CHAPTER 14
Keenan
Skipping back a step, Keenan evaded his opponent’s strike instead of blocking.
The man didn’t share Oliver’s philosophy of smart strikes over strong ones.
It would be easier to absorb the blows if he used both hands, but his hurt arm couldn’t handle it.
Besides, the hilt of his sword wasn’t big enough.
His mind wandered. Could he lengthen the hilt so that a two-hand grip was feasible without upsetting the balance? Narrowing it would make it hard to hold, but leaving the hilt hollow would be tricky and might weaken—
Pain flared through his left arm. Jerking back, Keenan turned his right side forward and refocused on the match, minding his stance like Oliver had taught him.
Good thing it wasn’t a real fight.
Instead of attacking again, the guard stepped back and dropped his weapon. “That’s enough. You should get that looked at; I’m surprised you’re out here at all.”
“It’s fine,” Keenan grunted, sheathing his sword and flexing his fingers. He didn’t want to admit how much it stung. “Thank you for the match.”
Nodding at the pair of guards waiting for the training ring, Keenan glanced over at the bench where the queen and princess sat. Princess Sakura looked like she was hissing in her mother’s ear, but she straightened when she noticed him watching.
Queen Arisa waved him over. He hesitated, acutely aware of the sweat dripping down his back and beaded along his forehead. But his arm needed the break, and who was he to argue with a queen? She had to realize he stunk by now.
“Excellent job, Keenan,” the queen praised as he stopped in front of them. “It was such a pleasure to watch you in action.”
He tilted his head, studying her. Even if she was new to sword matches, it should have been obvious that he was only as good as a new recruit.
“The final stroke truly represented the whole.” Princess Sakura lifted her chin with the cool words, narrowing her eyes while her mother continued to give her version of a glowing smile.
Keenan rubbed his jaw. He thought he understood the princess better than her mother, but he couldn’t take all of her comments at face value. Now, if only he knew for sure which ones to trust.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” he finally replied with a half bow. “I’m glad you recognize my talents for what they are.”
The corner of her lip twitched before she smoothed her expression back to its usual disdain. “Your talents, and your secrets. You may be sure that I will uncover them all.”
He felt his forehead scrunch. Was she flirting with him? Or threatening him?
“It brings tears to a mother’s eyes to see her daughter getting along so well with a fine young man,” Queen Arisa cut in with a wistful tone that sounded scripted. “But you know, a mother must be careful about who she lets her daughter marry.”
Marry? Keenan kept his jaw closed with an effort and stretched a hand in the queen’s direction. “Your Majesty, I think there may be a misunderstanding. I’m not—”
Sighing, the queen barreled on as if he hadn’t spoken. “I realize you’ve already gone to great effort to claim Sakura’s hand. But I can only let a true prince have her.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.” He didn’t understand anything. “And I’ll be gone as soon as—”
“Fortunately, I wish to send you on a quest that only a true prince can hope to complete.” Her smile sharpened as her gaze centered on him. “Once you have returned victorious, your betrothal will have my blessing.”
“Mother!” Princess Sakura exclaimed, her eyes wide and lips parted as she stared at the queen. “What are you—?”
The queen waved a dismissive hand in her direction. “Oh, pish posh, my dear. Anyone with eyes can see how you two feel about each other, so what harm is there in saying it out loud?”
Keenan didn’t know where to begin. There was so much wrong with that statement. Like, everything. But did he really want to say that to a queen?
“I, uh, don’t think I have time for a quest,” he stammered instead. “Another one, I mean. I need to find Miss Liesl and help her find Lord Tobias.”
Queen Arisa’s brow furrowed. “Is this Tobias in trouble?”
“I…don’t know. He looked fine the last time I saw him.”
“Is he needed at home for something urgent?” she pressed.
Keenan rubbed his jaw. “Not that I’m aware of, but I don’t know him.”
“Are you needed at home for anything urgent?”
“Just to petition the guild about my apprenticeship contract,” he admitted.
“Then I see no reason why you can’t undertake a quest for your true love,” Queen Arisa replied sweetly. “My guards will continue the search for your companions while you are away. With any luck, you will return to find them waiting for you.”
“True love?” Princess Sakura hissed. “Mother, may I have a word with you? Alone?” she stressed, glaring at Keenan as if this was somehow his fault.
His anger flared, but he tamped it back down. Growling at the princess wouldn’t improve his situation.
“Excuse me,” he said as politely as he could. Then giving them each a bow, he disappeared into the hallway. Queen Arisa hadn’t dismissed him, but neither had she insisted he stay.
And it was time to leave the Ryunic winter castle. He’d conduct his own search for his friends.
