broden hit that one too,
but Riana got the next before he could get an arrow into it.

They hit all fourteen that Ashlynn threw, not one touching
the ground that did not have at least one arrow in it. Most had two.

Ashlynn actually clapped. “I shouldn’t have doubted you, not
with the way Ash was singing your praises. Now, what else can you do?
Run and fire?”

“Be more challenging than that,” Riana chided her, eyes
crinkled up at the corners. “Da, shall we have a little game of catch?”

Broden knew exactly what she was asking, and felt it was the
best way to showcase what they could really do. “Aye, that be a fine idea.
Right or left, daughter?”

“Right be fine by me.”

“Fine, fine.” He took a single arrow from his quiver and
nocked it, but did not draw it fully, waiting for her to go to the other side
of the yard. Looking at the wizards and the captain, he cautioned, “It’d be
best if ye stood against that far wall. Riana and I have done this afore, many
a time, but there still be moments when an arrow escapes us.”

With quick nods of understanding, they scampered to the far
side and put their backs to the wall, standing alongside the spellbound
trainees.

Riana stood in profile to him, knees bent, bow in her left
hand. “Ready, Da?”

“Ready!” So saying, he raised the bow and fired at her.

He heard someone gasp on the far end but paid it no heed. He
knew the arrow would never land.

Riana caught it handily, then she started moving, going at a
slow jog. She raised her bow and fired at him in turn, never stopping.

Broden was in motion as well, running at the pace she’d set,
and he caught the arrow aimed at his chest with a quick snap of the hand.
Flipping it about in his fingers, he raised it again and fired back at her. As
soon as the arrow left his fingers, he tossed the bow into his opposite hand.

Catching the arrow with her left hand this time, she flipped
it about and fired before tossing the bow from right to left.

They did this two more times, firing at each other, catching
the arrow, and then tossing the bow into the opposite hand, fully displaying
that they could not only catch an enemy’s arrow in flight, but could fire with
either hand without a problem. Eventually, they ran out of room and stopped before
they could run into a wall. It was only then that Broden dared to look at his
audience.

Ash seemed speechless, mouth hanging so low it nearly
scraped the ground. The trainees were gibbering to each other in nonsense, not even
able to form words. Bragdon had his hand under his chin, no doubt to keep it
from dropping open like Ash’s, his eyes narrowed in speculation.

Only Ashlynn could manage any words. “You. Are. Both.
AMAZING.” She pointed to their bows and then threw her hands up, excitement radiating
from her. “I’ve never seen anyone that can do that. I’ve never even heard of anyone
that can do that! Bragdon. We’ve got to get them to teach your archers. They’d
be far better instructors than whichever slob is doing it now.”

“That would be me,” Bragdon responded mildly. “But I agree.
Any spare minute that the two of you have, I want you here teaching my men. How
long will it take before their skills are developed to that point?”

“Years,” Broden replied honestly. He felt flushed and light
with all this praise they were heaping upon him. If they did not quit soon, it’d
likely go straight to his head.

From that look on Riana’s face, it’d already gone to hers.

Ashlynn shook her head, a wide smile on her face. “Well. I
was going to suggest sparring for a good hour to get a feel for each other, but
it seems to me that if you two can see it, you can hit it. That’s enough
information for me right now. Broden, let’s go to work instead.”

“Aye, lass, that be fine. Just give me a moment.” He turned
and started collecting the arrows he’d fired.

Riana was right there with him, even as she asked Ash, “So,
straight to the wall?”

“Yes,” he responded. “You’re welcome to fire arrows in a
line to keep me from building it crooked, too.”

She gave him a wink. “Aye, that I will.”

Broden stopped a moment and looked at that happy expression
on his daughter’s face. He’d rarely seen her like this—cheerful and glowing,
secure with the people about her. Normally she looked wary, on her guard, and
for good reason. Aye, following Ash down here to Estole was the right decision,
if only to have moments like this.

Satisfied he’d made a good choice for them both, he put the
last arrow in his quiver and nodded to Ashlynn. “Ready.”

“Good. Let’s go out into the city, then.”

Chapter Seven

Ashlynn put her tracking mark on Broden before they left the
castle. She confided cheerily to him that the place was growing so fast even her
head spun from time to time, and she did not want to turn a complete novice
to the city loose without being able to find him again. Broden merely grunted
at her, but was secretly relieved to have the mark.

The castle alone made his head spin.

They went out the same door he’d come in, but took a
different path through the grounds and to a side door that led out into a
crowded street. Ashlynn barely had the gate open when the scent of the street
hit him like a sledgehammer. His nose wrinkled at the smell and he nearly
gagged, it was so putrid. What was that? It was like dung and rotting
fish and a tannery’s stench all mixed together.

“Taranis take these idiots!” Ashlynn swore, her hand
covering her mouth and nose.

Broden blinked at her in surprise, not expecting such an
oath to cross a well-bred woman’s lips.

“I tell them time and again not to dump their sewage here,
and still!” She drew a quick, simple pattern in the air and then spoke a word,
it sounding harsher than the other magical words he’d heard. In a split second,
the garbage that had been dumped on the street was washed clean, as if it’d
never been. Several people yelped as the spell hit, their feet nearly knocked
out from underneath them. Ashlynn, not caring about them, nodded in
satisfaction as she lowered her hand. “There, better.”

He looked up and down the street, confused. It seemed a nice
enough place—the buildings no more than two stories tall, all in good repair,
with markets running up and down the side of the street. Cloud’s Rest was not
half as nice as this. “Why would they throw out garbage?” he wondered aloud,
bemused at why they would not take care of the place.

“There’s actually a sewage system built in under the
street,” Ashlynn explained wearily. “But it was never made to accommodate this
many people. It’s overrun and becoming stagnant as it builds up. We’ve told
them not to throw their garbage into the street gutters, to use the bins, but
they’re too lazy to walk all the way to the nearest one. So it builds up in
piles, and stinks up the place, until I stumble across it and clear it out.”

“Lass, I be thinking ye and that king of yers need to build
some houses and clear out some of these people.”

“Oh, I hear you.” Ashlynn nodded in fervent agreement.
“Trust me. As soon as that wall is up, the first thing we’ll do is build places
for these people to go. Until then, well, I get the feeling I’ll be using that
spell quite often.”

“Aye.” He looked around, but of course had no idea where
they needed to go.

“Now, let me explain a few things.” Ashlynn pointed to a
necklace that hung just past her collarbones. It was a long rectangle, with three
wavy lines imprinted into the soft gold metal. “See this? It’s a calling system
of sorts. I have it set up throughout the city. This symbol is on several
different posts on different street corners. People can put their hands flat
against it and speak to me directly whenever they need help. Each one is marked
so that I know instantly which one they’re calling from.”

Broden let out a low whistle. So magic could do even that?
“How many be there?”

“Two dozen. I’m sorely tempted to add more, but haven’t
found the time necessary to make and install them. Regardless, this is how everyone
contacts me when there’s a situation. If I don’t get a call, I just patrol the
streets as much as I can and stop trouble when I see it.”

“So now we walk about until ye get a call?” he guessed.

“And then we race like madmen over there, wherever ‘there’
is.” She beamed up at him. “Let’s walk this way, as I haven’t been over here in
about two days. While we walk, tell me something about yourself.”

Obligingly, he told her much of the same history they’d told
Ash. Ashlynn was a good listener, only asking a question here and there as he
paused for breath. She took his family history in stride, just as Ash had, her
only surprise coming from how badly the prejudice had followed them. “So you
came with Ash to escape from Cloud’s Rest?”

“Aye,” he admitted without a bat of an eyelash. “That and he
offered good money and position. I had a hope or two it’d be safer for me
daughter as well, but…”

“It’s not looking like that right now, I know,” she soothed.
“But we’ll put things back in order soon enough.

He hoped so. “Now it be me turn to ask questions, I think.
How did ye come to be Edvard’s wizard?”

“Well, as to that, his father was the one that paid for my
and Ash’s apprenticeship fees. Sort of. See, Edvard’s father was a ne’er-do-well
when it came to women. He had more children than anyone’s sure of. At one
point, he came to fancy my mother—” she abruptly cut herself off and picked up
the necklace. “This is Sheriff Fallbright.”

“Sheriff,” a tinny sounding voice came from the
necklace. “We need you here now. There’s been an attempted robbery, but the
man fought back with a knife, and now I have two men bleeding out here on the
street.”

Ashlynn swore loudly and viciously, even as she spun sharply
on her heel and took off at lightning speed. Broden was not a particularly fast
runner, and it was all he could do to keep up with her. They turned a corner suddenly,
rounded another, and soon the streets became a twisted snarl in his mind, to
where he could not swear he’d be able to find his way back again if he tried.

She barely went around the next corner before she slid to a
stop, dropping to her knees and reaching out without even trying to assess the
situation first. “Broden, the other man, put pressure on his wound to stall the
bleeding until I can get to him.”

He took two seconds to take in the scene before he did as
directed. Two men, both looking rough about the edges, were lying right next to
each other. One had a knife sticking out of his chest, and judging from the wet
sounds he made as he breathed, blood was quickly filling up his lungs. The
other was crimson around the stomach, and Ashlynn’s hands were already covered
in blood as she worked her magic at a frantic pace to try and save the man’s
life.

Around all of them stood three guardsmen, keeping a crowd of
onlookers at bay while their sheriff-wizard worked. Broden sank to his knees
and grabbed a kerchief from his pocket, which he used to staunch the flow of
blood leaking from the man’s chest, careful to avoid slicing himself on the
knife as he did.

“Shouldn’t you take the knife out first?” one of the
guardsmen asked, sinking to his knees so that he sat near the prone man’s head.

Broden shook his head in disagreement. “No, master, that
would no’ be wise. I saw it once, when they took a knife from a man without any
means to staunch the blood. Man bled out in minutes. Worse, from the sound of
it, this man’s lungs be half-filled. I will wait for yon lass to come and yank
it out herself.”

The guard listened to him, returning the same scrutiny that
Broden gave. He was in that dark grey uniform Broden had seen Edvard wear,
black boots scuffed and slightly muddy. His brown hair stuck to his forehead
from the sweat on his skin, dark eyes calm as if he’d seen worse than this. He
likely had. “I’m Seth Feibelman, Estole Guard Second Class. Who might you be?”

Now, how to answer this? “Broden Ravenscroft. I be yon
lass’s partner.”

“My wizard-partner, to be precise.” Ashlynn rose up just
enough to scoot over to Broden’s side, completely missing the jaw-dropped
surprise of Seth Feibelman. “Broden, thank you. If you could, take the knife
out as quick and clean as you can without causing more damage. I have to close
this wound up and then figure out some means of draining the blood from his
lungs.”

“Lass, I do no’ mean to tell ye yer business,” Broden started,
half-hesitant, “but I’ve seen a wound like this afore.”

Her eyes flew up to his face. “You have? Did the man
survive?”

“Aye, though it be touch and go for a while. We put a straw
in his wound, then coaxed the blood to flow through it. It took a mite to
drain, and it be painful, but it got enough out that he could breathe proper
again.”

“Broden, that’s genius.” She pointed a finger at the
kneeling guardsman. “Seth, go get me a straw. Now. Oh, and a basin. Mark, get
this other man to his home and tell his wife to pour liquids down him for now.
He’s not to have anything solid to eat for at least three days. I’ll check in
on him this afternoon.”

“Yes, Sheriff.” Mark, a swarthy-looking man that had the
markings of a former bandit, leaped to obey the command.

Seth came scurrying back with a wooden straw that might have
been a river reed in a previous life and a small ceramic basin that had seen
better days. Ashlynn promptly took both from his hands. Looking up at Broden,
Ashlynn asked, “Ready?”

Broden took in a deep breath, blew it out in a taut stream,
and answered, “Ready.”

“Then pull it out gently.”

He tried, but of course, a knife hurt as bad coming out as
it did going in. Deciding it’d be better to be quick than slow, he opted for
speed and took the knife out as cleanly and painlessly as possible. As soon as
the knife was free, Ashlynn slipped the straw into the open wound as gently as
she could.

The man under her hands clenched his teeth around a scream.
Broden tossed the knife to the ground, held him down firmly, and spoke calmly
to the man, “Aye, man, it hurts. Ye can curse the gods properly later, after
the lass here be done with ye. Tell me, now, what happened here?”

“That idiot came after me, saying something about me not
having the right to have first dibs on housing. He wanted my deed!” He gurgled
a little and spat out the side of his mouth. Broden kept an eye on Ashlynn as
he answered and found that she’d adapted his method a mite. She was coaxing the
blood out with magic, making the straw look like some sort of macabre fountain
as it poured out blood into the basin. From the smug grin on her face, it was
working well.

“A deed, be it?” Broden prompted, trying to not only get the
story, but to keep the man’s mind off the reed stuck in his chest.

“Yes. The king has issued deeds to new houses, promises,
really, that we can have one as soon as they’re built. He’s giving them out in
order of arrival, I think.”

“That’s right,” Ashlynn confirmed. “But they’re only going
to tradesmen, merchants, or people with  steady incomes. We can’t give the
houses to people that don’t have the money to support them.”

Made sense. Why give a beggar a house when he’d only bring
it to ruin because he did not have the means to keep it? Although it made him
wonder what Edvard planned to do with the people who could not afford a house.

“Oh.” The man lying on the ground apparently had not
realized there was a rule about this. “So, he was trying to get mine because he
couldn’t get one of his own?”

“Likely, yes.” Ashlynn braced herself. “I think the blood’s
out. Broden? Good, hold him down just like that. Sir, what’s your name?”

“Behrens.”

“Master Behrens, clench your teeth and hold as still as you
can. I’m going to draw this out as quick as possible. Then I’ll heal you and
we’ll get you taken home so that you can rest up properly.”

He nodded in understanding, already turning white with the
anticipated pain. Ashlynn was quick, as promised, and the straw pulled out
clean. Behrens gasped in pain, the sound almost keening, body twisting slightly
under Broden’s hands. Then she laid a glowing hand on the man’s chest, the skin
healing over as if there had never been an injury there, and the pain left his
face entirely.

“Oh. Oh, thank you. That feels strange, but so much better.”

Ashlynn pulled back and smiled at him, just as relieved as
he that she had not had a man die under her hands. “Master Behrens, you should
rest easy for about three days. Eat plenty of meat to restore the blood you’ve
lost, and drink as much water as possible. In three days or so, you can start
working again, but again, take it easy. If there’s any pain, stop. I think
it’ll take at least a week before you’re back to your old self.”

“Yes, I understand, thank you.”

“And next time,” she added with a touch of
exasperation, “just give him the deed and report the theft to a guardsman,
alright? We have the deeds recorded in a big book. We know whom they belong to.
Stealing a deed won’t do anyone an ounce of good because we double-check it
against our records.”

“Oh.” Behrens looked down at himself before offering her a
wry smile. “I’ll remember that. If there’s a next time.”

“Hopefully there won’t be.” She nodded up to Seth. “Take him
home. Give his wife the same instructions I just gave him. Master Behrens, I’ll
try to check in on you later this afternoon.”

“Thank you, Sheriff,” Behrens said as he was gingerly lifted
up with a canvas-and-pole stretcher.

Broden took the water flask from his belt and rinsed his
hands clean before taking Ashlynn’s hands in his and also washing hers. He
worked without a word, finished, and replaced the flask before looking up.
Ashlynn watched him with a gentle expression, eyes lifted in a silent smile.
“You’re not a man to spook easily in a crisis, are you?”

“A man can no’ be easily spooked and survive Cloud’s Rest,”
he responded dryly.

“Good point.” She lifted her hand, fingers quick and deft as
she drew a spell in glowing lines, then spoke a word.

Magic washed over him with a quick zing, cleaning
both his clothes and skin with equal fervor. He half-yelped in surprise, sheer
reflex sending him to his feet at the suddenness of the attack. Looking down,
he realized she’d washed him clean of the blood that had splattered on him as
well as made up for the fact that he’d made do with a quick wash earlier.

Ashlynn grinned up at him with unrepentant delight at his
reaction.

He glowered back at her. “Lass, the last time a woman washed
me, it be me own mother.”

Laughing, she gained her feet and said, “Well, this isn’t
quite how I thought your first day in the city would go, but it seems we’ll
have nothing but trouble today. Regardless, welcome to Estole.” She smirked at
him impishly.

Just what had he gotten himself into?

Chapter Eight

Ash and Riana didn’t get far before they were hailed by a
young girl standing just outside the door. “Ash!” she called in excitement,
running the rest of the distance and throwing her arms around Ash’s upper
thighs.

Bending down, Ash returned the embrace with a bright smile.
“Gwen. I’m home.”

“Welcome home.”

Riana stepped around Ash to get a better look at the girl.
She was six or seven, with thick black hair in ringlets, deep blue eyes, and a
cherub face. The resemblance between her and Edvard was uncanny, and Riana knew
that the girl was likely a sister of the king. The blue silk dress she wore
said she was royalty all by itself.

Turning, Ash motioned to her. “Gwen, this is Riana
Ravenscroft. She’s my partner. Riana, this is Gwen Knolton, my sister.”

Sister? With the last name of Knolton? Puzzled, but not sure
if she should ask, she simply took it in stride. “May harmony find ye, Gwen.”

“I greet you, Riana Ravenscroft,” Gwen responded in an
adorably serious manner, as if she were pretending to be a grown woman.
“Partner? Are you his wizard-partner?”

“Aye,” she hesitated, not sure about that herself. She
darted a look at Ash’s face before adding, “For now, at least. Me da can also
partner with a wizard, y’see, so it be atween me and him at the moment for who
will partner with Ash.”

“We’re hoping that one of them will partner with Ashlynn,”
Ash explained. “So right now, we’re just spending time with each other, and
figuring out who works best with whom.”

“Ohhhh.” Gwen nodded sagely. “I see. Edvard sent me to find
you.”

“He did?”

“Yes. He said, before you build the wall, he needs to talk
to you.”

Ash let out a put-upon sigh. “Why do I get the feeling that
he’s going to change that very nice blueprint I drew up?”

“Because he wants to make the wall bigger?” Gwen asked in
all innocence.

Ash glowered down at her. “Of course he does. Maybe it’s a
good thing I got that extra lumber after all. Alright, where is he?”

“His study.”

Grumbling to himself inarticulately, Ash patted her head in
thanks before he turned about and went back inside the castle. He didn’t go
back upstairs, though, but headed down a hallway that led toward the back of
the building. Riana followed him, her eyes more on her surroundings than on his
back. This hallway seemed cramped compared to the others she’d seen, with
barely a rug on the floor to soften a man’s tread. There were plenty of
windows, though, looking out over a perfectly kept garden. Her eyes kept
darting to look outside, and she nearly plowed into Ash when he stopped in
front of a door.

He gave two quick raps on the wood before stepping through,
not even giving the man a chance to call for entrance. “Edvard?”

“Oh good, I caught you before you started building. Come in,
come in.” Edvard rose from his armchair and moved to a table that was big
enough for a man to make a bed on.

Riana halted in the doorway, eyes wide as she took in the
room. Never, in all her days, had she seen so many books! The walls were covered
with them from floor to ceiling, with nary more than a space here and there for
a window to let light in. The floor was covered with multiple rugs, with softly
padded chairs in every corner and four arranged in the center of the room
around the large table.

“I looked at the immigration reports this morning,” Edvard
said as Ash joined him at the table, “and the wall that we planned to build
will barely suffice. At the rate we’re growing, we’ll be pushed to the brink of
the walls within a year. We need to push it out, give ourselves more growing
room, or we’ll be in desperate straits.”

“How much further?” Ash asked cautiously. “Remember, I
didn’t bring a lot of excess lumber with me.”

“I know. But instead of here,” Edvard pointed to a line
drawn on the map in front of him, “let’s put it more southeast, about here.”

“Edvard!” Ash protested in a near whine. “I said I didn’t
have that much extra lumber!”

“No? Then, what about here?”

“Well, that’s certainly more plausible, but if you do that,
the south gate will have walls bracketing either side of the road for several
hundred feet, and that’ll congest the traffic even more.”

“Oh. Curses. I hadn’t thought of that.”

Riana drifted over to the table to peer down at the map
herself. They’d drawn boundary lines that indicated where the new borders for
Estole would be, right over an old map of the estate lines. She could tell from
the different colored ink. Then, over that, there was a fine blue line drawn
around Estole itself, smaller than the land, which she took to be the proposed
area for the wall. Interestingly enough, the line was drawn completely around
the town. Why they would do that, when they were right next to the Narrow
Channel, she had no idea.

“Be there a reason why ye be blocking the channel?”

Both men stopped dead and looked at her.

“Why?” Ash asked, puzzled.

“Aye. why? The wall be to block armies and the like, right?
I do no’ think an army can march over water. So would it no’ be better to build
the wall so it ended on the shore, and let the water be a wall for ye?”

Edvard gaped at her. “Why didn’t we think of that?”

“It would also open up trade, if we didn’t have a wall
standing there blocking merchant ships,” Ash muttered, almost to himself. “And
it’ll give more space to people that want to live along the shoreline. Edvard.
Were we so focused on a completely enclosed city that we missed the obvious?”

The new king rubbed his forehead with a pained frown. “That
or we’re so sleep-deprived and short-handed we’re making snap judgments when we
shouldn’t be. Thank you, Riana, for stating the obvious. We’ll do exactly as
you suggested.”

She hadn’t actually meant to do anything of the sort. She’d
assumed they’d had good reason to have the plan they did; she was just trying
to get a sense of why they wanted it done that way. “Er, ye be welcome.”

“Ash.” Edvard pointed to another scroll lying on the table.
“I’ll entertain your lady-partner. Draw me up new plans.”

Resigned, Ash went around the table and got to work.

Edvard gestured her to a set of chairs on the opposite side
of the room, ones that were warmed by the sunlight streaming in through the
windows. “Let’s give him a little space to work. He does better that way.”

She noted that for future reference and followed his lead.
As she sat, Edvard went to a nearby table that had a bowl of fruit and a knife,
with a stack of plates. “So, I take it that Gwen found you, as you came to see
me.”

“Aye, that be so. She be a pretty lass.”

“Oh, adorable. She knows it, too. Uses every whit of that
beauty and charm to get things out of me.” His indulgent smile said he didn’t
mind. “I feel comforted that Ash spoils her just as badly as I do. But I
suppose that’s the prerogative of younger sisters, getting their brothers to
spoil them rotten.”

The open, candid way he said this encouraged her to ask the
question she hadn’t thought proper to ask before. “So, Gwen be…?”

“My half-sister, born to a woman that used to be my nanny,”
Edvard admitted easily. “Apple? Sure? Do you mind if I have one? Many thanks.
The fact is, my father was very free with his favors when he was alive. I have
six half-siblings, in fact. Well, six that I know of, at least.”

Riana’s eyes crossed. “Six?”

“Astonishing, isn’t it? I mean, really, was that all the man
did in his spare time? Not all his lovers were common-born, either; some of
them were aristocrats. I have four sisters and two brothers, the youngest of
which is Gwen.” He peeled the apple with deft fingers, all the while imparting his
sinful family history as if it were common knowledge. For all she knew, it
might well be. “Some people like to claim that it was because he was unsure of
how things would turn out. After my mother had me, you see, she was weakened so
much that she was never able to have another child. The doctors strictly
advised against it. And I wasn’t much stronger for the first few years of my
life. No one really expected me to survive or amount to much. Ha! Fools, them.
I grew stronger as I got older. But anyway, people thought it was my father’s
fear of not having an heir that made him hop from bed to bed as he did.”

Something about his tone said that Edvard didn’t buy this
story. Feeling as if she shouldn’t ask but unable to quell her curiosity, Riana
encouraged him, “Ye do no’ agree?”

“Well, I have a brother that’s two years older than me, so
that rather disproves the theory, don’t you think? And it doesn’t explain Gwen
either, as I was sixteen when she was born, and completely hale and hearty at
that point.” Edvard sank into his seat, slices of apples clustered in one hand.
“Actually, Gwen was the linchpin to this whole thing. Are you sure you don’t
want a slice? Best apples available this season.”

Sensing that he simply couldn’t eat in front of someone else
without them joining in, she finally gave up and accepted an apple slice.
“Thank ye.”

Beaming at her, he continued the tale, “You see, when Gwen
was born, I expected my father to own up to his obligations. I mean, the whole
country knew it was him that fathered her. You couldn’t not know, not
with the way she looked. Spitting image of him, in a more feminine way. But he
ignored her. When she reached two years old, I’d finally had enough, and I
cornered him about it one evening. He informed me, in an outraged tone, that he
‘wouldn’t concern himself with some base-born child, especially a girl.’ I
admit, I knew the man was selfish, but I hadn’t realized until that point how
bad he was. I reeled. I reeled for days, shocked that he could ignore his own
daughter, especially one as lovely and sweet as Gwen. But what shocked me more
was that his peers and our fellow aristocrats didn’t seem to find his take on
the matter odd at all. It set my blood boiling. I did what I could—made sure
that Gwen had support from the family, a good education, and I saw her often. I
didn’t have to worry about her much, considering who her family was.”

She blinked at him. “Sorry, I do no’ follow.”

“Gwen is Ashtian and Ashlynn’s baby sister,” he expounded.
Then he chuckled. “Look at that face of yours! What, you didn’t know?”

“No, I did no’ know!” she spluttered. “They do no’ look like
kin at all!”

“Of course not, Gwen took after my side of the
family. Why do you think my relationship with my wizards is so good, eh? It’s
because we’re family, in a sideways sort of way.”

Well, Ash had said at their first meeting that he and the
king were “blood-brothers,” but she’d assumed it was because of some
ritualistic oath. She hadn’t realized he’d meant the words literally, that they
were actually brothers connected by blood—in a way. The whole tangled knot of
his family tree was giving her a headache.

“Wait, ye be making me poor head spin. I’d think it strange
to call them blood-siblings when ye do no’ share blood directly.”

“Well, how else would you phrase it?” he challenged, unbothered.
“We debated it ourselves. We’re not step-siblings, after all. We aren’t full-siblings
or half-siblings of course. But we do have a relation to each other. So
how would you phrase it?”

She opened her mouth to give a response, but honestly
couldn’t think of a word or term that would fit. Their situation was too
unique, or the language too restrictive. Finally, she gave up and conceded the
point to him with a flip of the hand. “I take yer meaning. And then? What
happened next?”

“Well, my father did everyone a favor and killed himself. By
accident. He got drunk one night and rode home at breakneck speed. Quite
literally. It destroyed my mother—heavens know why, the man was atrocious as a
husband—but the rest of us were relieved. With him gone, I wanted to put a stop
to all this nonsense about not acknowledging my siblings officially, so I went
to properly register them with the court.” Edvard’s eyes darkened and went
hard. “Only I wasn’t allowed to.”

Riana didn’t have to demand an explanation. “Because they be
illegitimate?”

He dipped his head a fraction in agreement. “Yes. The whole
government fought me on it. I spent a good six months petitioning, going through
legal channels, even attempting a bribe or two. But with me as a fully
functional heir, they wouldn’t hear of it. Now, if my family line had ended
with my father and only bastards were left, they would have begrudgingly brought
one of them on and legalized them. But with me alive? No chance of that. And that
was when I stopped and looked, really looked, at the country that I
lived in. I looked at our laws, our customs, and the future that my beautiful,
amazing sisters would be forced into because of a reckless night of folly on
our parents’ part. And you know—I couldn’t stomach it. I just couldn’t. I
couldn’t tell Gwen, who was six by that point, that no decent man would ever
marry her because of her birth.”

Propping her head in her hand, Riana stared at Edvard in
fascination. “So ye immediately thought to overthrow the government and
establish yer own kingdom?”

“Well, no, I didn’t immediately jump into that,” he
admitted. “First, I drew Ash aside, as he’d studied law more than any of us
had, and we spent months researching, trying to find a precedent to turn all of
this over in our favor. But we couldn’t find it, of course. Actually,
researching like that told me just how corrupt and skewed our government really
was. Because of the research, I decided that the only thing to do was to split
off—form my own country and give people a place to go so that they could have a
chance at a decent future.” Almost as an afterthought, he added, “It’s turned
out to be a more complicated enterprise than I’d imagined.”

Riana nearly choked on her apple. “Ye thought it’d be
simple?”

“Well, no, but less complex than this, certainly.” He
grinned at her. “You know, Ashlynn looked at me the same way when I complained
that this was more than I signed on for. Especially since I was the one that
talked her and Ash into helping me to begin with.”

Aye, she could imagine.

“Well, we’ve had our challenges, but so far it’s going
well.” Edvard popped an apple slice into his mouth and happily chewed. “I’m terribly
glad that you and your father were found, too. You have no idea how happy I am
about that. A lot of trouble has been following my wizard-siblings recently.
People somehow assume that if not for them, I wouldn’t be able to maintain my
kingdom or win any battles.”

Well, those rumors might be about half-right, but Edvard
possessed that special something that drew people to him, and encouraged
amazing bonds of loyalty. He could be a complete idiot when it came to strategy,
and still, people would follow him into battle.

Ash came to them and handed Edvard a new scroll. Edvard
popped the last apple slice into his mouth to free up his hands, then rolled it
out. He nodded, “mmming” approval around his mouthful.

“I take it that it meets your approval, and you want me to
build it immediately?” Ash translated dryly.

“Mmm-hhmm, mmmm.”

“There are no take-backsies on this one, alright? Once it’s
built, no magic will move it.”

“Hmmm. Mmm.”

“Fine, then I’ll get to work. Riana?”

How in the world had he kenned any of that? Amused, Riana
got to her feet, nodded goodbye to Edvard, and followed her wizard out the
door.

Somehow, in the time that they’d been working, beds had been
found and brought up to the wizards’ rooms. The narrow poster beds were shoved
into the corners, with chests sitting at the end of the footboards. Broden had
wondered where he and his daughter would sleep that night, but with a castle of
this size, he’d assumed they’d be given a place of their own. At least for
tonight, until things were sorted.

But that seemed not to be. Were both wizards so determined,
then, to keep their newfound partners close by?

Ash had gone confidently inside, gesturing for him to
follow, but when Broden hesitated at the doorway, the wizard looked back up at
him in confusion. “Well, don’t just stand there; come in.”

Broden did not budge an inch. “There be magical doohickeys
hanging about from the ceiling, glowing circles on the walls, and a carpet on
the floor that looks like those—” his fingers made a scribbling motion in the air
“—things ye draw afore ye chop down trees, and ye want a man to just casually
enter? I think no’.”

Throwing back his head, Ash laughed aloud. “They’re not
dangerous! I promise you. In fact, they’re here to prevent danger.”

That was a fine thing to say to a man about his sleeping
space. “What sort?”

“Magical attacks, for the most part. Some of them are alarms.
Like this one here—” he pointed to one that hung from the ceiling “—is
connected to a city alarm. We’ll know if a fire breaks out. And with this one,
we’ll be alerted if a large body of men approaches Estole.”

Oh. Like that wavy-lined trinket of Ashlynn’s? That be fine,
then. Reassured, he entered all the way and got a better look at the rest of
the room. If a man could ignore the magic squiggles, it seemed ordinary enough:
just beds, trunks for clothes, and a washstand next to the window. An open
hearth was against the back wall, a fire already going, chasing away the
evening chill. He’d slept in far worse places.

Satisfied, Broden opened the trunk to put his pack inside,
only to pause when he found several sets of clothes in there. “Ash. Whose trunk
be this?”

“Yours. So are the clothes. I had a quiet word with Ashlynn,
who had a word with someone, likely Miss Haley, and she arranged for clothing
and things to be sent up for you. Think of it as an advance payment.”

“Miss Haley?”

“She’s the head matron of the house. She runs things around
here. You’ll likely meet her soon.”

“Ah.” Well, true, he and Riana only had what was in their
packs to claim, but how would this woman know what size of clothing to get him?
Gingerly, he set his pack near his feet before lifting a shirt and shaking it
free of its folds, holding it up. His eyebrows climbed as he realized that it
looked like it’d fit him fine. “Lad, the sizing be too close to be a guess.”

Ash shrugged, eyes crinkling up at the corners. “You’ll soon
discover that my sister knows many things that she shouldn’t. The fact that she
knows your size is not the least surprising.”

True, the lass had seemed uncanny in the way she’d handled
the surprising things of the day. “Then, Riana’s chest be akin to this one?”

“Oh absolutely. Ashlynn made sure of it.”

From next door, they heard a pair of voices giggling.
Broden’s head snapped around, astonished to hear his daughter laughing. She had
not made a sound that happy and carefree in…well, longer than he could remember.
Mayhap years. It softened his heart to hear it.

“I knew those two would hit it off.” Ash grinned at the
wall, smile growing when one of the girls said something to the other and
started another giggling fit. “They’re scarily alike in some ways.”

“Aye, they be at that,” Broden grumbled good-naturedly.
“Quick to let the fists fly, they be, and loyal to their own.”

“Yes, exactly.” Ash seemed to take a breath before he turned
and looked at Broden straight in the eye. “Broden. I know you’re worried about
me. Worried about me being alone with Riana, I should say.”

Well, now. Broden rocked back on his heels, surprised that
Ash would so candidly face him on the matter. “Aye.”

“She’s highly attractive; I recognize that. She’s everything
I’ve ever wanted my partner to be. I won’t pretend otherwise.” Ash’s voice was
level, firm, unapologetic. “I can’t promise you that I won’t put her in harm’s
way. That’s not why she’s here. But I swear to you I’ll never cross the line of
propriety with her, and I’ll defend her as fiercely as I’d protect one of my
sisters.”

So said the man that was Court Wizard and Lawmaker of
Estole, and had put his life and magic on the line to defend not only his
family, but his new country. Broden did not doubt for a moment that the man was
good for that promise. “I take yer word as truth, Ash.”

“And if I break it, you’ll deal with me then?” Ash
responded, brows arched in sardonic humor.

“If there be anything left of ye after Riana’s done,” he
agreed, eyes twinkling.

Ash seemed to realize that he was not joking. “Warning
taken. Well, then, let’s get ready for bed.”

A sensible enough plan. Broden went about changing into more
comfortable clothing, but he did not put on a nightshirt, just a looser set of
linen pants and a cotton shirt that he found in his chest. His bow and quiver
he set next to the headboard just in case, with a long dagger slipped under the
pillow. It did not sit well with him to be completely at ease when there was
such tension with Iysh, no matter what sort of protections Ash and Ashlynn had
about the room.

Ready for bed, he sat on the edge of the mattress, one knee
tucked up near his chest. “Ash?”

“Hmm?” Ash pulled a shirt of a similar kind to what Broden
wore over his head before sitting on his own bed.

“Ashlynn mentioned to me that bribes come for the pair of ye
time and again. How long has that been going on?”

“Oh, ever since Edvard declared independence of Iysh. That
was the first unified tactic they tried, actually. We just sent them back at
first, but that didn’t deter them. Now, we burn whatever they send and return
the ashes.” Ash rubbed his hands together in small circles and said
thoughtfully, “I’m beginning to think that we should send hexes along with the
ashes so that they’ll get the message.”

“I would no’ rush that,” Broden advised. “Better bribes than
assassins.”

Ash’s eyes went wide. “Zounds! Hadn’t thought of that. But
that’ll likely be the next thing they send, won’t it?”

“Belike. Or worse, they will find some weakness of yers to
use against ye.”

“Well, now, there’s a cheery thought.” Ash gave Broden an
uncertain look. “I know we said that we’d try out our partnerships for a while
before making any decisions, but if Zelman really does try something else, it’d
be best to have dedicated bindings with both of you.”

Broden wagged a chiding finger at him. “No rushing things,
lad. No’ on a mayhap.”

“You and I both know these are likely the partnerships we’ll
end up with anyway,” Ash responded, exasperated. “My sister was singing your
praises all during dinner. Just you standing there looking menacing made people
behave. Normally she’d have to break arms to get the same sort of respect. And
you aren’t easily rattled in a crisis, which is an invaluable trait to have
with her new position.”

Well, to himself, he could admit that working with Ashlynn
that day had been more pleasurable than he would have thought. But one day was
not enough to base a decision on. “Give it a few more days at the very least, lad.”

“Fine, fine.” Ash held up his hands in surrender. “I just
hope that we have our partnerships sorted before more trouble comes knocking on
our door.”

Chapter Nine

Broden sat in the main dining hall enjoying a moment of
peace as he tucked away a breakfast fit for a king. (That be no exaggeration,
as the table be set for Edvard.) Riana and Ash had eaten and gone, determined
to use every bit of light to build as much of the wall as they could. Ashlynn
had run upstairs to fetch something or other, leaving him at alone the table
for a few minutes.

The peace would not last long, but he enjoyed it while it remained.
He’d be out in the city again soon enough, dealing with one fashious situation
after the next. As he ate, he mulled over Ash’s words from the night before. He
did not care to admit it, but Ash likely was right. Belike they’d end up in the
partnerships they had now.

Part of that would be because of Ashlynn’s job. Oh, the lass
said it was temporary, but she was very good at protecting the law and dealing
with the lawbreakers. Broden had been around long enough to know that when a
man (or in this case, a woman) showed skill in a job, they wound up with that
job permanently. He’d lay good money on the odds that Ashlynn would be Sheriff
of Estole forevermore. If that was the case, Riana should not partner with
Ashlynn. Oh, his little girl could handle herself fine. But she had the same
problem Ashlynn did—she looked too sweet and innocent. A man would not take her
threats seriously until she riddled him with holes.

And the idea of sending two beautiful women out to deal with
criminals by their lonesome made a chill grip his spine.

No, Edvard was wise to send him with Ashlynn. His simple
presence right next to her had made many a man stop and think about crossing
the blonde, and that second of hesitation was all that was needed for Ashlynn.
Besides, he liked working with the lass. She had a good head on her shoulders,
that one, and her sense of justice was strong. He could think of worse fates
than staying with her.

After the talk he had with Ash last night, he felt a little
better about that situation too. He knew full well how strong a man’s instincts
could be, though, when near a pretty woman. He himself had perhaps bent a rule
or two with Riana’s mother as they courted. He trusted that Ash would try his
very best to live up to the promise he’d given, but Broden would keep an eye on
the two of them regardless.

A light set of footsteps rang on the floor, coming in his
direction. They were heavier than Ashlynn’s tread, but too light for a man’s.
Broden’s first instinct was to grab the bow and quiver leaning up against the
table, but he doubted an intruder would make that much noise. So he simply
bided his time and kept a watchful eye on the door.

The woman who pushed into the room was heavyset, like a
matron with five children. Her hair was tucked into a severe dark bun on the
top of her head, skin pale, dark eyes sharp as a raven’s. Her dress was a
sensible dark blue cut that had traces of flour on the sleeves. She smelled
like freshly made bread. Spying him at the table, she stopped dead and folded
her hands over her waist in a prim gesture.

“You must be Master Broden Ravenscroft.”

“Aye, I be.” He gained his feet and gave her a bow. “May
harmony find ye.”

She blinked and relaxed into what might have been a smile.
“I am Haley Summerfield, the matron of this house.”

Ahhh. “Ash mentioned ye to me last night, Miss Haley. I
thank ye for the clothes. They be a fine fit.”

“Yes, so I see. Both Ash and Ashlynn have explained your
situation to me and requested that I see to any needs that you and your
daughter might have. I am pleased to do so.” Her tone suggested that it was her
duty to do so, yet she was still not sure what to think of either Ravenscroft.

Edvard came strolling in, nodding politely to Miss Haley and
offering a “good morning” to both of them.

“A good morning to ye,” Broden returned, sipping at his cup.

“Good morning, Edvard,” Miss Haley responded. She sounded
more like a mother greeting her son than a housekeeper.

Broden noted that with interest. It did not surprise him,
really, considering what Riana had passed along to him of Edvard’s family
history. With a rogue of a father who was never home and a mother that wilted
at every trial in life, it was likely the housekeeper had brought up the king.

She went immediately to the sideboard and started loading up
a plate for him. Edvard sat at the table as if it was usual for her to do this,
and engaged Broden in conversation. “I hope you don’t mind, Broden, but I’d like
to ask you a few questions.”

“Aye, I do no’ mind it. Ask away.”

“Ash recounted to me your family history, but I admit that I
am struggling to understand it.” He paused as his housekeeper put his plate in
front of him. “Thank you, Miss Haley. Yes, that’s fine. Were you really under
such heavy prejudice because of your great-grandfather?”

Miss Haley quietly slipped out of the room without saying
another word to either man.

Broden let out a long sigh. “Aye. Although I think it became
more a thing of convenience than anything. It be a hard way of life in Cloud’s
Rest, and there be no’ much that can be done to change things. A man finds it
easier to blame another for his troubles than to get off his duff and fix them.”

“Oh,” Edvard said in a tone of complete understanding. “Now,
that I understand. It’s how we lived with the Bindings for the past two
centuries without anyone doing anything to change it.”

“Exactly.” Broden lifted his glass to him in silent salute.
Different situations, aye, but the roots of their problems were the same.
“Riana and me, we be the perfect thing to curse at when things go wrong. Same
for me parents, and their parents, and so on.”

“So why didn’t you leave before now?” Edvard seemed very
puzzled by this point. “That’s what hasn’t made sense to me. If you were that
badly treated, if you knew the situation was never going to get better or
change, then why stay?”

“At first, it be a matter of habit more than anything, I
suppose.” Broden rubbed at his jaw and tried to find the words to explain. “I
went out as a guard a few times when I was younger, so I knew the outside did
no’ view me as me own clansmen did. It gave me hope. But I always returned, as
me family be there. Then, after me parents and wife died, there be nothing to
hold us there but ignorance. We did no’ have the money to travel with, nor any
place that could be a new home for us. It be dangerous to just take to the road
without a destination. Ye have no way of knowing if there be work to be had, after
all. We had to wait until we found an employer.”

Edvard’s brows compressed, still not following. “But the two
of you are capable archers and hunters. Wouldn’t it be safe enough for you to
travel? You could simply hunt for provisions.”

“That only works out short-term,” Broden disagreed. “A man
can no’ travel and stay out in the woods for long. Aside from that, we had no
way of knowing which roads led where or what dangers we’d face if we traveled
them. If a man and woman travel alone, they leave themselves open to all sorts
of danger. And in a foreign country, where I do no’ ken the customs or know
anyone? Where would we have turned for help if something were to go wrong?”

Edvard opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but paused as he
realized he couldn’t really find a way to respond to this. Finally, he said,
“But if Cloud’s Rest was really that dangerous, that harsh to live in, wouldn’t
you have rather taken the chance?”

“Ah, but they be known dangers.” Broden shook his head with
a sad smile etched into his face. “We knew them, knew how to avoid or fight
them. Exchanging old for new be no’ always better, me king.”

Edvard sat staring at him over his cooling plate of food for
a long moment. “If Riana had not been with you, if it had been just you, would
you have gone?”

“Aye. Because there would no’ have been much to lose. But I
could no’ drag me daughter into the world without some safety net to catch us.”

