Page 104 of Ruling the Green

Do not enter doors unknown.

Never walk crooked paths alone.

In The Green, where wild things grow,

Mind the doors ye do not know.

My stomach tensed as I stood there, wondering if I should enter or simply turn around, making a wide circle, then make my way back to the palace.

I had to find Serin.

There was no time to waste.

I hoped she was already inside, safe.

That Vishen and Nira had found her and were guarding her in my absence.

“You’re free to leave,” the archer said, leaning in the doorway, unburdened by her bow or arrows. “Or you can come in and inspire everyone else to come back with you, so you will be protected on your journey.”

It was likely foolish to believe I could make it back on my own, that there wouldn’t be rogue people all scattered through the woods, ready to take out their resentments toward my father on me.

But I had to get back.

As quickly as possible.

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and stepped through the door.

The inside of the home yawned wide, a massive one-room cottage with a blazing hearth, barracks-style beds, and women seated or standing… everywhere.

“What is this?”

“This is a part of the resistance.”

“The resistance. Against the throne?”

The door was only one step behind me.

But women, built much like the archer herself, flanked either side of it. I had no doubt that they would grab me if they felt they needed to.

“Against the mad king,” the archer explained.

“Who are you?”

The archer smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“The name is Mendalyn. I served in your father’s military for three generations.”

“Until?”

“Until it was clear I was no longer serving a government that served its people, but a man of selfishness and ego, who didn’t care who he hurt so long as he got his way.”

“That about sums up Cass, yeah,” I agreed. “So you left.”

“Well, one simply doesn’t leave,” Mendalyn said. “There was a particularly nasty skirmish on one of the borders. We lost several men. I pretended to be one of them. Then once both bands moved out, I got up. And I got to work on my plan.”

“To take down the king.”

“Perhaps that is more lofty than what I had in mind. But to stand up to him, certainly. For what he did to all of us.”