Ian sat back down fully on the crate behind him, looking up at his younger brother, hating that he was right. He set the apple down beside him, appetite completely gone. “I will not go into hiding,” he said, quickly holding up his hand to stop Onric from talking over him. “But I will go for help. I will travel to Allys myself and convince King August to aid us.”
“No,” Erich said, running a hand through his hair.
Ian looked to his youngest brother. It was not typical of Erich to take a serious stance when the brothers disagreed, but he was doing so now.
“Gareth surely has cyphers there,” Erich explained, “so it will be impossible for you to truly remain secret. You would not know who to trust and would be in more danger than you are here.”
“Then I will seek out that old monk we found on the shore and become a hermit,” Ian said, half angry and half in jest. The situation they were in already felt hopeless enough. Running away from it all felt worse.
“Find Robin,” Ashlin said, stepping forward to stand next to Onric. “She is already harboring Meena and Sol.”
Onric looked down at Ashlin, his face lighting up. Ian was not sure if it was because he thought her idea was brilliant or because he merely liked having her so close. It was probably both. Onric looked back to Ian, his face returning to that solemn authority. “Not only will you be safe with her, but you can ask her to help us take the castle back from Gareth.”
Erich stood up, a new excitement also appearing in his eyes. “That is perfect!”
Ian shook his head. “What can Robin do against three companies of Chendas soldiers that our own men cannot?”
Three faces stared down at him.
He was missing something again.
“She is one woman with a handful of clever bandits,” Ian said, looking between them.
“Not just Robin,” Erich said. “River’s Talon.”
Ian shook his head. “Just because she has access to a secret organization which might be powerful does not mean that they will drop everything to come to our aid. Convincing King August to send his soldiers would be quicker.”
Onric’s face softened into a smile. “So Erich didn’t tell you everything.”
Ian sent a glare to Erich, who looked confused.
“Robin does not have access to River’s Talon. SheisRiver’s Talon.”
Chapter 12
Ian felt an unexpected exhilaration at being alone on the road at night. He did not want to feel lighter on the dark road, but he could not deny that his breathing was easier, and the cool night air felt good against his skin. If he was going to abandon his entire family and kingdom, he could at least enjoy the freedom of traveling alone in order to do it.
No one had expected him to simply walk out of the castle and disappear. So that was precisely what he had done. He had donned the same dark, unmarked traveling clothes that he had worn just two days ago. They still smelled of sweat and horse, as he had not had enough time at the castle to send them to be laundered.
In the busy hour just before sunset, when most of the staff were finishing their tasks for the day and crossing through the courtyard on their way down to the city, he had taken Robin’s horse from the stable and simply rode it out of the gate. Two of Gareth’s soldiers had even been stationed there, but they had not given the hooded man on the simple horse a second glance.
The Iseldan guard, also standing near the gate, had recognized him, but at his simple nod they had said nothing.
Ian followed the dark road, relying on the superior sight of the horse to navigate the darkness. The animal seemed to know that he was headed toward home and happily led the way.
Ian, of course, would have preferred to be riding Rowena. He was excited to see his white mare again, but perhaps more excited to see how annoyed Robin might be when he arrived in Lockwood. Would she assume that he had gone back on his word and come to pick up Rowena?
Robin. The head of River’s Talon. It should not have surprised him. She was his age, and he had the command of an entire army. Why should she not also have command of a vast secret network that spanned five kingdoms? He had noted the way the bandits had responded to her leadership. He was stunned. But it made sense.
It was fully dark when, two hours later, they came across the small village of Berwell. Ian had never been to Lockwood Forest, much less Lockwood Manor. But he had studied the map in his father’s council room countless times and had often traced the route there from the castle. The village of Berwell sat at the crossroads that led to Lockwood Manor.
Ian slipped off the horse as he arrived at the single main street of the quiet village. A lone lantern lit the road, hanging from the only stone building on the street. It felt eerily quiet, but Ian attributed that to the smallness of the town and the lateness of the hour.
While Lockwood would only be a short hour’s ride from Berwell, Ian assumed approaching Lockwood unannounced in the darkness would be the perfect opportunity to land him an arrow in the chest.
The stone inn ahead seemed like a far safer option.
He left the horse in a wooden stable out back, then knocked on the door of the inn.