“Hence why you waited until Ash came along.” Edvard finally
realized that he’d been neglecting his food and started eating. “But what if he
hadn’t?”

“Oh, a caravan goes up every two years or so.” Broden
shrugged and played with the last of his bread. “I be actually waiting on them,
ye see. The merchant that runs it hired me on as a guard a time or three, and I
planned on joining in with him and leaving.” If the man had been willing to
hire them. That had not been a guaranteed thing.

“So Ash coming for you first was just a happy coincidence?
Interesting. We’re very lucky he went up for lumber when he did, then, and
didn’t wait longer. Otherwise he might have missed you altogether and my
wizards would still be without partners.” Edvard smiled lopsidedly. “And to
think I argued with him about going all the way to Cloud’s Rest for lumber.”

Now this was a point that Broden had wondered about. “Why
did he? There be forests aplenty just across the channel.”

“They’re all soft woods,” Edvard explained. “Pines and the
like. For a wall that will protect the city, we need something harder, which was
why he went for the massive snakewood trees up in Cloud’s Rest.”

Granted, snakewood had been known to break a man’s axe now
and again. If Broden had to choose a wood to build a defensive wall with, that
would be one of his top choices.

“It’s a pretty wood. I was surprised by that. It was the
first time I’d actually seen it.”

Broden nodded in agreement. “Aye, it be that. Yer carpenters
and woodworkers be glad it be Ash that has to work with it, though, I bet.”

Edvard chuckled. “Yes, probably so. I hope that you aren’t
regretting your choice to come with Ash. I don’t think this is quite the
‘safety net’ you were envisioning when you left your home.”

“No,” Broden allowed, eyes crinkling. “It certainly no’ be
that. But I did no’ expect perfect safety and harmony with an infant kingdom either.
Leastways it be no’ boring.”

The king of that infant kingdom seemed to find that funny, as
he nearly choked on his food fighting not to laugh.

“Do no’ choke, lad.”

Edvard coughed into a napkin, pounding his chest with a fist
to clear his airway. “Don’t make me laugh when my mouth is full!” he chided,
although his eyes were still dancing. “Not unless you want to be short a king.”

“I will mind that,” Broden drawled. “But if ye be worried
about what I think of yer kingdom, I have hopes for it. At least here, me Riana
and I be welcome.”

“You always will be,” Edvard assured him. Clearing his
throat, he picked up his fork and then paused, eyeing Broden suspiciously. “Is
it safe for me to eat, or are you going to make me laugh again?”

The archer quirked a brow at him as he said wryly, “I will
no’. We can ill afford to lose our king, and frankly? I do no’ want yer job.”

“No one does,” Edvard replied morosely, stabbing at his
plate with the fork.

Broden snorted, but had no pity on the man.

Miss Haley reappeared in the doorway and said, “Is there
anything more that you require, Edvard?”

“Thank you, Miss Haley, but no. I believe we are fine.”

They heard Ashlynn coming before she came popping through
the same doorway, neatly avoiding plowing into Miss Haley by doing a quick spin
with catlike grace. “Oh, Miss Haley, good morning.”

“Good morning, dear.” Miss Haley openly smiled at her, the
stiff expression on her face softening.

“Are there any problems this morning?”

The housekeeper ticked things off on her fingers. “The usual
grumbling about the martial law, the shortage of housing deeds, and the sewage
buildup in some of the streets.”

Ashlynn let her head fall back so that she stared straight
up at the ceiling and groaned long and loud. “Where’s the sewage buildup?”

“Port Road.”

“I’ll kill those dock-men when I get my hands on them,”
Ashlynn swore aloud.

As she went to get her plate, Edvard looked at Miss Haley
with a frown. “Just how serious is the grumbling about the housing deeds and my
martial law?”

Miss Haley openly hesitated before carefully phrasing, “I
would advise doing something about both soon.”

“In other words, serious,” Ashlynn translated dryly.
“Edvard, I don’t want to rush you in making those new laws of yours, but you’d
better pick up your pace.”

The king muttered some inarticulate words under his breath
and stabbed at his plate again.

No, Broden did not want the man’s job. He was not envious in
the slightest.

“After we’re done with breakfast,” Ashlynn told Broden as
she slid into a seat, “we’d best go to Port Road and deal with that sewage
problem.”

She wanted to do that on a full stomach? Lovenanty, the lass
was brave.

Chapter Ten

“What do you mean you’re taking off with her for the day?”
Ash objected.

Ashlynn fixed him with a speaking look. “Brother dearest,
did you forget that we’re supposed to change partners now and again to figure
out who works best with whom?”

He opened his mouth to protest, only no sound emerged.
Finally he managed, “But Edvard told Broden to go with you!”

“And he’s done that for a week now,” Ashlynn responded
impatiently. “But Ash, you and Riana have been going out of the city on a
regular basis to either build on the wall or build houses. She really doesn’t
know this place yet. I think she needs to spend a few days with me so that she
can at least learn the layout of her new home, don’t you?”

Broden sat in front of the fireplace inspecting his arrows,
acting for all the world as if he weren’t paying attention to this argument.
Without looking at them, he drawled, “Lass has a point, Ash. Besides, me Riana be
a fierce archer. I do no’ think they will run into trouble they can no’
handle.”

“That’s not the problem,” Ash argued, although from the way
his shoulders slumped, he knew that he’d already lost. “Two beautiful women out
by themselves invites trouble.”

“We be well equipped to handle it,” Riana soothed. His
concern was touching, but she’d been in more danger wandering about Cloud’s
Rest than she was here. “It be fine, Ash. Besides, me da has a thing for
building. He will be happy enough following ye about for a day or two.”

Throwing his hands up, Ash gave up and stalked out saying,
“Fine. Broden, I need to speak with Edvard for a few minutes, and then we can
leave.”

“Fine, fine.”

Riana honestly felt thrilled about Ashlynn’s declared
invitation. Not that she minded working with Ash—actually, she quite enjoyed
it—but the city felt uncomfortable to her. She was like a blind woman walking
about on the streets. She had no notion of where they went, what they connected
to, or what could be found on them. Ash and Ashlynn had taken them on a quick
tour, to be sure, but none of it had really stuck in her head. She’d need at
least a few days of wandering about before it’d be familiar enough to remember.

It was with a light heart filled with anticipation that she
followed Ashlynn out of the castle and into the city proper. As they walked,
Ashlynn matched her pace with Riana’s and asked, “Do you remember how Ash
explained the city’s layout?”

Somewhat. “He said that all the streets connect one way or
t’other to the castle grounds.”

“Exactly so. All the gate roads connect to the castle as
well, although it’s not always a direct connection. But still, if you get
turned around, the easiest thing to do is to find a gate and get your bearings
from them.” Ashlynn pointed ahead toward the gate that was at the far end of
the road. “Do you see that giant ‘M?’ That stands for ‘Main Gate.’”

Riana had known that the large letters carved into the gate
pillars stood for something, but until now, she hadn’t realized it was for their
names. “How many gates be there?”

“Officially? Four. There’s two more that aren’t really gates
because they connect to the channel and are port roads more than anything else.
But we have East Gate, Trader’s Gate, Main Gate, and North Gate. North Gate, by
the way, does not point north, but in a southeastern direction. It’s just the
only gate that connects to the Northern Highway, hence the name.”

Aye, and was that not a good way to confuse a person. Riana
looked around her and tried to imprint everything into her mind. Right now she
had shops of different sorts on both sides of the street with narrow houses
crammed between them. It looked depressingly like every other section of the
city that she’d seen thus far.

They came to another road and stopped on the sidewalk, watching
wagons and people cross every which way. Ashlynn pointed ahead. “If you keep
going straight, you’ll leave the city. Now, if you go right, you’ll reach North
Gate and Main Square. If you go left, you’ll go to Trader’s Gate and Main
Market.”

Main Market, at least, she knew. Ash had taken her there
several times for building supplies.

“Now, for shopping,” Ashlynn waggled her eyebrows in a
mischievous manner, “Main Square is the best place to start. At least for
womanly things. I don’t know why, but all the best seamstresses and clothiers
prefer that part of the city. I need new boots—mine are becoming ragged with
all this running around that I’ve been doing—and I wouldn’t mind another shirt,
come to think of it. Anything you want?”

Riana looked down at herself. Her boots were so ragged that she
could almost see through them in some spots, so she could definitely use a new
pair. Her clothes were in better shape, as they were given to her by the very
capable and formidable housekeeper. But she hadn’t a dress to her name, and
when Edvard called them to the table for dinner, well, she felt more than a
little awkward.

Most of her life, Riana had learned to not ask for things,
as they simply couldn’t be given to her. She survived on basic necessities and
didn’t complain. But now, finally, she was steadily earning money, and didn’t
need to worry about a roof over her head or where her next meal would come
from. It was sheer habit that kept her from readily responding to Ashlynn’s
question. “I think…new boots.”

“That all?” Ashlynn probed, a lopsided smile on her face,
and a knowing look in her eye. “That expression on your face says otherwise.”

“Mayhap a dress?” she added wistfully. “I noticed all the
other women at Edvard’s table wear dresses.”

“Oh, a dress or four is a fine idea. After all, a woman
needs a dress when she’s courting a man.”

Riana’s eyes crossed. “I no’ be courting anyone!”

“Yet,” Ashlynn corrected sagely. “But Riana, you’re a
beautiful woman. If a man doesn’t notice that and snatch you up soon, I’ll be
very surprised. Trust me; you’ll want a few dresses on hand just in case. If
nothing else, it’ll help you blend in better with high society. When you
officially partner with either Ash or me, you’ll be in high society the rest of
your life.”

Good point. Although…. “Be that…safe?”

“Safe?” Ashlynn stopped dead in her tracks and regarded
Riana in bewilderment. “How would it be dangerous?”

“Dressing up to catch a man’s attention does no’ mean ye will
catch the right man’s attention.” Remembering a certain incident not too long
ago, Riana clutched her bow tightly.

“Riana.” Ashlynn gripped her shoulders and faced her head-on,
eyes intense but voice gentle. “Did a man touch you when he shouldn’t have?”

Riana’s upper lip lifted in a snarl. “He tried.”

“Oh? Details, I want details!”

Just remembering it made her sight go red. “A bit drunk, he
be. It be late at night, too. Da had gone ahead of me to fetch some bread, so I
think the blighter thought me fair game, as I be alone. He jumped me from a
doorway, but I threw him off quick-like with a solid boot to his midsection
that had him gasping for breath. Although he be so drunk that it did no’ keep
him down for long.”

“And what happened to him?”

“He found it a wee mite hard to come after me again with his
hand nailed to a tree.”

“Good girl.” Ashlynn relaxed her grip, although she didn’t
step back. “Does Broden know about this?”

Riana shook her head. “No. I did no’ tell him. After all, I
handled it just fine. But I think he guessed.”

“Well, he’s a good father, so he likely noticed something.”
Ashlynn ran a hand over her mouth, looking disturbed. “No wonder he was so
desperate to get you out of there, though, if that was starting to
happen.”

“Aye.”

“I promise you, you won’t be in the same danger here. It’s
an unstable city at the moment, but with all of us working to make it safe, I
don’t think it’s dangerous. Well, not dangerous enough to keep a woman from
being a woman. Buy a dress, Riana. Buy four. You can do that in Estole without having
to worry.”

Reassured, Riana ducked her head and smiled. “Aye.”

Ashlynn’s eyes roved over her from head to toe. “Although a
few dresses are the least of what you’ll need. A few hair combs, some slips,
court shoes, stockings, purses, at least one good fan—heavens, I really should
have taken you shopping earlier! Shame on Ash for blocking me as he did.”

“Ash blocked ye?” Riana repeated blankly. Why on earth would
he?

“He’s been selfishly hogging you.” Ashlynn gave a pretty
pout, looking more amused than peeved. “I’ll smack him for it later. Honestly,
men have no idea how much effort a woman puts into looking beautiful. Didn’t it
occur to him that there are things you need?”

Belike not. Riana hadn’t thought of them either, but in all
fairness, the idea of shopping in general was a foreign concept. She found
herself quickly getting into the spirit of things, though. “Do ye think that
while we shop, we could keep an eye out for things that suit me da?”

“Oh, certainly,” Ashlynn agreed, bobbing her head. “I
generally shop for Ash and Edvard while I’m out. I don’t trust them to shop for
themselves. They pick up the closest thing that fits and don’t worry too much about
whether it suits them or not. It’s better if I shop for them. Besides,” Ashlynn
rubbed her hands together in open anticipation, “I enjoy it. Now, let’s get
started.”

They’d barely gone a few paces before Ashlynn added,
“Actually, we should talk about something else while we’re out.”

Oh? “And that’d be?”

“Well, we put you and Broden in our rooms as a sort of stopgap
measure. It was never meant to be a permanent solution. Actually, we can have
your own suite of rooms set up. It’ll take a little work, as the only other sets
of rooms in our hallway have been used for storage the past ten years, but it’s
doable. What do you think? Do you want rooms of your own?”

A whole suite of rooms of her own? The idea was
boggling to her. Until she’d come to Estole, she’d either spent the night out
in the woods or in the treehouse that she and her da shared. And it wasn’t more
than three rooms in total. They’d always shared a room, as there simply wasn’t
the space to have separate bedrooms.

Not sure how to respond to this, she stared blindly ahead
for several long moments before offering, “Never in me life have I had a room
of me own.”

“Truly?” Ashlynn asked in astonishment.

“Aye. It be why I did no’ think much of it when we be put in
yer rooms. I think it’d be strange to sleep alone…” she trailed off, realizing
that even though she said that, a part of her wanted to see what it was like,
to have a space that was completely her own.

“Riana,” Ashlynn’s voice shook with amusement, “that
expression on your face tells me that you want a room of your own. If for
nothing else than the novelty of the experience. Shall I have a word with Miss
Haley and have her start clearing out the room?”

“There be no rush,” Riana hastily assured her. “I do no’
mind being where I be. But, well, aye. I suppose I’d like to try it.”

“Then I’ll ask her to work on it.”

As they walked toward Main Square, Ashlynn pointed things
out to her, like the best places to grab a quick snack, or cut through alleys
that were good shortcuts. If a guardsman passed them, she stopped them and
introduced Riana. In the space between one street and the next, Riana met at
least fifteen people, and her head spun with names and faces. It was all a bit
much to take in, but she found herself smiling in the sheer joy of it.

The amulet around Ashlynn’s neck came alive with a panicked
voice, “Sheriff? Sheriff!”

Ashlynn stopped dead in her tracks and picked up the
necklace, demanding tersely, “I hear you; what is it?”

“We’ve got a riot on our hands. It’s quickly gotten out
of our control. They’re starting to set the posting board on fire.”

“Where?”

“Main Square.”

Ashlynn swore and took off so quickly her boots squeaked.
“What started it?”

“We’re not sure. Someone was reading the martial laws out
loud—I think it was for the people that can’t read—and then all of a sudden,
there was a lot of shouting in that direction. By the time I could muscle my
way over there, it was already getting out of hand. Now it’s so bad that
they’re not only destroying things, they’re hurting each other.”

Riana’s stomach filled with a sick sensation even as she
kept pace with Ashlynn.

“Put a defensive ring around the area, keep the riot from
spreading,” Ashlynn ordered in clipped tones. “Ring the bell and call for
reinforcements. Can anyone put that fire out?”

“We can’t get close enough to it.”

Riana swore aloud. They could not afford to have a
fire spread through the city.

Ducking around a wagon, Ashlynn lost her speed temporarily,
but picked it up again as they crossed the street. People recognized the
Sheriff of Estole and got out of her way as fast as possible. As they ran, Riana
saw that guards were gathering ahead of them, trying to keep people at bay.
Were they already at Main Square?

Ashlynn skidded to a halt at the ring of guardsmen long
enough to glance back at Riana and say, “Shoot, but don’t kill, and guard my
back.”

“Got it.” Riana yanked the tie on her belt quiver and loosed
the arrows, grabbing three and twirling them in her hand, ready to fire at
will.

“The first thing I’ve got to deal with is that fire,”
Ashlynn said to herself. “Tant!”

A short, stocky young man that seemed to be of an age with them
turned about, dark eyes looking a little panicked. “Yes, Sheriff?”

“Give me a boost.” Ashlynn cupped her hands in illustration.
“I can’t see enough over this crowd to tell what’s burning. I’ve got to put it
out before it takes down the whole city.”

Tant was already moving as she explained, bending one knee
and offering her his hands as a support. Ashlynn took the hands, gripping them
firmly, then put her boot on his upper thigh and boosted herself up.

Guessing what she’d do next, Riana put a steadying hand on Ashlynn’s
waist so that she could free up a hand. She’d need at least one to do any
spellwork. Ashlynn nodded absent thanks to both of them even as she weaved a
magical path in the air. With a sharp word, a gust of wind flew past them, and
the thick smoke that had been billowing over their heads died down to mere
tendrils.

Riana breathed a little easier seeing that. At least the
place wouldn’t be in danger of coming down around their ears.

Tant let Ashlynn down easy. “Sheriff, what do we do?”

“How far spread is this?” she asked.

“Just Main Square.”

Ashlynn rolled her eyes to the heavens and repeated, “’Just
Main Square,’ he says.”

“Large area?” Riana asked Tant timidly.

“It’s not small,” he answered grimly. “And right now, it’s
packed with people. This is the height of the day for shopping.”

“How many guardsmen do we have?”

“Thirty or so, I think.”

“Thirty.” Ashlynn bit her bottom lip, thinking hard.
“Alright. Five of you hold your position and don’t let anyone through. Mark,
Seth, Konrath, you come with me. We’re going to push these people up against a
wall and force them to stand down. If anyone resists you, break their arm, but
otherwise try not to hurt them. Clear?”

A chorus of assents answered her.

“Let’s try this first.” Ashlynn pointed to her throat, and
her next words boomed like thunderclaps. “EVERYONE IN THE SQUARE! THIS IS
SHERIFF FALLBRIGHT. GET ON YOUR KNEES IMMEDIATELY, AND PUT YOUR HANDS ON TOP OF
YOUR HEAD. I REPEAT, GET ON YOUR KNEES IMMEDIATELY, AND PUT YOUR HANDS ON YOUR
HEAD.”

Ashlynn gave them a full thirty seconds before saying,
“They’ve had their chance, let’s go.”

They pushed through the guards, and Riana could finally see
what they were truly dealing with. It made her heart sink. Saying that people
were “hurting each other” was a mild way to phrase it. People openly attacked
each other, screaming, cursing, swinging fists. None of them were armed, so
Riana had hopes that no one had died yet, but it wasn’t a pretty sight.

It was a madhouse of limbs and heads and bodies all tangled
in with each other. It was hard to discern one person from the next. Voices
rose and fell like an approaching thunderstorm, the sound of it blasting her
ears. She tried to pick out individual words, understand at least some of what
they were saying, but couldn’t.

Riana felt like she’d waded into a sea of rage, and it made
her heart leap into her throat, even as her stomach rolled and knotted. Never
in her life had she seen this many people crowded together at once—that alone
was nerve-racking—but the way they pressed against each other and shoved at one
another made her instincts jangle in warning. If she came too close, there
would be no buffer between her and that enraged mass.

The guards formed a wedge shape with Ashlynn at the point,
and then tackled the first person in front of them, catching brawlers and
forcing them to the ground. When they were down, Ashlynn would speak some sort
of spell that bound their hands to the cobblestones. The guards worked quickly,
seamlessly, but Riana could tell that even at this pace it’d take most of the
day to subdue the crowd.

Riana couldn’t let them fight alone. Simply standing here
wouldn’t calm this mob, either. Taking in a deep breath for courage, she
ignored the way her heartbeat pounded in her ears and turned to step just
outside of the wedge, focusing on the people the guards couldn’t readily lay
hands on. In the thick press of bodies, it took careful aim on her part, but
she went for the people that were near buildings. She shot arrows that caught
the edge of their clothes, nailing them to the wood. If that wasn’t possible,
she shot a warning arrow between two fighters, forcing them to flinch and back
away from each other.

From across the square, a voice she knew well boomed out,
“KNEEL ON THE GROUND NOW, OR YOUR LIFE WILL BE FORFEIT!”

This threat worked where Ashlynn’s words hadn’t. People quickly
started kneeling, afraid of the anger that rang in their ears. Edvard had
arrived. He must be with Ash to be able to shout that loudly, which meant that
her da was likely here as well. Riana felt beyond relieved, but didn’t let that
distract her. She focused on the people that weren’t obeying, firing arrows
that would subdue, or pin them to something. A few she actually wounded by
aiming at their arms. She had no choice on some of them—it was either hurt
them, or watch them fatally hurt someone else.

The time passed quickly for her, living moment to moment as
she was, but the sun had moved to stand high in the sky by the time they had
everyone sitting quietly on the ground; or quietly bleeding somewhere, as the
case might be. She and Ashlynn stood back to back, looking at the damage done,
and she couldn’t help but wince. The windows of every shop were broken out, the
main posting board in the center of the square was nothing more than charcoal,
and the whole area was covered with people.

“What happened?” she asked faintly, overwhelmed.

“I want to know that too.” Ashlynn turned to the nearest person
and kicked them in the leg none too gently. “You. What started this?”

“There was a man near the board reading the martial laws out
loud,” the man answered with a nervous look up at the wizard. “But he was
reading them wrong—adding in words, taking out words, making them sound
different. A few of us tried to correct him, but there were others that said he
was right and we weren’t, and the new king was worse than the one we’d left,
and…well…”

“A fight broke out and somehow escalated into this madness?”
Ashlynn bit off, looking ready to lynch someone.

He nodded miserably.

Ashlynn blew out a disgusted breath. “Ignorance always
breeds madness and violence. We’ve got to do something about this.” Turning,
she pointed to a woman that crouched nearby. “You. Did the fight start near you
for the same reason?”

The woman shook her head miserably. “My husband was arguing
with one of the guards about the housing deeds. Our deed is for a family house,
but we have seven children. The house is too small. I was wrapped up in that
and wasn’t paying attention. I can’t tell you how it started.”

The man sitting behind her timidly raised his voice and
offered, “It was the bit about the Bindings being reinstated at the end of the
month that got people fighting.”

Riana and Ashlynn shared a startled look. What?!

“The Bindings aren’t going to be reinstated!” Edvard denied
hotly. He might’ve been ten feet away, but he could clearly still hear from
there. Raising his voice to a thunderous level, he repeated, “THE BINDINGS WILL
NEVER BE A PART OF ESTOLE LAW! Do you understand me? The martial laws are also
temporary until we can write new ones!” When he got no response other than
confused looks, his brows slammed together in a fierce frown. “Answer me!”

People quickly nodded or spoke words of reassurance.

Riana felt a headache brewing. Just how had the Bindings
come into play in all of this? Had this riot been a case of three different
arguments breaking out in the same place at the same time?

Ashlynn turned back to the first man she’d questioned. “Can
you describe this man to me?”

“He was too far away for me to get a clear look. I think he
was a farmer or something. He was dressed like one.”

Ash and Broden weaved their way toward them, stepping over
bodies when needed. Riana waved a reassuring hand at her da, telling him silently
she was fine. And she was. Heartsick at what had happened, dangerously low on
arrows, but fine.

Ash, of course, didn’t understand such signals and so
demanded, “Are you alright? Ashlynn, Riana?”

“Fine,” Ashlynn groused. “I hate people more now than I did
this morning, but other than that, fine.”

Ash blew out a relieved breath, slumping forward for a
moment. “We saw what was happening from the window and got down here as fast as
we could. I’m glad you got it contained before it spread to the whole city. But
the question now is, what do we do with them?”

“Hard labor and fines for all of them,” Edvard answered,
coming to join them. “Some of them were simply caught in this madness, and them
you can let go. But the rest get hard labor and fines.”

Ashlynn’s lips peeled back into a particularly evil smile.
“Understood, sire. I have just the job for them.”

“Garbage duty?” Broden guessed dryly.

Her smile widened. “You amazing man. You read minds now?”

“Do no’ need to with ye, lass. It be clear enough on yer face.”
Broden looked around for a long moment, turning in every direction to see it
all. “I will stay and help ye sort it all out.”

Riana couldn’t help bemoaning, “I suppose the shopping will
have to wait.”

Ashlynn turned to her, eyes narrowing in renewed anger.
“That’s right. We were about to have some fun and shop for a few hours. Macha
take them! How dare they ruin my plans! The punishment just doubled because of
that.”

“Ashlynn!” Ash objected, spluttering.

“What?”

“You can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“Isn’t that an abuse of authority?” he beseeched her, trying
to get his twin to see reason. “Edvard, help me out here.”

Edvard regarded Ash in surprise. “You think I can
reason with her when she gets in this mood of hers?”

Ashlynn turned to Riana with an arched brow. “Well, what do
you think?”

Riana’s mouth flattened. Now that she thought about it, the
whole situation was making her angry as well. “I be with ye.”

Satisfied, Ashlynn turned back to the men. “There you have
it.”

Ash threw his hands into the air. “I give up. I’ll start
over on the northern side. Try not to let your anger get the better of you,
sis.”

Unfazed by his words, Ashlynn turned to the man she’d
questioned earlier and said mockingly sweet, “The punishment for angering a
wizard is either dismemberment or a month of cleaning the city’s garbage bins.
Which do you prefer?”

Chapter Eleven

Riana sat on her rooftop perch and watched the city lights
go out one by one as people turned in for the night. Oh, the streetlamps were
still lit—and having streetlamps at all was an odd thing for her—but the
windows in the homes and businesses were going dark in quick succession. Then
again, it was near the witching hour, so anyone sensible should’ve been in bed
by this point.

Being around Ash, Ashlynn, Edvard, Gwen, and Miss Haley was
a fine thing indeed, but after a certain point, Riana found it overwhelming.
Most of her life she’d only had her da for company. She’d had her grandparents
until she was seven, but lost them to the epidemic. Her mother was lost when
she was barely a year old to a flash flood in the mountains, buried under a
landslide. To go from the company of one to a whole city was quite the change,
and she wasn’t used to it yet.

When it became too much and she found her head spinning, she’d
find a quiet place that was up high. The roof above the suite’s window was a
fine perch for her, with easy access in and out. It also gave her a commanding
view of the city. The sight in front of her settled her heart in many ways. In
spite of all the trouble they had on a day-to-day basis, the riots, and the difficulties
that Zelman tried to cause for them, Estole still stood. Seeing it spread along
the horizon was reassuring in ways that words were not.

“Ah, there ye be, daughter.” Broden’s head appeared below
her boots, half his body sticking out the window. “Be it a good perch?”

“Come up,” she invited, scooting over so he’d have enough
space to climb up and sit next to her. This was something of a tricky maneuver
as the roof was tin, and slick, but she managed to keep her place and not slide
off.

Broden pulled himself out and up the wall like a squirrel,
movements nimble. Within a thrice, he was seated next to her and gazing at the
same section of the city. “Ah, fine view.”

“It be that,” she agreed.

For a time, they sat there in amiable silence, neither
feeling the need to speak.

“Da…” she said slowly, the realization just now coming to
her. “Did ye know we have no’ had a conversation just atween ourselves since
Ash took us away from Cloud’s Rest?”

Broden blinked at her, then a chuckle shook him silently.
“We be in high demand, daughter.”

“Well, aye, but this be ridiculous. From morning to sunset,
we do nothing but run from pillar to post.” Shaking her head at the situation,
she added, “Although it be a fine change from being run out of the village at
every turn, so I can no’ complain about that.”

“Aye,” he agreed. “I be no’ sure at first of staying here.
It be just as dangerous as home in some ways.”

She couldn’t argue about that. “But ye’ve changed yer mind
since?”

“Ye be happy here, daughter,” he answered quietly.

In those five words, she heard the answer to every question
she’d ever had about why they’d stayed in Cloud’s Rest even after it’d become
dangerous for them—truly dangerous, instead of just uncomfortable. Why stay?
Why not go? But the journey to Estole had told her that her da hadn’t been
content to simply leave their home. No, he’d wanted something better, and
blindly striking out on their own wouldn’t have guaranteed that. Finding a
place that would accept them, that would offer them a true future, was the real
goal he’d had in mind. It was why he’d taken Ash’s offer without knowing much
about the man. It was why he was willing to try a new country, even though it
was unstable. This place, at least, presented them a chance for the future and
real happiness.

Broden hadn’t wanted her to have the same miserable start in
life he’d had, where he was forced to watch every loved one live without
knowing if he could get any help for them if they needed it.

Of course, Riana had wanted the same for him, but hadn’t
known how to go about finding it. Not until Ash came along, anyway. “I think,
Da, that ye be happy here as well.”

“Aye, well…” he trailed off, a grin quirking up the corners
of his mouth. “When a man be respected, happiness comes.”

“There be truth,” she agreed. “So, what do ye think? After
the past few days of working with Ash, do ye prefer him over Ashlynn?”

“Hmm, hard to say. Ash be a gentle soul. He be easy to work
with and guard, simply because he no’ be the sort to go looking for a fight.
Ashlynn, on the other hand…”

“She be a firebrand.”

“Oh, aye, no doubt on that. In truth, it be the lass I worry
about most. Ashlynn be the sort to stride right into danger without blinking or
thinking about how much harm can come to her. That one needs three partners,
no’ one.” Broden rubbed at his chin, his hand rasping against the stubble.
“What do ye think, daughter?”

With a sigh, she admitted candidly, “I think Edvard be
right. I think it’d be best I go with Ash and ye go with Ashlynn. We can handle
the criminals just fine, but I have to riddle them with holes to even get their
attention. Ashlynn says that ye just shout at them and they cower. Ye make her
job easier.”

“I be afraid that’d be the skinny of it. In truth, though, I
feel better about ye being with Ash.”

She jerked her head around in surprise. “I thought ye did
no’ like it, as he be near to flirting with me.”

“He be flirting with ye, daughter,” her da said in a
long-suffering tone. “Ye just do no’ see it for what it be. But the last few
days of working with the man have shown me that he be an honorable one, and I
trust him to treat ye well. Also, he be so focused on building, likely ye will
no’ face much danger while with him.”

Well, that was truth. “So should we switch back tomorrow?”

“Aye, I’d prefer it.” In a casual tone that didn’t fool her,
he asked, “Do ye prefer that sort of man, then?”

Riana snorted. “Da, I’d like to meet a woman daft enough to
turn him away.”

“Ah. Well.”

Looking back out over the city, she added softly, “But even
if we did no’ stay with them, I think I want to live in Estole. With every day
that passes, this place feels more like home to me.”

Broden nodded in understanding. “Me too, daughter. Me too.”

Watching someone build a wall, even a wizard, became
mind-numbing very quickly. At first it was entertaining enough, the chips flying
about as he milled the wood to the length and width he wanted with just a word.
Riana had to stand well back to avoid getting covered in splinters, though.

Then he started raising one board at a time, directing them
into the right place with a motion of his hand, like a man herding sheep. The
boards seemingly leapt to obey him.

Aye, it was certainly entertaining enough at first. But
after about an hour of watching boards come together to form a very tall wall,
it got boring. They’d been at this for nigh on two weeks now, and whatever
interest she’d had quickly faded. She had to admit, though, she preferred being
out here than facing another riot in the city. Mayhap Edvard had been right,
and it was best that her da was next to Ashlynn. He seemed to take the riot
more in stride than she.

Riana turned her attention away from what Ash was doing and
looked about.

They were well away from the city. The land here was mostly
flat, rich and green, and perfect for farming. Why all those people wanted to
live right next to the city, well, she couldn’t ken. Unless it was the lack of
water out here. A man would need to dig a well to have water handy if he got
too far from the gates.

Estole Town sat right next to the Narrow Channel, and the
scent of saltwater stirred the air and set the fine hairs about her face
dancing. It was the only thing that kept the heat at bay as the day warmed up.

As her wizard-partner worked, she spent the time thinking.
This crowded city life seemed strange to her. Her life had been spent in the woods
and mountains, after all. To have this many people this close, well, it grated
along her nerves. Mayhap that was why things were such a fashrie in the
city—the people that lived there didn’t care for it either.

Not that Riana disliked the people she’d met so far. They’d
been right welcoming, in fact, and very likeable. If she’d had a choice of who
to work with, she like as not would’ve chosen the people about her. They were
far better than the thrawn group she’d left behind in Cloud’s Rest. Glad she
was, to have left them behind, too. Her days there had been focused on survival
only. But here, here she was building something. Ash hadn’t been joking about
that. And he hadn’t been joking about them being shorthanded either. They’d been
put to work the minute they arrived, after all.

The riot from a week ago had been sorted without much issue.
Most of the damage had been fixed by now. After speaking to everyone there, they’d
learned it’d started because of an argument about the martial laws in place.
Some had said they were worse than the Bindings, not understanding it was a
temporary measure. Then, somehow, a mass confusion that the Bindings were going
to be reinstated had taken place. That’d just escalated the whole thing until
it became an outright riot.

Edvard had vowed that he’d create new laws, good laws, as
soon as he could so they could avoid having another riot in the city.

For hours, Ash worked without complaint. The sun rose, stood
high in the sky, then started back toward the far horizon without him once
quitting. He milled four of those big trees and had every scrap of lumber in
place before he finally dropped his hands and announced, “That’s enough for
today, I think.”

Riana looked at the stretch of wall he’d built, impressed in
spite of herself. He’d made a twenty-foot-tall wall, with lookout towers, on a
twenty-five-foot span of ground in just under eight hours. If wizardry ever
failed the man as a career, he’d make a fortune as a carpenter. “Shall we
return, then?” she asked.

“Yes.” His footsteps were slower than normal, almost weary,
and it was clear from the slump of his shoulders that building had taken a toll
on him. But there was a quirk to his mouth and a satisfied look in his eye that
said he hadn’t minded the work. “Riana, you must be quite bored just standing
around watching me build.”

“Aye,” she admitted easily. “But I prefer boredom over
dodging bandits and riots.”

He chuckled. “I must agree. By the by, Captain Bragdon had a
firm word with me last evening.”

“About?”

“He reminded me that I’m supposed to be sharing you and your
father.” Ash shook his head, amused. “Apparently he was serious about the two
of you coming by to teach his trainees.”

In all the madness and confusion of the past several weeks,
she’d forgotten about his offer completely. She lifted a hand and stroked the
smooth wood of her bow, trying to imagine teaching someone all that she knew.
“Ash, I do no’ think I know how to teach.” Hastily, she added, “Oh, me da can.
After all, he taught me. But I do no’ have a clue how to go about it.”

“Then, follow him over there when he does stop by to teach,”
Ash encouraged. “Watch how he does it and learn. Your skills are too valuable
to die with you, Riana. If you could pass them on to others, it’d be for the
best.”

Well, she couldn’t argue with that. “But when could we go?”

“Early in the morning was his request. Apparently he has
duties that take up the bulk of his time in the afternoon, as you two do, but
if you teach right after breakfast, it should work out well.” Ash contradicted
his own words by adding, “At least, I hope it will. Sometimes Ashlynn gets
emergency calls before she can even finish breakfast.”

At which points Broden would have to go with her. Riana
nodded understanding. “Still and all, ye be right. That belike be the best part
of the day to teach.”

“If you and your father agree, tell the captain so he stops
giving me dirty looks, alright?”

She grinned at him. “Aye, I will do that.”

His hand came up and wrapped around his magical necklace.
“Yes, Ashlynn? No, we had a very quiet day out here and got a good section of
wall built. How was yours?”

He stopped dead, and his head whipped around to stare disconcertingly
at Riana. “Edvard wants Riana? Why?”

The king wanted to talk to her? Why?!

“Ashlynn says that Edvard was impressed with your common
sense earlier,” Ash relayed, becoming more amused with each word. “He also
thinks that the three of us have thought about this too much and need a fresh
perspective. He’s requesting that we join him in his study before dinner so
that we can talk about the new laws.”

“What new laws?”

“The ones he’s determined to create today.” Ash shook his
head. “Impatient man. I guess he’s tired of not having any true laws to
enforce. Yes, Ashlynn, I’m aware that we’re past due with needing them and they’ll
make your job easier. That’s not what I’m saying. What? Oh. Oh. Fine,
we’ll be there shortly.” His hand dropped, and he abruptly picked up the pace,
his fatigue from earlier falling away. “Be thinking while you walk, Riana.
Edvard has declared in all his kingliness that we won’t get supper until we’ve
thought up at least the basic laws necessary to run this town with.”

Taranis take it, she was no lawmaker! She hadn’t meant to
give Edvard the impression she was all wise, either. She should’ve kept her
mouth shut and let them build the wall willy-nilly.

Resigned, she trudged along in Ash’s wake to Edvard’s study.

They entered the study to find that Ashlynn and her da were
already there, seated round the table, with Edvard saying, “—can’t have people
going about starting riots because of the laws. Or the lack of laws. We need
this situation resolved now.”

“Well, I agree with you,” Ashlynn responded in exasperation.
“So what’s the holdup?”

“I don’t know where to start,” Edvard admitted sourly.

“We need a viable way to punish lawbreakers, Edvard,”
Ashlynn said firmly.

“It might help, sister dearest, to give them concrete laws
first,” Ash retorted as they stepped fully into the room.

“Ah, Ash, Riana, glad you could join us. Sit, sit. I’ve
decided that I can’t make up everything on my own—I barely know what’s needed—so
I thought it best to form a council of sorts to help me. Now, since Ash has
studied some law before, and Riana’s proven to have good sense with problem
solving, and Ashlynn and Broden are out in the streets dealing with everything,
you four seem to be the best suited to give me advice.”

Rational it might sound, but Riana bet that he was tired of
thinking about it, and just wanted it over and done.

“Now.” Edvard beamed at his coerced council. “Where should
we start?”

“Now hold on, man,” Broden objected. “Do ye no’ even have something
to build on? To me ken, ye be thinking about these new laws of yers.”

“Well, I tried, certainly. But I never got far on my own.
Ashlynn kept saying my ideas wouldn’t work.”

“You wanted to reword the Bindings in order to keep the ones
you liked,” she pointed out, not at all troubled by his complaint. “But that’d
leave gaps in the laws. And it wouldn’t deal with the more heinous crimes. You
cannot keep the Bindings, Edvard, not in any form. The people here won’t accept
them, and what good are laws that no one accepts?”

In an exaggerated movement, he slumped in his chair and put
his face against the table like a sulky child. “But not all of them are bad.
Can’t I keep at least some of them?” Edvard moaned pitifully against the
table’s surface.

Seeing him facedown, slouched against the wood like that, made
him more comical than anything. Riana bit her lip to hide a smile.

Ash leaned over enough to thump Edvard on the back, not
entirely unsympathetic. “No.”

Edvard raised his head enough to give Ash a betrayed,
wounded look, as if that single word had sucked all the joy out of the world.

“You don’t want to be a tyrannical king, remember?” Ash
reminded him patiently, eyes twinkling with unvoiced laughter.

“That was before I had to write all this legislation, and
figure out how to create a government from…from…” Edvard’s hands made a
flighty, whirlwind gesture in the air, “nothing but hot air. Why did you let me
do this?”

“I didn’t give you permission to do any of this,” Ash denied
with false mildness.

“Yes, I know, but why didn’t anyone stop me?”

“We tried, remember? You have no one to blame but
yourself.”

Edvard let his head thump back against the table’s surface
in a gesture of absolute despair.

Having a smidgeon of pity, Riana sank into a chair across
from him and offered, “It be no’ that bad, Edvard. Just use some common sense
and start from there.”

He raised his head just enough to stare at her. “Common
sense?”

“Well, do ye want people going about murdering, or raping,
or stealing from each other?” she asked in exasperation.

“Oh. No, I take your meaning. Start with the worst crimes,
give them suitable punishments, and then…” he trailed off, pointing to a side
desk that had paper and ink on it. “Ash, give me those. No, better, you take
notes. Your handwriting is more legible than mine.”

Agreeably, Ash grabbed a handful of sheets, ink and quill,
and joined them at the table. “So, murder?”

Edvard nodded. “She’s right; I don’t want people killing
each other off. So, murder is outlawed completely. I think anyone that is
guilty of it should forfeit their own life.”

“Hold up,” Broden objected. “Ye’ve got to give some leeway. Be
a man no’ allowed to defend himself or his family?”

“You’ve got to make an exception,” Ash agreed. “Otherwise
every person in this room is guilty of murder.”

Edvard waved a hand in agreement. “So, except in
self-defense and in defense of another, murder is outlawed. Better?”

Her da looked at the king with narrowed eyes. “Ye sure ye
want to execute murderers?”

With a sigh, Edvard met Broden’s eyes without flinching.
“Broden, I absolutely will not tolerate crime in my country. I can’t, for one
thing. Creating and running prisons are a terrible drain on a country’s
coffers, and I simply don’t have the funds for it at this point. But also, I
think that giving people such leeway encourages them to commit crimes. After
all, the consequences aren’t that bad, so why not? It’s that sort of thinking I
want to avoid. Better to give them a strict sentence, one that would make
people think twice about breaking the law.”

Broden gave a half-shrug, palm splayed. “But no’ all crimes be
heavy or worth a man’s life. Ye will have to think of another way to punish.”

“Fine them,” Ash suggested. “Attach a large price tag to
certain crimes. If they can’t pay, make them work it off. The country can use
the extra hands for labor, if nothing else, and we’ll compensate the victims.”

Edvard snapped his fingers. “Ash, you’re brilliant. Let’s do
that for certain cases. I think assaulting a man would count for a fine, don’t
you?”

Ash nodded agreement. “How much?”

“Hmm…I have no sense for these things. Riana, Broden, what
would be a sum you wouldn’t want to have to pay?”

Riana thought about it, about the amount of money she used
to have before working for Ash, and offered tentatively, “Anything over fifty deneres
gets mighty steep.”

“Still payable, though,” Broden said, his brows furrowed in
thought. “I’d say one hundred deneres would be very hard to pay for most men.”

“One hundred deneres it is, then!” Edvard smiled at them,
his posture alert, looking ready to spring up and run around the room at any
point. “Broden, Riana, you’re both very helpful with crafting these laws. I
need your insights. From now on, when I need to create laws, I want you to be
part of my council. Plan on that.”

Riana and her da shared an alarmed look. Them?! Create laws?
They were simple archers, for mercy’s sake!

Ash, seeing their panic, quirked an eyebrow at them and
drawled, “Shouldn’t the common man have a voice in these? The Bindings were
strict and unfair to the citizens as a whole. Wouldn’t you rather have a say in
these things before you get bound by laws that are too harsh to survive under?”

Well, he had a fair point. Riana in no way wanted the
responsibility of helping to forge an entire country’s laws, but she didn’t
want those laws to be made without some sensible input either. Mayhap, if she
approached it as if she were making laws that she herself could abide by,
things would be fine.

Her da must’ve come to the same conclusion, as he promptly snapped
his mouth shut.

Ash’s quill scratched away at the paper with quick, deft
strokes. “We’ve covered murder and assault. What else?”

