“Yes, sir,” Bram said.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Hal answered.
Jared was about to correct Hal’s terminology when he heard footsteps on the stairway above. Glancing up, he saw Prince Rohan making his return.
“It is done,” Rohan called out as he strode over to join them. “Two thousand troops will be ready to ride within the hour. We will make camp within the border of Archenfield as a show of force. We will advance farther when you call. I have also arranged fresh horses for you. And”—he paused at last to take a breath—“I have sent a courier to Séverin and told him to dispatch as big an army as he can offer.”
The mere mention of Séverin caused Jared to blanch.
“Prince Rohan, there is something I need to tell you,” Jared said. “Something I should have told you days ago.”
Rohan’s eyes narrowed. His characteristic energy fell away and he became still, his eyes trained curiously on Jared.
“When I told you we had an alliance with Woodlark,” Jared resumed, “I should have been clearer. Francesca has agreed to an alliance only on the condition that we hand over Logan Wilde to her to impart her own choice of justice upon her daughter’s murderer.”
“I see,” Rohan answered, his voice neutral.
“I did not share this information with you when we were discussing the alliance between Archenfield and Rednow—first, because I was confident that I could follow through with Francesca’s terms, and second, because, I confess, I wanted nothing to stand in the way of Rednow joining the alliance.” He took a breath. “I see now that I was wrong. I should have been plainer with you from the outset.”
Rohan nodded. Jared found the gesture hard to interpret. Was Rohan agreeing with him, or simply registering his understanding?
“When I met with Séverin and Celestia to discuss Larsson joining the alliance, they asked to see Francesca’s decree. So they know of her stipulation,” he continued, “and they included a stipulation in their own decree. That Larsson would activate its own alliance only once Woodlark had done so.”
This time, Rohan did not nod, but merely blinked.
“It was never my intention to deceive you,” Jared said. “But I did deceive you, Prince Rohan, and I’m so very sorry about that. I will understand, of course, if you wish to withdraw your own alliance and your offers of military support.”
There, he had said it. And, strangely, though they had been difficult words to say, he felt somehow lighter for giving voice to them. Now the ball was firmly in Rohan’s court.
He watched as Rohan, eyes down, contemplatively twisted one of the rings on his fingers. Jared had noticed him do this before—same ring, same finger.
Rohan looked back up at him. “I said when we first met that I found you to be an honorable man,” Rohan began.
Jared’s face dropped. “I remember,” he said. “I’m just sorry that I failed to live up to your expectations.”
“Please,” Rohan said, more forcefully, “let me finish. I said that you were an honorable man. It was a mistake on your part not being frank with me about Francesca’s stipulation. But, just so we are clear, I would not have acted like her or Séverin and insisted on a condition of my own. You would have had a full, working alliance with Rednow.”
Would have. The words dug into Jared’s consciousness. If he’d told the truth, he would have still come away with Rohan’s alliance. Now, due to his deceit, he was about to lose it.
“You still have the alliance,” Rohan told him. “It took guts to tell me the truth today. But this comes as no surprise to me—courage is a quality you possess in abundance. I still think you are an honorable man, Prince Jared, but, like the rest of us, you are a work in progress.”
Jared could not believe his ears, but there was no mistaking Rohan’s smile or the hands that stretched out to take his own. And, once their hands were clasped, there was no mistaking the strength of Rohan’s grip as he squeezed Jared’s fingers reassuringly.
“You have already slain more dragons than most men twice your age,” Rohan told him. “Now, let’s waste no more time in getting back in the saddle. Your Princedom has never needed you or your wise rule more than today.”
Jared smiled at him, but bitterly shook his head. “That’s something else you need to know, friend. In my absence, it seems my cousin—my own Edling—has taken it upon himself to oust me from power and take my place.”
Rohan shook his head in disbelief. “I am very sorry to hear this.” He frowned. “Does this change our plans?”
