Lyndal tore her gaze from the archer. ‘What?’
‘Take her!’
Lyndal and Candace both reached for Eda, sharing the weight between them.
‘What are you doing?’ Lyndal asked. There was no disguising the fear in her voice.
Blake took hold of Lyndal’s face. ‘Do not move from this spot. You hear me?’
Lyndal searched her eyes. ‘Tell me what you’re going to do.’
Blake let go of her sister’s face. ‘I’m going to put an end to this insanity.’
Chapter 42
When the first arrow hit, Harlan knew the prince would not stop until he had what he needed. The fact that the prince had not shared his plan with the commander of the borough spoke volumes. Following orders without question was no longer an option for Harlan. With blood pounding in his ears, he marched over to his father, who was standing outside the turret on the nobility wall. The one person who stood a chance at ending the madness playing out in front of them was remaining silent.
Shapur looked in his direction as he approached. ‘Return to your post, Commander.’
Harlan continued straight up to his father. ‘You’re just going to stand there while defenders use innocent merchants for target practice?’
Shapur’s eyes narrowed on him. ‘I said back to your post, Commander. One more word from you and it will be the tower instead.’
Adrenaline coursed through Harlan at such a high speed he was dizzy from it. He raked a hand over his head and looked back at the crowd just as another merchant was shot, this time a few rows in front of Blake. God help that archer if an arrow touched her.
He searched for her as the crowd rose and fell with panic, but she was no longer standing with her sisters and mother. Candace and Lyndal now held Eda between them—barely.
Where the hell is Blake?His eyes moved over the crowd, searching.
‘Commander Wright,’ his father hissed. ‘This is your final warning.’
Harlan barely registered what he was saying as his eyes landed on Blake. She was pushing her way through the crowd towards the front.
What are you doing?
A cold sensation crawled up his spine.
His distress must have shown on his face, because instead of having Harlan dragged off to the tower as he had promised, Shapur said, ‘What is it?’
Harlan did not reply. There was no time. Rushing past his father, he re-entered the turret, taking the steps three at a time. He burst through the door at the bottom, startling the two defenders guarding it, and took off at a sprint towards the square just as Blake reached the front.
‘I did it!’ she shouted. ‘I shot the king!’
Harlan’s feet slowed as he imagined all the ways the prince was going to hurt her.
He was too late.
The damage was done.
‘Stop shooting,’ Blake shouted to the archer atop the wall. ‘Please. It’s me you want.’ She was out of breath and even paler than when he had left her earlier, if that were possible. How she was even standing in her condition, let alone carrying her sister around the borough, was beyond him.
Harlan stopped, ran a hand down his face, and turned in a circle as he tried to figure out his next move.
Prince Borin’s hand went up, stopping the archer in his tracks. Then he moved closer to the edge so he could get a better look at his father’s killer.
Harlan took a few steps in Blake’s direction, fearing arrows would rain down on her at any moment. He had to be careful from that point. He was of no use to her locked up.
‘You?’ Borin asked, sounding amused.