“Rape,” Riana said firmly. “And that be no’ a matter of
fining, either, so put that notion out of your heads.”

Edvard blinked, somewhat surprised by her vehemence. “So, as
a woman, what do you feel would be the right punishment?”

“Death.” She smiled grimly when every man at the table
flinched. “Sirs, I put it to ye that rape be the worst thing a man can do to a
woman. She never recovers from it, not wholly. And there be no reason to do it,
either, except for some evil sense of pleasure on his end.”

Broden and Ashlynn looked at her with full understanding and
didn’t raise a word of disagreement.

“So, you’re saying it’s akin to torture,” Ash stated slowly,
eyes staring blindly ahead. “I hadn’t thought of it quite like that. Although I
think death might be too harsh. Castration instead?”

Edvard’s eyes studied Riana’s face, taking in every nuance
of her expression. “Broden? Your opinion?”

“I put it to ye like this, King: if a man raped one of yer
sisters, what would ye do to him?” Broden responded levelly.

“I’d kill the rat with my bare hands,” Edvard said without a
second of hesitation.

“Then should ye no’ protect every woman in this country of yers
the same way ye’d protect yer family?”

Edvard blew out a low breath. “Wise counsel. Wise counsel,
both of you. That’s exactly how I should view this, as if I were protecting my
family. After all, my family will live as citizens in this country, subject to
the same laws. Good. That puts things into sharp perspective for me.” Nodding
to himself, he said to Ash, “Make rape punishable by death.”

Ash simply nodded, writing it down.

Sitting back for a moment, Edvard pondered before speaking,
“We seem to be on a trend of dealing with crimes against people right now. I
think we should do something to punish slavery as well. I’ve seen a few people try
it here, bringing in slaves or making others into slaves to pay off debts. I
won’t tolerate it. So, no one can enslave another. If there’s a debt, it’s to
be reported to us, and we’ll mediate some way for the debtor to pay back what
is owed.”

“We’ll have to find someone capable of making decisions like
that,” Ash cautioned. “Not every case can go directly to you. You’d sit in
judgment from morning to night and never get through all of them.”

Edvard grunted sourly. “Yes, well, make a note of it for
now. We’ll have to keep that in mind when we actually decide how to organize
the government.”

Broden cleared his throat slightly. “Do ye want to make a
law about lies and gossip?”

Edvard paused, eyes cutting over to him. “Slander? Hmm.
That’s a thought. If a man’s reputation is ruined, it’s hard for him to live in
a country, isn’t it? Would a fine cover that?”

Riana instinctively felt that was the wrong approach. “Aye,
Edvard, ye could do a fine for that, but it would no’ truly solve things.”

“Solve things?” he parroted in complete incomprehension.

“These laws ye be making, they be to stop people from doing
harm to each other,” she sought to explain, “but they be also to help make
right what be wrong.”

“To repair the damage done in whatever way we can,” Ash
supported.

She flashed him a smile. “Aye, exactly. A man’s reputation,
well, that can no’ be given back to him with a money pouch.”

“I take your meaning. That’s quite wise of you, Riana, but
at the same time, how can I give a man’s reputation back through the law? How
can you erase the words said that harms a man so? You see my point?”

“I do.” She frowned to herself, unsure of what a just
punishment would be.

“Make it clear to all who be telling the lies,” Broden
advised. “If ye can no’ take the words back, mark the liar so people will know
no’ to trust what he says.”

Edvard’s lips parted in delight. “Perfect. How should we do
that? Put a tattoo on him? Make him wear something?”

“Shave his head.” Ashlynn grinned as she spoke. “It’s a
fitting punishment, I think—a temporary punishment for temporary harm.”

Edvard threw his head back and laughed. “Ashlynn, you’re
evil! I love you for it, too. Shaved heads it shall be.”

Riana felt her own mouth quirk in amusement. Was this law-making
session supposed to be serious? If so, then why did Ashlynn’s and Edvard’s
expressions remind her of two children making up schemes for mischief?

Broden poorly disguised a chuckle with a cough. “And what
about theft? It be a real problem, that. Ashlynn and I deal with that more than
any other crime.”

“Iysh imprisons thieves,” Ash stated slowly, “but if we’re trying
to stay away from prisons—”

“Free labor.” Edvard snapped his fingers in a victorious manner.
“We’ll have them work off the value of what they stole. Say, ten times the
value of what they stole, to make it more of a punishment and deterrent.”

“We need all the help we can get building things right now.”
Ash wrote this down with a pleased look. “Although for the long-term, we might
have to modify this.”

“No’ much,” Broden disagreed. “There always be nasty jobs to
do when ye have a lot of people living in a small area.”

“True enough.”

“Noted.” Edvard ticked things off on his fingers. “Alright,
we’ve covered murder, assault, theft, enslavement, rape. What else have you and
Ashlynn been seeing, Broden?”

Her da didn’t even have to pause before answering, “Lots of
con men running about. We’ve been getting some damage done to buildings too.”

“So, fraud and vandalism.” Edvard hummed, considering. “I
think those are both a type of theft, in a way. Fraud is just lying in order to
steal something. Vandalism steals property value from its owner. So can’t their
sentences be the same one we use for theft?”

“I think so.” Ashlynn looked a trifle too gleeful at this.
“More free labor that way. It’s perfect for us.”

“And debt?” Broden asked. “Many a loan shark running about.”

“Already?” Edvard grumbled to no one in particular. “We
really have to do something about that. But for now, I say that if a man is in
debt and can’t pay, he has one of two options: he either uses property he has
to repay the debt, or he can come to us and work it off. We’ll repay it in his
stead.”

“Fair,” Broden allowed, with a judicious nod of the head.
“That be the worst of what Ashlynn and I have seen.”

“We need to work out the fine details of contracts, taxes,
and the like.” Edvard rubbed at his forehead. “But that’ll have to wait until I
can figure out how the government is going to run. I’m open to any input on its
structure, by the by. Thoughts?”

Riana and Broden shared another look, eyes communicating all
their worries. As open as Edvard had been with them, they weren’t entirely sure
if he’d welcome something that struck close to home. A man never liked to hear
that he’d need to give up power. And yet, that was precisely what they felt he
needed to do.

“That look says they have an idea,” Ash observed. “Alright,
you two, spill it.”

Broden cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. Riana
sighed, resigning herself to the inevitable, and spoke for the both of them.

“Edvard, I think the Iyshian king failed his people because
he took too much on himself. He did no’ share the power as he should have, and
it led to power-hungry fools fighting over every scrap.”

“You think I should create a government where I don’t have all
the power,” Edvard translated without trouble.

“Aye,” Broden said simply.

Ash gave her a subtle wink, which relieved her. So, he
thought she’d said the right thing. “Edvard, I have to agree. If you keep all
the power in your hands, people will start feeding you misinformation to
manipulate your decisions. We saw that happen with the Iyshian king. The power
needs to be balanced, spread among a select group that is responsible for the
larger whole. You need to have something that will check one side from making
rash or selfish decisions.”

Edvard steepled his hands in front of his mouth, eyes
blindly staring straight ahead. “Yes. Yes, you’re all right. A system that allows
all sides to check each other…I’ll need to think on that.”

Broden dared to add, “Right now, we be stretched too thin
because we be running from one side of Estole to the other, wasting precious
time traveling back and forth. It’d be for the best, I think, if ye divided up
the land so that one person be in charge of each section. It’d give people a
way to access help quick-like.”

The king stared at his archer he’d just spouted golden
wisdom. “Broden. I think that’s it.”

Blinking, Broden asked blankly, “It be what?”

Chapter Twelve

Edvard stared at the ceiling for a stretch of time,
muttering to himself inaudibly. “Yes! Yes, I think that would work. What if we
had a tiered system?”

Only Ash seemed to realize where he was going with this.
“Like that ancient government of the Empire’s?”

“Something very like that, yes. With a few modifications.
You have to admit, that government worked well for hundreds of years before
they went and changed things.” To his archers, Edvard expounded, “We’ll follow
your suggestion, Broden, and divide Estole into quadrants. We’ll have one
person over each quadrant, someone that will act like an ombudsman or a mayor
of sorts. These people, in turn, report to a council of selected people. The council
will be like a committee or a ministry, and they’ll be there to make sure
everything is running smoothly on a national level and create laws and policies
as needed. The council will, in turn, report directly to the king and queen.”

“How does that check your power?” Riana protested. So far,
what he’d explained was different from Iysh’s government, but not that much
different.

“Oh, the king and queen will have veto power, but they can
be overruled by the council. If the majority of the council wants a law, the
king and queen won’t be able to do anything about it. In turn, the king and
queen will act as regents over certain quadrants, so that they’ll act as part
of the council most of the time instead of reigning over it.” Edvard paused
before tacking on, “At least, that’s how the old government worked.”

“So, people over quadrants that will run things from day to
day, councilors that they will report to that run the whole country, and a king
and queen that will no’ really rule unless things get out of hand?” Broden
summed up. His expression indicated he wasn’t sure what to think of this idea.
“It might work. If ye had good people to run things.”

“The idea needs refining,” Edvard admitted without
embarrassment. “But the basic structure, is it sound?”

Ashlynn gave a gingerly nod. “I think so. It would work
best, I think, if you had each council member in charge of certain quadrants.
So that these ombudsmen or mayors of yours will know who to report to when
something’s amiss.”

“A good thought. Ash, make a note. Now, Ashlynn, Broden,
you’re out on the streets more than I am. How should I divide this, by the number
of people in an area, or by sheer land size?”

“By people,” Ashlynn replied promptly.

“Otherwise one man will no’ be able to keep track of things,”
Broden added.

“I concur.” Edvard sprang to his feet and quickly crossed to
another table, where he snatched up a map and quill before coming back. He
flung the map out flat, closer to Ashlynn and Broden, then tapped a finger
against its surface. “Gut reactions. How would you divide this up?”

The three of them fell into an in-depth discussion about how
many people were in certain sections and how they could divide things into
quadrants. Riana, only knowing a small part of the city, couldn’t contribute
much to that conversation, so she stood and drifted over to Ash’s side. He
wasn’t paying much attention to the other side of the table. Instead, he’d
pulled out a new sheet and started making a clean copy of the laws. As she read
back over them, a thought occurred, and she asked without thinking, “Will these
apply to children as well?”

Everyone in the room froze.

“The children,” Broden breathed out in stunned realization.
“Most of the thefts be made by children. Sweet mercy, that be too strict a
sentence for them.”

“What age does a child stop being a child?” Ash asked the
room in general. “Eighteen? Sixteen?”

“Sixteen?” Edvard said slowly. “Yes, I’d say sixteen. At
sixteen, you should know what you’re doing, at least where the law is
concerned. But I agree; the laws are too strict for a child. What would you
suggest?”

“Belike this will be a case where the ombudsman will need to
use his best judgment.” Broden rubbed at his jaw, leaving a streak of ink
behind on his skin as he did so. “But mayhap ye should say half the sentence
for children.”

“That’s still rather harsh,” Ash objected.

“We are trying to prevent crime with these laws, not just
ascribe punishments for them,” Edvard pointed out. “I don’t want hardened children
criminals that then grow into adults. So half it is.”

Ash had a grim set to his mouth that suggested he didn’t
agree, but he made a note of it. Riana rather sided with Ash on this one, as
she felt that was still rather harsh as well. Would an eight-year-old be able
to afford fifty deneres for an offense? Then again, she’d hope an eight-year-old
wouldn’t be doing some of the harder crimes. If they were, they’d have bigger
problems on their hands than a simple fifty deneres.

Even though she hoped for it, she knew that they had many a
child on the streets with no home to call their own. Simply hoping wouldn’t
solve the issue. “Edvard…” she started slowly, the idea forming in her mind as
she spoke. “We need something for the children. Many a child has come here
hoping for a better life and no’ finding it.”

“If you don’t want child thieves, you’d better find a way to
teach them a trade.” Ash tapped the paper with a finger. “Simply prescribing a
punishment won’t fix the problem where children are concerned. They have no
source of income, after all.”

Edvard rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “Unfortunately,
nothing springs to mind. I’ll think on it. All of you think on it. If you come
up with a solution, tell me.”

Steep order, that one.

Ash cleared his throat to get their attention. “In the
meantime, I felt like the laws needed a preface. How’s this:

We declare that all men are equal in the eyes of the law and no
man may rise above it. From King to Pauper, all men shall adhere to the laws of
this land. Men and women are of equal standing and one shall not stand above
the other. We further declare that any man or woman above sixteen shall be
judged strictly according to the laws. Any person younger than this will
receive half the sentence prescribed for each offense.”

Riana’s eyes grew wide. Never had it been so clear to her
how learned Ash truly was. She’d barely understood what he’d said, some of the
words being unknown to her. And yet, he’d come up with that all on his own,
without any other source, and done it while talking to them and answering
questions, to boot!

To think that this man that who so skilled and educated,
valued her opinion…well, it humbled her, it did.

Edvard actually clapped. “That was splendid, Ash. Have you
the other laws cleanly written out in plain language too? Let me see.”

Ash handed over the paper, and Edvard read through it quickly.
“Oh, you divided the crimes by type as well. Good. This isn’t a complete
ruling, of course, but do you think it will do for now, Ashlynn?”

The Sheriff of Estole took the paper out of her king’s hands
without a by-your-leave and read through it with her own eyes. Then she nodded
in satisfaction. “I think so. I’ll have copies of this made and posted in every
corner of town.”

“Look at this!” Edvard waved the paper in the air, beaming
from ear to ear. “I struggled for weeks to come up with something, and yet this
group put together the essentials in barely an hour! I was right to call you
lot in.”

“Does that mean you’ll feed us now?” Ash inquired dryly. His
expression suggested that he was touched by the praise Edvard showered on them,
but was too manly to admit it.

“Oh, that? You knew I was joking; of course I’ll feed you.
Well, I think we’ve gotten enough work on this done for tonight. But keep
thinking on things, and as thoughts come to you, share them with me. Yes?”
Turning, he looked to his left, checking with Broden and Ashlynn as well. “Yes?
Good. Let’s be off to the dining hall.”

Chapter Thirteen

Broden sat down in the dining hall for breakfast, following
routine faithfully, and waited for the rest to appear.

Riana came in first, hair tied up in a simple knot on top of
her head, weapon in hand, and a content expression on her face. He looked at
her carefully as she entered and noticed that the slightly thin quality of her
cheeks was diminishing. No doubt because of a steady diet of good food. The dark
circles under her eyes were basically gone as well, disappearing as she
consistently got a good night’s sleep.

“Morning, Da.”

“Morning, daughter.” He said nothing else as she sat across
from him, loaded a plate with enough food to feed two grown men, and devoured
the lot of it without seeming to breathe. “Hungry?” he asked laconically.

“Starving for some reason,” she admitted frankly. “I do no’
know why guarding a man that be building a wall be tiresome work, but it be
just that.”

He grunted in amusement. “Mayhap for the same reason that
chasing a woman all over the city be tiresome work.”

She smirked and shrugged. “Mayhap so. Ye and Ashlynn be set
to go out again this morning, eh?”

“I hope for a quieter day than the ones afore,” Broden
replied, silently wishing for his words to go straight to a god’s, any god’s,
ear as he spoke them. “The new laws should be posted by now. The people will
like as no’ prefer these over martial law.”

“I would hope so,” Ashlynn said as she entered the room.
“They’re much more lenient, after all. Good morning.”

“Morning, lass,” Broden returned. “Where be Ash?”

“He stopped by the kitchen to ask for a picnic basket to be
made up for him and Riana,” Ashlynn responded as she settled herself at the
table. “He said something about not wanting to work on an empty stomach or
having to trek back here to get lunch.”

“A fine notion,” Riana agreed. From her expression, it was
clear she wondered why she had not thought of it before.

“I absolutely cannot wait until that wall is finished
and Ash can go back to building houses.” Ashlynn took a large swallow of
chilled juice before asking, “Riana, how is his progress? I didn’t get a chance
to ask him before he went to bed last night how things were going.”

“They go apace,” Riana assured her. “He seems pleased. He
did say things were no’ going as fast as he’d hoped, but the man be doing the
work of five all by his lonesome, so I do no’ see how he could be quicker than
this.”

“Ash always gives a positive estimate of how long a project
will take, and never considers the worst-case scenario,” Ashlynn warned her.
“So whenever he gives you an estimate like that, add at least three days. In
this case, Edvard and I added a good week to the guess he first gave us.”

“I will mind that,” Riana promised.

They all paused when they heard the rapid clicking of heels
coming their way, the sound staccato against the tiled floor. In the next
moment, Miss Haley stepped into view, looking a trifle flushed, her pristine
hair coming loose so that wispies framed her face. “Excellent, the two of you
are still here.”

Ashlynn lowered her fork and looked at her. “I can tell from
your expression I’m not going to like this. Well, Miss Haley, what trouble is
brewing this morning?” she asked with a too bright smile on her face.

“The laws that you had copied and posted throughout town
this morning are receiving…mixed reactions. Most of the people that are
displeased with them are gathering around the central fountain.”

Broden gave a sour grunt.

Ashlynn let out a more vocal whine. “But the laws are nicer
than living under martial law!”

“Yes, but they are, in some cases, harsher than the Bindings,”
Miss Haley soothed. “Murder and rape, for instance, has a stiffer penalty. Most
of the laws they’re pleased with, but others they’re questioning.”

Ashlynn rolled her eyes to the ceiling, palms flipped up to
face the heavens. “Macha grant me patience. Broden, are you finished?”

He popped the last bit of bread into his mouth before
slinging his quiver on. “Have a good day, daughter.”

“Aye,” Riana responded, tone worried. “Call if ye need us.”

“That we will.” He did not have time to say anything else,
as Ashlynn was already out the door.

They went directly to a town square that he knew well. Ash
had brought them through here on their first day. A fountain stood in the
middle of the street, gushing water in a pretty stream that fell into a shallow
basin. Men and women of every age and trade assembled around it, all talking
among themselves in a low, angry murmur like a gathering storm cloud.

Oh, he did not like the look of this.

Ashlynn, having no sense for danger, popped up to stand on
the fountain’s edge to give herself a slight boost in height. “I’m Sheriff
Fallbright! What’s the problem here?”

A roar met her as people shouted back their answers. The
fine hairs on the back of Broden’s neck stood straight up at their tone. Every
instinct he had told him to grab Ashlynn, sling her over his shoulder, and make
a run for it. It took every ounce of control to stand still.

“One at a time,” Ashlynn responded in irritation, apparently
not worried about their anger. “You. Yes, you in the green shirt. What’s the
problem?”

A towering man that looked to be a carpenter or some such
snapped back, “These laws are worse than the Bindings!”

“How?” Ashlynn asked. “I had a hand in making these laws,
and only two have stiffer sentences than the Bindings. Murder and rape.”

He pointed a finger at her in outrage. “Exactly! These are
dangerous streets, and we don’t even have the right to defend ourselves!”

Ashlynn stared back at him blankly. “What?”

Broden let out a sigh. He’d been afraid of this. That pretty
language of Ash’s might be fit for kings, but the common man could not
understand it. Shaking his head in exasperation, he took a step up to stand
beside Ashlynn. With a deep breath, he gained enough air to bellow out above
the crowd, “I be Broden Ravenscroft, a new citizen of Estole! I be a simple
archer, no’ a lawyer or a king, but I know the laws ye have in yer hands. Will
ye let me explain them to ye so that every man can ken them?”

Ashlynn leaned into his side to whisper, “Why don’t they
understand them? I thought they were totally clear-cut.”

“Aye, lass, if ye ken all those fancy words Ash used,” he
muttered back.

The row of people in the very front eyed him with clear
misgivings. “If you’re a simple archer, then why do you understand them?” one
woman asked, a baby on her hip.

“Because I also had a hand in making them.” He grinned at
her. “Our new king wanted to make sure the common man had a voice in these new
laws.”

Green Shirt waved the paper in his hand and demanded in
outrage, “You agreed to these?!”

“Oh, keep yer hair on, man,” Broden ordered, waving him
down. “The law does no’ say ye can no’ defend yerself. Quite the opposite. It
says that unless a man be defending himself or another, then it be
murder. Only cold-blooded killing deserves the noose.”

The grumbling of the crowd abruptly stilled. A faceless
voice called out, “So we’re allowed to defend ourselves?”

“Aye,” Broden said firmly. “And yer families, yer friends,
and any innocent ye see in trouble. Edvard Knolton would have it no other way.
But mind—this be self-defense and it will no’ pardon ye in matters of revenge.”

They mulled that over for a spell. Ashlynn cleared her
throat and asked, “Is there anyone here that still has a problem with that
law?” Her tone suggested there had better not be, because anyone that did would
be contemplating murder and she’d want to have a word or three with them.

“Isn’t the punishment for rape a little too strong?” another
faceless male voice asked.

“Not at all,” Ashlynn denied with a feral smile. “It was
another common citizen that requested this punishment, by the way, but I agree
with it wholeheartedly. Rape is the worst thing a man can do to a woman. Edvard
also agreed with it. He said that if he ever found out that a man had done that
to one of his sisters, he’d kill the dastard himself. Our king has every
intention of protecting the women in this country the same way he’d protect one
of his sisters. So, men, if you think you can get by with such a heinous act,
think again. Your king will not tolerate it. Worse for you, I will not
tolerate it.”

Broden saw a few men gulp and noted their faces. He’d be
keeping an eye on them. “Now, be there any other law that ye have questions
about?”

They wound up starting from the very top and working their
way down through every law on the paper. Ashlynn cast an amplifying spell on
his throat so that he would not be in danger of losing his voice after shouting
for an hour. Finally, however, they were satisfied, and the crowd broke up of
their own accord. Glad to have that over, Broden hopped lightly to the ground
before extending a hand to Ashlynn.

She took it with a quick, grateful smile and alighted to the
ground. “Thank you. Phew! That didn’t turn out as badly as I’d feared. I’m glad
you were with me, Broden. At first, I didn’t even understand why they were
confused or angry.”

Aye, well, she be an educated woman. Of course she would not
ken ignorance.

“But having you explain it set them at ease. Edvard was
truly wise to have you assigned to me.” She paused and looked up at him
thoughtfully. “Are you sure you don’t want to become permanent partners? I like
Riana just fine, but she doesn’t have the same effect on people that you do,
and I sorely need your intimidation and understanding of people for this job.”

Broden rubbed at the back of his neck and admitted, “I be
thinking the same thing this morning. Me Riana can hold her own in any fight,
but it would always be a fight. A man be no’ intimidated by two pretty girls.”

“You can say that again.” Catching his arm, she looked up at
him through her lashes, a charming smile on her lips. “Will you please be my
partner, Broden? Pretty please?”

He would like to meet a man that could say no to an
invitation like that. Blowing out a breath, he mentally bowed to the
inevitable. “We need to talk it over with Riana and Ash, but aye, lass. If there
be no objections, I will be yer partner.”

Beaming at him brightly enough to put the sun to shame, Ashlynn
threw her arms around his waist to give him an exuberant hug that nearly
squeezed the stuffing out of him. Before he could do more than blink and gasp,
she bounced back again, her hand cupping her earring. “Ash? Ash! Stop building
that wall and meet me at the castle. Broden just agreed to be partners with
me.”

Broden spluttered. “Now, bide, lass, I said we need to talk
it over—”

“And be quick about it, before he changes his mind,” Ashlynn
ordered firmly. Taking hold of his hand, she dragged him back to the castle,
completely ignoring his protests.

Chapter Fourteen

Ashlynn seemed intent on ramming this partnership through before
he had proper time to rethink it, but he could not let her. They returned to
their suite of rooms in the castle, meeting up with Ash and Riana, who were
already there. Before the lass could say much more than hi to her brother, Broden
grabbed his daughter’s arm and drew her out onto the balcony so they could have
a word in private.

“Da, ye sure?” Riana asked him, brows furrowed in
bemusement. “I know we talked about this the other night, but….”

“I know, sweetling.” He let out a breath and wondered how to
explain. “I think it time to make it official. In truth, I’ve just been
dragging me feet.”

“Aye,” she agreed simply. “I knew it the first day, in fact.
But I bided a bit to let ye come to it on yer own.”

And was not that just like the usual. Riana had a sixth
sense about people and animals alike. She knew when to trust them and when to
keep her distance. The fact that she’d taken to Ash and Ashlynn so quickly
should have told him where she stood on the matter. Still, he could not help
but double check, and asked, “So partnering with Ash for a lifetime be fine
with ye, then?”

“Aye. He be an easy man to work with and a kind one to know.
Where be the trouble in that?”

True enough.

“Well enough then.” Satisfied, he turned and entered the room.
“With that sorted, work yer magic.”

The twins were nearly bouncing on their toes in excitement,
faces radiating joy. Seeing that pair of expressions, Broden almost felt guilty
for dragging his feet in making a decision.

The wizards reached out for their partners and drew them
closer. Broden could not keep an eye on what Ash did with Riana, as Ashlynn
demanded his undivided attention with a gentle touch of his chin. He looked her
dead in the eye, not at all able to guess what she’d do next.

“Lean down a little,” she instructed. “Then match your
breathing with mine. The magic between two partners is all about
synchronization.”

Whatever that meant. He nodded as if he understood and bent
enough that their breaths mingled. The position flustered him slightly, as it
was akin to preparing for a kiss, which boggled his mind. The lass was close to
his daughter’s age, for pity’s sake! She was not a candidate for that.

Ashlynn did not seem bothered at all by the position. Her
hands reached up to gently touch his temples, and she started saying a spell of
some sort in that singsong language she used for magic. The air around them
grew dense with glowing swirls, and his skin warmed pleasantly. He found it
hard to not look about him, and to keep his eyes on hers.

The feel of the magic went from pleasant to strange as she
continued. It was not uncomfortable, just odd, outside his ken. It felt
like…well, it felt like every nerve in his body had just awakened. As if he
sensed the world more than saw it. He’d barely gotten used to this feeling when
he abruptly became aware of a heartbeat aside from his own.

Ashlynn?

She smiled at him, and as she smiled, he felt her joy. His
own eyes went wide. Now wait a fool’s minute—no one had told him that
partnering would let him be tied like this to her!

“Shhh,” she soothed. “This is temporary. The bond is almost
complete.”

Temporary? So their link would not always be so obvious in his
head?

He could not get the question out before she said a final
word and a new sensation distracted him. The magic that had swirled around them
closed in and settled on him like a second skin, purring like a contented
kitten. Even that faded a mite, settling into him so that it did not glow, but
the feeling of it remained.

Ashlynn stepped back a half pace and gave him a satisfied
nod. “It’s done.”

He could no longer feel her emotions as before, but he found
that her presence still rested somewhere in the back of his head. He knew she
was there, knew in a general sense how she was. Harboring a suspicion, he
closed his eyes and found that he could mentally point with complete accuracy
where she stood. “Lass. I be thinking ye did no’ explain this partnership
business as well as ye should have.”

She grinned at him without a trace of apology. “You’d never
have agreed to it if I had. You’re too cautious a man.”

He frowned at her. Only to himself could he admit she was
likely right. It’d been wise of her to play it close to her chest.

Glancing to the side, he found Riana staring up at Ash with
a perplexed smile on her face. “Daughter?”

“This feels strange in a way,” she answered without looking
away from Ash. “But Da, I have to think it be for the better. I’d rather know
where he be, at all times, than for him to be in trouble and no’ be able to find
him.”

A point he had not yet considered, but a valid one to make.
Especially in this crowded, confusing city, he’d need all the help he could get
to keep track of his wizard.

“Besides,” Riana added, grin growing, “now I have the sense
of magic on me skin day and night, and I can no’ complain about that. It be
such a nice feeling.”

Well, and what was a man to say to that?

Ashlynn, understanding more now what went through his head,
gave him a pat on the shoulder but did not comment. “Well, with us settled,
let’s get back to work. We have too much to do and not enough time to do it
in.”

For three days, there was blessed peace. At least, for Riana
and Ash there was. They went every day to the far edge of the city and built on
the wall. In that three-day span, Ash finished the northwestern section and
then started on the southern end that would match up with the existing city
gates. For her, it was a welcome break. Out here, away from that crowd of
people, she felt like she could properly breathe.

She discovered that she could talk to Ash as he worked. For
him, building things with magic was akin to building things with actual tools.
He didn’t mind a lively conversation to while away the time. He knew much more
of the world than she, so she peppered him with questions. Often, he’d ask her
just as many, as he had no real experience living in forests or mountains. It
stunned her to realize that he had no notion of how to hunt, or track, or know
the time by looking at the sky.

They had much to learn from each other, and it soothed her
insecurities as she recognized it.

In the evenings, they’d return to the castle with tired
voices and sunburned skin to have dinner with their family and king. Edvard
insisted on having family dinners, which of course included Gwen. Seven years
old she might’ve been, but she ruled the roost. Every sibling she had would’ve
done anything for her.

Even, apparently, start a rebellion.

The peace, unfortunately, was short-lived. Riana and Ash
came back after a long day outside, entering the informal dining room—Riana
still couldn’t figure out how any part of the room was “informal”—to find that
everyone else was there and seated. The mood was grim, oppressive even.
Edvard’s jaw was set in such a way that it suggested he contemplated murder.
Ashlynn looked ready to help him.

Her eyes went to her da and found him rubbing at both
temples, fighting off a headache. “Do I want to know?” she ventured
uncertainly.

“No,” Edvard responded, tone flat. “But you need to. Sit
down, both of you. Which news would you like first? They come in ranking of bad
and worse.”

She and Ash shared a look, not liking the sound of this at
all, as they took their usual seats at the round table. Miss Haley must’ve
sensed that no one was in the mood to eat, as the table was clear of everything
except a plain white tablecloth. There were no dishes set out on the sideboard
either. Even the wall sconces seemed to give off a more muted light than usual.

“I think I want the bad news first,” Ash finally stated.

“We’ve got spies stirring up trouble in Estole,” his twin
answered, fingers tapping out an irritated rhythm on the wood.

“Spies?!” Riana spluttered.

Ashlynn waved this away. “No, we knew that we had spies months
ago. It would be unnatural, really, for Iysh to not plant a few spies and keep
track of what we’re doing. But before this, they were quiet and intent on just
gathering information. We didn’t see that they were really doing anything. Until
the last few days, that is.”

Ash’s brows drew together in a worried frown. “So what have
they been doing?”

“Stirring up trouble,” Broden repeated wearily. “They’ve been
making up lies and rumors about the new laws, convincing folk that the laws be
worse than the Bindings. Half of it be utter rot. The other half be a twisted
version of the truth. All of it makes a man’s head hurt trying to untangle it.”

“The first day the laws came out, there were some negative
reactions to it,” Ashlynn explained. “But Broden figured out quickly that people
just didn’t understand them. So we broke them down, explained them one by one, and
made sure that they were clear in everyone’s minds. But yesterday, it was clear
that they weren’t confused—they were going off hearsay. What they were
parroting to us wasn’t anything close to the laws posted. This morning it
became obvious. Someone is deliberately trying to convince people that Edvard’s
new laws are worse than the Bindings.”

“It’s come to blows more than once,” Broden added sourly,
“and caused minor riots here and there.”

Riana now understood the general feeling of the room. Not to
mention the desire to strangle someone. “So what can be done?”

“Not a thing.” Ash rubbed at his face with both palms as he
spoke. “How can a man fight rumors? He can’t. Not even a king can. Eventually
they’ll die down on their own, but we’ll have to constantly prove the rumors
are false over the next few weeks that. It’ll be frustrating, to say the
least.”

“It might slow the tide of immigrants, though, which would
be a blessing,” Ashlynn joked in black humor.

Well, true. Riana sensed that the problem of the rumors was
nothing more than the surface of the trouble. “If that be the bad news, what be
the worst?”

“King Zelman finally made a move.” Edvard’s rage was
palpable, a living thing that pulsed with every word he spoke. “He’s been quiet
since the last army was defeated. I should have known it meant he was up to
something.”

That answered her question, and yet didn’t. Her eyes went to
Ashlynn in enquiry.

Ashlynn’s eyes were on her brother. “Ash. They’ve taken our
sisters.”

Ash exploded from the table, hands slamming down on the
surface and making everyone jump. “WHAT?!”

“He has Bria, Catriona and Darisa,” Ashlynn rasped, eyes
bright with unshed tears. “We don’t know where he’s put them yet. He just sent
a messenger to us saying that he has them and if we want them safely returned
to their families, we will comply with his demands.”

“His unreasonable and unlawful demands,” Edvard snarled. “Does
he really think that I’m stupid enough to fall for that? He’ll never let me see
them again. No, he’ll hide them away somewhere and use them as leverage against
me until he has me completely cowed. Then he’ll likely—” He clamped his mouth
shut abruptly and glanced down at Gwen, who was listening to this conversation
with wide, terrified eyes. Realizing he was scaring his sister, he put an arm
around her shoulders and drew her to him. “Gwen. I swear to you I’ll bring them
back. They’ll be home again, safe, before you know it.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Ash objected, belatedly taking
his seat again. “Right now we’re standing on a tenuous foundation. You, as the king,
cannot afford to harry off to some other part of the world. We’re barely
managing as it is.”

Edvard, aware of Gwen, didn’t leap for Ash’s throat like he
obviously wanted to. Instead, he spoke through clenched teeth, “I’m not
abandoning them, Ash.”

“I never said you were,” Ash riposted, equally irritated.
“Edvard, what do you think you have Court Wizards for?”

He blinked. Then blinked again, mouth opening and closing
without a sound.

“Edvard,” Ashlynn chided in exasperation, “are we not your
eyes, your ears, your mouthpiece? Are we not an extension of you when you need
us to be? Of course we should go in your stead. This is one situation where you
wouldn’t be of much help anyway. Wherever Zelman has put our sisters is going
to be heavily fortified. That’s obvious. It’s going to take a wizard to break
in to get them. I can guarantee that.”

Gwen unwound herself from Edvard’s side enough to ask in a
small voice, “You’ll go get them?”

“You bet.” Ashlynn gave her a cocky smile. “And I’ll hammer
the idiots that dared to take them in the first place.”

There was apparently no doubt in Gwen’s mind that Ashlynn
would do just that. She released her death grip on Edvard and sat up in her own
seat.

Riana had to admit that both wizards had made valid
arguments. The only question that stood was: “So which of us needs to go?”

The twins looked at each other.

“You’re building a wall around the city,” Ashlynn told Ash.

“Yes, well, you’re Sheriff of Estole. Can you really afford
to go away for weeks?” Ash riposted.

“I’m better at dismantling wards than you are,” Ashlynn
argued.

“And I’ve got faster attack spells than you do.”

“And I be thinking it be no’ yer decision to make, either of
ye,” Broden interrupted. “Edvard, it be yer choice.”

Edvard’s eyes darted between the two of them, obviously at a
loss. “You’re both talented. I know that I could leave this to either one of
you and you’d succeed. I don’t know how to choose between you.”

“Edvard, I could always get a substitute for a few weeks,”
Ashlynn said in a persuasive tone. “Bragdon is basically my left hand out there
in the city. He knows it as well as I do. I trust him to run things while I’m
gone.”

“Bragdon’s a good man,” Edvard allowed. “He’s been one of my
captains for years. But still…”

“The wall doesn’t have to come up right now either,” Ash
added. “It can be delayed a week or so while I go get them.”

“I’m not sure I agree on that.” Ashlynn shook her head
slowly. “How do we know that Zelman isn’t doing this on purpose? Think about
it. He knows that Edvard won’t sit still. He’ll go himself or send one of us.
Either way, it weakens Estole’s fighting force and leaves it more vulnerable to
attack. Zelman might be waiting for such a chance to send a third army to us. I
think we need that wall up, the sooner the better.”

Riana studied Edvard’s expression. It was clear to her that
he agreed with Ashlynn’s point. But he also didn’t like the idea of her being
absent for a time. His nation wasn’t peaceful enough yet to handle a substitute
sheriff well.

Trapped between his two siblings, unsure of what to do, he
focused on Broden. “Why did you say it’s my choice?”

“Because ye be the king,” Broden answered simply.

“Is that really all there is to it?”

Broden’s tone gentled as he counseled, “It be a hard thing,
knowing that ye can no’ go and help those in trouble. Harder still to decide
who to send in yer stead. But Edvard, yer people need ye to think as a king
when ye make that decision. As king, who can ye ill afford to send?”

Chapter Fifteen

Edvard sat there without speaking for several minutes, his
hands covering the lower half of his face as he stared straight ahead, blind to
those around him. The clock on the wall ticked out the seconds, sounding loud
in the silence. No one dared to even breathe loudly as he thought it over.

Finally he blew out a low breath and straightened. “Ash. I
feel that Ashlynn is right. This could very well be a double-pronged attack,
meant to cripple me if I take the bait. I’m inclined to send Ashlynn.”

Ash, somewhat disappointed, nevertheless nodded agreement.
“I understand.”

“My decision might well change,” Edvard soothed him. “Right
now, we’re not even sure where the girls are. It might take me a few weeks of
searching to figure out where he’s hidden them. If you can get the wall
finished before I find them, I’ll send you instead.”

Ash shot Riana a look that she well understood. They’d be
getting up earlier and working later in the day to make sure he’d be ready to
go. She gave him a slight inclination of the head, agreeing to it. She had no
siblings, so couldn’t quite understand the panic these four felt. But if her da
was trapped somewhere far away, someplace she had no knowledge about, she’d be
just as desperate to get to him.

“In the meantime, I’ll send word to our spies to figure out
where he’s put them.” Edvard sat back, weariness evident in every line of his
body. “Ashlynn, Ash, it’d speed things along if you sent the messages for me.”

“Of course,” the twins agreed in unison.

Riana blinked. She’d heard stories of how twins could be so
in tune with the other that they’d speak at the same time, or finish each
other’s sentences. But this was the first time she’d seen such from the wizards.
Most days, they seemed to be at opposites with each other, if not at
loggerheads.

Apparently it took a crisis to get them to see eye to eye on
matters.

Edvard forced a smile. “Well. Nothing more we can do about
this tonight. Let us dine.”

It wasn’t as simple as that, of course. Emotions hardly ever
were. After dinner was picked at and shoved about on their plates, they
unanimously broke apart and went their own ways.

Her da signaled to her with a jerk of the chin to go after
Ash, a pointless gesture on his part, as she’d planned to do so already. It
didn’t take a magical bond to know that the two wizards shouldn’t be left alone
to stew in their own thoughts right now. She shooed him off in Ashlynn’s
direction before quietly following her own wizard.

Ash had explained to her, after the bonding was done, what
the magic was really meant to do. Oh, aye, it let the partners be aware of each
other on a basic level so that one could tell if the other was hurt or lost.
And of course, it allowed the archer to share the wizard’s shields against
magical attacks. But the spell actually allowed the partnership to grow, if the
two involved willed it so. Ash said that if they wanted it to just be an awareness
of each other, then it’d always be just that, and that would be fine. If, at
some point, they wanted more, the spell would become nearly empathic, so that they
would know what the other was feeling. He’d seen that come about between
partners that were also husband and wife. Legend told that one partnership
became so intertwined that the two became telepathic as well, but he’d never
heard of a living pair that had done that.

Her da was barely comfortable with the basic level of partnership.
But Riana secretly wished for the level where she and Ash could feel each
other. Ash was a wonderful man, and she could admit, to her own self, that she
was more than a little besotted with him. So, in the three days since their
bonding, she’d done all she could to will them closer.

Of course, in just three days, her efforts hadn’t born much
fruit. So, as she followed Ash up the stairs to a part of the castle she didn’t
know, it wasn’t their bond that told her how he felt. It was her eyes. He
walked like a man with glass in his shoes, as if he had so much pain that he
could barely cart it around.

Ash finally fetched up against a stone rail outside, on a
little, out-of-the-way balcony that didn’t appear to have much use. He stopped
there, looking out, but Riana didn’t think he saw the view of the moonlit garden.
At the moment, he probably didn’t see much of anything.

From time to time, her da had been like that. So burdened by
pain and guilt that he could barely breathe. She had one surefire technique to
pull him out of it, but she wasn’t sure if it’d work on Ash. On the other hand,
she had nothing else to try.

More than a little hesitant, she came up behind him and
slipped her arms around his waist, head resting on his back. “Ash.”

He let out a shaky breath, body trembling for a moment under
her hands as if he’d just choked back a sob.

Feeling that, she tightened her hold on him. “Ash,” she
rebuked gently, “do no’ fret so. Ye act as if ye stand over their graves, man,
and that no’ be the case. They be alive and well.”

Ash’s head shook violently from side to side. “We don’t
know—”

“Hush,” she said. “We do know that. What good be
hostages if they be dead? Of course Zelman has them alive and squirreled away
somewhere. It would no’ be much of a threat if he’d stuck them in their graves
already.”

Stilling under her hands, he mulled this over for several
long moments. “You really think so?”

“I be from Cloud’s Rest, infamous for its bandits and
criminals,” she pointed out in amusement. “Ye think I do no’ know how bad men
work? Oh, aye, those three be alive and well. Likely mad at being taken from
their families, and worried about what Zelman plans to do to them. But I’d lay
odds he has no’ harmed a hair on their pretty heads.”

“Riana.” He took a breath before turning in her arms to face
her directly, forcing her to drop her hands and take a half-step back. She
almost wished he hadn’t. There was too much pain clouding those pretty blue
eyes. “I know you’re trying to reassure me, but your words are rather
groundless.”

“No, no’ so much,” she denied grimly. “Ye see, if that old
fart of a king be the type to be a true villain, his tactics would be
different. He would have sent the body of one sister with his message to prove
that he would no’ spare the others.”

Ash flinched at her words. “Body?” he whispered hoarsely.

“Aye. Me da and I saw that happen once. But this king, he
only sent a note and a lock of hair, to hear Edvard tell it. Proof enough of
evil doings, aye, but reassuring all the same. He does no’ plan to harm them.
They simply be leverage to make Edvard dance.”

“Yes. Yes, I see your point.” Ash rubbed a hand over his
face, and when he did so, some of the pain and despair drained away. “Then
maybe there’s hope of us getting them back after all.”

“Oh, aye, plenty of it,” she assured him with a feral smile.
“We just need to find them quick-like.”

Hope returned as a small light in his eyes, expression
determined, which was so much better than the agony and despair from before.
“You’re right. Of course, you’re right. We need to get that wall built quickly
so that when Edvard’s spies do find them, we’ll be ready to go.”

“Aye.”

He caught her face in his hands and gently pulled her toward
him so that he could put a warm, chaste kiss on her forehead. Against her skin,
he whispered huskily, “Thank you.”

Beyond startled, she blinked and felt a vivid blush heat her
face. “Ah, eh, ah—welcome.”

Chuckling, he grabbed her hand and towed her back down the
stairs. “Come on. We need to sleep. I’ll be waking you up early tomorrow, and
we’ll be working as soon as there’s a hint of light.”

She followed him down, his warm hand encompassing hers, and
tried her best to get her blush to go away. If her da saw it, well, he was just
as like to shoot Ash first and ask questions later, which wouldn’t do at all.
She fervently wanted to keep her handsome blond intact.