Jared considered his ally’s words, then shook his head decisively. “No, it changes nothing. We ride on. Archenfield needs me.” He shook his head, his eyes taking in all four of his companions—Kai, Hal, Bram and Rohan. “What I mean to say is, Archenfield needs us.”
THIRTY-SEVEN
Border Country
THE LANDSCAPE FELL AWAY AT JARED’S LEFT SIDE and, in the distance, beyond the point where the forest grew dense once again, a wide expanse of blue peeked through the treetops. This fjord marked the border between Larsson and Woodlark and was joined to the great fjord of Archenfield by a fast-flowing river. This, Jared thought, with mixed emotions, was the river that might have joined five territories in alliance.
Perhaps, against all odds, it still might.
Rohan of Rednow rode beside him. He had proved steadfast in all his dealings with Jared since learning the truth of the alliance. They were two Princes leading an army into battle. As they approached the fork in the river that cut northward into the heartlands of Baltiska, Jared turned in his saddle and glanced at the great column of men and women on horseback, keeping a steady pace behind them. There were so many that Jared was unable to see where their numbers ended. His cousin and his Council may have lost faith in him, he may have lost his title of Prince of All Archenfield, yet nobody could take this away from him. He alone had forged the alliance with Rednow and indeed with Woodlark and Larsson. It was he who would lead these soldiers into his Princedom.
Jared was resolute that, whatever events had occurred in his absence, Archenfield was rightfully his. First, he would take on the Paddenburg army; then he would turn his full attention on Axel and attempt to undo the tangled threads of his cousin’s duplicity.
There were tears in Jared’s eyes as he rode toward the dark stone arch that marked the brief border between Rednow and Archenfield, and he felt his heart soar with the relief of coming home. He had not been away many days, but so much had happened. Now he wanted to drive the bandits of Paddenburg, as Rohan had called them, off his land once and for all.
As Jared dismounted, a border guard ran over and bowed before him. When the guard rose up, Jared saw dark circles beneath his gray eyes.
“You are a welcome sight indeed, Your Majesty,” the guard said. “Especially with that throng riding behind you. Almost all the border guards have been called up to fight. I wish I were down there helping them.”
“On the border or the battlefield, know that your service to the Princedom is equally valued,” Jared told him. “We must ride on now. Stay safe.”
He led Rohan’s troops west until he saw the familiar silhouette of the palace of Archenfield looming across the meadows. He had seen other palaces now—some, like Woodlark, might be grander; some, like Rednow, might be miraculous feats of architecture; some, like Larsson, might be located within the landscape of a fairy tale. But none could ever compete in his own heart with the palace of Archenfield, where he had lived all his days.
“Your troops should rest a while here,” Jared told Rohan. “We will continue on to the palace, tell them of our alliances and determine where our numbers are most needed.”
Rohan nodded. “On you go, Prince Jared. I will stay here with my people. They are about to go into battle. It is important for their leader to be with them.”
“I understand,” Jared said with a nod and a smile to his friend and ally.
On he rode—alongside him Kai, Bram and Hal—the final distance toward t
he palace. He had half expected to return there to find the palace razed to the ground. But, on riding up beneath the main balcony, he saw that the palace was strangely unchanged—and disconcertingly quiet.
Jumping down from the saddle, he felt the solidity of the ancient stone beneath his feet. Climbing the familiar steps up to the balcony, his thoughts turned to the two state occasions when he had taken his position there before his people. Twice they had pledged their allegiance to him; twice he had made his own oath to serve them. Today there were no crowds, but as he walked across the flagstones of the balcony, he knew that he was willing to die fighting, if that was what it took to honor his side of the bargain.
“Prince Jared!”
His mother ran out toward him. He felt hot tears pricking his eyes and then his whole body began to tremble with relief as she swept him into her arms.
“You are home safe,” she said, holding tightly on to her oldest surviving son. She had never held him in this way before. Somehow, this one embrace made up for all those he had been deprived of growing up.
“There is so much to tell you,” she said, when at last she released him. “Not much will be pleasing to your ears, I fear.”
