Harlan slowed his horse to a trot as they passed beneath the archway, then returned to a canter. ‘I assume you’re headed to the north wall, since that’s where Eda is.’
‘Do I want to know why she’s standing atop the wall wearing a defender’s uniform?’
‘I think you can probably hazard a guess.’ He glanced back at the donkey with a questioning look. ‘And do I want to know why you’ve returned with yet another one of those things?’
‘It’s a long story.’
Harlan did not ask for the details. ‘She’s going to Toryn in a few weeks, you know.’
Roul did not have to ask who he was talking about. ‘What for?’
‘She’s to marry into a wealthy family. One of her uncle’s brilliant ideas.’ Harlan’s tone was dry.
The news landed like lead. One of the main reasons he had refused to take her to Carno was because he did not want her separated from her family. ‘Did no one object?’
‘Everyone did. Everyone except Eda.’
Roul tugged on the rope to hurry the donkey along. This was his fault. He had broken her. He had broken her, then abandoned her, and she had given up the fight. But he did not have the space in his head for that right now. First he needed to get her off that wall and somewhere safe. ‘I need to drop this thing at Wright House on the way.’
Harlan shook his head. ‘Absolutely not. I’m still stuck with the last donkey you returned with. Eda’s lucky Luella’s attached or I would’ve sold him long ago.’
The road was quiet because everyone had retreated to their houses upon hearing the horn, so Roul was surprised when they spotted a cart up ahead. A horse rode alongside it.
‘Is that Fletcher?’ Roul asked.
Harlan squinted. ‘Yes.’
Astin turned when he heard their horses approaching. He was stern-faced and heavily armed.
‘Where are you going?’ Harlan called to him.
Presley was driving the cart, Rose tucked at her side. Lyndal was on the other side of her, clutching her new baby.
‘Thornton?’ Lyndal said, turning to look at him. ‘What are you doing here?’
Another long story.
‘We’ll have to postpone pleasantries,’ Astin said. ‘There’s rumours circulating through the farming borough that English troops have broken through the north wall.’
A cold sensation washed over Roul. ‘Catapults. That’s what was beneath the canvases.’
‘I’m taking the girls to Wright House, and then I’m going to the wall.’
Harlan snatched the rope from Roul and tossed it to Presley. ‘Can you take this thing with you?’
Presley tied the donkey to the back of the wagon.
‘Eda was on the wall,’ Roul said.
‘The warden would’ve sent her away the moment he realised,’ Lyndal said, sounding not at all confident. ‘Wouldn’t he?’
Astin turned to his sister. ‘I need you to—’
‘Go,’ Presley and Lyndal said in unison.
‘We’ll go straight to Wright House,’ Presley assured him.
The three men took off at a gallop towards the wall.