They parted at the main door and went to their separate
bedrooms. She had on a loose shirt and pants for sleeping, her hair brushed
out, and even had her covers warmed up before Ashlynn made it into the room. By
the light of the single candle flickering on the nightstand, she couldn’t see
much of the other girl’s expression. But her posture was better, not slumped
like before. Whatever Broden had said to her, had obviously done some good.

Ashlynn paused just inside the doorway, closing the door
behind her with a soft click. “You’re still up.”

“Aye.”

“Ash?”

“Determined to finish the wall afore we go hunting down yer
sisters.” Riana grinned at her. “If a man could will a job done, he’d have
three walls to show for it.”

Ashlynn snorted in wry amusement. “Yes, that doesn’t
surprise me. I’m amazed he let you near him in that mood, though. Ash has
always had a habit of going into some out-of-the-way corner to grieve when
things go wrong. He rarely lets people comfort him.”

Did he, now. Well, he wouldn’t be able to do that around
her. She’d follow him every time. “And ye, Ashlynn? How fare ye?”

“I’ll survive. I’ve had worse days than this. Not by much, I’ll
grant you.” Ashlynn sank onto the edge of her bed, making the wooden frame
squeak a bit. Arms braced against her knees, she looked Riana dead in the eyes.
“Riana. Don’t discourage Ash, as building the wall will help him pass the time
and keep him from worrying himself to death. But I don’t think he should go.
Even if he completes the wall.”

“Oh? Why?”

“He’s too kind by nature,” Ashlynn admitted with a long
sigh. “Ash has a gentle soul. He only hurts people when he’s truly angry or
when he knows that he has to do so to protect someone else. You should have
seen him after the first battle. It…damaged his soul, I think. He handled the
second one better, but I didn’t like seeing him fight either time.”

Aha. That was why Ashlynn had volunteered so quickly at the
dinner table.

“I’m different,” Ashlynn said, sitting up properly. “I’m
more hot-blooded than he is. I have no problem hurting people. That’s why
Edvard delegated the jobs to us that he did, even though our skill sets are so
similar. He lets Ash create, as that is where his heart is happiest. He lets me
beat up on evil criminals, as that’s what I find satisfaction in.”

“And that be why ye feel it’d be best if ye go.” Riana felt
like the final piece of the puzzle had just slotted into place. “I ken.”

“Do you? Then, watch over him. Let him work, distract him
with other things to build and do to protect people, and try to avoid fighting.
He’s good at it, but not suited for it.”

Riana had no doubt that Ashlynn spoke truth, but she also
had a clear moment of insight. Ashlynn Fallbright was the type of woman to take
all the burdens and place them on her own shoulders rather than let a loved one
suffer in any way. She recognized it easily, as her da was the same way. Oh, a
fine pair these two be. Kindred souls, in a way. No wonder they’d took to each
other so readily.

Putting that aside for now, she promised, “I will do what I
can.”

“Thank you.” Ashlynn ran a hand roughly through her hair,
wincing when her fingers found a knot. “I sent the message to our spies a
moment ago. With the mood Edvard’s in, if we don’t get an answer within a day,
he’ll likely go out and search for one himself. Regardless, I’ll spend tomorrow
prepping for our departure.”

Riana snuggled into her covers as Ashlynn prepared for bed.
As she did, she sent a silent prayer to Regina, Macha, Lugh, and any other god
listening that they’d be able to find the missing sisters and rescue them
safely. She didn’t want these new, precious friends hurt and grieving from the
loss of family.

Chapter Sixteen

It took almost four days for Edvard’s spies to report back
to them.

During that time, Edvard, Ash, and Ashlynn nearly went out
of their minds with worry. Little Gwen, innocent as she was, picked up on the
adults’ mood and constantly clung to someone’s hand or leg for reassurance.
Even Broden picked her up and held her a time or two. She reminded him so much
of his own daughter at that age that he could not help but do so.

After two days, she did not even ask to be held. Gwen wrapped
her arms around his neck, leaning into him, and just held on. She said nary a
word, but her body language communicated her worries clear enough.

Broden rested in a chair in Edvard’s study, Gwen ensconced
in his lap with a very worn-out doll, when a red-faced messenger burst into the
room. Edvard nearly leapt out of his chair, crossing to the man with a hand
outstretched even as he demanded, “Did they find them?”

“Y-y—” The messenger coughed, and drew in several deep,
wheezing breaths before managing, “Yes, sire. We received word just now. Just
one sentence: All three are in Lorand.”

Edvard froze stock-still. “Lorand. Lorand, Trenena?”

Broden felt the urge to swear, and perhaps would have if he
didn’t have a little girl in his lap. “Be Zelman such good friends with the king
of Trenena, then, that he could ask such a favor? Hostages and blackmail be no
trifling business.”

“Taranis take it!” Edvard slammed a fist down on the table,
making the wood crack half-through. “I didn’t think he was. But clearly I was
wrong. You.” He pointed a commanding finger at the messenger. “Go find my wizards
and bring them here.”

“Ash be building on the southern wall,” Broden supplied
helpfully. “Ashlynn be in the kitchen rustling up lunch.”

The messenger, a sandy-haired boy that had not quite reached
adulthood, bobbed a thankful nod at Broden before spinning on his heel and
disappearing through the door in a flash.

Edvard stood staring blankly at the closed door, at a loss.
“Broden. That’s a lot of country to cross to retrieve them.”

“Aye,” Broden agreed heavily.

“My half-brother is the Duke of Dahl. He’ll grant you safe
passage through his lands, so you’ll be fine enough there. But once through
Dahl, you’ll enter the Trenenian foothills and that’s…”

“Fair game,” Broden growled. “I be a-thinking that the
border atween Trenena and Iysh be too thin for me peace of mind.”

Edvard sank into a chair, rubbing his face with an open
hand. “Yes. Curse that dastard Zelman to Lugh’s dungeons and back!”

It’d been a clever move of King Zelman. Broden could
honestly admit that. By putting three political prisoners on another king’s
land, one where Edvard’s influence had no sway, he kept them securely out of
Edvard’s hands. And no one here had any real experience or knowledge of Trenena,
so it’d be hard to retrieve anyone without tipping their hands. Worse, the Trenena-Iysh
border was likely being watched and if they took a straight path to Lorand,
they’d be dancing along that border the entire way. Zelman likely had Iyshian
soldiers lined up along the roads, waiting for them to come, and would try to
either capture or kill them. In all, it was a clever plan.

Zelman might be an ailing king who did not properly take
care of his kingdom, but he was no man’s fool.

Ashlynn hit the door so hard it bounced off the wall with a
crash as she stumbled inside. “We found them?!” she demanded of Edvard.

“Lorand,” he replied curtly.

“LORAND?!” she repeated, flabbergasted. Her eyes went huge,
mouth dropping open as she processed this. Broden could see the calculations
flash across her face, realizing what it all meant, and then her eyes snapped
with anger. “Taranis take that man! Why can’t Zelman be a pompous fool in every
aspect?”

“Because my life would be too simple that way.” Edvard blew
out a breath like a man that had just tried to pick up the world and place it
on his shoulders. “This won’t be easy, getting those three back safely.”

“I’ll go.”

Edvard’s head snapped around. “Ashlynn.”

“I’ll go,” she repeated firmly. “I know that Ash only has
another day or so before the wall is finished, but Edvard, we both know that
I’m better suited for this.”

Edvard did not openly agree with her, but his expression
said he knew she was right.

Seeing that he needed another excuse for choosing between
the twins, Broden cleared his throat and offered, “A trip to Lorand and back,
how long do ye reckon it will take?”

“Eh,” Edvard paused and thought about it before saying, “Two
weeks? Straight there and back.”

“Then ye can no’ afford to send Ash. The city be overrun
with tents, and new people be coming in by the day. We need those new houses
quick-like. In fact, I be a-thinking that half the problems we have in this
city will be solved as soon as we get people sorted into their own homes.
Another two-week delay in building would be inviting more trouble.” He sent a
subtle wink at his wizard-partner before adding solemnly, “Best me and the lass
go. We can be spared two weeks without much harm done.”

Edvard studied him through narrowed eyes. “Is that the only
reason?”

“I be Trenenian,” Broden tacked on calmly. “I know the
customs and language.”

“Your ancestors were Trenenian, and that was a good ten
generations ago,” Edvard pointed out, a hint of a smile playing at the corners
of his mouth. He knew good and well he was being fed rationalizations. “I think
the culture has changed since then, my friend.”

“Well, as to that, there be truth in it.”

“But you don’t want your little girl out there fighting who
knows how many soldiers.”

“What be ye on, man, to say the obvious?”

Edvard snorted, amused. “Fine. You two win. I think you’re
the better pair to send anyway. Get ready to go. Ashlynn. Take at least ten men
with you.”

“Five,” she immediately countered.

“FIVE?” he blustered, shocked. “Don’t you want more than
that?”

She ticked off the points on her fingers. “You can’t spare
more than five, a party of over ten—which is what we’ll have on the way back—is
harder to move quickly through foreign soil, and the expertise I need to sneak
in and out of a city can be found in just five men. Five.”

“I’d feel better if you had ten.”

“That’s nice. I’ll take five.” Ashlynn quirked an eyebrow at
him, taunting him to challenge.

“Ashlynn, I don’t want to trade one of my sisters for the
other three—” Edvard started to protest as Ash and Riana skidded into the room.
It was clear from the heavy way Ash was breathing that they’d sprinted the
entire distance here. Riana looked only a bit short of breath, face flushed
from the exertion, but she was used to running about more than her wizard.

“Where?” Ash panted out.

“Lorand,” his twin informed him succinctly.

Ash’s eyes crossed. “How are we supposed to get them back safely
from there?”

“I’ll figure it out on the way.” Ashlynn motioned for Broden
to get out of his chair. “Edvard, I leave within the hour. Bragdon is already
aware of what to do while I’m gone.”

“Wait, I’m close to finishing the wall!” Ash protested.

She shook a finger at him, the gesture playful. “But it’s
not done. You lose. I get to go. Bye!”

“Edvard!” Ash wailed.

“Sorry.” Edvard spread his hands out apologetically. “But
she really is freer to move about at the moment than you are. Even if the wall
was finished, I’d still hesitate, because we have such a housing problem at the
moment. We really need those houses built before things get worse.”

Not gaining any sympathy or support from any side, Ash’s
shoulders slumped in defeat. Riana put a hand on his shoulder, comforting, but
it was clear from her face that she had not felt he should go either. Broden
found that interesting. Now when had his daughter come to that conclusion?

He could not turn his attention to it now. Ashlynn was
already at the door, waiting for him, her toe tapping an impatient rhythm on
the carpet. Standing, he put Gwen on her own feet and promised her in a low
tone, “It be off to fetch yer sisters back, I be. Keep watch for us, now. We
will be back in a fortnight’s time.”

She looked up at him with solemn blue eyes. “Promise?”

Broden put a gentle hand on her head. “Aye, lass. I will
bring the lot of them home, or I be the son of a goat.”

She giggled as he’d wanted her to, and her face lit up with
a brief smile. “Safe journey?”

“Ah, thank ye, lass.” With a last pat on her curls, he
turned to his own little girl and admonished, “No charming the lads while me
back be turned.”

Riana mock-pouted at him. “Ye take all the joy out of life,
Da.”

“It be me job to.” Winking at her, he followed Ashlynn out
the door, mentally preparing a list of things to do, and planning the quickest
way to go about it.

For he had no doubt that when Ashlynn said that they’d leave
within an hour they would do just that.

Ashlynn gathered the supplies and men she wanted with such
efficiency that it would’ve made any army commander groan with envy. Even
Broden, who’d helped her prep for this journey, marveled at the speed with
which she moved. It did not take her an hour. It took half that.

The sky was clear, the wind still, so it promised to be a
fair day for traveling, and he blessed the gods for that small favor. He sat on
the back of a horse in the stableyard, looking about him at the small party
that Ashlynn had assembled. He’d worked with almost every person here at least
once, and knew them to be good people. Handpicked as they were, he had not
expected anything different.

Amber Bragdon—sister to Captain Jim Bragdon—sat on the horse
next to his with a tightness to her mouth that said she knew the journey ahead
would not be an easy one. She looked like her brother, actually. Same thin,
straight nose, dark eyes and hair, olive skin. Even her tall, lanky build was
the same. Ashlynn had recruited her because of the lass’s ability with the
quarterstaff. Apparently no swordsman in all of Estole could beat her.

Next to her, not yet mounted, stood Konrath. Sandy-brown
hair, hazel eyes, swarthy skin, he looked like a reformed bandit. In fact, he
was an ex-soldier of Iysh, one that had defected when Edvard declared Estole’s
independence. Ashlynn said he was in both battles against Iysh and was a solid
fighter. But Broden had an inkling the lass wanted him because of his knowledge
of Iysh’s tactics.

“Master Broden, is this the whole party?” Tant asked him,
kneeing his horse around to sit side by side.

Tant had to be the youngest of the group by at least five
years, making him barely old enough to hold a position as a guardsman. Broden
did not count his youth against him, though. Tant had the build of a
blacksmith, all stocky muscle packed into his short frame. He’d seen the lad
stop two taller men in their tracks by clotheslining them earlier that week.
This was one man he was glad to have at his back. So he smiled when he
answered, “Aye, lad. Ashlynn claims a small party will make fast and snell a
journey. Any larger, she be afraid it would slow us down and attract the wrong
sort of attention.”

Tant frowned and looked them over. “Just us five?”

“No, lad. Marissa Allyn and Seth Feibelman be joining us.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth, they showed up, jogging toward their
horses with saddlebags and weapons in hand. Seth he knew well, as he’d met him on
the first day of business. But Marissa Allyn he’d only heard tale of. He gave
her an appraising eye as she moved.

Build of a dancer, that one. Not particularly tall or short,
she was lean of limb and face, blonde hair drawn back tight into a high ponytail.
Ashlynn said she wanted her as the lass could climb anything. But Broden had a
notion or two that Marissa Allyn could make any man flinch if she had that
short sword in hand.

Glancing over, he asked Tant in a low tone, “What think ye,
lad?”

Tant looked around for a full second before grudgingly
admitting, “If I only had five people to choose, these would be some of the top
people I’d want. Although, no offense to Amber, but I think I’d prefer her
brother instead. I’ve worked with him before.”

“And Amber?”

“I only know of her,” Tant said, flipping up a hand in an
open shrug. “I’ve never sparred with her or served next to her. I don’t know
how she fights. I’ve heard she’s wicked with that staff of hers, though.”
Pausing, he eyed Broden sideways before adding, “I know as much about you as I
do about her.”

Well, now, that put a man in his place. Broden gave a slight
shrug of his shoulders. “We’d best learn about each other quick-like, then.”

Ashlynn pivoted about in her saddle, taking everyone in.
Satisfied, she raised her voice and said, “Alright, does everyone have their
vocal rods on?”

Broden tapped the rectangular necklace on his neck that was
akin to the one Ashlynn wore. “Aye, lass, we all have them.”

“These are limited,” she admitted sourly. “Outside of a
mile’s range, I won’t be able to hear you. They’ll also only last about a day
at a time before I need to re-do the spell. So keep track of that. Now, here’s
the plan. I don’t want to chance the foothills any more than I have to, so
we’ll go through Dahl and around the foothills until we connect to the Eastern
Highway. Pray that we don’t run into Iyshian soldiers as we ride. We have a
very limited time frame to get my sisters out of there before Iysh figures out
that we know where they are.”

Konrath cleared his throat. “Do we know where they are?”

“Lorand,” Broden supplied.

“Yes, but where in the city? That’s not a small place.”

Ashlynn’s mouth flattened into a humorless smile. “I know.
The spy that sent us the message could only afford to send a few words. I’m
hoping that when we get down there, we can meet with him and he’ll tell us
more. For now, we ride hard and get there as quickly as we can.” She stood in
her stirrups to get a better view of all of them. “Are we all ready?”

A chorus of assents answered her.

“Good. Let’s ride.”

Chapter Seventeen

They did not stop riding until the sun had practically set.
Ashlynn made up for the loss of light by throwing up several “mage lights,” or
so she called them. They were nothing more than glowing orbs that hung about in
the air like detached lanterns. They gave them plenty of light to see by as
they set up a rough camp in a shallow depression off the road. Broden blessed
the fact they were still in the warm season, as it would be a bitterly cold
camp otherwise.

There was not much cover here. They had not yet reached the
foothills, but the low rises could be seen easily in the distance. Right now,
they were still in Dahl, getting close to the Trenenian border. The land was
all flat, grassland or farmland, and long stretches of empty highway. It was
not a cold night, but the wind had nothing to stop it, so it cut right through
to the bones and made a man glad he had a jacket.

Someone—likely Miss Haley—had packed them some good travel
food, so they did not try to cook that night. They still got a fire going,
though, for warmth and hot tea. Broden saw to his horse, rolled out his
bedding, and then creaked into a comfortable seat near the fire. Lovenanty!
Eight straight hours in a saddle took a toll on a man. But they had not left
until midday, which meant that on the morrow, they’d no doubt be riding twelve
hours instead. If eight hours was making him creak about like an old man, then
tomorrow would not be a bit pleasant.

Ashlynn dropped down heavily right next to him, a sandwich
in one hand and a steaming mug of tea in the other. She did not say a word as
she devoured the food in quick bites. He glanced at her as he ate, slower than
she. It was nerves, he judged, that made her rush through everything.

“Pace yerself, lass.”

She paused with the mug hovering in front of her mouth, and
her eyes cut sideways to look at him. “What?”

“Pace yerself,” he repeated patiently. “This nervous energy
ye have be making ye jump about, but it will no’ do ye a lick of good in the
end. Conserve that energy so that it will be there when ye have need of it.”

For a moment, he did not think that she would listen to him.
She finished the last bite of her dinner before washing it down with the whole
mug in one quick gulp. But then she stopped dead, so still that a statue would
have looked livelier. “Broden.”

“Eh?”

“Riana said that you have seen hostage situations before.”

“Oh, aye. A half-dozen or so. Bandits think ransoming be
easy money.”

Ashlynn twisted to face him directly, focusing on him with
such intensity it started to alarm him. “She also said that the girls would be
safe if we could get to them quickly enough. That if Zelman were a truly evil
man, he would have killed one of the girls already to prove what he would do to
the others if we didn’t cooperate.”

It was not a point that he himself would have told either of
the twins. It seemed a harsh thing to say to people already near crazy with
worry. Broden wondered at his daughter for sharing that information. But mayhap
she’d done so to prove to them that it was not the worst-case scenario. “Aye,”
he finally admitted.

“Do you believe she’s right?”

“Lass,” he said gently, “I would no’ have come otherwise.
It’d be a fool’s errand to come if I did no’ think we could save them.”

Her eyes shut with abject relief. “We’ve never had this
happen before. I have no experience with it. But if you think there’s a good
chance…” she trailed off, not needing to finish that sentence.

She needed something else to think about. “Tell me about
them,” Broden suggested, not entirely to distract her. “How be they related to
ye?”

“Well, they aren’t,” she said. “Not directly. We’re related
through Edvard—that’s usually the case. But two of them, Bria and Catriona, I
grew up with. They lived on the same street as I did. We were regular playmates
until we all hit our teens. Then Bria went to Honora with her family, and Catriona
went to Senn when her grandparents started ailing. I haven’t seen either of
them face to face in about four years.”

Sitting back, some of the tension bled out of her face and
voice as she talked. “Darisa I’ve only met once, about six months ago. She’s
lived in Kremser with her mother her entire life. Unlike the rest of the girls,
she did not take after Edvard’s father in looks. She’s as fair as I am. I only
got to spend the day with her, but I liked her. She was sweet-natured and
spunky.” Her voice fell as she recounted, “Once Edvard turned sixteen, he started
spending one month a year visiting them. He’d go to each of their homes and
stay a few days, making sure they were alright and had everything they needed.
He did that right before he broke away from Iysh, too, as he wasn’t sure how
long it would be before he could see them again. If he’d possessed any idea of
what Zelman would do to them…”

“It be the curse of hindsight.” Broden looked up at the
starlit sky. Well, that was one question answered for him: how had Zelman
gotten hold of these girls? Simple. They were not in Estole. They were in
different parts of Iysh. All he had to do was send his soldiers out for them,
and no citizen of his country would have dared to refuse handing them over.

“Broden.” Ashlynn also stared up at the stars as she asked,
“What exactly is your experience? You’ve told me bits and pieces, but I have no
idea what you’ve seen or what work you’ve done.”

It was a question he’d not been asked before, at least not
by Ashlynn. Understanding her need to know, he dropped his head down to look at
her as he answered. “As to that, I’d been guarding caravans up and down the
mountain every two years or so. We never got further than the river, though. In
me younger days, I went further than that, all the way to Senn.” Now that
meager distance seemed a ridiculously short trip. “Hmm, I went all over The
Land Northward, of course. Hunting, mostly. I’d trade furs and the like with
the caravans when they came up. Made decent money at it. As for fighting
experience, well, there be bandit gangs and one pirate town near Cloud’s Rest.”

“Pirates?” Ashlynn asked in surprise.

“Oh, further on the coast, ye ken,” he explained with a
simple shrug. “During the winter months, they hole up there. There not be much
to the place, and it be little larger than Cloud’s Rest. I went there a time or
three in me younger days to help people get back hostages.” Riana he had not
let anywhere near it. “But the bandits be thick up there, thick as trees. There
be five gangs last I counted, all with a good fifty men in each. They pick on
caravans, travelers, miners, loggers, but mostly on each other. We had
territorial wars break out now and again, and when that happened, no man
stepped outside of the village without hiring guards.” Which was mostly how he
and Riana had survived up there. Even though the villagers hated them, when
those gang wars broke out, the archers were in high demand as escorts.

She ticked things off on her fingers. “So you’ve fought
bandits, pirates, and the like. You’ve guarded everything from small groups to
large caravans. You have experience in hostage situations and hunting in the
wilderness. Does that cover it?”

“Aye, in a nutshell.”

“Hmmm.” A slight smile grew on her face. “So really, the
thing that you have the least experience with is cities. No wonder you were so
lost the first few weeks in Estole.”

He grunted sourly and did not respond.

Everyone in the group had more or less picked up on
Ashlynn’s mood during the course of the day’s ride. Most had given her a wide
berth, and Broden did not blame them for it. But Marissa proved to be of
sterner making, and when she saw the two of them conversing quietly by the
fire, she dared to come and join them, a mug in her hand that she nursed with
quick sips.

“Ashlynn? We’ve all got a few questions we need answered.”

Ashlynn looked up, eyes taking in the crowd of silent faces,
and blew out a long breath before nodding. “Yes. Sorry, we took off so quickly that
I didn’t give any of you a proper idea of what to expect, did I? Actually,” she
turned to Broden, “you might have a better idea of what we’ll run into than I
at this point.”

Marissa’s eyes traveled to him, and from the way she
regarded him, it was clear she did not know what to think of the unknown
archer. “Is that so.”

“I be somewhat experienced in getting people back from the
clutches of evil men,” he answered dryly. “All of ye gather. I will tell ye
what little I know, and a few guesses.” It took mere moments for them to come
closer, some sitting cross-legged in front of him, others choosing to stand.
Satisfied, he began, “First, assume the girls be safe and dry, as they belike be.
If Zelman meant them harm, he would have proved that with his message, no’ sent
along locks of hair.”

There were more than a few covert exhalations from the
group, which Broden chose to ignore. It seemed some had assumed this was a
fool’s errand and were glad to hear they were wrong to assume such.

“Now, it be no stretch of the imagination why Zelman took
them to begin with. Our guess be this: he’s set at least one trap and be biding
for us to fall into it. If we make it all the way to Lorand without stumbling
into an ambush, I will be pleasantly surprised. Belike we will run into
several. Zelman likely knows that Edvard would either go for his sisters
himself—”

“Or send one of his wizard-siblings in his stead,” Konrath
finished quietly. “Yes, you’re quite right on all accounts. If nothing else,
it’s a prime opportunity to take away part of Edvard’s fighting force.”

“Aye,” Broden agreed simply. “He like as no’ will try to attack
while one of the wizards be away, or at least, in his shoes, I would. So, fast
and snell we go, so that we can come back quick-like afore real trouble hits.”

“We found them too quickly, too easily,” Ashlynn added
solemnly, eyes clouded with worry. “I’m afraid that they’re obvious bait. But
even if they are, we can’t leave them there. So we’re going. But like Broden
said, we’re going to go as quickly as we can and return before Estole gets hit
with any sudden attacks. Now, despite the fact that we found them easily, I
don’t expect it to be easy getting them out again. If Zelman has any sense
whatsoever, the place he’s put them will have a great many magical wards and
traps around it. I’ll be responsible for those, but I can’t have anyone doing
reconnaissance until I’ve found a way around them. So I don’t want anyone
playing hero, got it?”

Getting a general assent, she continued, “Also, we do this
as covertly as possible. We’re going into a foreign land where we have no
support, and few friends. I don’t want to make any trouble we’re ill-equipped
to deal with. So keep yourselves close to the group, don’t drink, and don’t
provoke any fights.”

Seth cleared his throat to get her attention. “If you had to
guess, where will they be?”

“Somewhere easily fortified. A place where the girls can be
kept separate from everyone else without rousing any suspicions or questions. I
wouldn’t think they’d be in the center of town, but somewhere just outside of
it. Possibly on the outskirts.” She looked to Broden. “Am I right?”

“Aye, lass, I think so. One thing more—we can no’ just
charge in, snatch up the girls, and go. We need information in order to be
quick and quiet. So I will need to teach ye a few things about the culture so ye
know how to approach people right. We will need help when we get there.”

“I know that you said Cloud’s Rest was formed by Trenenians
several generations ago,” Tant said, clearly confused, “but hasn’t the culture
changed in Trenena since then?”

“Well, aye. It belike has. In many a way, in fact. But I will
keep me ears open as we go in and see if certain things still be the same. At
least, when it comes to asking a man for a favor, it belike has no’ changed.”

Ashlynn frowned at her partner. “But we have a spy in the
city—”

Broden shook his head, cutting her off. “No, lass. Do no’
depend on one man to know all. That be a recipe for disaster. We need to spend
a day, at least, talking to the people and knowing what they know. Greet a man,
he will smile at you. Win a man’s trust, he will complain to you, and it be the
complaints we need to hear. They will tell us more than the spy can.”

Amber snorted. “You know, he makes a good point. And
Ashlynn, I’d personally feel better if we spent a day gathering intel before we
tried to break into a heavily defended fortress. Especially since there’s only
seven of us.”

“Seven people that have not worked together before,” Konrath
added in an undertone that everyone clearly heard.

Surrendering, Ashlynn raised her hands in the air. “Fine.
You all make a good point. We need to pace ourselves, eh.” She shot a look at
Broden, who shrugged back unrepentantly. “Then we’ll plan to spend a day in the
city once we reach Lorand. For now, sleep. We’re up at dawn’s light to ride.”

Broden was not one to sleep heavily when in an unfortified
place, even if he did have friends standing watch. He kept his dagger and bow
close as he rolled into his bed, and kept himself in a light sleep—light enough
that his eyes snapped open at the first hint of hoofbeats thundering toward
them.

It was a very strange thing indeed for a man to risk neck
and horse riding about this late at night. Why, it be close enough to midnight
to question why a man be out on the road at all.

Smoothly, he rolled out of his bedroll and onto his feet,
then regretted it as sore muscles twinged. Grimacing in pain, he nevertheless
scooped five arrows out of his quiver and set them in his hand, drawing one free
and nocking it before joining Amber where she stood. The woman had her staff in
hand, eyes narrowed in the darkness as she tried vainly to see who was coming.

“How many?” he asked quietly.

“Four or five, I think,” she answered slowly. “I can’t
properly see them, that’s just my gut reaction from the sound. Who would travel
around at this speed so late at night? You can’t see the road!”

“Aye, they will like as no’ break a leg at the pace they be
setting.” Which meant that they were desperate to cover distance for some
reason. It could be these travelers had no interest in their group, but Broden
was a paranoid man and he would not take bets on it. Turning his head, he
called, “Ashlynn.”

His wizard snapped awake and lifted up onto one elbow.
“What?”

“We be getting visitors.” Broden inclined his head toward
the noise.

She rose without a word and came to stand by his side. As
she moved, the whole camp came awake and most at least sat up, their weapons in
hand, waiting to see if it was danger riding toward them or not.

The group of five thundered ever closer, and as they did,
the light from the fire lit up their silhouettes. Broden raised his bow to its full
extension, aiming for the man in the lead. Ashlynn, he was pleased to note,
drew a spell in the air and held it there, ready to fire if necessary. They
waited in silence, eyes locked on the riders.

Ten feet or so from the group, they reined to a sharp halt,
the back hooves of the horses digging into the ground and sliding in the soft
soil. “Ashlynn!” a man’s deep voice boomed out.

Instantly, the spell in her hand faded as she responded in
surprise, “Tierone?!”

Broden blinked. Tierone of Dahl, Edvard’s older
half-brother? Storm and winds, what was the man doing riding like that in pitch
darkness?

Tierone lost no time in dismounting and striding forward. As
he came into reach of the firelight, Broden took his measure of the man. Aside
from that inky-black hair, he and Edvard did not look kin at all. Tierone was a
towering figure of a man, bulky with muscle that was obvious even under his
well-tailored black suit. This was the Duke of Dahl? He looked more like a
lumberjack.

“Ashlynn, what is going on?” he demanded, grabbing her by
both shoulders. “I got a message from Edvard two days ago saying that Bria,
Darisa and Catriona have been kidnapped and are being held hostage by Zelman.
Then this afternoon, my guards reported seeing you and this group tearing
through my lands in a blazing hurry, heading south. Did you find where Zelman
put them?!”

“Yes. We know which city they’re in, at least.”

Broden belatedly relaxed his stance and folded the arrow
back in with the rest, holding them easily in his hand.

They stood silently by as Ashlynn quickly filled her
blood-brother in. Broden studied the riders as they talked, and saw patches of
sweat on the horses’ hides. They must have been riding hard for hours straining
to catch up.

Tierone’s expression was hard to read by firelight, but the
way his jaw was set and his hands clenched into angry fists was easy to see. By
the time Ashlynn was done, the man was shaking his head in tiny jerks, as if he
wanted to deny everything.

“Why?” he gritted out around a clenched jaw. “Why take them?
Leverage over Edvard?”

“It be a sound ploy, in the Iyshian king’s eyes,” Broden
pointed out flatly. “It be family that drove Edvard to rebel, after all. So
what better way to make the man obey again than to keep his sisters hostage?”

Ashlynn snarled, “Unfortunately true.”

“I’m sorry,” Tierone said cautiously, with narrowed eyes,
“who might you be?”

“Broden Ravenscroft,” he introduced himself before jerking a
thumb in Ashlynn’s direction. “Her partner.”

“P-partner?!” Tierone spluttered. “When did this happen?”

“Three weeks ago,” Ashlynn said with supreme satisfaction.

“Nay, lass,” Broden objected. “It’s been less time than
that. Five days, give or take.”

She snorted. “You were mine the minute I met you, Broden. We
both know that.”

He opened his mouth to protest only to find he could not
think of a single word to say. Amused, he simply shrugged and let it bide.

Clearly, Tierone did not know what to think about this. He
had other things preying on his mind that he had to deal with first. Broden
could almost see him shelve their partnership to be revisited later. “Ashlynn.
Tell me that you’re not going after our sisters with just this little group.”

“I have a better chance of getting in and out quickly than
if I took an army. We both know that.” Ashlynn softened her tone a hair and
repeated, “We know that we cannot afford to deploy an army when it’s taking
every man we have to hold our borders. That’s why Edvard sent me.”

Tierone went very still, staring off into the distance as he
thought it all through. He could not argue that Ashlynn was not worth twenty
fighting men all by herself, not after the damage she’d done in two different
battles. “Perhaps you are right.”

Broden freely admitted that Riana got her meddling spirit from
him. It seemed like he could not help himself sometimes, and this was one of
them.

“Duke of Dahl, it seems queer to me that ye be loyal to Iysh
still. Does no’ the capture of yer sisters anger ye?”

Ashlynn waved a hand near her thigh, a silent Don’t ask
that question right now sign, but it was already out.

Tierone looked him dead in the eye as he asked, “Who are you
to ask?”

“I be yer blood-sister’s partner, sworn to protect her. I be
the father of Riana Ravenscroft, new citizen of Estole and Ash’s partner,” he
answered without a trace of apology in his tone. “New I be to Estole, but she
be home to me now, and I wish to protect her. And so I ask ye, Tierone of Dahl,
why be ye loyal to a man that would kidnap yer family?”

Tierone stared him down for several painfully long seconds,
the silence stretching between them so tight that it nearly hummed. Then he let
out a soft, “heh” before relaxing a hair. “I now understand why Ashlynn likes
you. You’re just as blunt as she is. Well, Master Broden, I’ll tell you
honestly that at first, I didn’t understand why Edvard was so bent on
separating from Iysh. It seemed foolhardy to me. But over the past few months,
I’ve slowly seen what he’s done, and I feel that I now understand why he made
the decision he did.”

Ashlynn licked her lips, eyes wide with hope. “Then, will
you join us? Tierone.”

His eyes shifted to her, expression unreadable. “It’s bad
enough Zelman has kidnapped my family without saying a word to me. I realize
that they’re Edvard’s sisters, but they’re mine too. He should have at least
sent me an apology or offered to let me hold them captive, instead of sending
them to Lorand. But if he’s willing to do this to me, then what is he capable
of doing to his citizens without conscience? No. I think my time of loyalty to
him is at an end. I will join you, Ashlynn.”

Beaming, she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him
tightly. “I’m so glad.”

He patted her on the head indulgently, expression soft as he
looked down at her. “I know. Edvard will be delighted when I tell him. But
let’s keep this between ourselves for now. There are games afoot that I want to
know about and unravel before they hurt not only Estole, but Dahl as well. I
will declare my rebellion at a later time. Right now, let us focus on getting our
sisters back. What is your plan?”

Ashlynn outlined it in quick, broad strokes before finishing
with, “We can’t plan more than this without detailed information, which we
don’t have at the moment.”

Tierone nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, I see the problem. Alright,
I’ll let you go for now, but keep me posted on your progress. If the situation
doesn’t turn out as you expect it to, I’ll send down men to help you break them
free.”

“Should I contact Lorcan?”

“Yes, do so. I would have brought him with me, only he was
on the other side of Dahl when I was told you were riding through my lands.”
Tierone looked about ruefully. “I was too impulsive, it seems. Now I’m out here
in the middle of nowhere with no mage light to get home by, or any equipment to
sleep here tonight.”

“I can attach mage lights to the tops of your heads,”
Ashlynn offered. “They’ll only last about three hours, though.”

“It’s two getting home, so that should suffice. Thank you.
I’d rather not stay out here, not when there’s so much to be done.” With a last
pat on her head, Tierone turned to Broden and said mildly, “When the
opportunity presents itself, we will speak further, Master Broden.” His tone
promised that the opportunity would present itself, and soon.

Broden inclined his head, partially in agreement, partially
in farewell. Edvard and Tierone might not look kin, but their protective
instincts where family was concerned was apparently one trait they shared. This
man did not like that an unknown man was partnered with his blood-sister.
Broden fully anticipated an interrogation at some point in the near future.

Ashlynn fixed the glowing mage lights onto everyone’s head,
as well as the horses’, before Tierone’s group remounted and headed off. Fortunately,
at a slower pace than the one they had come in on.

As they left, Amber leaned in and asked in a low tone,
“Broden, do you normally greet people with an arrow in their face?”

Broden blinked at her, all innocence. “Aye, lass. Problem?”

This must have tickled her funny bone, as Amber’s face split
into a slow grin. “I now understand why you and Ashlynn get along so well.”

“Does the same thing, does she?”

“The magical version of it, yes. Ha! If that’s the way you
two think, I almost feel sorry for the criminals in Estole.” Amused at the
thought, she went to the fire and fetched a mug of tea.

Broden personally did not see an issue with being well
prepared to meet unexpected guests. As long as he did not shoot anyone he
should not, where was the problem?

Chapter Eighteen

The next day of riding was just as brutal as Broden had
feared it’d be. Ashlynn had them all up before the birds were even properly
awake, her fear for her sisters pushing her hard. No one argued or complained,
just winced as abused muscles protested.

Broden would admit, if asked, that his eyes could not see
into the distance as well as his daughter’s. That was not to say that his
vision was poor. She just had good eyes, was all. He kept his peeled and on the
terrain around them as they rode, half out of habit, half out of fear that Iyshian
soldiers might well be lying in wait for them. Ashlynn had taken them onto the
highway, away from the foothills, but they were still within a stone’s throw.
It was an easy enough place to hide a platoon of soldiers.

They went most of the morning without seeing a hint of
trouble. The day warmed up considerably, and the traffic on the highway picked
up as well. Caravans of trading goods, outriders, and couriers all passed them
with friendly waves and hellos. They’d just left Dahl and Iyshian territory, so
that friendliness might disappear soon.

Rounding a large curve, they saw nothing ahead of them
except clear highway. Broden was considering lunch and a good place to stop and
take a short break when he caught something strange out of the corner of his
eye. It was sheer instinct that had him yelling out, “Ashlynn! RIGHT!”

Within a split second, several things all happened at once.
His mage shield, courtesy of his wizard-partner, snapped up around him with an
audible hum, like a flight of hummingbirds. He barely registered it when
something hard impacted against the shield with a crack and splintered, pieces
flying off in every direction. Broden did not think it was an arrow or anything
like that, but some sort of magical attack.

He did not question it or try to figure it out. He slung his
bow off his back, grabbed an arrow, and kneed the horse about so that he could
have a clear shot at the ambushers already making their way to them.

Ashlynn swore even as she fired off a spell. “CIRCLE ABOUT!”

Broden saw sense in the order as she gave it. On this
relatively flat space of highway, they had nothing to use for cover, and people
could easily get to them from behind. But if they formed a circle, watching each
other’s backs, they had a better chance of living through this. He directed his
horse with knees and heels to come in closer to Ashlynn’s side with Seth on his
right.

They were barely in formation before the ambushers impacted
with them, charging at full speed, swords waving. Broden stood in his stirrups
and fired off two arrows in quick succession, picking riders out of their
saddles. With the way they swarmed about the group, he could not get a firm
grasp on their number. But he did not need to. His job was to protect
everyone’s back and to make sure that no weapon got anywhere near Ashlynn.

She had enough trouble as it was.

There was one wizard in the group, a too-thin man that
looked like a raven perched on his horse. He remained safely away from the
fighting, sitting calmly as he fired off one attack spell after another, all
aimed to weaken Ashlynn’s shield. She was grimly fending off each attack and
firing her own when she had breath to do so. Broden spared her a glance in between
shooting the soldiers trying to get to her. From the sweat dewing her forehead
and the frantic speed that she worked her magic, this was a tough opponent.

Broden was very afraid she would not be able to defeat him.

He killed two more soldiers that got within clear range of
his bow, thoughts racing as he fired. After spending three weeks around wizards,
he had a little knowledge of how magic worked. Ashlynn had said once that magic
was not infinite—it depended on the strength of the caster. If the caster was
weak or tired enough, the magic would falter. Right now, it was a question of
stamina, he judged. How long could Ashlynn fight afore sheer fatigue drained
her of magic?

There was a small break, not more than five seconds where
most of the opponents he could get a clear line on where already fighting
someone else. Broden saw in those five seconds that neither wizard was paying
any attention to the other fighters—Ashlynn, because she trusted that Broden
would protect her from conventional weapons. The Iyshian wizard, because none
of their group could get anywhere near him.

It might wound the lass’s pride a mite, but he could not
just sit there and let her get hurt, even if it was another wizard she fought
against.

Broden flipped an arrow in his hand with seamless efficiency
and took aim, fletching to ear, and fired—straight at the Iyshian wizard’s
chest.

Despite everything that Broden had been told about a wizard’s
weapon shield and magic shield not being compatible, and a wizard not being
able to defend himself against both at once, he really did not expect his arrow
to go through the man’s shield. Well, maybe he only half expected it. If
nothing else, he reasoned that the arrow might prove a good distraction for
Ashlynn to take advantage of.

But to his surprise, the arrow went through the protective
shield around the Iyshian wizard as if it was not even there. With a meaty thunk,
it hit him right in the chest. The man did not even have time to grunt, or
gasp, or say a word. He just toppled over sideways, dead before he hit the
ground.

Ashlynn paused with a spell half-formed on her lips and looked
at Broden in shock.

Shrugging, he admitted sheepishly, “I did no’ think that
would work.”

For a second, she just stared at him with wide eyes. Then
her chest jerked with a silent giggle before she lost it entirely and laughed
aloud.

A laughing woman is an odd sight on any battlefield, even
one as small as this. The other fighters took notice of her, some of them
slowing or disengaging completely, the Iyshian soldiers retreating several
feet, trying to figure out what was going on. One of them saw their fallen wizard,
and then panic spread. They did not like the idea of fighting a wizard all on
their own.

Ashlynn realized she had a chance to end the skirmish
semi-peacefully, and stood in her stirrups, voice booming out at an unnaturally
loud level, “Take your dead and retreat! I will not pursue you.”

One man, the most senior soldier, called back, “Do we have
your word on that, Ashlynn Fallbright?”

“Aye!” she said with a smirk, borrowing one of Broden’s
words.

Without further argument, they signaled agreement and went
about picking up their fallen. Ashlynn gestured for her group to gather in
closer and follow her.

Broden kept an eye on the enemy as they retreated, of
course, not wanting anyone to pull a cheap trick. He also scanned his comrades
as they rode and saw a few minor hurts here and there, but they were all
intact.

Tant pulled up beside him and asked in wonderment, “I saw an
arrow sticking out of the wizard’s chest. Did you do that?”

“Aye,” Broden deadpanned. “Wizards can no’ shield against
weapons and magic at the same time, ye see. I took advantage of the man’s
preoccupation with our lass here and shot him.”

The lad let out a low whistle. “Clever. I must remember
that.”

“You say that with such confidence now,” Ashlynn remarked in
amusement. “But you weren’t actually sure that arrow would go through his
shields, were you?”

Broden just chuckled, not admitting anything.

Tant looked at him suspiciously. “Either way, it obviously did.
But that wizard tells us that we were right about ambushes being set up on this
highway. A normal patrol wouldn’t have a wizard in it. So what do we do now?”

“Stop for a few minutes while I heal everyone’s wounds,”
Ashlynn responded promptly. “Then I’ll put temporary shields on everyone so
that a wizard can’t easily pick you off, although those won’t last more than
the day. Other than that, all we can do is keep a sharp look out as we go. This
is the only road that leads to where we want to go. Going cross-country would
be too rough for us and only cause delays.”

She like as not was right.

Reminded, Ashlynn turned and looked at him, brow quirked.
“How did you know they were there?”

