Chapter 44 Aren
Aren
The storms had been relentless, which had driven off the Harendellian blockade and kept Ithicana safe from attack, but also kept everyone hidden inside, travel only possible through the bridge.
While his people were used to the long periods of confinement, no one had handled the idleness well this time, and the endless discussions of how to bolster Ithicana’s defenses had frequently devolved into arguments and shouting matches.
He and Lara had traveled through the bridge to the northern islands to begin the process of evacuating anyone vulnerable farther south, as well as to consider what changes could be made that would counter the information Harendell had of their defenses.
New shipbreakers were constructed, new traps set, but now that there was a gap in the storms, all hands and vessels were on the water with nets and lines, barrels of salt ready to preserve the catch for lean times to come.
Ships from neutral nations were taking advantage of the gap to make the treacherous run between continents, and Adrius had secured passage on one such vessel, his aim to return to Keris.
Lara had filled the man’s ears with what information they could risk sending, it not lost on anyone, including Keris’s bodyguard, that there was a chance the Harendellians might risk Zarrah’s wrath by putting Adrius to the question.
Aren had also opened Southwatch’s market to general trade, not just transport through the bridge, and eliminated all taxes and fees.
It undercut trade at Vencia’s market, but Aren didn’t care.
He hadn’t been south himself, but he was told the water around Southwatch was thick with ships from the north, mostly Amaridian, only Harendellian and Cardiffian vessels traveling on to Vencia.
The south was buying up goods with greed, as was Ithicana, every bit of gold and silver Aren could get his hands on going to buy the supplies Ithicana needed.
To prepare for war.
It didn’t feel like enough. Not even close.
Which was why Aren had spent the day in the water rigging traps for any ship that might venture too close.
Now dusk was falling, but as he retrieved his shirt from where he’d left it on some rocks, a shout of warning caught his attention. “Ship on approach!”
“It’s Amaridian.” Lia walked toward Aren, handing him a spyglass. “They’re flying a white flag. What do you want to do?”
For most of his life, Amarid had been a thorn in Aren’s ass.
A thorn that had dug painfully deep when Katarina had allowed Silas to use her navy at the price of a small fortune in rubies.
Ithicanians beyond count had fallen on Amaridian blades, but it was not lost on him that they were also Harendell’s enemy.
Katarina had been aggressively pushing for a renegotiation of trade terms since the moment Ahnna had left, as well as a desire to mend fences, but he’d received no information from Bronwyn since she set sail to Riomar.
That could be because of the storms, but it might also be because Amarid wasn’t willing to risk Harendell’s wrath by aiding Ithicana in any capacity.
It was possible that this vessel carried the answers he sought.
“Send out a boat to see what they want.”
Lia trotted down to the hidden cove to give the order, and Aren said to another of his men, “Bring word to Lara that Katarina wants something.”
Because his skin was crawling with the certainty that this ship wasn’t here to sell him expensive wine.
The Amaridians anchored just outside the shipbreakers’ range, and Aren watched how they nervously surveyed the seas.
How they looked ready to raise anchor and flee at the sight of Harendellian sails, which were a common enough sight this far north.
William had made it clear that there was no tolerance for his lines being crossed to trade with Ithicana, and any ship, from any nation, would suffer the consequences.
For the Amaridians, that would mean being sunk.
A small boat navigated out of the cove, several of his soldiers aboard. Raising its sail, it skipped across the whitecaps until it neared the Amaridians, then slowed. The soldiers aboard switched to paddles to maneuver close.
Amaridians leaned over the rail of their ship and conversation was exchanged, but even with the spyglass, they were too far for Aren to read expressions. Then a lean woman walked to the rail, and his heart skipped with recognition. “Bronwyn’s with them.”
More figures massed around the Maridrinian princess, but then the ship rotated and he lost his view of those climbing down to the longboat. He lifted his hand to shade his eyes, seeing the flash of a long brown ponytail before Bronwyn blocked his view of whoever it was.
Aren’s heart lurched, and he took a step toward the water.
“What’s going on?”
At Lara’s voice, he turned. She was approaching with Delia in her sling, sword bouncing against her hip. Jor was at her heels, as was Delia’s nurse, Becca.
“Bronwyn’s with them,” he replied. “Another woman as well.”
“Ahnna?” The hope in his wife’s voice hurt his heart, and he handed her the spyglass.
“I can’t see her face,” she muttered. “But Lia is hugging her. Whoever it is, she’s one of ours.”
Aren had known that from the way the unidentified woman had balanced on the boat, and yet his skin was crawling with unease.
Unease Lara must also be feeling, because she motioned for Becca to take Delia.
The jostling woke her and Delia made a squawk of protest, but swiftly settled under the nurse’s experienced hand as the woman headed in the direction of the barracks, Jor following with a hand on his weapon.
More guards shifted out of the cover of the trees to follow Ithicana’s heir, but as they did, a scout approached.
“Your Grace,” he said, out of breath. “One of our vessels is on approach. Prince Keris’s man Adrius is with them.”
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 after Harendell 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.”
So was he.
Katarina would never be his friend. Yet as Aren stared at the bobbing mast, he also knew that when one stood alone, one could not afford to be particular. “Do you have a time and a place for this meeting?”
“Yeah,” Taryn said. “I do.”