Back so soon. Adrius would, no doubt, have valuable information, but Aren felt nothing but trepidation. “Bring him up the cliffs so the Amaridians don’t see him.”
The scout nodded and departed at a run.
“Let’s go down to the water.” Lara pushed her braid over her shoulder and then drew her sword. “The Amaridians wouldn’t risk running afoul of the Harendellian fleet for the sake of returning Bronwyn to us.” She gestured with the tip of her blade. “They aren’t making ready to sail—they’re waiting.”
“Keep a close watch for Harendellian vessels,” Aren said to one of his soldiers, and though it felt like a strange request to make given Amarid had always been the enemy and Harendell the ally, he added, “Warn the Amaridians if you see sails on the horizon.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Aren shadowed Lara as they wove down the narrow trail to the water. She moved at a swift trot, but the knuckles on her right hand were white from how tightly she gripped her weapon. Equal parts eager and terrified as he pleaded to every higher power that it was Ahnna whom Bronwyn had brought home with her.
His pleas floated away on the breeze as his eyes latched onto the woman climbing out of the boat, the soldiers around her laughing and cheering. “Taryn?”
Lara had drawn up short as well, her eyes wide with shock.
Aren shoved down the unwelcome sense of disappointment as his cousin strode up the beach toward him, her arm linked with Bronwyn’s. They stopped, and Taryn inclined her head. “Your Grace.”
“None of that.” Aren wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. “How are you here? Bronwyn told us you had been arrested by Prince James for espionage and were being taken to Verwyrd.”
“I was.” Taryn pushed back from him. Her eyes slid to Lara, but then locked with his again. “Amaridian spies witnessed my capture. On the way to Verwyrd, they attacked my guards and rescued me, then brought me through their channels to Riomar. Where Bronwyn was waiting.” She turned a smile on the Maridrinian princess, who pulled Taryn close. “We’d have been back sooner, but the storms made passage impossible.”
Everyone fell silent, because in that moment, several soldiers approached with Adrius in tow. The Valcottan man looked exhausted beyond measure, but he bowed low. “Your Graces.” His gaze went from the Amaridian vessel to Taryn and Bronwyn. “Lady Taryn, I assume? Your liberation was my one piece of happy news, but it is good that you were able to deliver it yourself.”
“You’ve seen Keris?” Lara asked.
Adrius nodded. “Yes, and circumstances are dire. Though the information he sent back with me is best kept to as few ears as possible.”
Aren nodded at Lia, and she softly murmured orders to nearby soldiers to move out of earshot.
“The Harendellians took many casualties when the Amaridians liberated you,” Adrius said to Taryn. “If they weren’t so occupied with Ithicana, I think they’d be making plans to retaliate.”
“Did Katarina indicate why they freed you, Taryn?” Lara asked. “It all happened so quickly that the order couldn’t have come from Katarina in response to Edward’s death. Why would she risk his anger?”
“Don’t think I’m worth it?” Taryn snapped, but then she winced. “I’m sorry. It’s a fair question.” She was quiet for a moment, then said, “Katarina fears Harendell’s alliance with Cardiff. Fears that afterHarendell has its way with Ithicana, they—with Cardiff at their backs—will come for Amarid. Her spies…they know her goals, and I think they saw rescuing me as an olive branch Katarina might offer to Ithicana. Not as good as Ahnna, but…”
“The difference is that you didn’t do anything wrong,” Bronwyn growled.
Aren gave her a flat stare before asking, “Is there any word about Ahnna? Any sign of her?”
Adrius cleared his throat. “She was last seen weeks ago deploying an avalanche trap that nearly killed Prince James. The trail was wiped out, but he chose to pursue her alone. He’s not been heard from since.”
Anything could have happened in the intervening time period, but Aren’s heart still leapt at the confirmation she’d been seen.
“Katarina sent word to Carlo as soon as I arrived in Riomar,” Bronwyn said. “But he and his men found no sign of Ahnna, or James, in their search.”
“The Harendellians know about your request for aid,” Adrius said. “Spies in Katarina’s household. They see it as an attack on the Ashford family, and their anger is a thing to behold.”
Aren listened in silence, his chest hollowing as Adrius relayed all that Keris had learned, finishing with, “Alexandra aims to take the bridge, one way or another. Keris suggests you bolster defenses and call in all favors, all alliances, because the Harendellians show no signs of standing down.”
All that Adrius had said rattled in Aren’s skull, and his gaze slowly moved to the Amaridian ship bobbing on the waves. “Taryn, what does Katarina want? Because the Crimson Widow didn’t send you back to us out of the goodness of her heart.”
“A meeting,” Taryn answered. “Between you and her, face-to-face, to discuss an alliance against a mutual antagonist.”
Aren drew in a deep breath, seeing Lara’s gaze narrow in his periphery. It was one thing to renegotiate trade terms, quite another to ally himself with a lifelong enemy.
“Harendell is as dangerous to Amarid as it is to Ithicana,” Bronwyn said. “Katarina told me herself that she believed Harendell would move to take control of the bridge, and that threat has now been conveyed by Alexandra herself through Adrius. If Ithicana falls to Harendell, Amarid will be locked in on all sides, reliant on ships risking the Tempest Seas to reach the southern markets, and that would be catastrophic for them. Katarina fears Amarid will weaken in its isolation, and that Harendell will first claim the Lowlands and then use it as a staging ground to invade Amarid.” She gave a slow shake of her head, azure eyes distant. “Katarina’s not a good person, Aren, and Carlo is no better. But they fear what is to come as Harendell’s power grows, make no mistake.”
Taryn nodded in agreement. “I know better than anyone what Amarid has done to us in the past, but no one knows the Harendellians like they do. That rivalry is as old as the nations themselves, and with Ronan of Cardiff set on vengeance for his sister’s murder, it’s only a matter of time. They are desperate.”