Broden had to think about it before he could answer. “Flash
of light. Reflection, mayhap, off someone’s sword.”

Tant blinked. “That’s it? That could have been anything.”

“I survived many an ambush by being a paranoid old man,”
Broden informed him drolly. “I listen to me instincts. A flash of light coming
from near the foothills be queer—no man has business being over there unless he
be up to no good.”

“A valid point,” Ashlynn agreed. “From now on, we treat
anything seen from the foothills as a possible threat until it’s proven
otherwise. Broden, we ask that you be your usual paranoid self the entire
trip.”

He winked at her. “Done.”

It was not the last ambush they came upon as they rode.
Broden tallied four of them, although Ashlynn claimed one of them did not count
because the attempt at hiding was so half-hearted that only a blind man would
not have seen them coming. Regardless, they were all a little worse for wear by
the time that they got to Lorand. If not for Ashlynn’s healing magic, they
might have lost one or two before the city ever came into view. A man could not
expect to be ambushed multiple times during the course of two weeks and not lose
a party member.

They came around a bend in the road, and Lorand appeared,
nestled between several foothills, a lake sparkling in the distance. From the
way that people had spoken of it, Broden had expected a large city, but it was
little bigger than Estole. It had stout walls surrounding the inner city, made
of thick grey stone, with many an outlying street of homes and businesses
branching out from it. The city looked old, established, not half-formed like
Estole was. He remembered Ashlynn saying that because of the highway coming
right by its door, and the Trilakes next to it, Lorand was something of a
trading hub. The traffic coming in and out of the city certainly made it look
that way.

Broden had worried a little about entering the city, because
no matter how you looked at them, they were a warring party. But with this much
traffic made up of every nationality, they’d blend right in and not get a
second glance. He let out a low breath of relief, and a worry he’d been
carrying fell off.

Ashlynn gestured for him to ride a little closer to her, so
he nudged his gelding over until they rode stirrup to stirrup. “Broden,
our…friend in the city will be at the Gandering Goose. How much experience do
you have with rescuing people?”

“Done it more times than I care to mind,” he admitted
frankly. “It be a tricky business, timing-wise, but with this lot, I think our
chances be good. It depends on how much we know. But lass, I warn ye, afore
today, I’ve never had cause to break into a fortified building. It be bandit hideouts,
and caves, and the like that I know how to breach.”

She nodded, accepting this. “Still, I think you’re the most
experienced man in the group. None of us have ever done anything like this
before. Since that’s the case, you come with me when I talk to our friend.
You’ll know better than me what questions to ask and what information we’re
missing.”

Lass had a good point. He nodded in understanding.

It was a simple matter to ride through the streets and reach
the inn. It lay on the outskirts of the city, not anywhere near that inner
wall. Broden eyed it thoughtfully as they stopped in the main yard. Seemed a
solid enough place. It was made of brick, one of the few buildings he’d seen of
solid brick, with vines growing up along the walls. There were plenty of
windows letting in light and air, and through them he could hear much laughter
and happy conversations. He liked the vibe of the place and smiled slightly as
he slung himself out of his saddle.

“Seth,” Ashlynn called.

Seth popped up beside her. “Yes?”

“Take my and Broden’s horses. We’ve got someone to meet.”

“Sure thing.”

With an incline of her head, Ashlynn silently requested that
Broden follow her inside. She went through the door, pausing a moment to let
her eyes adjust from the bright sunlight outside to the slightly dimmer
interior. Broden did the same, although he scooted a little more to the right
to avoid blocking the doorway. When he could see properly again, he was glad that
the inside looked like he’d imagined it would. Wooden floors polished to a
shine, solid oak tables and chairs scattered throughout the room and filled
with patrons, walls painted with murals of everyday life. A fine establishment,
this was.

Ashlynn maneuvered her way around the tables and people
straight to the bar at the far end of the room. She ignored the stout man
tending to customers on one end, heading to the other side where a leaner lad
with a mop of curly dark hair stood wiping down the counter. He looked up as
she sat in the stool, blinking at her, then recognition dawned on his face.

With a cautious look to either side, he leaned in and said
in a confidential tone, “A pretty lass, you are.”

“My thanks for the compliment. Ashlynn Fallbright,” she introduced
herself before extending a hand to indicate Broden. “My partner, Broden
Ravenscroft.”

The man bobbed his head at Broden in greeting, which the
archer amicably returned. “Jeri. Nice to meet both of you. Was it rough,
getting here?”

Ashlynn gave him an unamused look. “Does it look like I had
a pleasant trip?”

Jeri eyed what he could see of them before his smile went
lopsided. “Apparently not. Still, you all got here in one piece? Well, that’s a
blessing all by itself, then.”

“Aye, lad, it be that.” Broden sat on one of the open
barstools, wincing slightly as his sore posterior met with the hard, unyielding
surface. Gods above and below, but the trip here be hard enough to age a man
ten years. He did not want to think about what the return trip would be like.

Blinking at his accent, Jeri asked slowly, “I’m sorry, but where
are you from?”

“Cloud’s Rest,” Broden supplied.

“Ohhh. Now I know why you talk more like a Trenenian. The
people of Cloud’s Rest were originally from here, right?”

“Right,” Broden agreed readily.

Ashlynn tapped her knuckles against the wooden bar. “Jeri,
enough pleasantries. I’ve ridden hard for two weeks to know. Where are my
sisters?”

“As to that,” Jeri rubbed at the back of his neck and looked
more than a mite sheepish, “I’m not entirely sure where all three of them are.”

Chapter Nineteen

Ashlynn’s voice turned menacingly flat. “What do you mean
you’re not sure where all three of them are?”

Jeri shrugged, hands splayed in a helpless gesture. “That’s
why my note said that all three of them are in Lorand. I can confirm
that all three were brought in through the gates and that none of them left the
city, but I don’t know where they were all put. I found Bria, at least. Two
witnesses put her in the old abbey. But it’s nothing more than an assumption
that they put the other two in there with her. I can’t prove it.”

Now that was a problem. Broden rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
“If no’ there, where else would the girls be?”

“That’s the problem,” Jeri groused. “This city is riddled
with places to stash hostages where no one would think it odd. The only reason
the abbey stuck out in anyone’s mind is because she was obviously not Trenenian.
Lugh isn’t exactly a popular god with Iyshians.”

“So if they took the other two in under the cover of
darkness…” Broden trailed off.

“Then no one would have noticed,” Jeri finished sourly.
“Hence, no witnesses or trail for me to follow. I can tell you this—while
waiting for you to arrive, I searched every other likely place that I could
think of and I couldn’t find them. Now, that could be because they have some
hidey-hole that I don’t know about, which wouldn’t surprise me. But I still put
the odds on all three of them being in the abbey.”

Broden could accept that it was likely; aye, he had no
problem with that. But he did not believe in betting people’s lives on a likely.
He eyed Ashlynn from the corner of his eye and saw her jaw set in a grim line.
Ah, the lass apparently shared his view on the matter. “Still and all, man, we
need to be sure afore we move.”

“Oh, I agree,” Jeri responded, hands held up in a placating
manner. “I tried my best to figure it out before you got here, but I could only
ask so many questions before people became suspicious of me. At a certain
point, I had to stop. I can’t give you an idea of what the abbey’s like inside,
or what the guard schedules is like, unfortunately. I do know where they
regularly have dinner when they get off shift, though. If you go there, you
should be able to get a headcount of how many they are and when shifts change.”

Ashlynn looked frustrated to the point of murder. Broden put
a hand on her shoulder in a steadying gesture before he encouraged Jeri with a
wave of the hand. “Give us the names of those places then, lad. But I think it
best we all take a breather.”

Jerking in her seat, Ashlynn whipped around, mouth opening
to launch a protest.

He held up a hand, forestalling her. “Lass, our stomachs be
growling, our clothes worn from travel, and we stink of horse. Now I ask ye,
what sort of man would be willing to speak to a stranger that looks as we do? A
clean, respectable man be the sort to confide in, no’ a traveling vagabond.”

From that mulish expression on her face, she really wanted
to argue. But she must have seen the logic in it, as she clamped her mouth shut
instead. With a tight, mutinous nod, she finally acquiesced. “Fine. One hour. I
won’t wait longer than that, so people had best move quickly.”

“I’ll get you some rooms,” Jeri volunteered. “How many?”

“There be seven of us altogether, lad. Three women.”

“Right. We’ve got room enough to spare, then. I’ll fetch you
some room keys. Bath’s down this hallway and to your left.” Jeri skedaddled before
Ashlynn’s temper blew.

The rest of the group joined them at this point. Keeping a
wary eye on his partner, Broden filled them in. None of them looked
particularly overjoyed by this lack of news, but they were not particularly
surprised either. They’d known from the beginning that if their spy had known
more, surely he would have said more, no matter how expensive it was to send by
magical post. Aye, the price of each word was dear, but it was not so dear that
the man could not have spared another sentence or two.

The team took it better than Ashlynn, and made up plans on
how they’d try to find more information. Jeri came back with the keys; they
divided eight rooms amongst them, and then went about getting baths and meals.
Broden had a private word with Jeri, asking for a bottle of liniment, which the
lad silently supplied with a sympathetic smile. Bless him for his
understanding.

Broden was not a man to dawdle when it came to washing up.
This was one of the few times in his life, however, that he had a proper tub and
steaming hot water to wash in instead of a chilly stream. He might have sat
there a minute or five and enjoyed the heat on his sore muscles. When he
finally did drag himself free, he applied the liniment liberally before pulling
on a clean set of clothes. He pulled his hair back in a low ponytail, then
trimmed his beard to where it outlined his face. The mirror showed a
respectable-looking man, and he gave the reflection a wink before exiting the
steamy room.

Everyone seemed to be more or less on the same schedule, as
he saw others coming out of the bathing chambers and heading for the main room.
They chose a table by default, as it was the only empty one large enough to hold
them all, and sank into the chairs. Broden called out, “A pretty lass with hot
food would be a welcome sight!”

One of the serving girls waved a hand in acknowledgement and
called back, “A pleasure it’d be to serve a fine, handsome man like yerself. A moment,
I will be.”

Tant leaned in closer and said, “That has to be the
strangest way to request food I’ve ever heard.”

Oh? Had he forgotten to explain this earlier in his quick
cultural lesson? Belike he had, as Ashlynn had barely given him ten minutes to
teach them. “Aye, lad, Estolians do no’ do this. But lend me yer ear. When ye
request things, even a simple thing such as the time of day, ye pay a
compliment. It no’ be a question at all, y’see, but a statement of yer own
preference, and a compliment to the person ye be speaking to.”

Amber leaned across the table to hear him better. “So, give
us an example of how you’d ask for information.”

Broden pondered for a moment before offering, “It be a
pleasure to meet a fine, observant woman such as yerself. I’ve come in search
of me sisters, rumored to be in this city, but I’ve no notion if what I heard be
truth or no’.”

She nodded, obviously making a mental note on that. “So,
compliment first, then the request.”

“Eh, more or less. As long as the compliment be wedged in
there somewhere, ye will be fine.” Broden considered the matter, trying to
think if he’d forgotten anything else important, before adding, “One more
thing. If ye see a way to help them, no matter how small, do it without asking.
Just pitch in, as if ye be in yer own home. Trenenians do no’ think highly of
people that ask something for nothing. Ye be more likely to gain their trust if
ye exchange favors.”

“Ask the storekeepers first,” Konrath added quietly. “They
hear more gossip than anyone else and are more likely to know something.”

Broden nodded in support of this. “Aye, that be fine
advice.”

Platters of steaming food, most of it varieties of meats and
breads, arrived and were set down on the table. Broden’s mouth started
watering. Having a hot meal was a luxury none of them had enjoyed for near two
weeks now. “Ah, lass, ye bring joy to a man’s heart, ye do.”

The serving girl, a young woman with reddish hair and
freckles, gave him a wink. “If ye run short, call me and I will bring ye more.
If ye do no’ mind me saying so, ye look like ye’ve seen quite a bit of road the
past few days.”

“Aye,” he acknowledged with a grim smile. He might as well
start gathering information now. “Lass, it’d be a kindness if ye brought us
more of that chilled cider.”

The girl blinked, then gave him a bright smile. “No’
kindness at all. I will bring it straight out.”

“A fine lass, ye be, many thanks,” Broden praised her.

Blushing, she waved this away before bouncing off, going over
to the next table and topping off their pints.

In the time that Ashlynn had taken to clean up and change
clothes, she must have cooled down enough to realize that searching on an empty
stomach was not the best of plans. She came and sat down in the chair next to
Broden’s without a word, filling up her plate with a heaping spoonful from each
platter.

With some food in her stomach, he dared to ask the obvious
question. “Now, lass, how should we split up to start the search?”

Some of Ashlynn’s usual good humor flashed across her face.
“You know, Broden, I can find them without asking the whole city first.”

He blinked at her. “Ye can?”

“Aye.” She smirked, enjoying mimicking his speech. “It no’
be a difficult matter for a wizard such as meself.”

“Be that right,” he deadpanned. “So how does a woman of such
talent as yerself go about doing such a thing?”

“I have a locator spell that I use in situations like this.”

Marissa, clearly familiar with this, asked uncertainly, “I
thought you had to have something that belonged to the person or an object of
affinity, like their blood or hair. You have something like that for all three
of them?”

Ashlynn’s mouth was full, so she simply nodded confirmation.

“Really? What?”

Swallowing, the wizard replied, “A vial of Edvard’s blood.”

“Ohhh,” the table chorused in understanding. Broden would
have joined them, if he’d known that Ashlynn could do such a thing.

“Lass, if ye can search them out like this, then why no’ do
it afore?”

“I can’t search over a large distance,” she explained
succinctly, still eating as quickly as she could manage. “About fifty miles is
my limit.”

So finding them in a foreign country would have been
impossible for her. He nodded understanding. She must have foreseen, though,
that once she got here she might need to pinpoint their exact location, since
she’d taken the trouble to draw some of Edvard’s blood and bring it with her.

“I’ll focus on confirming where my sisters are,” she
informed the table. “What I need you to do is get the rest of the information
that we need.”

“How many guards are on the schedule, when they change
shifts, the layout of the abbey, and the quickest escape route from the city
once we have them,” Konrath half-guessed, half-stated.

“Exactly.” Ashlynn frowned. “I don’t know that we can get
the layout of the abbey from just speaking to people, though. We might need to
send someone in and have them take a look.”

Tant, finished with his food, sat back with a squeak of
wood. “Which god or goddess is that abbey for?”

“Lugh,” Broden supplied.

“Huh. They normally take anyone willing to serve, I
understand. Lugh is not really that popular a god. If we said that one of us is
interested, and wanted to take a tour to see what being a servant of Lugh is
like, wouldn’t they at least let us in through the main door?”

“I’d think so.” Konrath frowned thoughtfully, brows drawing
together in concentration. “If nothing else, it’d give us a clear picture of
the main part of the abbey.”

Broden rubbed at his jaw. “Better than walking in blind, I
grant ye that.”

Ashlynn scraped up the last bit of her food as she ordered,
“Go talk to Jeri. He knows the guards’ favorite haunts. Start there, get
whatever information you can, then report back by dinner. I’ll have a firm
location on my sisters by then. Broden, I need you to stay with me.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her, somewhat surprised by this.
Ashlynn was fiercely independent by nature, so unless it was dangerous, she
normally did not keep him so close to her. “Aye, that I will.”

Scraping back her chair, she stood and made shooing motions
to everyone still seated. They obediently scattered at her direction. Broden
got up as well and followed her down the hallway to her room.

Ashlynn had been the odd one out, the only one to not share
a room. With her foul mood, no one had really wanted to share an enclosed space
with her. She had not argued the point with them either, simply taken the key
before separating. This room was not anything more than the others. It had a
four-poster bed, thick rug on the floor, a narrow window, and a chest at the
baseboard.

She went directly to the saddlebags draped over the bed and
dug out a small glass vial that easily fit in her hand. When she turned, she
motioned for him to close and lock the door, which he did without question.

“You’re wondering why I insisted you stay with me during
this, aren’t you?”

“Aye, lass,” he admitted.

“This goes no further than here,” she warned him somberly.
“Promise me that.”

He raised a hand. “If I speak a word, may the gods strike me
where I stand.”

“Thank you.” Ashlynn looked uneasy still as she started to
explain. “For a wizard, scrying is…dangerous. Not in the way you probably
think, though. The spell is harmless in and of itself. In fact, it’s one of the
first we use because it’s so simple. But when we do it, we are completely blind
to our surroundings. We can hear, of course, and feel what we touch, but anyone
can sneak up on us.”

A chill ran up his spine. Even a poor assassin could kill
her while she did this? No wonder she’d insisted he stay with her. “I will keep
a sharp lookout.”

She flashed him a quick, tight smile. “Good man. Usually Ash
or Edvard looks out for me when I do this, but I’m just as relieved it’s you
this time. Now, this won’t take me long, since it’s not that big of an area to
search. Don’t touch me as I work, and don’t step inside the circle I draw,
otherwise you will  become part of the spell.”

And become as blind to their surroundings as she was?
Warning taken. He put his back against the door and planted himself there, not
willing to risk moving at all.

Satisfied he was far enough away, Ashlynn drew a large
circle on the rug with a glowing fingertip. Then she wrote in that fancy
magical language of hers, which he could not make heads or tails of. Finished,
she pulled the stopper from the vial and tipped it carefully so that a drop of
blood fell directly on the lines. They turned blood-red in an instant. It
seemed to him that she took a breath before stepping into the center and
settling down on her knees.

Watching her turn her eyes to something he could not see was
beyond strange. The way her head spun this way and that, gaze focusing on
different points, body shifting, it was clear she was reacting to something. If
he did not know what she was doing, he’d think her possessed.

Whatever she saw did not please her. A storm passed over her
fair face, hands clenching until the knuckles turned white on her knees.
Without warning, she slammed one fist into the floor, and he would swear the
wooden floorboard cracked even with the rug softening the blow.

Finally she stood and walked out of the circle, which
unraveled itself and dissipated into the air.

“They alright?” he asked quietly.

“They’re alive,” she responded harshly. “That animal has
them chained, as if they’re criminals. Bria’s legs are already bleeding
from the metal cuffs. When I get my hands on him, he’ll lose his head for
this!” she swore in a snarl.

Broden would have offered to help, but she likely did not
need it. “All three be in the abbey, then?”

Ashlynn had to take a large steadying breath before she
could respond. “Not only that, but all in the same room. Broden, how long will
it take to rescue them from there?”

He splayed his hands in an open shrug. “Depends how fast we
can gather the information we need. But lass, we can no’ stay more than two
days or so. The longer we stay, the more chance someone catches wind of why we
be here.”

“Yes, I agree. Two days, eh?” Her eyes hardened, lip curling
into a feral smile. “Two days it shall be, then.”

Chapter Twenty

They gathered in Ashlynn’s bedroom before dinner to share
what they’d learned. There was not space for everyone to sit, of course, so the
girls took the bed and the men either sat on the floor or leaned against the
wall.

“I’ll start,” Ashlynn volunteered. “I found them. All three
are in the abbey. In fact, they’re all in the same room.”

Marissa was brave enough to ask, “How are they?”

“Not in any shape to run,” Ashlynn bit off. “That
thrice-cursed dastard of an abbot has them chained, and their legs are in bad
shape because of it. Whatever plan we come up with will have to give us a
window of time for me to heal them, otherwise we might not make it.”

Konrath groaned. “Well, that makes things harder. We found
out the guards’ rotation and such today—roughly at least. There’s twenty-four
guards for the abbey, twelve for each shift. They close the main gates on the
fourth bell precisely.”

“Right before dinner,” Ashlynn muttered to herself. “When do
they open the gates again?”

“Sixth bell, right at sunrise.”

“Meaning we need to be in and out afore the fourth bell, or
it will be impossible to get back out again,” Broden translated unhappily.
“That gives our pursuers a precious three hours of daylight to be chasing after
us.”

“I don’t like the idea either.” Ashlynn stared sightlessly
at the ceiling. “Unless I can make an opening for us in the walls somehow.”

Several people looked panicked at this suggestion.

“Wait, Ashlynn, let’s think about this,” Seth pleaded.
“That’s a bit drastic, isn’t it?”

The wizard’s eyes came down to stare at him in puzzlement.
“Eh?”

“Surely that should be a last resort,” Amber agreed faintly.
“If we can’t think of anything else and have no other options.”

Broden watched this play out with a bemused quirk of the
lips. They looked nigh on desperate to talk Ashlynn out of this idea—which he
thought a sensible one—and that suggested to him that she’d attempted such a
thing before. And the results had not been good. Oh, did he ever want the story
behind that!

“Well, I suppose that doing it will draw unwanted
attention,” Ashlynn finally agreed, although with great reluctance. “If we can
think of a quiet method, we should probably do that instead.”

There was a collective sigh of relief.

Oh yes. He was getting the story on this later. “Anything on
how the abbey be laid out?”

Tant shook his head in frustration. “We tried, but no one
really walks all the way into the abbey. They enter the main courtyard, worship
or ask for help, and then walk back out again. The only people that actually
know the place are the people that permanently live there…and the guards, of
course.”

He’d reckoned as much. “Then it be an excuse we need to go
in and take a tour of the place. What be the word on the street? Be they
looking for new members?”

“Desperately so,” Amber confirmed. “Quite a few apparently
quit earlier this year because the life was too strenuous.”

Serving the church likely was, and not much glory to be had,
either. Broden had an idea playing about in his mind, one he thought had
possibilities. “Ashlynn.” He waited until she faced him before asking, “How
about being me daughter for a spell?”

Not understanding, she just stared at him blankly.
“Daughter?”

Tant was the first to catch on, and he snapped his fingers
in understanding. “Of course. Play the roles of father and daughter, ask to
take a tour of the place so you’ll know what environment she’ll going into,
then walk away as if you’re thinking about it. No one will suspect anything,
and you’ll get to see most of the building that way.”

“Ahhh.” Ashlynn gave a judicious nod. “Not bad. I like it.
They probably won’t show us where my sisters are, but at least we’ll know how
the rest of the building looks.”

“Lass, can ye mind a thing after seeing it once?” he asked
uncertainly. His recall for places was dismal at best. He had to be very
familiar with an area before he felt he knew it.

She dismissed this concern with a wave of the hand. “I have
spells for that sort of thing. Actually, the spell I’ll use will let me play it
out on a wall so that everyone else can see it for themselves.”

“Magic be a convenient thing,” he marveled.

Ashlynn winked at him. “Aye, it be that. Alright, I think
this is a solid plan. Broden and I will go in tomorrow morning for our tour.
While we’re doing that, I want you to split up into groups and find the
quickest escape route. Try to find a way that will give us some cover so that I
can heal. Their legs won’t stand up to long hours on horseback in their present
condition.”

“I spoke with Jeri, and he’d more or less mapped out our
possible routes,” Seth volunteered. “It really comes down to one of two ways. Down
the main street and through the gates or through the market gate that lets out
on the east side.”

“Which way did he recommend?” Tant queried.

Seth hiked up one shoulder in a shrug. “Depends on the time
of day. If it’s morning, then the market street. Evening, main street. More
traffic that way and a better chance to lose our pursuit.”

“So if we just wanted to quickly get out of the city and
then lose our pursuers later, we’d reverse that.” Amber frowned, chewing on her
bottom lip thoughtfully. “Although I don’t know how we’d lose them outside the
city.”

“Without another wizard battling me or innocents around, I could
just flatten them.” The way that Ashlynn smiled made the fine hairs on Broden’s
neck rise in alarm. “We’ll go with the market route tomorrow. We shouldn’t stay
later than tonight and tomorrow, anyway.”

“It’s too risky to stay for more than two days,” Konrath
agreed, hands tapping a silent rhythm against his thigh. “We’re already getting
odd looks from people who think we should be out on business. We’re obviously
foreign, so hanging about the inn like this without doing any business in the
city doesn’t look right.”

“So we’ll plan to get my sisters out tomorrow and leave
before nightfall.”

Seth raised a hand. “Ashlynn, can we get dinner and think
about how to break into the abbey? I can’t think on an empty stomach.”

Passing a hand over her face, she capitulated with a sigh.
“Probably best. Hungry stomachs make desperate plans. Alright, go eat. We’ll
meet back up here after dinner, and I expect someone to come up with something
brilliant, otherwise I will blow a hole in their wall.”

Effective threat, that. Broden saw at least three people
shudder in true horror.

They filed out of the room, Seth leading the charge down the
stairs. Broden hung back, catching Marissa’s eye before she could leave as
well. With a wary eye on Ashlynn’s retreating back, he asked in a low whisper,
“Lass, could ye tell me why it be that no one be keen on the idea of Ashlynn
making her own door?”

Marissa also flashed a look in Ashlynn’s direction before
answering in an equally low tone, “She tried it about two years ago. We had a
situation where a house was burning in town, leaving a pair of siblings trapped
in a back room with no way out. She cast a quick spell around them, to protect
them, but we still had to get them out before they inhaled too much smoke.
Ashlynn tried to carve a hole in the wall so we could get in.”

Broden quirked a brow. “What went wrong?”

Shaking her head, Marissa corrected, “Nothing went right.
Oh, the spell worked, certainly. But she blew away the whole side of the house.
If the children hadn’t been protected by that shield of hers, they would have
been crushed under the roof. Ashlynn has never been good with moderation.”

Which was why Edvard had set Ash to building things and not
Ashlynn? Broden had thought it because the lass had a better handle on
punishing the unjust, but mayhap that was not the only reason. Regardless, he
now understood why no one wanted Ashlynn making her own doors in the walls. She’d
like as not bring the abbey crashing down upon their heads.

“Before we go down,” Marissa openly hesitated before
continuing, “I should tell you something. You’ll probably need to take the lead
tomorrow when you go in as father and daughter. She won’t know how to act.”

Blinking at her, he cocked his head in confusion. “What do ye
mean by that, lass?”

“I don’t know how much of Ashlynn’s personal history you
know.” Blowing out a breath, she shucked her caution and spelled it out
plainly. “Ash and Ashlynn’s father died from drowning when they were two. He
was a sailor, you see, and his ship went down off the coast in a mother storm.
They have no memory of him. Their mother got by because she was the old duke’s
mistress after losing her husband. None of us really blamed her for making that
choice—she had two children to feed—but it wasn’t the best decision she could
have made either. It would have been far better if she simply remarried.
Edvard’s father wasn’t a father at all, to any of his children. The only man
that has been a constant in their lives is Edvard, which is why all the
siblings are so good at looking out for each other and are so fiercely
protective of their own.”

Broden took this all in, mulling it over. So, Ashlynn had no
father figure in her life, did not remember her true father at all, and a
mother that no one thought highly of. His wizard had had a harder start in life
than he’d assumed. But it explained, too, why Ashlynn called those three girls her
sisters when there was no blood connection betwixt them. It was a bond forged
by hardship and love.

“Bless ye, lass, for telling me,” he responded quietly. “It
be a thing I needed to know so that I can watch out for her proper-like.”

She flashed him a quick smile before offering cautiously,
“We’re all hoping that you’ll be a father to Ashlynn. You’re such a good one to
Riana. We’ve seen that for ourselves. Whether Ashlynn will admit it or not, she
needs one man that she can turn to no matter what happens. With Ash and Edvard,
well—” Marissa sighed “—she tends to be half-mother, half-sister with those
two. Even Tierone, although we don’t see him often.”

Broden rubbed at the back of his neck, looking away.
“Whether the lass will accept me as such will be up to her. I can no’ force
such a bond atween us. But I would no’ worry about it, lass. A wizard’s partner
be the one thing they can lean upon, always. She knows that.”

“Oh. Good point.” Somewhat relieved, Marissa took in a
breath and suggested, “Well, let’s go down to dinner. We have a brilliant scheme
to hatch.”

“Lovenanty,” he groused, turning toward the door. “Me
talents be in hitting things at a distance, not breaking through guarded
walls.”

“If you don’t want a building crumbling around your ears,
you’d better think of something.”

Broden started praying for a miracle.

Chapter Twenty-one

Directly after breakfast, they left the inn and headed for
the abbey. They’d prepared as much for the role of father-daughter as they
could last night. Seth had pointed out that the two of them would need to speak
like each other, otherwise the abbot would find it odd. Broden had spent the
majority of the evening trying to mimic Ashlynn’s speech and failing. Ashlynn,
however, had an ear for such things, and had already spent the past month or so
teasing him with his own phrases, so she had his pattern more or less down. It
also made her seem more like a Trenenian, so the wizard was the one that
adapted her speech.

The morning market was in full swing. Even though they had
not reached it yet, people were going about their morning business and not
dallying. He kept Ashlynn close at hand to avoid being separated and to shield
her some from the more careless elbows that passed them. As they walked through
the streets, he ground the thought into his mind, repeating the litany: The
lass beside ye be yer daughter. Daughter. Daughter. She be yer daughter.

It was not a hard idea to get into his head. Ashlynn was
like his Riana in many ways, after all. Mayhap that was the reason he’d taken
to the girl so quickly. As they walked, he stayed closer to her side than he
normally would, and he kept an eye on the men they passed. A few let their eyes
linger too long, and to them, he gave a warning glare.

“Broden. Be there a reason ye glare at everyone so?”

“That be ‘Da’ to ye, lass, and aye, there be good reason.
Some of the men we pass seem to have some trouble keeping their eyes on their
business.”

She choked on a laugh. “Is this what Riana has to put up
with? This overprotectiveness?”

“Nonsense,” he snorted. “I give me daughter enough time to
warn the man off herself. If he do no’ listen, well, that be the time a father
should step in.”

Those sky-blue eyes glanced up at him, a quirk to her mouth
that could have been a smile. “Heavens, Da, ye be worse than Edvard. And
I thought he be bad.”

Broden just grinned, not the least bit insulted.

Shaking her head, she said instead, “I wish everyone hadn’t
vetoed the idea of me creating another door inside. It would solve a lot of
problems for us.”

“They be worried that ye’d bring the building a-toppling on
our heads,” he answered truthfully.

“What?!” Indignant, she stopped in place and nearly got
bowled over by a passing matron who had her arms full of groceries and
children. Stumbling, the wizard hopped to one side, almost ducking behind him,
to avoid a certain crash. When she straightened again, she demanded, “Now why
would they think that?”

He shrugged. “They told me a tale about a burning house with
children trapped inside.”

“Ohhh.” Ashlynn gave a put-upon sigh. “Of course. That’s the
only time anyone’s actually seen me do that. But that truly wasn’t my fault.
The fire had weakened the brick and mortar so much that what should have been a
small concussion became a huge explosion. I just hadn’t taken into account how
hot the fire had gotten or how much damage it had done.”

Made sense. “So, ye be thinking that ye can tackle yon
abbey’s walls and no’ take off a corner doing it?”

“Oh, sure, it’s a very sturdy building. I mean, those walls
are what? Two, three feet thick? I couldn’t bring that thing toppling with a
single hit. It would take several strikes and a lot of determination before I
could do any real damage.”

He found himself nodding in agreement. He could not fault
her logic. “Then we should keep the idea in mind.”

Satisfied he saw things her way, she went back to acting
like his daughter instead of his partner.

They wound their way through the crowded market streets, at
times almost holding their hands over their faces. It was such a mix of smells,
from the overly ripe to the enticing, that Broden’s nose could not decide
whether to wrinkle in disgust or not. Finally, though, they stood before the
towering wooden gates of the abbey.

Broden could admit frankly that he did not like the feel of
this place. It felt…cold. Aye, that was it. Like stepping into a graveyard at
night without even the moon to keep a man company. An errant shiver ran up his
spine as they stepped slowly past the open doors and into the paved courtyard.

“They be ordinary locks,” Ashlynn said in surprise, although
she kept her voice low.

He turned that over in his head, but it did not make sense.
“What did ye expect, daughter?”

“Magical protections of some sort,” she responded, twisting
her head so that she could study them a second longer over her shoulder. “Or
divine protections. Something, anyway. But those be just ordinary iron locks.
Stout enough to ward off thieves, certainly, but no’ anything more.”

From the way she said this, he felt it changed things. “Can
an ordinary lock stand up to a wizard, then?”

“No’ a determined one.” Her smile was borderline evil as she
replied. “I thought that we’d have to get in and out afore they closed the
gates, but—” Ashlynn abruptly snapped her mouth shut as a man in a long black
robe with greying hair made a beeline for them.

“My dear children, welcome.” He spread his hands out in a
welcoming gesture, expression and voice warm. “I’m Abbot Haney. Have you come
to worship this day, or to seek counsel?”

Ashlynn changed in the blink of an eye from a strong,
independent woman to a shy little girl that hung on to her da’s arm. Broden’s
eyes nearly crossed watching the transformation. “Oh, I be no’ sure,” she said
in a sweet voice, eyes demurely on the ground. “W-we came to talk about me
joining ye here in the abbey.”

It took all Broden’s control to bite his tongue and not bust
out laughing. Lovenanty, what game was she playing?! They’d spoken the night afore
about her acting more demure today, aye, but he did not remember advising that
she be a doormat.

The abbot found nothing strange about her behavior. In fact,
he was delighted. He beamed at her, excited by her words.

Afraid the man would get the wrong idea, Broden hastily
added, “Me wife and me, we be no’ so sure this be the right choice for our
daughter. So we came to take a tour of the place and see what life here be
like. If that be fine with ye, sir.”

“Oh, certainly, certainly,” Abbot Haney assured them. “Might
I have your names?”

“Broden Ravenscroft,” he replied truthfully, having no
reason to lie. “This be Ashlynn.”

“A pleasure to meet both of you.” Haney gestured toward the
main doors and offered, “Let me show you around and explain things as we go.”

“Kind of ye.”

Ashlynn seemed to be under the impression that a “demure”
girl had all the backbone of a washcloth. She openly clung to Broden’s hand as
they followed the abbot, her eyes never looking up. Then he realized she was
muttering steadily under her breath, her words barely discernable even for him.
It hit him that she was using that gold amulet around her neck to somehow take
a record of what they were seeing, and her focus was so totally on the spell
that she weaved and trusted him to guide her.

Internally, he groaned. The lass should have warned him
afore she did this!

No help for it now. He’d have to look out for her feet as
well as keep the abbot’s attention away from her. Somehow.

They came to the center of the courtyard, a vast, open space
that could house all the people in Cloud’s Rest without strain. In the center
stood a stone altar several feet long and two feet wide, where money and
religious trinkets seemed be traded back and forth.

Haney blathered on and on about the religious rites practiced
here, the services that Lugh’s worshipers came here for, and so forth. Broden
smiled, nodded at the right times, and let his eyes roam about the area. The
building had stout walls, over two feet thick, made of a red-brown stone he’d
never seen the like of before. They’d used mortar to build with, and some of it
was coming loose from sheer age. Broden saw many a foothold in the walls, and he
knew it would not be any challenge to climb them if it came to that.

On the second level, there were, well, a man could only
describe them as battlements. They had turrets poking out on all four corners,
doors open, and guards milling about on top. Oh, they dressed in the black
robes like the other priests and such, but no servant of Lugh would wear a
sword strapped to his side like that.

There was a bit of an overhang from the battlements so that
the side doors on the main floor had a sliver of protection from the rain. But
it was no more than a foot’s width, not enough for a man to hide in.

“Well, let’s go inside, shall we?” Abbot Haney suggested
with a charming smile.

They went in with him, Ashlynn still muttering to herself
and Broden guiding her so she would not trip. They went the full circle of the
main floor, seeing the kitchens, main dining hall, worshipping alcoves, and
other rooms that the abbot called “service rooms.” To Broden’s eyes, it looked
like forced labor, as dozens of men and women sat at tables and sewed leather
together. He did not like the look of it. Oh, the industry was fine, but the
depressed way that the people huddled around their work, no one speaking, gave
him an unpleasant knot in his stomach.

For a full hour, the abbot led them about and talked their
ears off. Finally, however, they came back to their starting point. Broden’s
smile muscles were giving out, but he managed one more as he said, “Well, Abbot,
it seems a fine place here. Me wife and I will discuss it with our daughter and
think on it for a spell. We will be seeing ye again after that.”

“Of course,” Haney assured him, not at all surprised he
wanted to think about things before committing. “I will be here and ready to
answer any questions you have.”

“Me thanks. Come along, daughter.”

Ashlynn bobbed her head at the abbot in farewell before
trailing after Broden. They were barely through the gates before she dropped
her guise and stopped muttering. “Well! That was informative, and yet not.”

Broden growled in vexation. “The man never did show us more
than the first floor. I’d lay odds on yer sisters being up on the second.”

“Or squirreled away somewhere in the basement,” she added
darkly. “We don’t know for sure. But at least we have a better idea of how the
abbey is laid out. Do we know enough to breach the place?”

“Mayhap.” He eyed her sideways as they walked. “Ye said
afore the abbot approached that since the locks be ordinary, we have no need to
break in afore they close the gates. What did ye mean by that, lass?”

“Oh. Well, my fear of waiting until after dark was that I
would have to break through whatever magical or divine protections were on the
gates before we could go in. And doing that would not be quiet or subtle in the
least. It would raise major alarms, actually. I thought if we’re going to draw
attention to ourselves, why not do it in daylight, when it’s not as dangerous
to run? But if the locks are ordinary iron, then we can easily break in without
raising any alarms, assuming someone can take care of the guards.”

Broden stroked at his chin, a plan coming together in his
mind. “Oh, the guards be easy enough.”

Her head jerked around, eyes wide. “You can take care of the
guards?”

“Aye, lass, it be a simple matter. Did ye no’ notice the
walls? They have chinks in them, mostly from age, but they will give a man
plenty of footholds. All it will take be a few minutes for me to climb up on
top, and from there, I can shoot any guards foolhardy enough to step outside.”

Her lips parted in wonder. “All twelve. You’re confident you
can defeat all twelve?”

Broden smirked at her and did not say a word.

“Oh, I’m so glad I partnered with you!” Rubbing her hands
together in glee, she nearly skipped a few steps before catching herself.
“Alright. We need to rethink our exit strategy for leaving the city, then. If
we can leave tonight, that changes things.”

“It’d be best if we plan for late evening, I think.” He
looked overhead at the sky. “There be a storm brewing, and we best take
advantage of it.”

Chapter Twenty-two

“I wish I could just put a hole in the wall,” Ashlynn
grumbled again.

Broden was fairly sure she was not kidding. Worried the idea
might be too tempting, he reminded her patiently, “We only have an idea where yer
sisters be in that abbey.”

“I know,” she growled, expression tight with anger.
“Otherwise, I’d destroy the place brick by brick. But we have to find them
first.”

Glad she saw reason in that, he let out a covert breath of
relief.

After he and Ashlynn had returned from their tour that
morning, they’d spent the entirety of the day making plans. Ashlynn had used a
spell that put the image of the abbey up on a blank wall, which had boggled his
mind. He’d watched it play out as if he were walking through the abbey all over
again. For several minutes, he just watched, entranced by the spell, until she
grabbed an arm and tugged him away from it.

As the abbey tour played out, they debated on what to do,
but really they did not have much in the way of options. Only a fool would
retreat the way they’d come, so returning by the highway would be the wrong
move. They chose instead to go south, just as far as the Trilakes, and take a
boat there. They could either take the Grove River up as far as The Grove,
which would bring them halfway up through Trenena, or they could take the boat
all the way to the Eastern Sea and simply sail around and back to Estole.
Either way, it would be an easier journey—and a safer one to boot.

The idea of going by ship, at least at first, was urged by
Ashlynn. Oh, none of them wanted to spend another two weeks or more in the
saddle, make no mistake. But Ashlynn feared for her sisters’ wellbeing. With
the storm overhead, it’d make a fine cover for them to break in with, but a
poor thing for their escape. It’d surely lead to muddy camps, which led to
infections, and even Ashlynn’s magic could not do much about such conditions.
Better to take a ship and avoid the mud and misery of riding in the wet
altogether.

Now, the arrangements had all been made. A ship was paid for
and waiting on them toward the south. Their bags were packed, horses saddled
and tied up on the southern end of the abbey. They all kept an eye on the sky,
waiting. From the dark grey color of the clouds and the heavy feeling of the
air, Broden judged that the heavens would break free any minute now. They
waited in the shadow of a building, anxious, fidgeting, fighting the urge to
just go now.

When the first raindrop hit Ashlynn’s head, she looked at
Broden and ordered, “Go.”

He went, running in a half-crouch, keeping as low to the
ground as he could.

When breaking into a fortified location, rain was a man’s
friend. There were two reasons for this—one, the sound of the storm overhead
covered the noise of breaking through the defenses. The second was that it
encouraged the guards on patrol to seek shelter and not be as watchful as they
should.

In the past, Broden had liked using storms as cover, but
also cursed it because he could not use his bow while it rained. But now, of
course, there was a bit of magic on his bow so that it could not get wet no
matter what happened. (Bless Ashlynn for that.) It gave him all the advantage
he needed.

With a silent tread, he climbed up the half-decayed wall on
the outer edge of the old abbey and made his way to perch near the top. The way
the storm clouds rolled and twisted overhead blocked the moon and so cast the
roof in thick shadow. With a huff, he settled himself right next to the turret
wall so that he’d have cover if he needed it.

This cat-vision Ashlynn had cast on his eyes felt beyond
strange. Everything glowed with a slightly greenish tint, making things overly
sharp around the edges. He could not complain, though. It was certainly better
than trying to determine friend from foe in near darkness. The wind whipped
around his head, bringing the scent of a cook fire and tea brewing, which told
him the guards were well settled.

He unwound the cord from around his quiver, letting him draw
out multiple arrows at once. Flipping one in his hand, he nocked it and set his
sights on the small turret room that served as a guardhouse on the adjacent
wall. There were more than a dozen guards in this place, six of them on top of
the wall keeping lookout. Broden had to take out those six before the rest of his
group could move about freely.

One guard came out, an oiled cloak wrapped tight around him
to ward off the falling rain, and took a quick peek around. Broden lost no time
in targeting him, drawing the bow back, and firing. At this distance, even a
man with poor skills could have hit him.

The guard clutched his chest with a half-muted gurgle before
toppling over the side to the ground below. Broden had timed his shot so that
the man’s balance leaned toward the outside of the abbey instead of the inside,
but there was always a chance the man would not fall the way he wanted him to.
This time he was lucky, as the guard tumbled out of sight.

Good. That trick should work at least two more times, and
then he’d have to change vantages to take out anyone still left in the
guardhouse.

Minutes passed in silence. Finally someone inside noticed
that their companion had been gone too long, and this time two of them came out
to check. Broden let them get several feet away from the door before firing,
taking them down in quick succession. There was no way to cover up what he was
doing, and of course, they fell into the main courtyard instead of over the side.
Three down, but that still left three more to go.

“Broden, you need to talk to me,” Ashlynn chided. “What’s
going on?”

“Three down,” he murmured toward the amulet hanging about
his neck. “Three still left.” And short of somehow smoking them out, he was not
sure how to get them out of there anytime soon.

