“I don’t know,” Mira said. “I’d rather steer clear of trouble with the Rogue Knight. Who knows what he might do? He’s too much of a wild card.”
“He’s the biggest wild card in Elloweer,” Skye said. “And most of what I know about him is hearsay.”
Cole definitely sided with Mira on that topic. He didn’t want to cross paths with a man who had killed lots of champions and liked to rob innocent travelers. Because that was all they needed—more danger to face!
Cole listened to the clomping of the horses pulling the coach, and he thought about what they hoped to accomplish in Merriston.
“What’s Honor like?” Cole wondered aloud.
Mira smiled. “Nori is the second oldest of my sisters, and the most independent. In Junction, noblewomen wear their hair long, but Nori kept hers short. She was always outside—riding, climbing, hunting, sparring. Nori has a passion for swordplay and is good with a bow as well. She trained with my father’s elite guards, and by her early teens could defeat many of them in duels.”
“Really?” Cole asked.
Mira shrugged. “Maybe they went a little easy on her. Who knows?” Mira’s eyes had a faraway look in them. “Nori was fifteen when father froze our ages. My sister Elegance is tall, and Nori was almost her height, but with a stronger build. She can be hard to get along with, especially if she argues against you. Nori always thinks she is right. But it was fun to see her stand up to father. She challenged him more than the rest of us combined.”
“I think I’d like this girl,” Skye said.
“Probably,” Mira agreed. “Honor is a very loyal friend. She gives great advice and can come up with all sorts of games. She’s a good listener and will always keep your secrets. I love her so much. It kills me to think of her in prison. She belongs outdoors. I wonder who could have caught her? Nori is the last of my sisters I’d expect to need a rescue.”
“She seems adventurous,” Cole said. “Maybe she took too many risks.”
“Could be,” Mira said. “She is never afraid of a challenge—or to speak up when something seems wrong to her.”
“Sounds like she lived up to her name,” Skye said.
Mira got a funny look on her face. “We all did, in one way or another. I used to talk about it with Costa.”
“Constance?” Skye checked.
“Right. Costa thought our names helped inspire our personalities. I think it was Mother using her sight. She had a way of knowing things. Elegance was the most graceful and feminine. Honor was truest to herself in her words and actions. Constance was the most levelheaded and reliable. And little Destiny would randomly surprise us with insights that seemed way beyond her years.”
“If I catch on fire,” Cole said, “I burn for a long time.”
Mira laughed lightly. “I guess your mom had insights as well.”
“What about you?” Cole asked.
Mira’s cheeks reddened. “I have weird accidents, but so far I’ve survived them.”
“Like what?” Cole asked.
“Besides getting trapped on a sky castle with a homicidal Cyclops? Or getting sucked into a terminal void? Or crashing down into a ravine while inside an autocoach?”
“Yeah,” Cole said with a laugh. “Besides the stuff I know about.”
“Both my mother and I barely survived my birth. I came prematurely. Mother only had Destiny because father insisted they try once more for a son.”
“What else?” Cole prodded, curious.
Mira sighed in resignation. “I toppled out of a window when I was five and fell three stories into a handcart full of hay. I mistakenly ate poisonous berries but puked them up before I died. A dog once saved me from drowning. At age three I wandered into the street as a wagon was coming. I tripped, and the wagon passed right over me. The hooves and the wheels barely missed me. Those are the big ones.”
“Crazy,” Cole said.
“Let’s hope the miracles keep coming,” Mira said, raising her crossed fingers.
“Let’s hope they’re contagious,” Skye muttered.
Cole watched the countryside go by out his window. They passed through small hamlets. A gray stone tower stood atop a low hill, its windows dark and mysterious. Fields and forests came and went. They rumbled across an old wooden bridge.
Late in the afternoon, the wagons eased to a halt. The sun was still too high for them to be making camp, unless they were stopping quite a bit earlier than they had on previous days. Maybe some obstacle was blocking the road?
A knock came at the door of their coach. Skye opened it to reveal Monroe standing beside a stranger.
“This man claims to have a message for you,” Monroe said.
“An urgent message,” the man reported. “From Verilan.”
Skye rolled her eyes. “How’d he track me down?”
The messenger shrugged. “I was told I would find you here.”
“Tell him I’m not coming back.”
The man shook his head and held up a rolled paper sealed with red wax. “I don’t know the man. I have no idea what he’s asking.”
Skye snatched the paper from the messenger. “I can guess. I used to think we had something. It’s over between us. If he wanted me in his life, he should have treated me better when he had me.”
The messenger held up his hands defensively. “I have no opinions regarding these matters. I was paid to deliver a message.”
Skye waved him away. “You slowed a caravan for no reason.”
“I rode hard for two days,” the messenger explained.
Skye produced a silver ringer. “Thank you for discharging your duty. I’m sure you’re a marvelous person.” She looked at Monroe. “We can get moving.”
“Are you sure?” the leader of the caravan asked.
“Positive,” Skye said, closing her door.
A few moments later the coach rolled forward again. Skye broke the seal and unrolled the paper. Her eyes scanned the text. “It’s a plea for me to return. Verilan didn’t write it, but an attempt was made to match his hand.”