“I know all about the vote of no confidence,” Jared told her. “All I care about at this moment is stopping the advancing army of Paddenburg. We rode home with two thousand Rednow troops. They are ready to fight where they are needed most.”
“That is wonderful news,” his mother told him, stepping back but holding on to both his hands.
“Cousin Jared!”
He turned to see Lady Koel, dressed warmly against the chill weather, striding out from the palace to join them.
“Though your brother has deposed my son,” Elin said, turning to her, “the correct form of address is still Prince Jared, I think you will find.”
Lady Koel smiled as she came nearer. “Jared was always my cousin first and a prince second,” she said. “Now may I hug my dear cousin in welcome?”
“Yes, of course,” Jared told her. Awkwardly, he slipped free from his mother’s tight grip in order to embrace Koel.
“I’m so glad to have you home safe,” she whispered in his ear. And though he knew she must somehow have been part of her brother’s conspiracy, still Jared felt convinced by the warmth with which she spoke. He had always felt there to be a strong bond between himself and his cousin. Perhaps it was something he could use to his advantage in order to challenge the new setup.
“You know, of course, that Lady Koel is the new Prince’s Edling?” Elin told him now, her voice full of undisguised venom.
Jared nodded. “Congratulations,” he told Lady Koel. What else could he say?
He saw his mother shake her head in horror and disbelief. He knew how devastated she must feel at Axel’s having seized the throne. In many ways, he suspected this was more of a blow to her than it was even to him. But he would deal with Axel—in his own time and his own way. There were other, more important battles to fight first.
“Lady Koel, I have news from my travels,” he told her. “I have returned with alliances.”
“Yes,” she said. “I heard you mention two thousand troops from Rednow?”
“That is only part of it.”
“Let us go inside, into the warmth,” Koel suggested. “Your face is pinched from the cold.”
Jared shook his head. “If you don’t mind, I’d prefer to talk out here. I intend to ride out again soon with the troops, and I fear if I go into the warmth, I might find myself reluctant to leave, when leave I must.”
Lady Koel smiled serenely. “You are as noble as ever, Prince Jared,” she told him. “All right then, we shall talk out here. Tell me about these alliances.”
Jared took a breath. “I set out to achieve an alliance of the five river territories—Archenfield, Woodlark, Rednow, Baltiska and Larsson.”
“An ambitious plan in the number of days you were granted by the Paddenburg Ultimatum,” Lady Koel observed.
“Yes,” Jared agreed. “You know already that I have returned with a fully operational alliance with Rednow—Prince Rohan is waiting in position to lead his troops into battle.” Koel nodded, urging him on. “But, you see, this is only the beginning. Queen Francesca is ready to send us the troops of Woodlark, and backup from Malytor if required.” Registering the surprise on the faces of his cousin and mother, Jared continued. “All we need to do to unlock such an army is to hand over Logan Wilde to Francesca.”
Queen Elin nodded at this but Lady Koel frowned.
“You know as well as I, Cousin, that as much as we may desire the renewal of our alliance with Woodlark, we cannot deliver Logan Wilde to Francesca or anyone else.” Her voice had wavered for a moment but now grew more resolute. “Remember the terms of the Paddenburg Ultimatum.”
“What does the ultimatum matter when their troops are hacking their way, settlement by settlement, toward the palace walls? Paddenburg’s threat was that they would invade early if we harmed Logan. But they invaded early in any case. Everything has changed. They’re not playing by any rule book, so why should we?”
He could see conflicting emotions on his cousin’s face, and sought to bolster his case. “If we give Wilde to Francesca, we not only gain the alliance with Woodlark but open up a third alliance—with Séverin of Larsson!” He paused. “You hear what I’m telling you? I can offer you alliances with three of the four territories I petitioned. All we have to do is hand over my brother’s assassin.”
Over Lady Koel’s shoulder, Queen Elin had never looked more proud of her son.