“Are they all in one place?” Konrath asked, voice
deep.

“Aye.”

“Can you keep them pinned there?”

Ah. He saw what the man was driving at. “Aye. Go ahead. I will
keep the path clear.”

Because of the rumbling of the storm, and the way the wind
whipped around his head to steal the sound before it could reach his ear, he
did not hear Ashlynn break open the front gates. But he knew she must have, as
he saw several cloaked figures dart along the far wall of the main courtyard.
They went directly for the kitchen door, with his wizard leading the way.

He kept one eye on the turret doorway, one eye on the
courtyard below, not wanting any guards to sneak up behind his people and take
them unawares. The roof overhead was not wide enough to shield him completely
against the rain, so his left shoulder quickly became drenched, but he paid it
no heed. With an arrow nocked, he stayed vigilant, willing to shoot the first
thing that moved.

As he stood and watched, he listened as the tiny voices came
from the amulet on his collarbones.

“—doesn’t matter who it is,” Marissa said in
exasperation. “Anyone living here will know. We just need someone who can
tell us which room they’re in.”

“I can’t imagine that the abbot would broadcast he has
three political prisoners in here,” Seth argued. “I don’t think most of
the people here know. I mean, Lugh is the god of Light and Death, after all. He
frowns on this sort of thing.”

“Not enough, apparently,” Tant grumbled. “Otherwise
His abbot wouldn’t be getting by with it. But I’m with Marissa; I can’t imagine
that this is a well-kept secret. I think we could grab anyone and they’d be
able to tell us.”

“Whatever we do, we have to be quick,” Konrath
warned. “We spend too much time in here, and the whole place will be up in
arms.”

Broden rolled his eyes. They might do that anyway if those
chatterboxes did not keep quiet.

“Hey! What be ye people doing in here?!”

“Found someone,” Ashlynn said happily.

There were several thumps, a loud curse, and then a
choked-off gasp, as if something had hit a man hard in the throat. Broden could
more or less picture what was going on below just by the sounds. Ashlynn had
used a combination of her staff and magic to tackle the poor sod and ram him
into the wall, the staff belike held at his throat like a drawn sword.

“I am looking for three young women that are from Iysh,
and are being held captive in these walls,” Ashlynn purred, her tone
menacing. “You’re going to guide me to their room. If you take me to the
wrong room, you and whoever is in it, dies immediately. Take me to the right
room, I’ll chain you in their place and you live to see tomorrow. Which shall
it be?”

The man thought it over for a full second before stuttering,
“I-I do no’ have the right keys to get ye there. There be three doors to
pass through, and a man can no’ enter the tower without them.”

“Don’t worry about the locks; I can get us through. You
just show me the way. Fast and snell, now!”

Broden’s mouth twitched. Ashlynn really did like mimicking
him, did not she just. A man had to wonder why, though.

Their footsteps as they ran through the stone hallways
sounded raucously loud to his ears, but like as not, it was their amulets
amplifying the sound, as no one else seemed to hear it. At least, no alarm was
raised.

A guard came out of the turret, calling out someone’s
name—likely one of the men he’d already shot. Broden took aim and fired, the
arrow whistling as it cut cleanly through the air. The man half-folded over the
arrow in his chest before hitting the ground, but unlike the previous three, he
did not fall off the battlement. Broden cursed his luck as it became obvious to
the two still inside the turret that they were under attack.

He could do nothing to stop them as they rang a bell—a low,
ponderous sound that sent shivers up his spine.

“Broden. What was that?” Ashlynn demanded.

“Alarm,” he admitted a trifle grumpily. “The last two finally
noticed and rang it.”

She let out several choice words that no young woman should
know.

“I need to change locations,” he informed her as he left his
perch and darted for the far side of the wall.

“Are you going for the horses?”

“Aye. Someone needs to keep an eye on them and keep the door
clear for ye lot.”

“Good plan,” Konrath approved. “Do that. In fact,
I’ll keep this doorway clear for you to come back out of.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Ashlynn, I’ll stay with him,” Marissa
volunteered.

Broden silently agreed with all of this, even as he kept
running. When he’d almost reached the southwestern turret, the guards on the
far side came out of their room and finally noticed they had someone up on the
wall with them. One of them had a crossbow, and Broden heard the crank, even
above the wind. (The idiot really should have oiled that.) The sound was
warning enough for him to turn sideways as he ran, flipping up arrows into
position. He nocked and drew the bow with deadly efficiency, felling the last two
guards.

Well. At least up here, it was clear.

He started running again for the southern edge, although not
at the same breakneck speed as before, as he did not want to chance slipping
and falling to his death when he did not have to.

The bell did its damage. Several armed men, not completely
dressed, started pouring out of different side doors. Broden stopped here and
there to fire, taking them down as he could, but there was no way to take out
this many with just a single bow. He mostly kept his head down and muttered
warnings to Marissa and Konrath as he saw the enemy re-enter the building and
head for their location.

From the amulet, he heard a sharp crack as metal broke, then
a door slammed against a stone wall.

“Ashlynn!” three different female voices exclaimed all
at once, surprise and relief clear in that name alone.

He puffed out a breath, glad they’d found the girls. He kept
an ear on the conversation as they asked questions on top of each other, gave
answers, and he suspected a hug or three was exchanged as well, as Ashlynn
broke them out of their chains. But he did not let the reunion distract him as
he kept his eye on the courtyard inside and the horses still waiting patiently
outside. If they could not get to the boat, this whole thing would be useless.

Anyone that neared the door leading out toward the south was
shot down immediately, but other than that, he let them run around in mad
circles inside. He did not have enough arrows to just fire indiscriminately,
after all.

“Broden, we have them,” Ashlynn told him, her breath
puffing a bit. She sounded winded after running up and down the stairs, but she
did not stop talking to catch her breath again. “Is the southern door
clear?”

“Aye, lass, but ye’d best pick up the pace. That alarm got
all sorts of guards running about down here, looking for intruders, and I be a
mite short on arrows.”

“We’re almost down to the main level again. Marissa,
Konrath, is the door clear?”

“No,” Marissa denied in a snarl. “We’ve got three
down here.”

“Time for me to make a new door, then. Broden, get off
that wall. NOW.”

Realizing what she was planning, it was his turn to swear
viciously as he scrambled to race down the stairs. The set near him was worn
from use, the middle of the stairs dipping in odd ways, and he hugged the wall
even as he tried to take them two at a time. He tripped now and again, just
barely catching himself before falling headfirst, but he was not about to slow
his pace. When Ashlynn was in a mood as fine as this, she had no patience and
would not wait more than a few seconds before making that new door of hers.

He was halfway down when the whole building rattled and
shook, like a giant had playfully punched the abbey in the side. It sent his
feet to skittering, too, and it was only desperate clinging to the wall that
saved him from falling down the stairs.

There was a general cry of alarm and panic as the whole
abbey woke up. Some were convinced lightning had struck the place, others
thought that an earthquake had hit them, but regardless—they were all awake
now.

So much for a quiet raid on the place.

Shaking himself back into motion, he managed to get all the
way to the ground before he found himself facing two half-dressed guardsmen,
neither of them particularly pleased to see him. He had not drawn any more
arrows from his quiver while he was on top, so was caught a bit short. Instead,
he used his bow like a staff and whirled it about, hitting them in the throats
and up the side of the head, knocking them both unconscious. Trying to avoid a
similar fight, he ducked to the side and under the small overhang, guarding the
door that would lead to the horses. There, he stayed perfectly still, knowing it
was motion that caught a man’s eye faster than any other thing.

As he stood there, he fretted about his near-empty quiver.
He had another on his horse that was stock full, but he did not dare try to go
and fetch it now. They could come through any minute, after all, and some
arrows were better than none at all.

It seemed an eternity, but finally his group broke through
to the courtyard. Broden used the last three arrows in his quiver to cover them
as they raced past and through the open doorway. He stayed just long enough to
make sure that everyone was out, and then he followed.

Ashlynn spelled the door shut as he raced for his horse.
Then there was a percussive sound, like a drum had been slapped hard. He
glanced over his shoulder to see that she’d broken a part of the wall so that
it covered the door, making it impossible for anyone to follow them. Through
that door, at least.

With a voice loud enough to put any army commander to shame,
the wizard bellowed, “RIDE!”

Chapter Twenty-three

Of course, they did not have a clean escape. In fact, they
barely got out of the city and into the southern end of the foothills before
the enemy caught up.

“Ashlynn!” Broden jerked a thumb over his shoulder to
indicate the men hot on their trail.

She nodded back grimly. She’d seen them already, eh? But she
did not slow her pace, so he had no idea what the lass was planning. Did she
want to stop in a particular spot on the road? He could not make sense of that,
as every part of the highway was like every other part. There was not enough
difference to make a man sit up and take notice. Surely her plan was not to get
all the way to the boat.

Ashlynn lifted the necklace on her throat and spoke into it,
her voice clear as a bell in his ear. “Everyone take a sharp right at this bend
in the road and get off the highway. I want to have as much distance between us
and the foothills as we can before they catch up with us.”

He saw sense in the order as she spoke. They had no
guarantee that there was not another party in the foothills waiting to ambush
them. If the Iyshian king knew enough about their plans to send several squads
to waylay them, would he not be able to guess which route they’d take on their
way back?

Of course, they would not be able to get too far, as the
Trilakes would bar them in. Still, Broden preferred to have the lake at his
back to the foothills. Unless Iyshian soldiers had learned how to grow gills,
the water was a safer bet.

With three wounded women doubling up, they did not have the
speed of mounted cavalry. The soldiers caught up quicker than he cared for,
leaving them close to the lake’s beach but not on it. Ashlynn gave the sharp
command of “Guard my sisters!” before she spun her horse around in a tight
circle and then pulled it to a halt, hooves sliding in the loose mud.

Broden ignored the order—it did not apply to him. He turned
and followed her, stopping just behind and off to the left, giving her room to
fight and him to shoot.

Ashlynn stood in her stirrups and spoke a sharp command, the
air glowing and humming right in front of her. It grew like a wall, but one
without a sharp outline, as tall as a man on horseback, and as long as a felled
log. While Broden agreed a shield would be a fine thing to have at the moment,
he had to wonder why she did not put up something that would cover them all.
Was it just too large a thing for her to make? Or…he glanced behind as the
thought occurred that mayhap there were people in the group with no tolerance
for magic. Could be she’d hurt or drive mad one of her own by putting a shield
above their heads.

Either way, it was obviously his job to watch her back and
make sure that nothing got past that wall she’d put up.

Looking forward, he grimly started counting heads. One, two,
three…five…three back there—looked like a dozen altogether. Not a bad response
time on the city’s part. Or the abbot’s, if these men were his.

The enemy commander skidded to a stop, his horse almost
sitting on its haunches in its effort to go from a run to an abrupt halt. He
looked near in age to Broden, grey hair plastered to his scalp because of the
rain. “Return them!” he shouted, his voice like a thunderclap. “Return them,
and we will let you return to your country!”

Ashlynn stayed standing in the stirrups as she snarled back,
“You kidnapped my sisters and held them captive, and you think I’ll meekly turn
them over?!”

“Those women are kin to Edvard Knolton, the Betrayer of Iysh!”

Ho? Edvard had a fancy title now. Broden made a note to pass
it along—he was sure his new king would get a kick out of it—even as he drew
two arrows and readied his bow, prepared to fire at a moment’s notice.

His wizard looked ready to take a few heads off. Her eyes
narrowed to mere slits, mouth in a straight line. Broden locked that expression
in his mind for future reference—if his lass ever looked at him like that, he’d
run for the hills.

In an eerily calm voice, she announced, “I am Ashlynn
Fallbright, Court Wizard of Estole and blood sibling to Edvard Knolton.”

The other side stirred restlessly, and more than one man
looked ready to bolt when he realized just who it was that he was facing. Oh,
they probably did not know the lass’s reputation just from her name, but any
fool could figure it out by the title she tacked on at the end. Broden started
hoping that cowardice would prevail and they’d have second thoughts about tangling
with this group. There had been enough bloodshed already coming down. They did
not need more on their hands.

“I repeat,” Ashlynn raised one hand and let it glow, bright
enough to put a torch to shame. “Retreat back to your city. Allow my party to
pass. I will not show you leniency a second time.”

The commander’s reply was lost on Broden. Something else had
caught his attention. Ashlynn had her eyes locked on the enemy commander, but
Broden never looked at just one man. His eyes caught a movement from the very
back and saw that two men were hiding behind their fellows and drawing
crossbows.

In that moment, he realized that the commander was talking simply
to distract her. As soon as she dropped that shield, they’d fire, and there
would not be a thing anyone could do to save her after that. Grimly, he rose in
his stirrups as well, drew his bow in a smooth motion and fired in an arc over
the front row of riders. He fired in quick succession, aiming for the two he
knew were ready to cause trouble.

Because he was not sure what type of shield Ashlynn had
raised, his arrows arced over it as well, smoothly gliding through the air with
a piercing whistle before they found their marks in the men’s shoulders. They
screamed in near unison as the arrows hit, and the crossbows dropped to the
ground with heavy thunks.

Ashlynn did not ask any questions but simply changed her
shield’s length, widening it so that the other side could not get around it at
all. Then with a flick of her fingers, she sent it toward the group.

No man could outrun it, the shield moved so quickly. As it
hit them, the enemy soldiers either flinched or became violently sick, some
even shuddering and dropping out of their saddles to retch on the ground. Those
Broden ignored, as a sick man offered no real threat. He shot the three men who
only flinched and tried to charge forward, his arrows finding quick homes in
their shoulders or chests.

The commander was one that took an arrow in the chest, near
the right breast pocket, and he clutched at it with one hand as he gasped with
pain. Behind gritted teeth, he accused Ashlynn, “You signaled your man to
attack us while you distracted me, thinking that we could negotiate!”

“No, that was your tactic, I think.” Ashlynn shot a
questioning look toward Broden, who nodded in grim confirmation. “Fortunately
for me, my partner is a paranoid man and not one to fall for tricks like that.
Now, sir, your choice. Do I kill the rest of your men, or do you pick up your
sick and wounded and retreat peacefully back to the city? Be forewarned that
I’m inclined to kill you. I’m in a bad mood. I think I’d feel better if I took
my anger and frustration out on you.”

From that look in her eye, she was not kidding. The
commander seemed to realize that, as he lifted a hand and swore, “By Macha’s sword,
I will not try to attack you or anyone in your party. You are free to return
home.”

No man would make such an oath with the intent to break it.
Macha was the god of horsemanship, battle, and sovereignty, and not a god that
took being mocked well. Satisfied, Ashlynn motioned to her people and said,
“Go.”

They went, Konrath taking lead as he had more knowledge of
this area of the country than anyone else did. They rode for perhaps another
mile or so, until the ship came into sight. There was no real beach, just
gravel and rock, and apparently the water was deep enough for the boat to
anchor in. A gangplank was already extended, and the crew was lined up along
the railing, obviously waiting on them.

“Wounded onboard first.” Ashlynn reined to a stop and slid
off her horse while snapping out commands. “Marissa, Seth, set a quick
perimeter. Broden, take a lookout position. I need about twenty minutes to heal
them properly, and it has to be done right. Otherwise we’ll have very sick
people two days from now. Tant, get me clean water. Everyone else, help get the
horses onboard.”

Broden went back to where they’d come from, taking up a
position that allowed him to see the road while giving him a little cover
behind a small rise, just in case. Seth joined him a moment later and asked in
an undertone, “Were they really trying to distract her and then attack us?”

“Two men cranked up crossbows.”

“Oh.” Seth pondered that for a moment. “Why did you shoot
over her shield?”

“Lass has two different types of shields. One for magic, one
for weapons. I had no way of knowing which she’d put up back there.”

“And you were afraid that if it was the weapons shield, your
arrow wouldn’t go through?” Seth hazarded.

“Aye.”

“Alright, come onboard!” Tant called to them.

Well, that’d been quick work. Broden was surprised they’d
gotten the horses onboard and sorted that fast. Still with a weather eye on the
foothills, he obediently walked the gangplank and onto the ship.

In all his days, Broden had never been on a ship before. Oh,
he’d seen them a time or two—but they had not been anything compared to this.
Amber (she being the one that found the captain and bartered for their passage)
had called it a schooner, whatever that be. All Broden could tell was
that it was large, long enough to fit seven horses and eighteen people,
although it was a bit tight. There were three masts and a half-dozen sails
altogether, but the ship seemed sound and waterproof under his feet. The way
the crew scrambled around each other and their passengers, getting the anchor
up and the gangplank drawn back in, spoke of experience. They did not call out
to each other or ask questions, just simply did the job. Their efficiency put
many of his doubts to rest, but he could not shake his unease off completely.
The experience of having nothing but water and wood under him was too new for
him to really relax.

Finding himself in the way, he tried different areas of the
deck, but always seemed to be in the wrong place and tripping over other people.
Finally, he ended up on the upper section of the decking and behind the
helmsman, who was also their captain. The man was short and stout, with a greying
beard but dark haired, face lined by age and sun. He spoke in a growl or a
shout, but never with unkind words. Broden had a good feeling about the man,
but did not try to speak to him, just watched him and the shoreline, keeping an
eye out for potential trouble.

They left the land behind, sailing for the center of the
lake. Broden could see the far shoreline, barely, in the strong moonlight. If
he remembered his geography right, Overa was on the other side of the lake, but
they had no cause to leave Trenena. At least, not yet. That might change,
depending on how things played out.

The wind picked up, the sails snapped taut, and the boat
picked up speed to where a trotting horse would barely be able to keep up.
Broden relaxed a hair when he realized that no one from Lorand was trying to
catch up with them. There was not a flicker of movement on the shore, and they
were too far out for anyone to pursue them now.

The captain too had fallen silent and was simply steering
now. This might be the right time to ask a question. “Ye be a fine man for
helping us out of a tight spot.”

Glancing over his shoulder, the captain’s beard twitched
upward, as if under all that hair he was smiling. “That pretty brunette lass
said ye be rescuing the blonde lass’s sisters. Be that the truth?”

“Aye. Although how they came to be held in an abbey of all
places, I can no’ ken.”

“Oh, that abbot be a corrupt soul. Everyone in town knows
it, too. It be no surprise to me the man would hold young lasses captive. How
the man holds his position, that be what I can no’ ken.” With a sad
shake of the head, the captain dismissed this. “Gause, Captain of the West
Wind. Pleasure to have ye onboard.”

Broden gave him a duck of the head. “Broden Ravenscroft. May
harmony find ye, Captain Gause.”

Gause seemed pleased by Broden’s polite response. “Good
people, yer lot. Always a kind word from all of ye. Bit worried I be, at first,
when yer lass came to me. But it seems I be doing a good service after all. She
could no’ tell me where ye be headed, though. Right now, we be sailing for Lakepoint?”

Spreading his hands, Broden responded, “We be no’ sure what
our options will be once we reach Lakepoint. It depends on what be there. If we
can, it’d be best to take a flatboat to The Grove and then go home across land
from there. But if there be no flatboats that can take us…”

“Then ye will either cut across land on horseback or go by
sea?” Gause hazarded. Stroking his beard thoughtfully, he offered, “This time
of year, odds be good that ye can catch a flatboat. But no flatboat can take on
all of ye and the horses. Like as no’, ye will need two—one for the horses, one
for the people.”

Broden had even less experience with flatboats than he did
with ships, so had to take Gause’s word for it. But surely the man would know,
as this was his business. “Eh, then can ye guess what it’d cost a man to hire
two?”

“Oh, depends on the captain. A young one will no’ charge ye
as much, as he be still making a name for himself, y’see. He be willing to take
any work that comes his way. An older man, well, he might charge ye more, as he
be more in demand. But this be the time of year when the river beat its fullest
and the flatboats can load up heavy without worrying about dragging bottom.
Like as no’, ye can find two to hire.”

That was good news, at least.

Ashlynn came up the short stairs and joined them. She shot a
particularly charming smile at the captain as she said, “It’s a fine ship and
crew you have here, Captain Gause. Thank you for taking us on.”

It was hard to tell by moonlight, but Broden would swear
Gause blushed as he stammered out, “N-no, it be a pleasure to have ye. Kind
people, ye be. Be there anything else ye need?”

“No, not at the moment.”

“Yer sisters sorted, then?” Broden asked.

Ashlynn gave him a weary smile. “Finally, yes. I had to
answer about three dozen questions as I healed them, but they’ve all fallen
asleep now. They had no idea what this whole thing was about, who was behind
the kidnapping, or anything.”

Broden was not surprised to hear that.

“Captain Gause, do you think we can hire a flatboat once we
reach Lakepoint? We’d like to go up the river to The Grove, you see.”

Gause inclined his head toward Broden. “Yer man and I just
spoke on that. No use trying to fit all of ye and yer horses on one. Ye be
needing two, and this be high season for the flatboats, so odds be good. I know
a captain or two I can introduce ye to, if ye wish.”

Ashlynn’s smile this time was more genuine. “That’s very
kind, thank you. I’d appreciate that. None of us are particularly familiar with
this area of Trenena, after all. How long will it take to reach Lakepoint?”

“A day, mayhap less, depending if we can keep up this
speed.”

“Excellent. In that case, it gives us all a day to rest.”
Turning to Broden, she suggested, “You’d best come down and choose a hammock to
sleep in.”

He blinked at her. “A what, now?”

“Hammock.” With her hands, she tried to illustrate it in the
air. “It’s what sailors sleep on. It’s a web of rope that’s strung out between
poles. You sleep on them.”

Broden eyed her dubiously. Sleep on rope? That did not sound
the least bit comfortable. “I think I will sleep on the deck, lass.”

“It’ll be fine,” she promised, amused. Grabbing his hand,
she tugged him after her. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

He could hear Gause chuckling behind him and mentally cursed
the man for finding this funny. Regardless of what the lass said, he was not about
to sleep on rope, no matter if it was tradition on a ship or not.

Chapter Twenty-four

Needless to say, Broden did not sleep well that night. Everyone
claimed a man could sleep just fine in a hammock as long as a storm was not
about to toss him out of it. That was hogwash. Broden rolled out of it three
different times before giving up and sleeping on the deck. He awoke irritable
and bleary-eyed. If a clear target had presented itself, he would have promptly
riddled it with holes, but he had no one to properly blame for his lack of
sleep except his own fool self for trying that thrice-cursed thingamajig to
begin with.

There was a mess hall and kitchen in the bottom decks, down
the hall from the sleeping quarters. Broden followed his nose and found breakfast
being served up by a burly man that looked more like a blacksmith than a cook.
A line had formed in front of a low wooden counter, and Broden joined it,
looking about as he did so. There were exactly three tables, all bolted to the
floor, with round stools set around them, also bolted to the floor. Half his
own group was already in the room, eating breakfast and chatting with each
other. Ashlynn, Seth, and Marissa were not there, so he assumed them to be on
the upper deck.

Three girls he’d only met briefly the night before were
gathered around one table with Amber. He studied them from the corner of his
eye as he waited for his food. Bria’s dark hair was no longer a tangled mess
around her face, but had been neatly braided and tied to hang over her
shoulder, plain grey dress looking washed and pressed. She had the Knolton blue
eyes and a heart-shaped face that matched her sweet nature. On her right was Catriona—Cat,
as she’d insisted the night before—with her fair hair hanging freely down her
back, also looking clean and pressed in a white shirt and dark skirt. Unlike
her sisters, she looked wan and distressed, lines engraved in her fair skin and
around those sharp dark eyes.

On Cat’s other side sat Darisa, who had an arm around her
sister’s shoulders and was speaking in a low, comforting tone. Darisa was the
only one that truly looked like a Knolton— dark hair with a slight wave, blue
eyes, olive skin. She could have been Edvard’s twin, the more feminine version,
if she was only three years older. She also must have been of a size to match
Ashlynn, as Broden recognized the dark blue shirt and riding pants she wore
very well.

The cook slapped a spoonful of porridge into a bowl, handed
him a cinnamon roll, and a glass of fresh water. Mouth watering from the smell,
he nodded thanks to the man and went to join the table of girls. “Top of the
morning to ye, lassies.” They all looked up at him and smiled, and there be not
a man in the world that could resist a table of smiling, beautiful women. He
promptly sat down. “Ye all slept better than I in that specious bed, I hope.”

Amber chuckled, eyes crinkling up at the corners. “I saw you
roll out of it at one point. You really couldn’t stay in that thing, could
you?”

He grumbled a few choice words before remembering he had
nothing but women in front of him, and then he watched his tongue.

“I’m glad to have a chance to speak with you,” Cat said. Her
voice was the soothing type to listen to, as pleasant to hear as birdsong. “I
saw you several times last night and I must say, your archery skills are
impressive. I’ve never seen a man that has such true aim.”

“Ah, lass, ye will set this old man to blushing if ye carry
on so.”

“He says that,” Amber observed to no one in particular, “but
look at that grin. Don’t let it go to your head, Broden. After all, Riana is as
good as you are.”

“Aye, chip off the old block, she be.” His grin widened.

“Riana?” Bria asked in confusion.

“Me daughter,” he explained.

“Oh! You have a daughter?” Bria leaned farther across the
table, eyes focused on him. “Ashlynn mentioned to us last night that Ash also
has a partner now. By any chance, is it your daughter that partnered with him?”

“Aye.” He snuck in a quick bite after he answered. Sitting
at a table full of curious women and eating was something of a challenge.

“You almost speak like a Trenenian, but not quite.” Darisa
cocked her head in confusion. “Are you from here?”

Mouth full, he could only shake his head. Amber took pity on
him and answered in his stead. “No, he and Riana are from Cloud’s Rest. Ash
discovered them when he went up there to get more lumber.” She glanced at him,
but he encouraged her with a wave of the hand to continue the story. Amber knew
it well enough to recount it, and it gave him a chance to eat.

She had a rapt audience. When she finished, Bria actually
clapped her hands together like a delighted child. “I’m so glad! We were all
worried about Ashlynn and Ash running around as they do. I mean, if they would
at least work together it wouldn’t be as dangerous for them, but they always
seemed to choose to work on separate projects that took them to opposite sides
of the city. With you and Riana, we can rest a little easier.”

“But how did the pairings work out as they did?” Cat frowned
at the ceiling, finger going back and forth in the air as she worked things out
in her head. “I mean, wouldn’t it make more sense for you to pair with Ash and
your daughter with Ashlynn?”

Amber bit her lip, trying to hide her laughter, but failed
miserably at it. Broden gave her a glare that did nothing but encourage her.
“Lass. It be no’ that funny.”

“No, it is,” Amber insisted. “At least, to us it is.”

“We’re missing something,” Darisa stated certainly, eyes
shining with anticipation. “What? His daughter has a crush on Ash?”

“Oh, the crush is mutual,” Amber assured her gleefully.
“Don’t glower so, Broden. It’s not that bad.”

Easy for her to say. It was not her little girl flirting
with the man.

All of the women seemed to find this vastly entertaining,
and they leaned over the table, staring at him with open delight.

Darisa pressed the point. “Really? Ash has a crush on a
girl? I don’t think I’ve seen him like anyone since he was ten.”

“He was in pretty strict training when he started his
apprenticeship,” Cat pointed out to her. “Still, I’m glad to see that he isn’t
as obsessed with magic as we’d feared. Broden, what’s your daughter like? Aside
from being an amazing archer, that is.”

Broden could not help but boast a mite. “Too pretty by half,
like her mother. Hair the color of sunset, clear green eyes, fair skin. She has
a good heart, that one.”

“We’d think you were boasting, except that she has to be
that pretty and amazing to catch Ash’s attention.” Cat sat back in her chair,
and for a moment, her fatigue and pain faded away. “So, she partnered with Ash,
even though you knew they liked each other?”

“Lass, there no’ be much in life a father will deny his
little girl if she wants it.” Which was true enough, as it went. “Besides, Ash
and I had a talk. He knows to behave himself.”

“Or he won’t wake up one morning,” Amber finished knowingly.
“Yes, we know how you fathers think, alright. But I’ve never figured out why
you so readily partnered with Ashlynn.”

“Oh, lass reminds me strongly of me Riana,” he answered
easily. “Charming and strong and quick to jump into danger. Watching her, I
could no’ leave her be. Nigh on gave me a heart attack thinking what she’d be
getting into without someone to properly guard her back.”

Amber gestured toward him in a grand manner and said to the
other women, “And that, ladies, is why Edvard trusted both Broden and Riana
with his wizard-siblings. He quickly figured out that neither of them would let
their partners go into danger alone.”

Bria’s eyes became sad. “I wish now that I was a wizard too.
If I had been, maybe I would never have been kidnapped like that.”

There might be truth in that, but Broden did not want her
thinking that she was worth less than Ashlynn. These three women were good
ones, kind ones, and did not deserve what had happened to them. So he gentled
his tone as he assured her, “Lass, ye need no’ fear it happening again. I swear
that to ye. Why, Edvard had no notion that the Iyshian king would do the likes
of this. But now that he knows, he be taking every precaution to make sure that
no person in his family will face danger again.”

“We know, Broden.” Bria’s smile flickered back to life. “Was
Edvard very upset when he heard what had happened to us?”

“Upset does no’ cover it.” Remembering, Broden grimaced. “I’ve
never in me born days seen a man that angry. If the Iyshian king had been
within reach of him, Edvard would have strangled him with his bare hands.”

Amber nodded vigorously in support of this. “We saw him the
next day, after he’d gotten the letter, and he wasn’t any calmer then. In fact,
he stayed mad for several days until he sent us to rescue you.”

Hopefully that anger had died down some by now. Ashlynn had
taken a moment here and there to send a magical message to her brother, keeping
them posted on events. She could not do it often—something about needing strong
sunlight and wind to have enough magic to send a message that far out.

Strong sunlight and wind…hmm. She might have all she needed
up top, what with them being in the middle of the lake like this. “Amber, might
the lass be up on top sending messages back and forth to her brother?”

“Hmm?” Amber blinked as she switched topics. “Oh, yes,
that’s exactly what she’s doing. She said the conditions are perfect for it
right now.”

“In that case,” he stood and gathered his bowls, “I should
join her. There be some questions I want answered. Lassies, be there anything ye
needing or help yer wanting?”

“No,” Bria answered for all of them, voice gentle. “Thank
you, Broden. Right now, we’re simply healing and recovering our strength. If
that changes, we’ll certainly ask you.”

“Well enough, then.” He bade them a silent goodbye before
returning his dishes to the cook, offered a word of thanks, then went up the
short ladder to the top deck. He had to pause a moment when he reached the top
as his eyes adjusted to the strong sunlight of the morning. The air felt damp
up here, the scent of the water strong, but the wind felt good along his skin.

He found Ashlynn at the very front of the ship, well out of
everyone’s way, her face to the sun and her hands spread out as if skimming the
top of the wind. Not wanting to interrupt, he did not say a word to her, simply
settled nearby with his back against the railing.

She must have heard him come, though, as a moment later she
opened her eyes and turned to look at him. “Broden. We’ve got trouble in
Estole.”

“A good morning to ye too, lass,” he drawled. “I slept fine,
yerself?”

Ashlynn rolled her eyes. “This is no time for pleasantries.
Riots are breaking out in Estole on a near daily basis.”

His attention abruptly sharpened. “Riots?”

“Some of it is caused by Iyshian spies that are set to stir
up trouble. If they can cause enough of it, it will break the kingdom Edvard is
trying to build.” Her face drew together in a dark frown. “At least, that’s
what I’m assuming their plan is. Right now, we’re so fragile, it wouldn’t take
much. But some of the riots are from our own citizens, and it’s because of the
housing shortage.”

It was his turn to frown. “I thought Ash stayed behind to
build houses.”

“He hasn’t been able to focus on it. At the same time the
riots started, Iyshian soldiers started raiding our borders. Between dealing
with the raids and dealing with the riots, Edvard’s guards and Ash are
stretched too thin. He just doesn’t have time to build the houses. It’s being
left up to the carpenters instead, and while they’re good at their jobs, they
aren’t nearly as fast.”

He rubbed at his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “In
other words, we need to be there. Now.”

“Yes. Ash simply can’t handle the workload—no one can, it’s
asking a person to be in three places at once—and Edvard can only do so much
with the people he has.” Ashlynn wrung her hands together in a rare gesture of
helplessness. “I was afraid of this. I mean, I had to come. The party would
never have survived that wizard who attacked us. But I was afraid that if I did
come, the Iyshian king would take advantage and do everything he could to
destroy Estole while I was gone.”

In a kingdom as small as Estole, every person was vital.
Broden had seen that for himself. Especially a person like Ashlynn, who could
do the work of twenty people. If she was missing, it made it hard, if not
impossible, to make up for her absence. Oh, that Iyshian king be a crafty old
codger, alright. By kidnapping the girls, he won, no matter what Edvard decided
to do. If Edvard had frozen, not daring to do anything for fear of his sisters,
he won. If he sent a rescue party with one of the wizards, the king won, too.

Rubbing his palm over his face, he asked her grimly, “How
bad, Ashlynn?”

“Bad.” She sounded old and tired as she answered. “Two
buildings destroyed right down the framework, almost, with several near-fatal
injuries. This all in the past three days, mind you. If we don’t get back soon,
the guard is simply going to be overrun with problems and the whole structure
we put into place before leaving will simply collapse. But I don’t know what to
do. We can’t go much faster than this—my sisters aren’t in any condition for
it. They were held captive for nearly a month with little to eat or drink and
in those horrible chains. They simply don’t have the physical strength to go
tearing across the countryside at high speeds.”

“Aye. I saw them this morning and saw that with me own
eyes.” He let his head thunk back against the wood and stared blindly up
at the sky. “Ye said afore that going by sea all the way to Estole be the
safest path. How safe?”

“Very. The Iyshian king has no control over the sea. I mean,
they could still be attacked by pirates or run across a mother storm, but it’s
safer than going across land.” Her mouth hung open for a moment, closed, then
she hummed thoughtfully. “You’re not thinking about splitting away from them,
are you? Sending them by ship home and us going across Trenena by ourselves?”

“We’d be faster that way,” he pointed out.

“Oh, certainly. We’d get home in seven days, maybe six if we
truly pushed it.” She hummed again, eyes narrowed as she thought it through. “I
think…I think it’s our only option at this point. But let me talk it over with
the others. Some of them might choose to go with us.”

True, it was not like all five of them needed to guard the
girls on the way home. They could like as not take two with them.

Ashlynn rose to one knee, only to pause and lift her face
again to the sun for a long moment. “Ash said that they just got another
complication. The priests in Estole were officially excommunicated this
morning.”

Broden’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. “They be WHAT?!”

“Unless they left Estole immediately,” she added grimly.
“Well. Our former king is certainly not pulling his punches or showing any
mercy, is he? Although how he thinks he has the authority to control the gods
is beyond me.”

The man had used a servant of god to do his dirty business,
so that part did not surprise Broden one bit. “Lass, I think we best get home
quickly. Afore the whole kingdom comes crashing down around our ears.”

Pushing herself up to her feet, she assured him with icy
calm, “I agree. Let’s speak with the others and see who wants to go where. But
when we land, we leave immediately for Estole.”

Chapter Twenty-five

When they reached Lakepoint, it took nearly an hour to make
arrangements to set people on their way.

Lakepoint had to be the strangest place that Broden had ever
seen. It was not a land-built city at all, but was instead made entirely of
stone and wood, suspended over the mouth of the river. There were ports as
people called them, water gates where people came in and out, and it looked
nothing more like roads except on the water. The smell of fish and such was
strong here, almost overpowering, and Broden found himself holding his breath
more than once to avoid inhaling the worst of it.

Konrath found them a riverboat that was going up to The
Grove, and they promptly boarded it. Only Konrath chose to go with them, and
they entrusted Edvard’s sisters to the others, who would be taking the slightly
longer sea-bound route. Ashlynn did pause long enough to buy everyone passage
on a sailing ship that was headed toward Estole. (Broden did not think she’d
rest easy until she was assured they had a good way home.) But as soon as the
tickets were bought and handed over, she hugged them goodbye and boarded the
riverboat.

Broden had never heard tale of or seen the like of this
boat. It was not unique—he saw several others—but it was strange to his eyes.
It had sails, like the schooner he’d just left, but also had paddles on either
side. It was flat and wide, wide enough for four carriages to sit side by side,
and a good twenty feet in length. It seemed an impossible thing to steer, but
it must be possible, as no one seemed to question it could go up the river.

Well, down the river would be more accurate. The lake
apparently fed the river, as the land had a distinctly downward slope to it. Broden
had at first questioned the wisdom of boarding this thing—would not riding be
faster? But in all truth, even though the boat was slightly slower than a
trotting horse, it made up for it in several ways. For one, it never got tired
or needed rest. The horses could only go for so many hours before fatigue set
in. Also, the riverboat captains were so comfortable with the river that they
often ran at night if the moon was bright enough. With them traveling nonstop
day and night, they’d be turning a seven-day trip into four.

Riding on the boat was odd but quickly became comfortable.
The news from Estole was anything but comforting. Most of the priests of the
different gods had left, afraid of being excommunicated, which put the people
into a tizzy. The harassment of the borders was becoming bad enough that no one
wanted to leave the city at all, which just made the riots worse. The whole
thing gave Broden a headache, but it worried him too. After all, it was Ash and
Riana that were in the thick of things right now, and he knew his little girl.
She would not be idly standing by while people were getting hurt.

Ashlynn openly fretted, often pacing the length of the boat,
which only exhausted her and did no good. She remained in constant
communication with her brother, for all the good that did her.

Frankly, it was a relief when they finally landed at The
Grove.

The Grove was not well named, to his mind. It was a huge
expanse of forest, mostly a logging town that supplied timber to all areas of
the country. It was also a stopping place for travelers, as it was a midpoint
no matter which direction you were going. They found all the supplies they
needed to make the last leg of the journey on the main street of the town. Once
the necessities were bought, they loaded up and rode hard, taking advantage of
the five hours of daylight they had left.

For four days they rode hard, rising early and pushing until
the evening sunset. It wore out both man and beast, but none of them had the
least desire to stop. They had to get there—Broden did not want to even consider
what would happen if they could not get there fast enough to help reverse this
dangerous trend.

Finally, late on the fourth day, Estole came into sight.

It should have been a relief to see their destination, but
the look of it made his heart sink into his stomach. When Broden had first seen
Estole, there had been construction and tents all over the place as people
focused on building new lives here. Now there was smoke coming up from
different sections of the city, turning the sky grey, and some of the buildings
he had seen built were lying in ruins, looking like haunted houses. The sight
of it made him sick.

Ashlynn dug her heels into her tired mount’s flanks and
called back over her shoulder, “FIRES FIRST!”

Broden grimly urged his steed to follow her, knowing that
she was right. If the fires were not checked, they would lose the whole city.

As they passed through the front gates, people recognized
them and called out welcomes. Some of the guards called out directions, too,
telling them where the worst fires were. Konrath peeled off at the gates, no
doubt so he could find better use of his hands than blindly following them.
Ashlynn waved in acknowledgement to those who told her where to go, and changed
directions, going as fast as she could in the crowded streets. Broden knew the
city better now, and he more or less recognized where she was headed.

Tavern Row.

It was the one section of the city that had all of the
taverns and hostels, and usually where trouble broke out first. Broden blamed
the amount of alcohol that flowed there. Men in poor moods with too much ale in
their bellies never made good decisions. Setting fire to a city no one could
readily escape from was a stellar example of that.

They made another turn, and the heat of the fire hit him
like an open furnace. The smell of things burning choked up his throat and set
his eyes to watering. Swearing, he quickly grabbed a kerchief from his pocket
and wet it down with what little was left in his water pouch before tying it
around his mouth and nose. He’d been around enough forest fires to know that a
man could choke to death on smoke if he inhaled enough of it.

The kerchief helped some, but he could still smell smoke
strongly, so he could only hope that whatever magic Ashlynn did to put this
fire out worked quickly.

His wizard stopped abruptly in the street, her horse’s
hooves skittering a bit on the cobblestone road, and stood in her stirrups.
Raising both hands, she called something out in that magical tongue of hers,
and the air around them glowed as if she had set another fire blazing.

Then, all at once, the fires went out. She said another
spell and a strong wind blew through the streets, chasing all of the smoke away
so that Broden could finally see what was in front of him.

It was not a pretty sight.

Every building on the street looked scorched at the very
least, black climbing up the walls and licking the rooftops. The street was
filthy with smoke and ash, and the people even more so, looking like charwomen.
Some of the buildings had gaping holes in them where the fire had eaten away at
the walls, but most of them seemed not truly damaged. At least, from here it appeared
that way. Broden prayed it was so.

Ashlynn looked about her, eyes peeled, then nodded in
satisfaction. “It’s out.” Lifting the amulet from her neck, she asked, “Can
anyone tell me if there’s another fire in the city?”

Broden was close enough to hear the reply, “Ashlynn, are
you back already?!”

“I am, brother dear. We’ll hug each other later. Are there
anymore fires?”

“Did you get the one on Tavern Row?”

“Yes. It’s out.”

“Thank all the gods. There were two set, and I had to
choose between that one and the one near the lumber yard.”

Ashlynn blanched. “A fire broke out at the lumber yard?”

Broden understood her reaction all too well. If there was
any part of the city that should not have fire anywhere near it, it was
there. Way too much kindling set about in neat piles, just like an oversized
bonfire ready to be lit.

“Please, please tell me not a lot of damage was done.”

“We lost about three logs that I’d lumbered in Cloud’s
Rest, but the lumber yard itself is intact and no one got hurt. I count that as
a win. What about you? How much damage is there?”

“Not much,” she answered, eyes roving the area as she spoke.
“Some scorched walls, maybe a hole or two, but the place is more or less
intact. It won’t take much to fix.”

“I am beyond relieved to hear it. Now, when did you get
here?”

“Just now. Tell me that everyone’s safe?”

“Nothing major has happened since I talked to you
yesterday. Well, not until the fires broke out. We’re all safe. Tell Broden
that Riana is just fine. I don’t want him hunting me down later.”

Broden’s lips twitched in a quick smile as he pulled the
kerchief off his face. Wise man to say that now.

Ashlynn glanced back, saw his expression, and winked at him
before assuring her brother, “He heard you. I’ll meet you back in our rooms,
alright? I need a hot meal and a change of clothes at the very least before we
sit down with Edvard. I think we need to have an emergency meeting and come up
with a strategy to deal with all of this. Otherwise we’ll only be reacting to
the Iyshian king’s attacks, and we can’t keep doing that and win.”

“I agree completely. I’ll meet you there.”

Riana watched as Ash dropped the amulet. In between the
shouting of the men looking for the source of the fire and the general
confusion as people tried to clear out the charred wood, she hadn’t caught more
than one word in five. But from what she could hear, and the expression of
relief on Ash’s face, it seemed the other wizard-pairing was back.

Coming up to him, she caught his arm and asked, “Da and
Ashlynn?”