“Who wrote it?” Cole asked.
Skye waved a hand over the parchment. Cole saw glowing words appear in different penmanship, but the angle of his view kept him from reading the message. Skye gasped.
“What?” Mira asked.
Skye scanned to the bottom of the secret message before responding. “The false message from Verilan was there in case the wrong eyes read it. The real message comes from another member of the Unseen, a trusted friend. Verilan went missing two days ago. His apartment showed no sign of a struggle, but his secret distress mark was found on the wall. It means foul play. And it could spell trouble for us.”
“If somebody found him . . . ,” Mira began.
“They could be close to finding us,” Skye finished. “Even if Verilan doesn’t break, they might come looking for me next.”
“Which would lead them to our caravan,” Cole realized. That was just what they needed—a squad of Enforcers on their trail while they crawled forward in a wagon train. They would be easy prey!
“Not immediately,” Skye said. “I paid Monroe extra to register under a false name. I told him I didn’t want Verilan to know where I’d gone. There is no paperwork tying Madeline to this caravan. Only a couple trusted members of the Unseen knew my plans.”
“What if Verilan spills his guts?” Cole asked.
“He knew I was leaving town,” Skye said. “I didn’t specify how, and I did my best to muddy his idea of where I was going. I always try to cover my tracks. Still, in spite of the fudged paperwork, everyone in this caravan knows me as Madeline. Witnesses could have recognized me leaving. It’s possible we’ll be found.”
“The messenger found you,” Cole pointed out.
“The messenger had help from the Unseen,” Skye said. “They would have
used somebody sympathetic to our cause.”
“Doesn’t mean he’ll withstand torture,” Mira said.
Skye nodded. “It should take him a couple of days to get back to Carthage.”
“Is this why people shoot the messenger?” Cole asked.
“Sometimes,” Skye said. “It would take some very impressive investigating for anyone to connect the messenger to us.”
“Doesn’t this Hunter guy have a pretty scary reputation?” Cole asked.
“The Hunter is one of the best,” Skye said, sighing venomously. “We definitely don’t want to tangle with him. I hope he’s not who took Verilan.”
“Do we take off on our own?” Cole wondered.
Skye furrowed her brow. “That would look very suspicious to Monroe, Konley, and the others. It would introduce many new dangers. I’ll talk it over with Joe when we stop.”
“What do we do for now?” Cole asked, suddenly feeling confined by the coach.
Skye patted Mira’s shoulder. “Hope for those miracles.”
CHAPTER
14
THE ROGUE KNIGHT
After a lengthy discussion, Joe and Skye decided to take their chances with the caravan rather than make a scene by leaving. Mira approved the verdict, and so the journey continued much as it had started, but with an increase of backward glances.
Cole spent a lot of time watching the empty road behind the caravan. He wasn’t sure if he would see legionnaires, or city guardsmen, or Enforcers on strange mounts, but he didn’t want enemies to sneak up on the caravan unnoticed.
As Cole’s group directed their attention to the rear, day by day, Konley and his men became more alert about the road ahead. Seven nights into their journey, while gathering firewood, Cole noticed Konley addressing his men. Keeping his eyes averted, Cole moved within earshot of their campfire.
“These next two days will be the most vital,” Konley said, pounding a fist into his palm for emphasis. “The robberies have all happened close to Merriston, so we’ll either meet the Rogue Knight tonight, tomorrow, or the day after. After that we’ll be in the capital. I want no less than three men on patrol at all hours.”
“Think he’ll show?” one of the guardsmen asked.
“Honestly?” Konley said, rocking back on his heels. “I expect he’ll see not just Monroe with his five mercenaries, but also a knight and seven uniformed guardsmen, and he’ll hang back to await easier prey. But if the scoundrel makes an appearance, I want to be ready.”
Cole moved out of hearing as Konley began making specific assignments for the guardsmen. If they were two days out from Merriston, that meant he and his friends were two days from a clean getaway. Once they left the caravan, their trail would become much colder for anyone in pursuit.
The next morning, less than an hour after the caravan started rolling, ten riders cantered down the road toward them, all wearing suits of armor. While four riders stayed on the road to force the wagon train to stop, the other six trotted into the field beside the road and came about to address the travelers. One of the knights was the size of a child and rode a sturdy pony rather than a horse. The rest were imposing forms on powerful steeds. Even the mounts wore armor.
The knight at the front was the biggest of the group and rode an enormous horse. His elaborate armor gleamed in the sunlight. A sheathed broadsword was strapped across his back. A pair of antlers sprouted from his polished helmet.
Cole’s stomach twisted into knots. No way could their luck be this bad with everything else they had to deal with. But this had to be him—the man everyone had been so afraid they’d meet on the road to Merriston.
The Rogue Knight.
“That’s him, isn’t it?” Cole asked, fear shooting through him. “That’s the Rogue Knight.”
“Has to be,” Jace said, a slight tremor in his voice. “What other bandits are going to ambush a caravan wearing full armor?”
Cole got chills just looking at the group. “How can they move weighed down by all that metal? They look bulletproof. Not an inch of skin is showing.”
