Chapter 20
The Evernean Forest
Cai
The cabin was stuffy from heat that slipped inside from the summer day and I pulled my shirt away from my skin in some useless effort to cool myself down.
“You said you wanted to talk?” Arthur asked, while comfortably seated in one of the chairs. He was tall and built like someone who used to be a soldier but in recent years had given himself over to ale and age.
“I want to know what your plan is. If I’m to participate in any way, I don’t want to be left in the dark.”
Arthur put his hands together. “I thought you said you couldn’t help.” He carried the expression of a man who’d distrusted everyone all his life, and I started to understand where Lara got it from.
“Not from here. Not alone. If you want Norrandale’s aid in your rebellion, we’re going to have to rescue my men.”
“I cannot guarantee we’ll get them out alive,” Arthur replied with little sympathy.
“I know it would be a very big risk. But there is no way I’m leaving my men behind.”
“All right then.”
I wasn’t fond of the thought of siding with someone I didn’t believe I could trust, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
I crossed my arms. “Everything that happens from here can have an effect on Norrandale. Especially considering the plans you have in mind. When exactly do you intend to tell Lara the truth?”
He stood up then, though his expression remained emotionless.
“Which is?”
“This isn’t about the end of the monarchy or poverty. This is about placing yourself on the throne of Everness.”
“You’re wrong. I have no intention of placing myself on the throne of Everness. I simply want a just ruler.”
I stared at him from across the table. “So, what? You kill the royal family and end the monarchy? You and I both know the people cannot rule themselves or there will be chaos.”
He smirked. “And you think I plan to place myself in that position of leadership?”
“I think it’s a very convenient opportunity.”
“It’s a convenient opportunity for many people.”
“Still, you already lead these people. It would be easier for them to trust you, than someone else.”
He folded his hands together, observing me for a moment. “You’re not entirely as dense as they make you out to be.” I wasn’t sure it was a compliment or who they were. “But you’re still wrong.”
“Free my men and I’ll help you on the day of the rebellion. What you choose to do after that is not my concern, so long as there are peaceful relations between Norrandale and Everness.”
His grin was back. “You have yourself a deal, Prince of Norrandale.”
* * *
Lara paced back and forth outside her uncle’s cabin, cutting into an apple as if she were angry at it. I didn’t tell her about my earlier conversation with Arthur. Didn’t plan to. “You’re going to walk a path through the grass,” I commented, leaning back against the cabin wall and crossing my arms.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said, looking up at me, worry in her eyes. She tossed the apple core. “We barely stand a chance, even with Rhen as our inside man.”
“You’re afraid of dying?”
“I’m afraid of innocent people dying.” That was two answers within itself. “I’m afraid of being forced to take a life.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve grown a conscience?”
She stopped pacing. “I’m a thief, not a murderer.”
“Fair enough.”
A group of men arrived at Arthur’s cabin and Lara motioned towards the door. “Come on, the meeting is going to start.”
There was a large structural drawing of Levernia palace on the table in the middle of the room. Lara and I occupied one of the corners of the cabin.
“Who are these men?” I whispered, nodding towards the faces around the table. Ray and Rhen were there too.
“They are the masters of the clan.”
“The what?”
“The masters. Before all of this, before there were so many of us, it was just my uncle and his little band of thieves. Each of them with a specific skill, who wanted to fight the Crown, like Arthur.”
I glanced at the sunburnt, slightly wrinkled faces.
“Of course, that was practically twenty years ago,” Lara continued. “That’s Donald.” She pointed to the scrawny man. “He is the master of weaponry. He used to be part of the Crown’s arsenal team. Now he’s in charge of collecting our swords, getting silver and persuading blacksmiths to join the cause.”
I nodded in understanding.
“That’s Murtag, he’s the master of disguise.” Murtag looked a little older than Arthur. “If you want to go somewhere undetected, that’s your guy. He can help you blend in anywhere or disguise yourself as anyone.”
I gestured with my head to the man with hair as white as snow. “And him?”
“That’s Erwin, master of deception. He was orphaned as a child and used to perform in the castle as a jester when he was a little boy. He worked with a man who was famous for creating illusions. Next to him is Brosby, master of distraction. They believe that any good trick requires a good distraction, and back in their palace days, they made a good team.”
“Most of them have a connection to the Crown in one way or another.”
“If you want to bring down a house, you start with its enemies. These people of the clan have been wronged and they want revenge.”
I watched the men argue about entrances to the palace. “Revenge is never a good strategy for war.”
Lara let out a sigh. “You tell them that.”
“And Ray, what is he the master of?”
“Terrain. He knows the forest like the back of his hand and is your best chance of escape.”
“And you?” I raised a curious brow. “Or are you allowed to listen in because you’re family?”
A devilish smirk crossed her lips and she gave a small bow. “Master of mischief at your service.”
“Mischief?”
“It started as a joke when I was a child but...” She shrugged.
Rhen spoke up. “I say the coronation is your best bet.”
“How so?” replied the scrawny man, Donald.
“It’s when the palace guards will be most distracted with the public and the celebrations. It’s the easiest way to sneak into the palace unnoticed.”
“Murtag will be in charge of that,” Ray piped up and Murtag nodded in agreement.
“Rhen’s right.” I stepped towards the table. “I think it’s our best way in with the least amount of force.” I didn’t miss Ray rolling his eyes.
“What do we do once inside?” Erwin asked.
“The first step is getting out Cai’s men, who have been moved from Woodsbrook to Levernia. Then we dispatch our own to infiltrate the palace,” Arthur replied.
“Hold on,” Ray chipped in. “I thought this would be our first strike at the Crown — and now it’s a rescue mission?”
“We can’t do anything violent on the day of the coronation. There will be civilians in the way,” I retorted.
“Once Cai’s men are rescued, he will send word to Norrandale in support of our cause,” Arthur said. “In return, there will be an alliance between the kingdoms once it’s over.”
* * *
Lara and I had entered her cabin when she swerved to face me. “You struck up a deal with my uncle?” she asked in what appeared to be mocking surprise.
“Yes I did,” I said sternly. “Those aren’t just my soldiers out there, those are my friends, and I am not leaving them to be slaughtered.”
“You didn’t think to at least tell me about it?”
“Oh.” I barked out a laugh. “So now we’re telling each other everything all of a sudden?”
“I’m sorry!” She raised her voice. “Is that what you want to hear? Get over it, we’ve got bigger problems on our hands.”
“Yes, like what exactly Arthur is going to do when this is over.”
“What are you talking about?”
“What do you think is going to happen once he’s killed the whole royal family?” I could feel my heart rate increase as I got closer to her, but I ignored it.
“My uncle will take care of it. It’s not my concern. As far as I care, I should have been long gone and across the border already. At this point, I’m just hoping we all make it out alive.”
“Did you ever stop and think that maybe this is about more than helping the poor?”
“Don’t you dare talk about him like that! This isn’t some kind of power grab!”
“Isn’t it? Do you really believe your uncle wouldn’t do something like that?” The question was earnest.
“Get out,” she said, with a fierce look in her eyes.
“With pleasure.”
I closed the door on my way out.