“Back safe,” Ash assured her, the first genuine smile on his
face in days. “In fact, Ashlynn went straight to Tavern Row and dealt with the
fire there. She says there’s some damage, but we didn’t lose that section of
the city.”

Riana sent up a prayer of thanks to any god that might be
listening. This was the fourth fire they’d dealt with in the past three days,
and she counted it a straight up miracle that they hadn’t lost any part of the
city yet. But it wasn’t for lack of trying on someone’s part, and she didn’t
think they’d stop until they were either caught or they succeeded. “What now?”

“They want to meet us back at our rooms. Ashlynn claims she
needs a hot meal and a change of clothes, and then we really should have an
emergency meeting with Edvard.” Ash looked around, running a hand roughshod
over his hair, and for a moment he let her see his exhaustion and despair. “We
can’t keep this up for much longer.”

Truly. Ever since Ashlynn and Da had left, it’d been one
disaster after another. They were spending every waking moment putting out
fires—literally, at times—only to have three more pop up while they weren’t
looking. Riana was so glad the other two were back she could weep.

“Come on, then.” Taking his hand, she started towing him
back to the castle.

Ash allowed her to pull him along, hand returning the firm
grip she had on him. They’d been doing that often recently—holding hands. Riana
had started it because she was afraid of losing him in the madness of the
chaotic streets. Now, it was more for comfort than anything else. Their world
might be in danger of falling about their ears, but they could still depend on
each other.

By the time they arrived at the rooms, Ashlynn and Da were
already there. Ashlynn was holed up in the bathing room, and they could hear
her humming over the sound of splashing water. Her da was sitting in a chair
near the fire, looking older than she’d ever seen him. He seemed to have aged
ten years while he was gone, but when he saw her, he lit up in a ready smile
that took the years away again.

“Daughter.” Putting his hands on the arms of the chair, he
pushed himself to his feet with a soft grunt and reached for her.

Smiling, she lunged into his embrace and hugged him hard,
smelling the smoke clinging to his clothes and the sweat of the road. “Da. Be
it a hard journey?”

“Aye, daughter, but a good one. It always be a good one when
ye do what ye set out for.” With a sigh, he eased back and looked at her. “It
seems to me ye had just as hard a road by staying here. Ye look tired; ye both
do.”

“It hasn’t been fun and games while you were gone, that’s
for sure.” Ash dropped heavily into a nearby chair. “I am so relieved you’re
back, I can’t tell you how much.”

Broden nodded to him, expression grim. “We came back as fast
as we could. We feared what would happen if we did no’ get here in time.”

“We feared as well,” Riana admitted. It wasn’t that the
people here weren’t capable of handling emergencies—just not this many
emergencies all at once. The Sheriff of Estole had been especially missed. But
she felt it wasn’t the time to say any of that to her da and instead smiled and
offered, “Glad ye be back.”

“Aye, dearheart, so be I.”

Ashlynn came out with damp hair and clean clothes on,
looking refreshed and livelier than her partner. “Well! I no longer feel like
climbing into a grave and pulling the dirt in after me. Broden, wash if you
wish. I’m calling for an early supper.”

“Bless ye, lass.” Broden lost no time in picking up a set of
clean clothes that had been set aside on a nearby chair and making a beeline
for the bathing room.

Coming forward, Ashlynn gave them both quick hugs before
announcing, “You both could use a wash as well, get all of that soot and ash
off. Are you hungry? No? Then I’ll ask for something for just me and Broden.
Ash, send a message to Edvard, tell him we’re back, and have him meet us in his
study.”

“In about an hour?” Ash inquired, already reaching for his
amulet.

She pursed her lips for a moment before replying, “Yes, I
think that’ll give us enough time.”

Riana studied her expression, finding it hard to decipher
what Ashlynn felt in that moment. “Ye be knowing, then, how to fix all of this
mess?”

“No,” Ashlynn admitted nonchalantly. “But I do remember the
last time that we all put our heads together. What Edvard and Ash couldn’t
solve in weeks, we all solved in a matter of hours. I have no doubt that if we
all think about it and talk it over, we’ll find a solution for this mess.”

Chapter Twenty-six

They found Edvard in his study with his boots up on the
table and an open book covering his face. Hearing them enter, he picked the
book up and looked around, lightening into a brief smile. “Ashlynn. Broden. I’m
glad you’re back. Ash kept me updated as you sent him messages, but I’d feel
better hearing it from you. How are my sisters?”

“Well,” Ashlynn assured him. “They’re weak after weeks of
confinement and a little…traumatized, I guess is the best way to describe it.
But they’re healing. I think they’ll be fine given some time.”

“Good.” Letting his feet thump to the ground, he waved them
toward the chairs gathered around the table. “I think you two set a new record,
you got here so quickly. Was the journey rough?”

“It was no’ pleasant,” Broden responded wearily. “But that
be because we were in such a blasted hurry.”

“And we arrived to see Estole on fire,” Ashlynn added
sourly. “Has this been happening the entire time we were gone?”

“No, the fires have only been happening the past four days,”
Ash assured her. Broden noted that Ash pulled out a chair for Riana and saw her
situated first. Only then did the wizard relax. The way the two acted, it was
normal for him to do so, as Riana did not blink an eye at it. Hmmm. How had
those two grown so much closer in the bare month he was gone?

“The raiding started a week after you left,” Edvard informed
them, jaw clenching and unclenching. “The riots a day after that. The timing is
too good. I know that I have spies and agents stirring up trouble in my
country.”

“Yes, we knew that.” Ashlynn slid into the chair on Broden’s
left, and let out a soft sigh that did not entirely sound at ease. But then,
she was likely saddle sore. “I think we’re more or less up to date on what’s
been happening. Which problem should we tackle first?”

“First we need to figure out what to do about these riots,”
Edvard sighed. “Otherwise the whole city will be burned around our ears before
the end of the week.”

“The riots are escalating because they feel it’s unsafe to
leave the city,” Ash pointed out. “And they’re right. We can’t protect our
people outside of the city walls right now. The raids are getting worse. We’ve got
to do something about that first.”

“Yes, but if we don’t do something about the riots, there
won’t be anything left for Iysh to raid—”

Ashlynn cleared her throat, interrupting Edvard, and gave
her brothers an exasperated look. “And just why do you think I rode my arse off
getting here so quickly? We are not debating on which problem needs to be
solved first. They need to be solved immediately, and Ash and I are going to
divide up the workload. Ash, as I am Sheriff of Estole, I will deal with the
riots.”

“Which leaves me with the raiders?” Ash stroked his chin
thoughtfully. “True, the riots do fall under your responsibility.”

She nodded in satisfaction, glad he saw that, and relaxed
into her chair. “Exactly.”

Edvard eyed the two of them in growing bemusement. “And who,
exactly, is king here? I feel like the two of you are managing just fine
without me.”

The twins regarded him with amusement and carefully didn’t
agree with that. Out loud, anyway.

Broden cleared his throat in an attempt to disguise a
chuckle. “Still, best we tackle one problem at a time. First, the border raids,
I think. Can we no’ build a wall about Estole like we did about the city?”

Edvard blinked before looking at Ash. “I don’t know. Can
we?”

“We’re not that big of a country, Edvard,” Ash responded
dryly. “In fact, we were a duchy before all of this, remember? Of course we
can. It’ll take a few weeks, though.”

“Maybe not as long as you think,” Ashlynn disagreed. “I told
you that Tierone chased me down when I was heading for Trenena, didn’t I? He
said that after what Zelman had done, he wouldn’t be faithful to the king any
longer and would break from Iysh.”

“He did?!” Edvard exclaimed, coming half out of his chair in
surprise. “I didn’t hear about this!”

Ashlynn frowned at him, perplexed. “Truly? He said that
there were games afoot, and he wanted to resolve some of them before he
declared anything. Still, I thought that he would at least tell you before I
got home.”

“No, he hasn’t breathed a word to me.” Sinking back, Edvard
huffed out a breath of mixed relief and joy. “I’m glad to hear it, though. I’ll
send him a message later tonight asking about it. But if he’s truly willing to
do so, maybe he’ll lend me some people until we can get things sorted.”

“Exactly the point I was going to make. If we borrowed
Tierone’s wizard, wouldn’t the job go by faster?”

“Much faster,” Ash agreed. He had an odd expression on his
face as he said this, though, as if a thought had just occurred to him. “And
come to think of it, we shouldn’t build a wall between Estole and Dahl anyway.
Not if Tierone is going to join us. That will cut the building down
significantly.”

True, that. All good points and suggestions. “So this wall
of yers be solid all the way around?”

“No, that’s not wise,” Edvard disagreed thoughtfully.
“Eventually we’ll need open trade routes in and out of the country. If we can
ever get Iysh to recognize us as a sovereign country, that is. When that
happens, I can’t afford a solid wall blocking us off from the world. No, we
need to have certain openings along the roads so people can go through. But
we’ll need…hmm…guard houses? Or something like that so I can station people
near the roads and keep unwanted raiders from entering.”

Ash reached for a pencil and a sheet of paper from the stack
in the middle of the table. “Checkpoints, in other words. Anything else you
want before I design this wall?”

“Make it a good six feet tall and two feet wide,” Riana
suggested. “Otherwise any horse can jump it, and the wall be useless.”

Ash gave her a silent salute with his pencil, acknowledging
her point. “Anything else? No?”

Broden lifted a finger. “If an old man can make a
suggestion?”

Edvard waved him on. “Please do. I’ve liked all your
suggestions so far.”

“Seems to me, from what Ash told us on our way here, that
some of the riots be caused by Iysh, but not all. That be right?”

“Correct,” Edvard confirmed. “From what my spies in the city
tell me, some of these are clearly instigated by Iyshian spies, but some of
them are by my citizens. My upset, paranoid, law-loathing citizens.” This last
bit he added in a sour tone.

Broden stroked his chin, thinking things through aloud.
“Then mayhap there be a way to help solve both problems? Say, make a law that
says any man that causes a riot be assigned to help build the wall.”

Everyone in the room froze, staring at him as if he had just
said something profound.

“And when the wall is finished, perhaps set to help guard
the checkpoints?” A particularly evil smile grew on Edvard’s face. “Oh, that
will stop people in their tracks alright. Who would want to be out there for
days on end doing hard labor? We’ll have to be careful how to word this,
though. I mean, I don’t mind people protesting, I just want them to do so peacefully.”

“Agreed.” Ashlynn rose from her chair, heading for the
shelves on the far wall. “Let me see how the Bindings worked. Maybe we can just
use what they were and rephrase it.”

“Good thought.” Edvard leaned forward, catching Broden’s
eye. “I have an idea how to handle the Iyshian spies that are stirring up
trouble. Our punishment will likely take care of the troublemaking citizens,
but not the spies. But if we can somehow put a spin on this, spread rumors that
anyone who wants to incite a riot is likely an Iyshian spy and should be
reported, it might make it harder for the spies to act.”

Broden’s head canted to the side as he mulled the idea over.
“Belike it will work. At least some. But it will no’ stop a truly determined
man.”

“No, likely not. I’ve put my own spies to work, to see if we
can’t hunt these men down. But this isn’t something that I can turn to my usual
people for help on. Their faces are too well known. I need you and Riana to go
weed out the spies and spread the rumors. People know about you, of course, but
your faces aren’t as well known. It’ll work better coming from the two of you.”

“Now wait a minute,” the twins protested in unison, voices
sounding panicked, “I need him/her.”

Edvard blinked, then laughed out loud. “I haven’t heard you
two talk at the same time like that in ages.”

“Edvard,” Ashlynn growled.

“Not funny,” Ash rumbled, as if completing his twin’s
thoughts.

“No, it is,” Edvard insisted, hand holding his belly. “Why
are you two panicking? It’s not like I’m taking your partners away from you
entirely. I just need them for a few days, is all. And not even the entire day,
at that. I think they can go with you while you work and then spare a few hours
in the evening to do what I need. Rumors are best spread at night anyway, when
people are tired and want to just sit around and talk.”

His king might not think anything of it, but Broden
understood the unease. With all that was going on, he did not feel comfortable
leaving Ashlynn’s side for long. He caught her eye and saw the same expression
of doubt that he felt, but she nodded reassurance to him, silently stating it
would work out one way or another.

Riana and Ash were giving each other the same look. Edvard
caught it all the way around and told them gently, “I promise you, I won’t need
them to do more than two hours or so every evening. My spies and I can handle
the rest, I think. I just need people I can trust to spread the right rumors,
people that no one else will readily link to me. Fortunately, these two are
still new enough that they can do what I need them to. It won’t be dangerous at
any point, not for either side. I’ll work out the particulars of what needs to
be done and then instruct you, Broden, Riana. For now, let’s work on expanding
my laws a little and firming up the plans for the wall. Ashlynn, what have you
found?”

Ashlynn shook her head, mouth curled up in disgust. “We
can’t use any part of the Bindings on this, Edvard. The Iyshian kings
apparently didn’t want anyone speaking against them. The Bindings state that
any man speaking against their king or any person in a governmental capacity is
automatically sentenced to losing his tongue.”

Riana winced. “That be a bit harsh.”

“More than a bit,” Edvard agreed with an equally disgusted
grimace. “You’re right, we can’t pattern our laws after that.”

“I do like their definition of what a ‘riot’ is, though,”
Ashlynn tacked on, eyes skimming the text in front of her. “It labels it as
‘any gathering of three or more people in which protests are made in violent
form, either in destruction of property or in harm to people.’ Ash, you’re writing
up terms and definitions for the laws as well as simply writing the laws
themselves, right? I would use this. I don’t think anyone can phrase it
better.”

“I agree.” Ash pointed a finger at the book. “Mark that page
and set the book in that stack on the table. I’ll copy it down later. But for
now, how do you want me to write the law?”

Edvard steepled his fingers in front of his face in what Broden
had come to know as his thinking pose. “I want it clear that no one is exempt
from this,” he finally said, his words coming out slowly as he thought it
through aloud. “Man, woman, or child, it doesn’t matter.”

“That’s good.” Ash pulled a fresh sheet toward him and
started writing. “Let’s make that clear from the start. What else?”

“I don’t want them involved in riots at all, in any form. I
don’t want them to incite them, or participate in them.”

“Or promote them,” Ashlynn added, still rifling through law
books on the shelf. “That’s something one of the older versions of the Bindings
mentioned, and I think it’s a good thing to add.”

“Noted.” Ash wrote that down with a quick scratch scratch
of pencil on paper. “We know the punishment, but how long should they serve
it? Seven days?”

Edvard shook his head. “No. Too short. I want them to hate
the very idea. Fourteen days, at minimum.”

Riana’s brows twisted up in an expression of doubt, making
it obvious that she felt even that to be a little light of a sentence. “What if
a man does it more than once?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I don’t think
anyone will, as Ash will work them to death when he has them.” Edvard smiled at
his blood-brother with an expression a hungry wolf might make. “Right?”

Ash’s face was a perfect mirror for his king’s. “Right. If
someone is stupid enough to do it again, we’ll come up with an addendum for the
law. But I think this will do for now. Here, how does this read? ‘If any man,
woman, or child is found to incite, promote, or participate in a riot, then
that person shall serve fourteen days on the Estole border in either building
the border wall or in serving as a guardsman at the checkpoints.’ Does that
work?”

Broden turned it over in his head, but saw nothing to
change. “I think so, lad. Edvard?”

“I see no problems with it,” Edvard concurred. Turning, he
beamed at Ashlynn, then Broden. “I really have missed you two. I feel like we
can get a handle on things now instead of scrambling about like a chicken with
a missing head.”

Ashlynn chuckled, the sound bordering on giggling. “Love you
too, Edvard. Now, on to more serious matters, what about the wall?”

“I’ll design that tonight, let you all see it tomorrow and
make changes then,” Ash volunteered. “It shouldn’t be too difficult. The more
important question is, what do you want me to make it of? We don’t have
anywhere near enough lumber.”

“No, lad, for this ye need something more sturdy,” Broden
objected. The idea of a wooden wall, susceptible to fire, made a chill go
straight up his spine.

“Stone,” Edvard said firmly. “I want it out of stone. I
admit, finding a place to quarry that much stone will be something of a
challenge.”

“Brick, maybe?” Ashlynn offered, chewing on the edge of her
thumb thoughtfully. “Although that takes a while to set.”

“Stone,” Ash repeated, concurring with Edvard. “I can get a
lot of stone quarried from Senn, and then have them ship it across the lake to
us. It’ll cost us a pretty penny, though.”

Edvard frowned at that. “Figure up the costs. The wall is
necessary, but I’m going to have to figure out how to pay for it without
bankrupting us. We might have to make our own bricks after all, just to save on
costs. Wait. How do you even make bricks?”

Seeing that no one knew, Broden sighed and responded, “Ye
make a batter of clay and straw, then mold it into shape. After that, ye let it
set in the sun for several days, turning it over once so both sides be dry.
When it be set, put it in a kiln and bake it several days to get all the air
out. It takes about nine days to make, all in all.”

“Nine days?” Edvard frowned and muttered to himself,
calculating at high speeds. “I think it would take longer than that to get
stone from Senn. How many bricks can you make at once?”

Broden blinked at him. “Depends on the hands ye have to form
them, and how many kilns ye have. Hundreds or thousands, if ye have the right
set up.”

“Thousands?” Edvard repeated, intrigued. “Ash, how many
bricks would you need to build the wall?”

“Millions, likely.”

“Oh.” Losing his enthusiasm, Edvard complained, “But I like
bricks! They’re not expensive for me to buy!”

“Use river stone,” Riana suggested. “If Ash can go up and
haul away huge logs, I do no’ see why he can no’ harvest river stones and bring
‘em back to use.”

Edvard snapped his fingers. “Genius. Riana, I love how your
mind works. Is there enough river stone from Cloud’s Rest to do the job?”

“Lad, there be no need to go traipsing all the way over
there,” Broden objected. “Ye got a sea channel and a lake nearby, do ye no’? Go
there first!”

Ashlynn inclined her head toward him. “He’s right, Edvard.
Let’s use the materials we can find close at hand first, and then go out
further only when we have to.”

“Point taken.” Edvard steepled his hands in front of his
face again before asking, “Ash, is there anything you can do to stop the raids
while you go hunting for stone?”

“No, not without affecting the people.” Ash spread his hands
helplessly.

“Then I’ll ask for Tierone to lend me some guards while we
build the wall.”  Knocking his knuckles against the table’s surface, he
motioned to Ashlynn. “Help me send him a message.”

Ashlynn glanced out the window. “Best be quick about it. I’m
losing daylight.”

“Then quickly get over here,” Edvard teased, waggling his
eyebrows at her.

Rolling her eyes, she did as bid.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Ash and Riana left early in the morning, but not empty
handed. Ash had a very large stack of lumber trailing in their wake, which got
odd looks from the people on the road. He had some trouble navigating it out of
the new northwest gate, but he managed to squeeze it through.

The lumber puzzled Riana for a moment until she remembered
that the new wall would have checkpoints built at certain intervals and that
there’d need to be guard houses and barracks to house the soldiers on duty there.
Of course they’d need the lumber to build them with.

Since they were going some distance out, more than could be
considered a day trip, they both mounted horses in order to move. Riana didn’t
have a lot of experience with the beasts—they’d had little cause to have them
in Cloud’s Rest—so was glad that the stable master had given her a placid
gelding. She sat semi-confidently in the saddle as they headed straight for the
channel to harvest rocks from the shoreline.

It was a clear, warm morning, although the wind was just
strong enough to make it feel cool at times. Riana lifted her face to the sun
and smiled. Estole was home now and she was fine with that, but being bound by
walls all the time felt odd to her. She was more comfortable outside of them
like she was now.

“Let’s drop the lumber off first,” Ash suggested. “It’s not
much of a detour for us, and it’ll let me carry more stones on the way back.”

“Fine, fine.” She looked about her, but could not tell where
Estole’s lands ended. “How do ye know where we be exactly?”

He flashed her a smile. “I know this land like the back of
my hand. I grew up here, after all. Just like you know Cloud’s Rest.”

Well, when he put it that way…she flipped a hand, conceding
the point. Something strange, like a cold feeling, tingled at the base of her
spine. But it felt strangely alien. What was that sensation?

“Riana…” Ash’s voice fell to the point that she could barely
hear him. “Do you…regret, coming here?”

Her head snapped around and she stared at him in astonishment.
Was it him that the feeling was coming from? “Regret? Why?”

“I know that Cloud’s Rest is a dangerous place to live, but
I doubt that you had riots or fires being set all the time, so it has to be
safer than Estole is right now. Your father wanted to come here to have a
better place for the two of you to live, and I feel like Estole is actually worse
in some ways. I’m afraid that you’ve come to feel like you got the rawer end of
the bargain.”

Ahhh, well, she could see how he would think that. Ashlynn was
right, her brother had a very gentle soul to worry about Riana so. Shaking her
head, she sought to reassure him. “Ash, I grant ye it be dangerous now, but
that will change. Cloud’s Rest never will. They be set in their ways, and there
be no man there that will take charge of the place and lead them as Edvard does
here. I do no’ worry about it. I be used to danger, so while it saddens me to
see it, it does no’ scare me.” Somewhat reluctantly she added, “And even if it
never gets better, I still prefer Estole over Cloud’s Rest.”

His eyes roved over her face, studying her expression for a
long moment. “Because here you aren’t outcast.”

She nodded, throat tight enough that she felt she couldn’t
manage words. Having never known acceptance by anyone but her da, she’d had no
idea what it was like to be admired and respected by people until she’d come
here. But now she could walk through the streets without people shunning her,
or trying to run her back out of town. Here, she spoke and people listened.
Here, she was wanted, and her heart was addicted to the feeling. She’d fight
the rest of her life to keep it.

Ash reached out and grasped her hand briefly, comforting. He
shook his head, brows drawn up in a perplexed manner. “I still don’t understand
that prejudice of theirs. I mean, you’re beautiful, and sweet, and amazing at
archery. Your father is a good man and just as incredible with a bow. Who
wouldn’t want you there? I would think, with the way that mountain is overrun
with criminals, that they’d want to depend on your skills rather than try to
chase you away. Prejudices are ridiculously stupid.”

“Aye,” she agreed curtly. Shaking it off, she returned the
grip briefly and let go, then went to a different subject. “Now that we be on
the border like this, do ye expect raiding parties to come at us?”

“I certainly do.” Ash ran a hand roughshod through his hair
and looked tired for a moment. “Which means you’ll actually be earning your pay
this time. Last wall I built, you didn’t have anything to shoot at. This time,
I think you’ll have plenty of targets.”

“Well, at least I will no’ be bored,” she responded with a
tight smile. Not that she preferred shooting people over standing about and
looking decorative, but the men that came hunting for them would meet their
end. There was no doubt in her when it came to fighting. She would not allow
anyone to harm Ash.

The wizard grimaced. “Things will likely be a little safer
when Tierone’s men show up. I’m glad he agreed to send them.”

“Yes, speaking of that,” she cocked her head in question, “I
do no’ know the man, so I be curious on this score. He says he be willing to
join in the rebellion, but will he give control to Edvard? Or no’?”

“I’m not actually sure what he’s planning.” Ash frowned as
if he hadn’t thought of it before. “Tierone isn’t one to seek power, but he’s
not the type to give it up either once he’s got it. I think he’ll maintain his
lands but simply rebel as we did against Iysh.”

“So, another new country, eh?” Well, that made sense to her.

“I imagine that he and Edvard will help each other out
regularly, like he’s doing now, though. They always have, so I don’t expect the
pattern to change just because their titles do.” Ash seemed caught by some
vision in his mind’s eye, and he grinned evilly. “But can you imagine the look
on Zelman’s face when he realizes that not one duke but two have
rebelled and cut themselves off from him in the same year? Oh, I’d give good
money to see his expression when he hears the news.”

She snapped her fingers. “I near forgot. You met Zelman
once.”

“Twice, actually. All new wizards are introduced to him when
they receive his official blessing to serve in Iysh. I didn’t like him the
first time I met him, and my opinion didn’t improve the second time I saw him.
He’s an enormously fat man with scraggly, wiry hair sticking out of his head,”
Ash’s hands rose to illustrate, “and the most annoying voice you’ve ever heard.
I feel sorry for any court official that has to be around him for hours at a
time. Although I imagine that they’ve gotten used to it by now.”

“He’s no’ a likeable man, then?” Somehow that didn’t
surprise her much. “Makes sense now why people so readily switched to Edvard.”

Ash canted his head in question. “How’s that?”

“Oh, people prefer a well-looking man as king over an ugly
one.” She nodded at her own wisdom. “It always be the case. A good-looking
person is always listened to and respected over an ugly one. Have you no’
noticed that?”

Ash’s eyes crossed. “I feel like I should disagree with you,
but considering how many times I’ve seen a handsome person get by with
something a plain person wouldn’t…ha! Great gods, you’re right! Now why didn’t
I realize that sooner?” Chuckling to himself, he turned off the road and onto
the grass. “Well, I guess we should send a prayer of thanks that Edvard is a
handsome man, then, otherwise our rebellion might not have succeeded.”

Riana smiled, enjoying the fact that she’d gotten him to
chuckle. It was a rare sight these days, what with all of the pressure her poor
wizard was under.

Ash abruptly reined in, and with a wave of his hand directed
the floating lumber to come and rest on the grass. “There, that should be a
good spot to leave it in. Should I put a ward around it?”

“I would,” she urged. “The raiders may no’ want to cart it
off, but if they guess what it be for, they for sure will torch it.”

“Oh.” Ash looked disturbed by this. “I hadn’t thought of
that, but good point.” He twisted in his saddle to face the woodpile more
directly and started weaving a spell into the air, a familiar symbol that she
had seen him use several times before.

Come to think of it, she’d no notion how long these wards of
his lasted. She opened her mouth to ask, only to pause as her ears caught the
faintest sound of thundering hoof beats off in the distance. She stood in her
stirrups and peered in the direction of the sound. The sun was at just the
right angle to blind her so she lifted a hand to shield her face, narrowing her
eyes in an effort to see better.

Ash caught her movement and finished the spell quickly.
“Ward’s set. You see something?”

“Party of riders,” she answered slowly, straining her eyes.
“Can no’ make out how many. I’d say a dozen or so. They be riding hard and
fast, though.”

“Coming our way?”

“No, do no’ think they…” she trailed off as the riders
abruptly changed directions. “Now they be. Ash, I do no’ like the look of this.
Put yer shield up.”

He promptly did so, the shield rising to cover both of them.
Shading his own eyes, he stood in the stirrups and looked in the same direction
she was. “I see them. You’re right, that doesn’t look good. I bet they’re a
raiding party.”

So, her gut instincts were right on that score, eh? Curses,
she’d prefer they were wrong. “Ash, which shield ye have up?”

“Weapons shield. Don’t worry, I’ve set it so you can shoot
out of it.”

That was exactly the question she ‘d been going to ask next.
Terrible thing to shoot an arrow only to have it reflected back at you. She
unlaced the top of her quiver and pulled out four arrows. They were just out of
range of her bow, but they’d be close enough in a moment at the speed they were
going. She nocked an arrow and sat still, waiting.

The raiders, of course, had no idea who they were. To their
eyes, they were simply a young couple on the border of Estole and, therefore, fair
game. The man in front of the pack called out in a thunderously loud voice,
“Deny Edvard Knolton as your king and you will be spared!”

Riana lifted her bow and fired.

He ducked just in time, but the man behind him didn’t and he
went down.

The riders had been coming toward the sun, which had
apparently blinded them, because it wasn’t until they were close enough to be
hit did they realize there were two glowing spells up. Swearing viciously, they
grabbed the round shields strapped to their backs and swung them around,
gaining protection from Riana’s arrows. Well, some protection, at least. Their
helmets protected their foreheads, but not their throats or arms. Hitting a man
in those vulnerable spots while he was riding at full speed was tricky but not
impossible. It just took the right timing.

Ash had no problem with their shields, however. He spoke a
word, a word she recognized as the one he used to log trees, and two of the
riders were abruptly cut out of their saddles, falling wordlessly to the
ground. She winced at the sight of the carnage he inflicted. No wonder those
battles still gave him nightmares.

“Grab your amulets!” one of the riders ordered, already
rummaging around in his breast pocket.

Amulets? What for?

Ash didn’t share her confusion and started swearing out
loud. “They’ve got amulets of protection on them! Macha’s sword, I didn’t expect
that.” He quickly traced a spell in the air and spoke a word, firing off
another shot, but it bounced uselessly off of the riders. “Arghhhhh.”

“They can deflect yer spells?!” Riana demanded
incredulously. She lifted up in the saddle to get a more clear shot and took
aim at one of the riders preoccupied with digging out his amulet.

As she released the arrow, Ash explained tersely, “Not all
of them. But someone’s given them magical protection, and until I figure out
what sort, I won’t be able to get past it. Keep firing, keep them off our backs
until I know what I’m dealing with.”

“Aye, will do.” She fired off another arrow, not meant to be
fatal, but simply to distract as she had no clear shot for a vulnerable spot
yet. With her knees, she guided the horse in a small circle, turning in slow
degrees and firing at anyone that looked to be getting too close. If those
amulets could deflect magic, could it get past Ash’s shield? Worrisome thought.

Turning, she glanced back to ask him, only to find that he was
muttering spells and drawing sigils in the air at high speed. Best not to
interrupt him. Instead, she assumed they could get into the shield, and did her
level best to keep them out of it.

Riana fell into that strange place where nothing existed but
drawing, aiming, and firing. It was quiet in her head, unnaturally so, as if
the moans of the wounded and the grunt of the horses were nothing more than
background noise to her. Her breath was overly loud in her ears, heart
hammering in her chest, but that didn’t really touch her either. All of her
senses were focused on nothing more than the next shot. One out of every third
arrow she fired did no real damage, simply made the men shy away, but the other
two she aimed for tender places. Some were fatal, some were not, but it dropped
the raiders by half, their horses wandering aimlessly after losing their
riders.

“Ha!” Ash crowed victoriously.

She wanted to look back at him but knew better than to do
that. Instead her ears pricked in his direction. He’d solved the problem?

Ash did something—she had no idea what—and the next moment,
all of the remaining raiders dropped like flies. Riana had an arrow nocked and
drawn, but with no target available anymore, she slowly released the tension on
the string. “Ash. What did ye do?”

“Oh, I robbed them of all the air around their head. They
literally had nothing to breathe.” He huffed out a breath. “That was trickier
to do than I thought, as I was having to do it with four people at once. Their
amulets wouldn’t let me harm them directly, so I had to figure out a sideways
approach.”

He’d robbed them of their air? Riana’s eyes went
round in her face. “Ye can do that?”

Ash spread his hands in a shrug. “Yes. I usually use it to
put out fires. It’s just air manipulation, really. But the question now is,
what do we do? I can’t just leave bodies lying about in my building site.”

No, that’d stink the place up. “Bury them?”

“I guess we’ll have to.” Blowing out a sigh, he swung a leg
over the saddlehorn and dropped heavily to the ground. “This was not on
my to-do list today.”

“Ye have a spell to use to dig a grave?” Riana asked him,
hoping the answer was yes. Neither of them had packed shovels.

Ash waved this concern away with a flick of the fingers, his
free hand already working a spell into the air. It took him minutes to dig a
dozen graves, lift the bodies up as if they were nothing more than logs, and
put them all into it. With a sweep of the hand and another spoken word, the
earth moved back to cover the bodies, leaving twelve neat mounds in the
grassland. Finished, he asked rhetorically, “What do we do about the horses?”

“Take them back to the city, trade or sell them,” Riana
answered promptly. “They be war booty, to me mind.”

“Huh.” Ash scratched at his cheek thoughtfully. “I suppose
they are, at that. For now, I suppose we can just hobble them and keep them in
the area. We’re not far from the channel, so it won’t take us long to get some
rocks and come back. They won’t be able to venture far in that amount of time.”

Riana was less optimistic about this plan, but they had no
other option except rounding them up now and heading back to the city.
Shrugging, she dismounted and went about hobbling the horses’ front legs.

Ash joined her, and in a short amount of time they had the
horses more or less situated. As he climbed back into the saddle, she heard him
mutter to himself, “I hope Ashlynn and Broden are having a better morning than
we are.”

Chapter Twenty-eight

“The next person I catch trying to set fire to this city, I
personally will set ablaze!” Ashlynn snarled between clenched teeth. She leaned
into the man’s face, nearly vibrating with the desire to carry out her threat.
“Do you understand me? I don’t care what your reason is, I don’t care how
justified you think it might be, if you set one thing on fire that isn’t in a
furnace or fire pit, you will be the next thing burning. Am. I. Clear.”

The man bobbed a nervous nod, too terrified to speak, and
Broden did not blame him. He’d seen the lass have glowing hands as she worked
her magic, but never before had he seen her magic explode out so that she shone
from head to toe. At that moment, she looked to be on fire herself, shining
bright enough to be a second sun. Even Mark, who was holding the man’s arms, looked
ready to bolt.

Not satisfied, Ashlynn took a half-step back and shouted at
the watching crowd, “And that goes for the rest of you as well! DO NOT SET FIRE
TO MY CITY! If you do, I’ll burn you next, and I don’t care if that’s illegal
or not!”

Judging from the white expressions on their faces, there was
not a single person who doubted she would do just that.

Broden was afraid that she was so irate she would go past
just threatening and do it. He put his hands on her arms and stroked up and
down, gently, comforting. “Steady, lass. Steady. They ken just fine.”

She took in a breath and let it out, sounding like a tea
kettle going off.

With a jerk of the head, he urged Mark to take the man off,
which he did with alacrity. In fact, it was hard to tell who was urging the
other to move faster, the criminal or the guard. The crowd just as quickly
skittered away, not wanting to be anywhere near an angry wizard.

He did not blame the lass for her ire, not a bit. In the day
they’d been home, they’d put out two fires, and from the reports they’d gotten
from the other guardsmen, the frequency was increasing. Broden had no doubt
that when they interrogated the man, he’d confess to be either a supporter of
Iysh or an agent of it.

What worried him was that under the anger he saw hurt.
Concerned, he put an arm around Ashlynn’s shoulders and snugged her in against
his chest. “Here, now, lass. Ye be on the brink of tears.”

She opened her mouth as if to automatically deny this, but
one look at his face stopped the words before they came. Instead she stared up
at him, eyes shining too brightly for a long moment. “Broden.”

“Aye, lass,” he encouraged gently.

“Why would they burn their own city?” she whispered, truly
bewildered.

In those clear blue eyes, he saw what the true problem was.
Ashlynn had been under tremendous stress for well over a year now trying to
create a country from scratch. She’d fought in two battles, and then spent the
rest of her days from morning till sunset running about dealing with criminals.
She’d worked herself to the bone building this place, all so that it would be
safe for her family—all families—to live in. The responsibility for doing so
did not rest solely on her shoulders, but still, the weight she bore was
enormous. She’d been under too much strain too long.

And now there were people here who were deliberately trying
to destroy everything that she’d worked so hard to build. The cruelty of it
broke her heart. It was not that she could not understand it, but that her mind
refused to.

He hugged her a little harder even as he tried to answer.
“Some men can no’ respect anything, me dear. Especially when it be given
freely, they can put no value on it, and so think nothing of trampling it. Some
of these men be agents of Iysh and simply following orders. But the rest be
nothing but knaves and scoundrels. It’d be best if ye do no’ understand how
they think.”

Nodding, she sniffed a few times, but the tears did not
fall. Instead, she seemed to gather strength from Broden’s patience. With a few
deep breaths, she regained her center and straightened. He let his arm fall
away but kept a close eye on her face, waiting until he was satisfied that she
was truly ready to face the world again.

She seemed to be, at least. Assured, he took a half-step back
and asked, “What next?”

“Well, no one else has called me with an emergency while we
were gone, so I think we should go to East Gate. I haven’t been over in that
direction since well before we left, and that worries me.”

“Fine, fine.”

The rest of the day happened without mishap. Well, serious
mishap. Broden’s sense of danger had changed remarkably since coming to Estole.
It used to be that he considered murder, kidnapping, and theft to be bad. Now
if it did not reach a riot level, he did not panic about it too much.

They all had a quiet dinner in their suite of rooms before
he and Riana split from their wizards and went to Edvard’s study.

Riana knocked on the door and Edvard called, “Enter!”

Stepping inside, they found Edvard nearly buried in papers,
maps, and books. Not an inch of space could be seen on either his table or
desk. The king’s usually immaculately combed hair stood straight up, reminding
Broden of an irate rooster. To see this normally collected man at his wit’s end
alarmed him. “Edvard? What be the matter with ye?”

“There’s a long list,” Edvard groused. “But in short, I’m
trying to set up the structure of the government before Tierone gets here.”

Riana asked the obvious question. “Why?”

“He wants to co-rule with me.”

Broden blinked, dumbfounded. “I thought…”

“What?” Edvard asked, momentarily relaxing into a dry smile.
“That he would simply rebel like I did, but keep the power and position of
leader in his own lands? Yes, I thought he would do that as well. We both
thought wrong. I just received a message from him this morning that he doesn’t
want to try this by himself, and he feels that if we combine our countries,
we’ll have a better chance fighting Iysh off.”

Well, in terms of manpower, he likely was right. But still…
“Two kings?” Broden objected, mind spinning. “How will ye manage that?”

“Excellent question,” Edvard growled. “I wish I had a simple
answer to give. That outline for a government that we discussed before will no
longer quite work. I’m having to modify it, but doing that is taking
considerable planning on my part. And I’m not even sure that Tierone will agree
to it.”

“Edvard, I think it best ye wait until Tierone gets here,”
Riana counseled, eyes taking in the ridiculous amount of research their king
had already done. “This sort of thing be best to figure out together, when the
two of ye be in the same room.”

“I agree,” Broden put in.

“I want to at least have an idea to present to him with when
he gets here,” Edvard maintained stubbornly. “But, yes, you’re right, I shouldn’t
go into exhaustive detail just yet. Especially when there’s other problems to
be solved. Now.” He stopped, staring at the two of them blankly. “I know I
called you here after dinner for a reason. What was it?”

Broden let out a sigh. It be official. The man had
overextended himself. “Ye had a notion of sending us into the city and working
with yer spies.”

Edvard snapped his fingers in recognition. “Yes, that was
it! Thank you. I won’t need you to do much today, no more than two hours or so
I think. I’ve spoken with my main intelligence officer and he’s expecting to
meet you.”

“Edvard,” Riana said patiently. “What do ye want us to do exactly?”

“Don’t readily admit who you are,” Edvard instructed. “Right
now, there’s a very mixed opinion about you two. You showed up out of nowhere,
and yet have a hand in making the laws of this new land. Worse, you’re from a
sketchy place—Cloud’s Rest. Some people are convinced you’re con-artists here
to take advantage of a naïve king. Others think you’re just conniving and have
managed to worm your way into the wizards’ trust. Some, of course, have met you
while you went about helping to build and protect the city, so they know those
rumors are false. Still, others have no idea who you are because they have just
arrived. To the people that recognize you, they’ll believe any rumor you start,
because you’re in a position to know. To the people that don’t know you,
they’ll tell you things readily because they won’t believe you’re in a powerful
position.”

Broden and Riana shared a look. “And ye be needing us to do what,
exactly?”

“Meet Troi in the city. He’ll give you precise instructions
on what to do. Right now, know that I need both of you simply because of the
unique position that you’re in. You’re too new to be known by everyone, so can
be confided in, but also able to influence the people that do recognize
you. It’s like deploying four people into the city instead of two.” Edvard
rubbed his hands together in open glee. “I do love economy. Anyway, meet Troi.
He’ll be on Tavern Row, the Morning Sun to be exact. Hair streaked with grey, brown
eyes, plump build, and he’ll wear a yellow scarf around his neck. Don’t worry
about finding him, though, he’ll find you.”

Fervently hoping that Edvard knew what he was doing sending
them out into the street, Broden nodded and said, “Aye. Then, off we go.”

The Morning Sun seemed to be the place to go in the
evenings. Riana stood on the street and stared at it for a second, amazed at
how packed the place was. Why, there were people sitting in windowsills, they
were that wanting for space! The building seemed solid enough, made of seastone
and rough wooden beams, standing a full three stories tall. It was surely her
imagination that made it look as if it bulged at the seams.

Broden took her by the hand and served as a trailblazer as
he rammed his way through the door. Riana just tried to stay as close to his
back as she could.

She had no idea how he managed it, but even with this
incredible crowd, her da managed to find a clear table. It was on the smaller
side, only able to seat three, and was in the far corner. But it gave them a
little room to breathe, so she wasn’t about to complain.

They were supposed to meet the master of spies here?
Would he be able to find them in this madhouse?

At first she sat nervously, constantly on the lookout for a
man wearing a yellow scarf, but when several moments passed and no one even
walked in their direction, she slowly relaxed. Maybe the man was late. Or maybe
he was finding it hard to find them in this overly crowded place. Either way,
she might as well relax. This looked as if it would take a while.

Besides, this was a rare opportunity. She had her da alone
(more or less) and could ask him a question that she didn’t want their wizards
overhearing. In the din of overlapping conversations, a man could likely shout
a secret and not worry about it being overheard. She couldn’t imagine a more
perfect spot to talk to him. Riana stared at her da from the corner of her eye
for a long moment, debating on whether to ask or not. It wasn’t really her
business, but at the same time, she was itching with curiosity.

“Aye, daughter?”

Oops, caught. With an internal shrug of resignation, she
finally spit it out. “Have ye decided to be a father for Ashlynn, then?”

Broden choked on the mulled cider he was sipping, almost
spewing it out over the counter. “Wh-what?!”

Pounding him on the back, she gave him a second to regain
his air before repeating, “Have ye decided to be a father for Ashlynn?”

His eyes nearly crossed. “Daughter. What ye be saying?”

“No?” Canting her head to the side, she studied that
poleaxed expression. No, he truly hadn’t a clue on what she was asking. “But
that be what she said earlier.”

Rubbing at the bridge of his nose, Broden requested with
strained patience. “From the beginning, dearheart.”

“Alright, then.” Sitting back, she started to explain more
thoroughly. “Ashlynn said that while in Lorand, she played the part of yer
daughter. She said that ever since, ye been acting more and more like a father
to her instead of a partner. She said it be very akin to how ye treat me.”

Her da looked set to argue this point, but nothing came out
of his mouth. Instead he froze, jaw hanging, before he shut it slowly,
realization dawning in his eyes.

“Ah, I thought so.” Riana nodded wisely. “Ye did no’ even
realize it, did ye.”

“She reminds me strongly of ye,” Broden responded carefully,
as if tasting each word before releasing it. “It be why we get along so well, I
think. But I never once thought of her as another daughter. I…do no’ think I
have, at least….”

Riana took a swig from her tankard before responding mildly,
“She be thinking otherwise.”

Rubbing at his chin, Broden thought about this for a long
moment. “It be no’ such a bad thing, I suppose. Did ye know that she and Ash
grew up without a father?”

“Aye, Ash told me the story.”

