Oliver might not have looked like much, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would protect me with his life. And he was proficient with a number of weapons. He was not the scrawny, skinny boy he appeared to be. And yet we’d still managed to be caught.
My thoughts moved to the crown. If Arrick had found the crown, even if he’d merely glimpsed it, he would have already killed me. The crown was all that was needed to take control of this failing realm. With it, he could elevate his army from rebel to royal. If my uncle was truly that incompetent at running the realm, then the crown and a new king would be enticing to a kingdom in ruin.
But I also didn’t believe he felt any obligation to me, civil or otherwise. He was a rebel, a hunted bandit. He didn’t hold respect for this land or the sovereigns that ruled it. He certainly wouldn’t care what happened to a stranger.
I stood, matching him as closely in height as I was able. “I need more than your civic duty, Commander. I need reasons I can actually trust.”
“Despite what you believe, Stranger, my army does in fact want peace. We fight to protect the helpless of the realm, the victims that Tyrn wishes to crush beneath his boot. We save what we can from the marauding Ring of Shadows. We fight oppression and repression. We fight so that young girls like you may walk from one kingdom to the other and keep their heads atop their bodies.”
I swallowed, working to breathe beyond the large lump suddenly lodged in my throat. I fought to hold out hope for my uncle, despite Arrick’s mounting evidence against him.
“And we have horses,” Arrick continued. “We would reach Elysia in a third of the time it would take you on foot.”
My desperate need to get home and dig my realm out of this mess made me wonder if the pros to Arrick’s offer outweighed the cons. I looked into his eyes and saw his determination. I didn’t believe any of his reasons for accompanying us. I wasn’t sure about his dedication to the realm and his mission to fight my uncle. Those reasons weren’t enough for him to accompany Oliver and me.
But he was willing to escort us to Elysia. With his horses. He would bring his muscled men with their weapons and forest experience. He could solve our pesky problems with papers.
“Fine,” I heard myself say. “You may accompany us to Elysia. I, er,weshall allow it. But be warned, Commander, we have nothing of value to pay you for your time and services.”
That wasn’t quite true. Once we made it to Elysia, I would have stores of gold and coin to heap upon him and his army. But I would hold back that offer until we’d crossed the Marble Wall and the crown was situated firmly on my head.
“We do not expect payment, m’lady,” Arrick said with a bow of his head.
I noticed that his men stared at him agog. Apparently,theyexpected payment. Was I being manipulated into a sense of safety? A quick glance at Oliver told me he didn’t know what to think either.
I put away my feelings of unease for now but vowed to keep my guard up. “When will you be ready to leave?” I asked, ignoring the tremble in my voice. “We are eager to be on our way.”
Arrick’s lips twitched before he swept his hand toward the doorway. “That much has been made clear. But have no fear, your escort awaits.”
With stiff legs I moved to the door and saw that he had not lied. A guard of about twenty men sat in perfect formation on horseback waiting for the command to ride.
The rebel army was more than a bunch of ragtag bandits. Arrick had apparently developed capable soldiers with a sense of propriety and loyalty any kingdom would be happy to have on their side. But they had no loyalty and they fought for no particular kingdom.
I wondered if Arrick would fight against me, too, when I was queen. Would I be forced to hunt him down and end his rebellion?
The thought left me hollow.
I decided to think about those things later.
Much later.
“We’re ready to leave when you are, m’lady,” he murmured behind me.
I jumped at his closeness. I had been too lost in my thoughts to hear him approach. “Tess,” I insisted. “You can call me Tess.”
“Only if you call me Arrick.” I could hear the smile in his voice, but I resisted one of my own.
I turned to face him. “Arrick.”
“Tess.” He held out a hand to me. I slipped mine into his, allowing him to shake it. “I look forward to our business together,” he said.
“Is this business?”
He answered with just a wink. He was up to something.
But what?
Arrick disengaged my hand and stepped back. With a commanding voice that carried across his fortress, he called out, “We ride as soon as our guests are ready! Be on your guard.” To me he said, “We await you below.” Then he walked from the room, his men at his side.