Lady Koel cleared her throat. “I am, of course, greatly impressed by what you have managed to achieve in so short a span of time. But the fact remains, we cannot simply hand over Logan Wilde.”
Jared shook his head in disbelief. “Why ever not? Haven’t we agreed the Paddenburg Ultimatum is meaningless now?”
“Forget about the ultimatum!” She cut him off. “As you say, Wilde was Prince Anders’s assassin. Our people would never condone us releasing Archenfield’s number one enemy of state.”
“That’s the point,” Jared cut in. “Wilde is not an enemy of state. I fear your inexperience is showing. What you fail to appreciate is that the people do not know that Logan Wilde was Anders’s and Silva’s murderer—and for very good reason. Wilde’s imprisonment is a well-kept secret. As far as the people know, Michael Reeves was the assassin and the Blood Price has been paid.”
“But it hasn’t,” Lady Koel rejoined.
“I am keenly aware of that fact and of the importance of the Blood Price,” Jared resumed passionately. “But need I remind you that the Blood Price is not owed to the people? It is owed to Anders’s family—my family. And I’d far rather it not be fulfilled and the alliance with Woodlark be saved.”
Lady Koel eyed him with undisguised disdain, then shook her head. “I fear things have moved on considerably in your absence. Even if we did as you wish, there is no time for your allies to ride to our rescue now. The fight is already too far entrenched.”
Jared could not believe his ears. “It sounds as if you are about ready to surrender.” His voice exposed raw frustration. “Or negotiate,” he added darkly.
“We will do what we need to do to preserve this Princedom,” she told him. “My instructions from my brother, before he rode out from the palace, were plain.”
“But you said it yourself”—Jared could not resist one final attempt—“everything is changing so fast. You are Edling now. You can make your own decisions. You have that power!”
She nodded. “I know the powers at my disposal,” she told him.
Behind her, Queen Elin’s face was a picture of disgust.
Kai Jagger, who had been standing quietly by, now stepped forward. “What is to stop us going down to the Dungeons ourselves and carrying Logan Wilde away from there?”
His words were full of fury but Lady Koel’s voice was calm personified as she gave him her answer. “Guards,” she said. “Gu
ards who report to Prince Axel, and to me. Logan Wilde is not going anywhere. We will not discuss him any further.”
Jared could see that Kai was not ready to back down, but he was growing weary of this line of argument. It was clear that Koel was not going to release Logan and that he would be unable to call upon either Francesca or Séverin for support. Still, he had Rohan and his two thousand troops waiting for him.
Jared’s eyes met Lady Koel’s. “I told you before, Cousin, that I am ready to ride out with such forces as I can muster.” His voice was neutral, businesslike. “I think you had better tell me where, in your view, we can best impact the fight.”
Lady Koel nodded. “Prince Axel is leading the fight at Mellerad. The battle in the west has been most intense, but our position holds. In the south, our troops have fallen back and are defending the settlements of Tonsberg and Pencador. Although we fear that our hold at Tonsberg is fragile at best.”
“If Tonsberg falls, our enemy will move on toward Kirana,” Kai observed. “If they reach Grasmyre, you’ll be able to hear the death cries from this very balcony.”
“Then we ride on to Tonsberg,” Jared declared.
“No,” Lady Koel countered, equally firmly. “Jonas sent a messenger this morning. The township had no natural defenses and it was impossible to protect it for long. The Woodsman intends to fall back from Tonsberg to the forests north of the settlement. He hopes to hold off the enemy from there.” Jared couldn’t help but be impressed at his cousin’s mastery of the situation—it seemed she had adapted to leadership far more swiftly and naturally than he had. “The fighting may be intensified at the settlements,” she continued, “but scouts have identified enemy troops flanking the battle zones and heading northward along the valleys. The land between Dalhoen and Kirana is vulnerable and that is where your troops are most sorely needed. You will find additional supplies at Dalhoen. A military camp was set up there but the northern recruits have since joined the fight on the front lines.”