“I do no’ think the lass has ever had a man to depend upon
aside from her brothers. And even then, she protects them as much as they
protect her. Marissa said in Lorand that she be needing a father, and after the
time I’ve spent with the lass, I be inclined to agree.” Broden stared into his
mug, steadfastly refusing to look her in the eyes as he asked hesitantly, “Does
she mind it?”

“No,” Riana assured him, amused at his uncertainty. “She
said it surprised her, when she realized what ye be doing. She had no idea how
to take it at first. But then she realized that she could depend on ye the way
I do, and even more, as ye be her partner as well. After that, she said it was
like someone had handed her starfire when she had no’ expected it.”

He blew out a breath. “Good. Just, good.”

Riana shifted in her chair, leaning more toward the side.
“That man we be meeting, ye said he would wear a yellow scarf about his neck?”

“Aye, that was what Edvard said. Do ye see him?”

“I think so.” She sat up straighter while looking over her
da’s shoulder. “Ah, caught his eye. He be coming straight toward us.”

They bided until a stranger came around and gestured to the
empty chair at their table. From Edvard’s description, this must be the man. He
had salty black hair, brown eyes, a stodgy figure, and a yellow scarf tied
above a white collared shirt. Broden nodded, encouraging the man to take a
seat.

“Riana and Broden Ravenscroft?” he asked in a low voice.
“King’s archers?”

“More like wizards’ archers,” Riana corrected in amusement.
“But aye, that be us.”

The man relaxed a hair, although his eyes kept shifting
about, marking the location of every person within earshot. “Good. I’m Troi and
I greet you.”

“May harmony find ye, Troi,” Riana responded politely.
Lowering her voice to a confidential level she admitted frankly, “Edvard sent
us here, but he did no’ give us much in the way of instruction. What do we need
to do?”

“Spread rumors and at the same time, keep your ears open.”
Troi focused on them just long enough to say this, his eyes momentarily
stopping their ceaseless pan of the room. “Specifically, we’re spreading the
rumor that anyone that wants to set fires to the city or start riots must be an
agent of Iysh. It’s about half true, actually, but if we attach that stigma to
the troublemakers, then the people around them are more likely to turn them
in.”

Made sense. Every person in this city hated Iysh with a
passion. They hated the country enough to desert it and abandon the lives they’d
had to come to a new country. If they knew that the man beside them was serving
their enemy, they’d be quick to take him down. Riana nodded, admiring the ploy.
“That be easy enough. And what do we listen for?”

“Anything. Everything.” Troi’s expression and tone was
intense as he responded. “No matter how trivial it might seem. I gather all of
the pieces from my agents and put them together. You might not know enough to
see how it fits into the overall picture, which is why I need you to tell me everything
you hear. Clear enough?”

“Aye, man, we hear ye.” Broden scratched at his jaw with a
finger. “Anything else?”

“If you can, straighten people out if there’s any confusion.
I hear the most interesting interpretations on the law sometimes.” Troi shook
his head in exasperation. “I’m not sure if it’s Iysh agents messing with us or
if it’s just general stupidity. It could be a mix of both.”

Broden grunted sourly. “I bet on the latter. Aye, man, we
will do that when we can. Where do we start?”

“Here is fine.” Troi inclined his head toward the room in
general. “Stay for about two hours or so. I’ll meet you at the castle in the
morning, before you both head out, and get a report from you then. I promised
Edvard I wouldn’t keep you long in the evenings. I’m just short on manpower
right now, and this tavern is a hotbed for gossip. You staying just those two
hours will help a great deal.”

Ah, now she understood why Edvard wanted them doing this. “I
think I ken, Troi. Then, Da, shall we start?”

Broden eyed the room of people squashed together, and blew
out a resigned breath. “Aye, daughter, let us get this over with.”

Chapter Twenty-nine

“Edvard! Ashlynn!” Bria called out excitedly, waving an arm
high above her head.

Broden watched indulgently as the girls more or less crashed
together, and hugged and cried and talked all at once. The way they acted it
was as if they had not seen Ashlynn recently at all, even though it had only
been about three weeks. Edvard they treated the same way, and he tried to hug
all three of them at once, although his arms were not long enough to manage it.

When word had reached them that the ship had arrived, he and
Ashlynn had raced down Port Road to get here, and Broden admitted only to himself
that he was a bit winded from the mad sprint. Ashlynn had been half-convinced
that someone on the first ship they’d taken to reach Lakepoint had been an
informant for the Iyshian king, or at least a tattletale. If he had not known
that, then they would have been ambushed and attacked on the way back to
Estole. Just like they had been on the way down to Trenena. But Zelman must
have known the sisters were no longer with them, because they did not have any
resistance on the trip back. Broden admitted the lass had a point, but they had
no proof. He was just glad to see the girls had gotten here safe and sound.

All three of them looked better than they had three weeks
ago. The sea air had done them good. There was a flush to their cheeks now, and
they did not move as if their limbs dragged at them. That was just as well, for
if Edvard had seen what they were like at the abbey, then he really would have
gone to war with Zelman over it.

Everyone at the port indulgently let the family reunion play
out in their midst, trying to dodge the five people as much as they could, but
this was a busy dock area. There was cargo to be unloaded, crewmen wanting
liberty, and other ships needing to come in. Eventually, after being almost hit
for the umpteenth time, Edvard seemed to realize they needed to change
locations.

“Let’s go home,” he suggested to everyone. “I’m actually
expecting Tierone for dinner—he sent a message this morning saying he’d be
coming and to expect him in the evening. So if we hurry, it’ll give you time to
freshen up before he arrives.”

“Oh!” Cat’s face lit up in a smile. “I haven’t seen Tierone
in forever. Is he doing well?”

Edvard linked arms with a sister on either side, leaving
Bria to link arms with Cat, and they started walking back to the castle-manor.
He chatted with the girls happily, talking about everything that suited their
fancy.

Ash and Riana had been told about the sisters’ arrival, of
course, but being as they were out on the border, they could not come quickly.
It was afternoon already, so Ash had told his twin they’d work another hour
more and then quit early to head back to the castle.

In the past two weeks, things had improved. No one else had
dared to set fire to any buildings, not with Ashlynn’s threat hanging over
their heads. They’d had one riot a few days ago, but even that was squashed
quickly, thanks to the rumors that Edvard had spread about the city. Now, even
passersby were likely to jump on anyone trying to incite a riot, thinking they
were stopping an evil spy of Iysh. Like as not, only half the time that was the
case, but Broden was not about to abuse them of the notion.

Troi had said the morning after their meeting that he had at
least some of the Iysh agents pinned now, and was already moving to get rid of
them. Broden hoped that meant he and Riana would be let off from this spy-duty
Edvard had forced on them soon. But time would tell on that.

By the time they made it back to the castle, Ash and Riana
were already there, standing in the doorway, clearly waiting on them. Broden
snorted in amusement. “Work another hour” was it? Yes, he could tell that had happened.

The girls lit up when they saw Ash and raced forward,
surrounding him as they had Edvard earlier. The wizard had a full smile on his
face as he exchanged hugs and greetings. Riana seemed overwhelmed by all of
this and stepped back, giving him space. She did not get more than two feet
before Ash reached back, grabbing her arm and drawing her forward. Broden
watched this with a strange feeling in his chest. Ash had not been looking in
his daughter’s direction at all. So how had he known that Riana was backing
away from him?

“That bond of theirs is growing strong at an amazing rate,”
Ashlynn observed to no one in particular.

Broden’s head snapped around. “What?”

“Their bond,” she repeated patiently. “Riana said she wanted
it deeper than the first level, and it looks like she’s getting her wish.
Haven’t you seen how they act around each other? I swear they don’t even need
words half the time, they just react to what the other person is feeling.” Her
smile became indulgent as she expounded. “It’s sweet to see, actually. I think
Riana desperately wanted a true connection to someone else, and I certainly
don’t see Ash complaining. Broden…that’s a very odd expression on your face.
Hadn’t you noticed what was going on?”

He let out a growl and grumped, “No, lass, I had no’.”

“In other words,” she drawled knowingly, “you had, but were
doing your best to ignore it.”

Broden gave her a flat, unamused glare.

Not fazed, Ashlynn chuckled in wicked amusement. “There,
there. It’s not as bad as all that.”

So she said. It was not her little girl cozying up
and making bonds with a man.

Patting him on the arm, she encouraged, “Let’s go have a
quick wash, shall we? I expect Tierone any minute and I stink of sweat after
running around the city all day.”

Might as well.

When Tierone, Duke of Dahl, arrived, Riana was surprised by
how he looked. She didn’t know why she had half-expected another version of
Edvard to appear, but she had. Tierone did not look a thing like his brother
except the dark hair. He had dark eyes, not blue, prominent bone structure, and
a massive body that any logger would envy. He greeted his siblings with open
delight.

Riana had not known how to take this outpouring of
acceptance and glee earlier from Ash’s not-quite-blood-sisters. They were
radically different from Ashlynn, being softer and more womanly, so it felt odd
being in their company. But she didn’t dislike them, and the more time she spent
with them, the more comfortable she became.

When they sat down for dinner, Gwen took great delight in
sitting between her two big brothers, and monopolized both Edvard and Tierone.
Or tried to. Edvard Knolton’s table at dinner was never a quiet one, but
tonight it was especially boisterous, and Riana’s face hurt from laughing and
smiling so much.

Eventually, the girls went off to bed, leaving kings,
wizards, and archers left at the table.

Edvard turned to Tierone and offered, “We can talk about everything
tomorrow if you wish. It doesn’t have to be tonight. I know you had a long ride
getting here.”

“No, I’m in no mood to rest. I want to hear what you’ve come
up with,” Tierone denied, voice deep and pleasant on the ear. His was the kind
of voice that a woman could listen to all day without tiring of it.

“Then let’s move to my study,” Edvard suggested. He seemed
pleased that Tierone had chosen to talk now instead of later. Catching their
eyes, he made it clear that he included all of them in that invitation.

Riana stood readily and followed after him, not surprised.
After all, they had all had a hand in making the laws and government. If there
were to be any discussions on merging the two kingdoms into one, then it would
be best they were there.

The study had obviously been set up for this meeting, as the
top of Edvard’s table could be seen (for once). The map of Estole that he had
marked was also spread atop his desk.

Ashlynn was all of two feet inside when she announced, “It’s
stuffy in here. I think I’ll sit outside on the balcony while you two talk
things over. Call me if you need me.”

Without a by your leave, she did just that, opening both
balcony doors and sailing outside. Broden, with a shake of the head, followed
her. Riana wasn’t sure why—unless it was sheer habit. After all, he followed
her all day.

Riana and Ash took a seat at the far end of the table, while
the brothers sat in the middle. Clearing his throat, Edvard began, outlining
the plan he had been working on for the past several days. He was only half way
through when Tierone started shaking his head in disagreement.

“Edvard,” Tierone said in exasperation, “why did you think
that would work?”

“You’re the one that wanted to join forces with me and make
this a single country!” Edvard retorted, flinging both arms into the air in
exasperation.

“I said I wanted to ‘join in the rebellion’ not that I
wanted to make Dahl a part of Estole!” Tierone looked toward the heavens in a
clear prayer for patience. “Brothers we may be, but we don’t do anything alike.
We don’t even think alike! We manage our people in completely different ways.
You really expect us to be able to co-rule a country and agree on what needs to
be done?”

Edvard had his mouth open, ready for a hot retort, only he
couldn’t quite seem to gather it together. Finally he slumped in on himself,
letting out a year’s worth of sighs. “Fine. I take your point. So, what did you
want, then?”

“To simply join hands.” Tierone extended one in
illustration. “As we have always done. When you declared independence of Zelman
and Iysh, I simply stood by and watched, as I wasn’t sure if your actions were
wise. Now I see that they may not have been entirely prudent, but they were
necessary. We have put up with evil for far too long in silence.”

“Well, I agree. It’s why I did what I did.” Edvard did not
respond as quickly as usual, as if he were choosing what words to say. “So,
what? You simply want us to agree to help each other when the other needs it?”

“As we have done in the past,” Tierone repeated patiently.
“I feel that we should have it in writing, so that the next generation of kings
will honor our agreement. But I hope that there never comes a time when one has
to wave a signed document in the other king’s face.”

Riana silently wished them luck on that one. She’d never
seen a case where a long-standing agreement between two family members was
honored from one generation to the next. It usually broke down at the third
generation, if not the second.

Edvard didn’t seem entirely happy with this, but he did seem
relieved, as if he’d worried about the co-ruling. “Well, I suppose that is
prudent. Very well, we can sit down with Ash and draw something up.”

Tierone regarded him blankly. “Ash?”

“Ash has drawn up all our laws so far,” Edvard explained
easily. “He’s proven to be quite good at it.”

Ash, beside her, just sighed in resignation. Riana had to
bite her bottom lip to keep from smiling. Leaning into him, she whispered, “The
reward for work well done be more work.”

“I’ll remember that next time,” he grumped, although there
was a twinkle in his eye.

Tierone sat back in his chair, crossing his legs
comfortably. “While Ash is writing that up, explain to me your new government
structure and laws. I might very well copy or adapt what you’ve created instead
of trying to come up with something on my own.”

“Our laws are not complete,” Edvard warned. “We simply
created the basics of what we needed on the fly, and are filling in the holes
as the situation demands it.”

Flipping a hand palm up, Tierone silently acknowledged this.
“That is usually how lawmaking works, I think. Regardless, tell me what you
already have in place. I have no intention of repeating your mistake and
declaring the Bindings overruled until I have something to replace them with.”

“Hey!” Edvard protested indignantly. “How was I supposed to
know I would get swarmed with people the very next day?”

“You didn’t,” Tierone allowed, grin widening on his face.
“But it was still folly to move until you had a plan in place. You know it was,
Edvard.”

“For your information I did have a plan!” Edvard riposted.

Riana rolled her eyes as the mature conversation degenerated
into sibling bickering. Clearly, people didn’t ever truly grow up. At least,
these two hadn’t. She sat back and let it go on for a minute or two, thinking
that they would pull themselves out of it, but it only got worse, their volume
growing. Frowning, her eyes bounced between one man and the other. They
honestly thought about governing a land together? They couldn’t even be in the
room more than ten minutes afore arguing with each other!

At this rate, nothing would get done. She nudged Ash in the
side with her elbow and urged, “Go break that up afore it falls to fisticuffs.”

Ash shook his head. “Only one person can break them up.
Well, no, two actually. Gwen and Ashlynn. Gwen’s way is nicer, but since she
isn’t here…” he trailed off before hopping up and heading toward the open
balcony door. “Sis?”

Her voice floated through the open door, barely heard over
the racket the kings were making. “I hear them.” She sailed into the room like
a woman on a mission. Without hesitation or pity, she walked straight to them,
hands extended, and smacked them solidly on the back of the heads.

“Ow!” they protested in unison.

“Stop fighting like children and start acting like kings,”
Ashlynn scolded, hands on her hips.

“Why do you always hit us so hard?” Edvard complained,
rubbing at his abused skull.

“I can use a fist next time, if need be.” She smiled sweetly
while holding one glowing fist up in demonstration.

The brothers stared at that glowing hand and gulped before
shaking their heads vigorously in denial.

“No?” she asked in mock-disappointment. “Well, I suppose I
won’t, then. Now, what are you supposed to be talking about?”

They stopped and looked at each other. Honestly, had the
fighting gotten to the point that they didn’t remember? Tierone was right,
there was no way these two could co-rule and have it work out.

“Government structure and laws,” Riana supplied.

Trying to help them along in the right direction, Ash snagged
a copy of the laws and slid it to them on the table’s slick surface before
reclaiming his seat. “Here. Start with the laws.”

With a weather eye on Ashlynn, Edvard reached for them and
turned the paper so that he and Tierone could both see. His wizard-sister didn’t
hover or try to make them behave, but instead went back out, resuming whatever
it was she was doing on the balcony.

The discussion of the laws went by peacefully and without
any real discussion, as they were straightforward enough. With those agreed
upon, Edvard fell to discussing the government next. “I haven’t really put any
of this into place yet,” he admitted frankly. “Partially because it takes a
certain amount of setup to do so, partially because I wanted to find the right
people for the posts before I made any of this official. But if there’s
something you see that should be changed, tell me now, as I’d rather leave
things be after it’s started.”

“Fine.” Tierone crossed his arms over his chest in an intent
I’m listening posture. “Go on.”

“I’ll start from the ground up, then. The whole country will
be divided into sections, and that will be based upon how many people are in
the area. The outlying land that doesn’t have many occupants will be larger in
geography, the city sections smaller. You follow? Good. Over these sections
will be prefects. They are like sheriffs over their sections and they deal with
the day-to-day running of things. Anything small or needing immediate attention
goes to them. They, in turn, report directly to provosts. The provosts are a
select twelve that rule over specific sections. They form a council that will
discuss matters, go over problems, and rule over the more serious cases that
affect the nation. They also are the ones that suggest new laws and regulations
to the king. Now, the king will sit in judgment on important matters and will
of course listen to his provosts, but he’s the one that has the power to make
laws. No one else can do so unless he is indisposed for whatever reason. If
that happens, the provosts can manage the kingdom by voting on issues. The
majority opinion is what goes.”

Tierone sat on this for a long moment, brows drawn together
slightly as he turned this over in his mind. Finally, he said, “It’s a simple
system, but I like it. I think it will work well. Once you retire or die, who
takes over?”

“My son or daughter, I suppose,” Edvard responded. Clearly,
he hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.

“Edvard,” Tierone chided, mouth flattening. “Think,
you idiot. Half the reason why Iysh is in its current state is because it’s
relied on inheritance to keep the kingdom supplied with a king. Do you really
think that’s a wise system? We’ve had terrible kings in the past because of
it.”

“Oh.” Edvard tapped a finger against the table’s surface as
he slowly nodded agreement. “No, you’re right, I didn’t think that through.
What do you suggest?”

“Find a way to appoint someone. Have the people vote for a
leader, or have your provosts be responsible for picking the next person. Don’t
rely on your bloodline. The next person born to this family might not be
suitable to be king. Or queen.”

“Not the provosts,” Ash objected. He’d been scribbling away
on a paper, no doubt working on that agreement that both kings wanted, but he
hadn’t been focused solely on that. His head came up as he continued, “Part of
the reason why Iysh is what it is at the moment is also because their council
of advisors are divided up and supporting different heirs. You need your
council united as much as possible at all times. Having them appoint the next
king will lead to political in-fighting.”

Tierone inclined his head in Ash’s direction. “He’s right.
Put it to the people’s vote, then. Have your prefects in charge of collecting
their votes.”

“How will they know who to vote for?” Edvard objected.

“Have the provosts suggest candidates,” Riana offered. “If
it be me, I would no’ know who be the right person for the job, but I would
trust that the provosts would know. Have them choose a few people, list their
qualifications, have the people meet them, and then let yer citizens decide.”

Edvard let his head fall back, staring blindly up at the
ceiling. “This is sounding more like a democracy than a monarchy. And the only
democracy we had in history lasted about five hundred years before falling
apart.”

“If it’s the democracy I think you’re referring to, they had
elections every few years, and their government system was much more
complicated. I think it was the complexity that did them in.” Ash put a hand on
Riana’s shoulder. “Her idea is valid, Edvard. I certainly can’t think of a
better one. Whoever should be king or queen next will need to know how the
government is run and have experience with it. They also need to know who the
players are. The provosts will naturally work with these candidates on an
everyday basis, so of course they will know who is good at leadership and who
isn’t. Our citizens won’t, not entirely. Some campaigning is inevitable. I
realize you’re not thrilled with the idea, buts it’s better than letting a
royal idiot ascend the throne and then be manipulated by his own provosts his
entire life.”

“Arghhh,” Edvard groaned. “Point. But I want it put in that
the provosts cannot be candidates. I don’t want them fighting with each other
over the throne either.”

“Wise,” Tierone agreed. He clapped his hands together and
rubbed them, expression satisfied. “I like it. There are minor details to be
worked out, but that can be done in due time, I think. Once we have a better
feel for it. For now, let me see how you divided up your land exactly. Do you
have it marked on a map?”

“Oh, yes. It’s here.” Edvard gestured to his desk, and
Tierone followed him over there.

It suddenly hit Riana that she was seeing a government
formed in front of her eyes. And had a say in how it should be done, no less! Before,
she had been focused on making the laws fair, so it hadn’t really sunk in that
these laws would be used to govern a nation. But here, now, she was advising
men that were kings in their own right. Both kings had listened to her say her
piece, which was remarkable enough, but then they had valued her opinion enough
to take her advice. It was something that would never have happened in Cloud’s
Rest.

It was unbelievable, in that sense. To go from an outcast,
as someone who shouldn’t even be breathing according to some, to an advisor of
a king—of two kings! The sensation was a heady one and she reeled from it. A
sense of relief and joy swept through her that she was no longer there but
instead here, in this wonderful new country.

Ash’s quill paused in mid-word and he looked up at her in
surprise. “Riana. Are you…really that happy?”

She turned to him slowly. “Aye. But how did ye…?”

“I felt it.” His mouth went into a lopsided smile. “It was
like a burst of sunshine swept over me.”

Her eyes widened in wonder. “Ye felt it?”

“Aye.” He lifted a hand and smoothed it over her hair, eyes
soft. “It looks like your wish will come true. I can sense strong emotions from
you now. In time, we’ll feel each other properly.”

That thought alone brought another burst of happiness, and
she nearly vibrated under the force of it.

“Are you truly that happy to be here?” he asked, smiling at
her mood but also somewhat puzzled by it. “We’ve had a hard road ever since you
came. No part of this has been easy.”

Riana snorted, amused. “Ash, life be hard. I did no’ expect
that to change just because I went to a different country. But here, I be
wanted. Here, people listen to what I have to say. That be a powerful thing and
I would no’ trade it for anything else in the world.”

“Ah.” This time, he understood completely. Sliding an arm
around her shoulders, he drew her into him and kissed the crown of her hair
before whispering, “I’m glad you came with me, Riana.”

She relaxed into the embrace with a content heart, feeling
in that moment more at home than anywhere else she had ever been. Eyes closed,
she whispered back, “Me too.”

Chapter Thirty

Tierone and Edvard stayed holed up in Edvard’s study for
three long days discussing matters and finalizing things. Broden knew good and
well that they were also handpicking the people that they wanted to serve in
the prefect and provost positions. But that was their business, not his nor
Ashlynn’s. Their job was to see to Estole, and that’s what they did while the
kings schemed.

Tierone’s wizard, Parlan had come along with him and had
(out of the goodness of his heart) offered to help while in Estole. With Ash
working nonstop on the Estolian border wall, the carpenters were left to build
all the houses. But Parlan cheerfully chipped in and helped with that. It
seemed that every time Broden came near the outskirts of the city, a new house had
popped up.

With this obvious sign of improvement, the fights over the
housing deeds fell to mere grumbling, and some of the tents started
disappearing. Only, of course, to be replaced by new ones as new immigrants
came in. Broden did not blame people for wanting a better life—he had come to
Estole for that exact reason, after all—but could they not come in a little slower?
Paced further apart? Estole would bust at the seams at the rate things were going!

The fourth day dawned bright and early. Broden was a trifle
foot sore from the day before, as he’d spent the majority of it running after
thieves and vagabonds. He might be getting too old for this. Mayhap. Rolling
out of bed, he found a set of clothes more by feel than sight, and pulled them
on. He found a tie in the pocket by sheer chance and ran his hands roughly
through his hair, pulling it back at the nape of the neck, and tying it there. After
a shave, and a spot of breakfast, he might be able to face the rest of the day.

Ashlynn gave a quick rap on the bedroom door before sticking
her head inside. “Rise and shine, you two. Edvard just summoned us.”

Ash lifted his head from his pillow enough to glare at her
with just one eye. “Before breakfast?” he objected fuzzily.

“He apparently woke with the birds.”

“That doesn’t mean he has to inflict his energy on us.”

Broden chuckled softly. Ash was many things, but a morning
person was not one of them. Not when he had a soft bed under him, leastways.

“Up,” his sister commanded mercilessly. “Oh, and Broden,
after you meet with Edvard, you can move into your own room. They’re finally
ready.”

Broden blinked. In between rescuing people, calming down
riots, and creating new laws, it had escaped his mind that his own room was
being prepared further down the hallway. “I will mind it, lass. Riana?”

“Hers as well. Sorry it took this long, we’ve just been a
little distracted.” Her smile was quick and sardonic. “But we’ll help you move
later. Up, Ash.” With that, she closed the door.

Ash grumbled, grunted, and snarled a few choice words, but
he rolled obediently out of bed and up to his feet. As he stumbled about
getting ready, a thought struck Broden. “Ash. Ye do no’ suppose that Edvard be
ready to appoint people and start ruling?”

The wizard paused with his shirt half on and jerked about
sharply. “Already?”

“It be only the fine details he be working out,” Broden said
with a half shrug. “And some of those I bet he can no’ guess at until his
government be working. So really, be there a reason why it would take him
longer than three days to get ready?”

“Well, I guess not.” Pulling the shirt all the way on, Ash
finished getting dressed, seeming to wake up during the process. “Broden. A
thought just hit me. Who is Edvard going to appoint as provosts?”

“You and the lass be on the list,” Broden assured him dryly.

“But we’re his wizards!” Ash wailed in objection.

“That will no’ save ye.” Tsking him, Broden chided, “Think,
man. How many people can Edvard trust, truly trust? And of that lot, how many
of those have the skills to rule and oversee the people?”

He must have realized what the archer was getting at, as his
panic went out like embers under a wet blanket. “Oh.”

“And me and me daughter will be right there with you,
because we be yer partners,” Broden sighed. “It be inescapable. This be more
than I signed up for.”

“What, you think I had any choice on this?” Ash grumbled
sourly. “But I hope that you’re wrong. He really can’t assign us as provosts—we’re
here to handle emergencies more than anything, after all. We can’t afford to be
tied to the day-to-day governing of a section. We must have the freedom to go
whenever and wherever needed.”

A point he had not considered, but Ash was right. Frowning,
Broden asked slowly, “So does Edvard have enough people to call to fill all the
posts?”

“Maybe that’s what took him three days to figure out.”

From the other side of the door, Ashlynn called, “Anytime
you’re ready, we can go!”

Both men heaved a sigh of resignation before leaving the
bedroom.

Broden came to a stop inside the main room as he realized
that not only were both lasses ready, but had put a bit more effort into their
appearance than usual. Oh, they wore the same divided skirts and boots as
usual, but they had fitted coats on today that accentuated their figures, and
instead of their hair being simply tied up, it was braided up in an elaborate
way. Did these two know something he did not?

“Broden, you haven’t shaved,” Ashlynn chided. Coming to him,
she lifted a glowing hand and smoothly ran it over his jaw. “There, that
better?”

Blinking, he lifted a hand to his own face and realized that
she had shaved him in one swipe. If the lass could do that, why did he bother
with a razor every morning?

“Well, you two look presentable enough.” Nodding in
satisfaction, Ashlynn shooed them toward the door. “Let’s go.”

Ash eyed his twin suspiciously as they headed downstairs.
“You know something, don’t you?”

With an impish twinkle in her eye, she caroled, “Maaaaybe.”

“What, and you didn’t tell me?”

“It’s not my fault you don’t invest in informants.”

“Your informant is Miss Haley, everyone knows that,” he
accused her.

“Tish-tosh. She’s only one of them.” Reaching the ground
floor, Ashlynn went promptly to the left.

As much time as Broden had spent in the castle, there were
still parts of it that were not very familiar to him. He’d been given a full
tour of the place once, and after that, he only went the places he needed to
go. This direction held something called a ballroom, and a court room, and…some
place that was like an indoor garden. They had a fancy name for it, but he
could not recall it off the top of his head.

They went in to the court room.

Broden had more experience with this room than most of the
others (when one was partnered with the Sheriff of Estole, it was inevitable to
be called to the court room often), but it had been a good two days since he’d
been here last, and it had changed in those two days. No longer was there a
single, ponderous table in the front of the room. Instead, it’d been moved to
the middle of the room. Where the table had been, sat thirteen chairs, all
identical, except the one in the middle. It was larger, with more padding,
although the same dark grey.

On this side, near the door, new wooden benches had been
added. On those sat several people, mostly faces he recognized. Captain
Bragdon, Amber Bragdon, Marissa Allyn, Seth Feibelman, Konrath, Mark, and
several others he had served with out in the city. Broden did a quick headcount
and realized that Edvard had enough people in here to appoint as prefects and provosts,
plus a few more. (Not that he and Riana truly counted.)

Behind the table stood Edvard and Tierone. Tierone seemed to
be there just for moral support, as he stood a good pace back from the table,
distancing himself from the proceedings but showing his approval of it. Edvard
nearly bounced on his toes, hands on several papers lying flat on the table.

“It looks like we have all arrived. Excellent. Now, to
business. Everyone, we are finally ready to establish the government, and it’s
time to appoint people into their proper posts.”

Yes, and with that mood he was in, Edvard would not take “no”
for an answer.

“Now, when I call your name, step forward. I will give you a
map that details your exact area and a paper that will list your duties and who
you will report to. We have twenty-four sections, so this might take a while,
but let’s get through it quickly. I expect you to start today after all.”

Of course he did. Broden shook his head in resignation.
Worse than a runaway horse, this young king.

“Section One, Seth Feibelman.”

Seth went up to the table, seeming a little shocked by this
sudden promotion and appointment, but readily shook hands with Edvard and
accepted his paperwork.

“Section Two, Kirby Nessan!”

And so it went, all the way through and down to Section
Twenty-four. Broden was not surprised that he recognized every person that was
appointed to prefect. They were all good people, solid and dependable, and he
had no doubt that Ashlynn had recommended the majority of them, if not all. No,
the real mystery were the other faces that he did not know that were standing
patiently by. Were those to be the new provosts, then?

“Now, onto the provosts. Ladies and gentlemen, you will be
in charge of two sections, so mark which prefects are yours now. I suggest a
quick meeting with them before you go out and start things rolling.” Everyone
understood that the suggestion was actually a command phrased nicely. “That
said, let’s begin. Zorich, you have Sections One and Two. Ross, Three and Four.
Ranun, Five and Six. Haney, Seven and Eight. Towan, Nine and Ten. Troi, Eleven
and Twelve.”

Broden blinked. Troi, Master of Spies, was to be a provost?
Well, well.

“Captain Bragdon, Thirteen and Fourteen. Amber Bragdon,
Fifteen and Sixteen. Oh, tell me if you need to switch sections, you two. I
assigned those arbitrarily, but they are rather large, so if you need to switch
one between you, I’m amiable to that. I just wasn’t sure how to divide things
up equally when it came to the port side. Alright? Good, good. Now, let’s see…”
Edvard glanced back at the page in his hands to find where he had left off.
“Ashlynn, Seventeen and Eighteen. Ash, Nineteen and Twenty.”

Broden shot a look at Ash that said I told you so.
Right until Edvard looked right at him and with a winsome smile proclaimed,
“Broden, you are provost of Twenty-one and Twenty-two. Riana, Twenty-three and
Twenty-four.”

Broden and Riana spluttered out protests in near unison.
“Edvard! Ye can no’ make us provosts!”

“I’m king, I can do what I want,” he denied pleasantly.

“Be ye mad?” Broden protested, hands held up in a warding
gesture. “I be a simple archer, nothing more!”

“That simple archer gave me sound advice on how to make
laws,” Edvard retaliated calmly. “And then he stood in front of a crowd of
people and explained those laws. You have common sense and are patient with
people, Broden. Those are the two most vital traits my provosts must have.”

Riana, seeing that appealing to Edvard would get her
nowhere, turned to her partner instead. “Ash, speak sense to the man!”

Ash shook his head instead, eyes crinkling in a smile.
“Riana, you not only helped us create laws, but you gave us sound advice in how
to create the whole government. You’ve proven to have the head for this sort of
thing. Besides, I’d rather serve with you.”

“We believe in you,” Edvard soothed.

Broden fixed him with a flat glare. “Do no’ believe.”

Ashlynn lost control of herself at that point and started
laughing raucously. “Edvard, while I admit that those two would be fine
governing those sections, I’m afraid you can’t give them the position. For that
matter, you can’t give me or Ash the position. We’re too busy running around
the kingdom fixing all of the odd problems that crop up.”

“As I told Broden this morning,” Ash added in with a stern
glower, “we must have the freedom to go wherever and whenever it’s necessary.
Being provost will tie us down here too firmly. That position needs someone
that can be here on a day-to-day basis.”

Tierone, still standing behind Edvard, drawled, “I told you
they wouldn’t go for it.”

Edvard heaved a resigned sight. “I could hope, couldn’t I?
Very well, I will leave those spots open for now. There’s only a handful of
people living in each section anyway, the prefects can handle problems that
arise and report to the provosts that I’ll assign until a more permanent
provost can be found to hold the position.” Lifting his paper again, he shifted
to a second page before rattling off which prefect was supposed to be report to
which provost.

Broden snorted in blatant disbelief. Fools, the lot of them.

Having more or less gotten his way, Edvard clapped his hands
together and said, “That’s all for now. Meet with your prefects or provosts,
map out a general idea of when to meet and discuss, and make sure that you do
so on a regular basis. Provosts, I will meet with you this afternoon. We will
make a general announcement to all of Estole at noon exactly, so be here before
that point, and after that we will meet again in this room to discuss general
matters. We have problems on a national level to be resolved, so sharpen your
minds before you come.” With a more genuine smile he added quietly, “Thank you.
For serving, thank you. Dismissed!”

Epilogue

Riana lay flat on her back in her new suite, a cool cloth
over her eyes to combat the headache pounding in her skull like a sledgehammer.
What a day this had been!

Edvard must’ve known that neither she nor her da would
readily agree to a government post. But he also must’ve known that partnering
with a court wizard came with its own position and responsibilities. Escaping
the position of provost had not saved either she or her da from being a part of
Edvard’s council. He let them know point blank that he expected them to attend
with Ash and Ashlynn and voice their opinions. Edvard considered them to be
government officials in their own right, and to act accordingly.

She thought it foolhardy in the extreme. What in the wide
world did she know about ruling people?

The whole day had been a whirlwind. Edvard had asked anyone
in Estole who was interested to come up and hear him speak of the new
government. Most of the city had done just that. They’d filled the courtyards and
doorways, and even the street overflowed. Using a spell of Ashlynn’s, he’d
magnified his voice so everyone could hear him, and explained how the new
government was set up. Then he said that the prefects would soon mark their
sections off, and go about meeting people so they knew who to call when trouble
came about.

There were questions, of course, but Edvard took care to
explain things simply and with great patience, and people liked what he
outlined for the most part. They especially liked having a say on who would
rule them next, and there was very little grumbling as the crowd split up an
hour later.

While the prefects went out through Estole and started
working, the provosts headed back inside with Edvard and reviewed all of the
nation-wide problems that needed to be dealt with. Of course, the court wizards
and their partners were also a part of this meeting. Most of the time they
discussed issues that were a matter of continuing the groundwork already laid, like
the wall being built around Estole, but not all of it.

At one point, everyone realized that the real issue was that
they had too many people crammed into Estole and not enough land to support
them. It took a full acre at least to feed just one person, and the land to
people ratio just didn’t equal out. Not at the rate that people were flooding
in.

By the end of the year, if they didn’t expand their borders,
they’d be on the brink of starvation. And a shortage of food in the dead of
winter wasn’t a pleasant thing at all.

Her dark musings were interrupted when Ash sat on the floor,
took off a boot, and started massaging her sore foot. She groaned in approval
and relaxed into it.

Not that she forgave him just because of a good foot rub,
no. Well, mayhap if he did her hands too….

“You’re thinking about what we discussed in council this
afternoon, aren’t you?”

This bond of theirs was indeed growing strong if he could
guess her thoughts just based on her mood. “Aye.”

“Your suggestion was sound, Riana. We don’t have any other
real options.”

“Aye,” she admitted heavily. That was the problem, actually.
They really didn’t have any other options.

In order to expand their borders, they only had one of two
directions to go. Either south, into Iysh, or into The Land Northward. Going
into Iysh would be more headache than it was worth, in her view. It would mean
open war just when they had more or less convinced Iysh that sending an army to
meet them was a bad idea. The whole council had been of one mind on this. No
one wanted to tangle with Iysh again.

Riana was glad of this as she had no desire to put Ash
through another battle. He had enough nightmares from the first two.

But The Land Northward wasn’t settled. Not really. Oh, Iysh
claimed it, but they had never done anything with it. Cloud’s Rest was up
there, of course, but it was little better than a bandit’s hideaway in some
ways. Riana hadn’t realized that growing up there, not until she had something
to compare it to, but Estole made her clearly see what Cloud’s Rest actually
was. And it was pitiable.

So really, the territory up there was free and clear to
claim, no matter what Iysh said. Did she think that they wouldn’t retaliate in
some way later? No, of course not. Iysh wasn’t that generous, especially not
with unspoiled land. They’d come up and fight in one way or another, and the
best that Estole could do would be to brace themselves for trouble.

But in the meantime, all they had to do was go up there and
make settlements, then urge people to go up into the new land. Considering how
much trouble they were having with crime down here in the city, Riana didn’t
doubt that most people would be game to go, as long as they had the financial
support of a government to help them set up. Which Edvard was fine with.

What Riana didn’t like was that someone would need to go up
there, help them clear the land and construct villages, before people could
really start building their lives there. It would take a wizard’s ability to do
it before winter set in.

And Ash was the builder.

Riana in no way, shape, or form wanted to return to that
forested land. But she loathed the idea of sending Ash up there alone even
more. No, she couldn’t let him go up there without someone to watch his back,
and his safety was her responsibility, not anyone else’s. She had to go. There
was no other choice for her but to go.

“It won’t be that bad,” Ash assured her quietly, hands
strong and sure on her stocking feet. “For one thing, we won’t be dealing with
Cloud’s Rest, especially at first. I think we should go straight across the
channel and start there. It’ll be less hassle than arguing about property lines
and such with Senn or Cloud’s Rest. And it’ll be easier to get people over
there. Just pop them on a boat and ship them over.”

She let out a long sigh. “That just be delaying the
inevitable, and ye know it.”

“Well, yes,” Ash admitted. His hands paused. “But Riana,
while I understand your reluctance to go back there, you have to see that it
won’t be the same as before. You’re no longer an outcast of Cloud’s Rest—you’re
a Councilwoman of Estole. It doesn’t matter if those people respect you or
acknowledge you. It’s a matter of opinion, and their opinion does not matter.”

“Their opinion does no’ matter,” she repeated slowly. The
idea was novel. Their opinion, no matter what they thought of her, didn’t
matter. The notion settled into her mind and a smile slowly took over her face.
Ha! And why should it? Why should it, indeed? Ash was right, she was no longer
the woman that had left there, months ago. She was a government official, the
partner of a wizard, a woman that was recognized and feared.

The notion was liberating. It was as if chains that had
bound her mind suddenly fell away, and she was free of them, clearing up her
heart in a way it had never been before. She laughed out loud and sat up
abruptly, the towel falling into her lap.

Ash watched her with a slight smile on his face, his
expression a pale mirror of her joy. Of course he had already realized all of
this, known her fears and how silly they were, but he had patiently waited for
her to come into the realization on her own.

Grabbing his head with both hands, she brought him forward
and kissed him on the forehead.

He blinked, a faint blush teasing his cheeks. “Ah, does that
mean I’m forgiven?”

“No,” she responded promptly, a wicked smile growing on her
face. “But do me hands, and I will consider it.”

“Hands too, eh?” Eyes crinkling at the corners, he gave her
a seated bow, as best he could while cross-legged. “Consider it done, my lady.”

In a sudden burst of enthusiasm, she suggested, “And after
that, we need to sit down and discuss timelines for building villages, and the
best locations. Oh, and we need to send out word of our plans and see who wants
to go. Mayhap those people that did no’ get a housing deed can be sent
northward?”

“In return for helping to clear the land and make
settlements, you mean? A sort of payment in kind?” Ash looked intrigued by the
idea. “That would solve two problems at once. I bet Edvard will like the idea.”

“If nothing else, we need to get a list of who wants to go,”
she continued, thinking aloud. “Otherwise we will no’ know how much to build.”

“Good point.”

“And then, I think it best we send scouts ahead to find good
settlement spots. If we act quick, mayhap we can get at least two or three
places built afore winter sets in.” She frowned thoughtfully. “Although I do
no’ care for the idea of leaving Estole for long.”

“Ashlynn and Broden can cover for us,” Ash assured her.
“It’s only fair. We covered for them when they went harrying off to another
part of the world.”

“I do like the way you think.” She beamed at him, already
mentally laying out plans of what needed to be done next.

“Look at you.” Ash shook his head in wonderment. “Just
moments ago you were on the floor worrying about everything, and now you’re
ready to tackle the world. You’re no longer afraid?”

She regarded him with gentle eyes. “With you at my side,
what can a lass be afraid of?”

Acknowledgements

This
story came about because of two people—both men that I have never met face to
face, and likely never will. The first is Przemek Koch, a photographer that
took the picture I used as the cover for this book. It was this photograph that
inspired the whole series for me. Kingmakers wouldn’t exist without it.

The
second man is Lars Anderson, a modern archer that went and studied ancient
techniques, re-learning true archery all over again. He posted a video on
YouTube that explained how ancient archers worked, giving precise details on
techniques, all of which have been incorporated into this series. Everything
you see my characters do, I know is actually possible, because I’ve seen Lars
Anderson do them. (If you wish to watch his video, go here,
or search for:  Lars Anderson: a new level of archery. )

Gentlemen,
I salute you.

About the Author

Over thirty years ago, in the hills of Tennessee, a nice,
unsuspecting young couple had their first child. Their home has since then been
slowly turned into a library as their daughter consistently brought books home
over the years.

No one was surprised when she grew up, went to college, and
got her Bachelor's in English. Despite the fact that she has a degree, and looks
like a mature young woman, she's never grown out of her love for dragons,
fairies and other fantastical creatures. With school done, she's ready to start
her career, hopefully by blending two of her loves: books and fantasy.

Her website can be found here: http://www.honorraconteur.com.

Table of Contents

- Chapter One

- Chapter Two

- Chapter Three

- Chapter Four

- Chapter Five

- Chapter Six

- Chapter Seven

- Chapter Eight

- Chapter Nine

- Chapter Ten

- Chapter Eleven

- Chapter Twelve

- Chapter Thirteen

- Chapter Fourteen

- Chapter Fifteen

- Chapter Sixteen

- Chapter Seventeen

- Chapter Eighteen

- Chapter Nineteen

- Chapter Twenty

- Chapter Twenty-one

- Chapter Twenty-two

- Chapter Twenty-three

- Chapter Twenty-four

- Chapter Twenty-five

- Chapter Twenty-six

- Chapter Twenty-seven

- Chapter Twenty-eight

- Chapter Twenty-nine

- Chapter Thirty

- Epilogue

- Acknowledgements

- About the Author