“They must be strong,” Twitch said. “The horses too.”
“Why antlers?” Cole asked.
“A guy like that can wear whatever he wants,” Jace replied.
Along the front half of the caravan, Monroe and his mercenaries lined up on their horses, blocking access to the wagons. Konley and his five mounted guardsmen took up positions between the knights and Lucinda’s stately coach, with two more driving her vehicle.
“Greetings, good travelers,” the knight called out in a booming voice, somewhat muffled by his helmet.
“Why have you halted my caravan?” Monroe asked.
“A fair question,” the knight replied. “I am the champion known across the land as the Rogue Knight.”
Even though the confirmation was no surprise to Cole, he still felt a jolt hearing the words aloud. Champions of mighty cities were plotting against this man. People for miles around spoke about him in fear, and now here he was, roughly a hundred feet away.
“According to the established order,” the Rogue Knight continued, “I have issued a challenge to Rustin Sage, champion of Merriston, which the coward refuses to acknowledge. To pressure the craven into doing his duty, I am relieving those who travel to and from Merriston of their riches. On the day that Rustin faces me as prescribed by law, all the goods will be returned.”
“You mean to rob us?” Monroe verified.
“Correct. I am taking the valuables that Rustin should protect. I will not spend a copper ringer of the spoils. All will be returned with interest after the duel.”
“This is going to get ugly,” Twitch murmured.
“And we have front row seats,” Jace said.
“What if we’re not just the audience?” Cole asked, his insides tense. What could they do if violence came their way? Their Jumping Swords wouldn’t work here. Neither would the golden rope.
“Check out the tiny knight,” Jace said. “If a fight breaks out, I call him.”
The joke didn’t do much to relax Cole—the thought of an actual fight here was terrifying.
“I have a wagonload of furs and specialty items,” a merchant called, his voice breaking a little. “They represent most of my wealth. Taking them would ruin me.”
“Bring your grievance to Rustin Sage,” the Rogue Knight replied. “Your wagons are mine for now. The drivers must remain to help me transport them, then they will be released with the horses. The passenger coaches and other horses may remain to bear you to your destinations. Each individual will be allowed to retain any money equal to or less than two silver ringers. I don’t want to leave you destitute. I won’t take your clothes or shoes, unless the attire is merchandise heading to market. But I’ll keep the rest—ringaroles, jewelry, promissory notes, deeds, and the like.”
“And if we won’t hand it over?” Monroe asked firmly.
“Do not mistake my courtesy for weakness,” the Rogue Knight said. “I do not wish to harm anyone, but any who choose to resist me will die swiftly.”
“The worst of their armor is much better than Konley’s,” Jace muttered beside Cole. “And those horses are incredible.”
Monroe glanced at his soldiers. “All right, boys. Time to earn your wages.”
Four of the five private soldiers spurred their horses forward. One dismounted and produced a longbow.
Konley pointed to three of his guardsmen and gestured toward the fight. They charged forward with the mercenaries.
The Rogue Knight drew his sword. One of his companions hefted a flanged mace, another held up a battle-ax, a third clutched a spear, and a fourth revealed a chain with a spiked ball at the end. The small knight drew a little sword.
Cole winced as the knights rode forward to meet the attack of the mercenaries and the guardsmen. A tumult of devastating impacts
filled the air. The knight with the spear shattered a wooden shield, and a mercenary flipped backward off his horse to tumble ruinously. The knight with the flanged mace clubbed a guardsman with a blow to the chest that folded him grotesquely. Swords clashed, bones crunched, hooves thundered, blood splashed, men yelled, and horses screamed. Clods of dirt spewed into the air.
Within moments, only the six knights remained on horseback. An arrow sparked against the Rogue Knight’s breastplate, bouncing away harmlessly. The Rogue Knight nodded toward the mercenary with the longbow, and the tiny knight raced off in that direction.
At the approach of the small knight, the mercenary tossed aside his bow and drew a sword. When the undersized knight drew near, the little guy sprang from his pony at full gallop, skewered the bowman as they collided, then landed in a clangorous roll.
“You still want to fight the little guy?” Cole asked Jace.
Of the four mercenaries and three guardsmen on the ground, two of the private soldiers got up, panting, bleeding, but with weapons in hand. The Rogue Knight nodded to the knight with the battle-ax, who dismounted and approached the two mercenaries with the implacable confidence of the grim reaper. Cole didn’t want to look but couldn’t resist.
One of the mercenaries leaped forward and swung his sword. The knight caught the blade in his mailed hand and cut him down with a vicious swipe. The other mercenary backed away, his sword falling from trembling hands.
“Kneel and surrender,” the ax-wielding knight demanded in deep tones.
The man gave a wretched glance at Monroe and then dropped to his knees.
“Is this the end of your resistance?” the Rogue Knight inquired loudly.
Monroe looked down the line of wagons to Konley. “What say you, sir knight?”
Raising his visor, Konley cleared his throat. “I challenge you, Rogue Knight, to single combat.”
The offer surprised Cole. Based on everything he had seen, he doubted Konley had much chance against the antlered knight.
“Who are you to challenge me?” the Rogue Knight responded.