It didn’t take long to trade the borrowed outfit for his own traveling clothes.
Thankful that he’d had the forethought to stop by the kitchen earlier and request a supply of nonperishable food – and that the kitchen staff had complied – he threw together his few possessions, swirled his cloak around his shoulders, and fled down the hallway.
No, not fled. That sounded like he was running from some terrible danger.
Queen Arisa’s cat-like smile as she offered him the chance to prove himself a “true prince” flashed through his mind.
On second thought, fleeing was exactly what he was doing.
Keenan passed a few servants in the halls, but none of them paid him any mind. The door he’d been using to explore the grounds wasn’t far from a small postern gate. The gate would only have a single guard, and that man would be more interested in keeping people out than keeping them in.
Still…it would be better if he looked like he planned to return.
Pausing, he pulled off his cloak, re-situating his pack so that it was hidden underneath. Then he took a final look down the hall to check for observers, drew in a deep, steadying breath, and stepped through the door with his shoulders high and a confident expression on his face.
This was no different than convincing a wealthy customer to purchase the more elaborate sword. He could do this.
As he approached the postern gate, he consciously slowed his stride. If he appeared too eager to leave, someone might wonder if they ought to ask questions before letting him out.
A boy leaned against the wall, his back to Keenan and his attention focused on the square of wood in his hand. It looked like a game of some sort, with numbered tiles that he slid back and forth.
“Excuse me,” Keenan said, lifting a hand in greeting. “Could I trouble you to let me through the gate?”
The young guard’s head jerked up, and the game tipped out of his hands. He tried to recover it, but it bounced off his grasping fingers before cutting a line in the slush with a soft sound.
“Blast!” he hissed. His eyes flicked up to Keenan before he dropped to a crouch to retrieve it. “Oh, it’s you. I thought you were my captain.”
Keenan strolled up as casually as he could. “Afternoon, Mori. Not supposed to be playing on duty?” he asked, nodding to the game.
The boy scowled as he brushed off the wet snow. “It’s a puzzle. It keeps my mind active.” He set his thumb on one of the tiles, but it barely budged, squealing instead of sliding smoothly as before. “Aw, some snow got in the grooves. I won’t be able to finish till it dries out!”
“So puzzles are permissible?”
Mori’s eyes darted up to Keenan’s. “No, my captain prefers that I be more aware of my surroundings. But who’s going to come through a locked gate without me hearing it?”
Keenan decided not to answer that one. “Mind letting me through?” He gestured toward the wooden door that Mori was supposed to be guarding.
“I’ve already seen everything the inside of the castle has to offer.
I thought I’d take a stroll outside the walls since you won’t let me into the forge again. ”
Mori stuffed the game into a pocket of his cloak, then dug in one of his trouser pockets. “Of course. I just need to find…”
Keenan glanced over his shoulder, wishing Mori would hurry up.
He was desperate to get away. On the surface, marrying a beautiful princess wasn’t a terrible prospect.
But he didn’t think Princess Sakura wanted it, and her mother’s determination to make it happen anyway rattled him.
Especially given her comments about princes.
“Here it is!” Triumphantly holding up a large metal key, Mori said, “Now we need a password so I know it’s you when you want back in. Let me think.”
Seriously? Keenan put his hand back in his pocket and curled it into a fist. “How about ‘Hey, Mori, it’s Keenan and I’m back’?” he suggested, trying to keep his voice level so he didn’t reveal his nerves.
“Not creative enough,” the boy said dismissively. “We can do better than that.”
Holding back his groan, Keenan smirked and said, “Then perhaps, ‘Mori, let me through the gate and I won’t tell your captain about the puzzle.’”
The boy’s face froze. “You wouldn’t tattle on me, would you?”
“You wouldn’t make me stand in the cold for half an hour while you think up a password, would you?” Keenan shot back.
Mori gave him a sheepish grin. “I suppose when you put it like that, a fancy password is pretty silly.”
Keenan just gave him a tight smile and nodded toward the key.
Taking the hint, Mori stepped forward and reached for the lock. Keenan fought the urge to hover behind him; no sense acting suspicious.
“Let me check the area first,” the boy said, focused on the gate as the lock released with a quiet click. “I wouldn’t want anyone to—”
“Kagemori!”
They both jumped at the commanding voice. Whirling, Keenan saw a stern-faced guard striding toward them. Rather than a distracted teenager, this man was closer to forty and clearly never allowed his focus to wander.
“Captain,” Mori stammered. The gate clanged shut.
The guard captain pounded his right fist against the left side of his chest. Mori hurriedly copied the gesture. “I decided to perform an extra sweep of the inner yard since we’re short-handed,” the captain said. “It may be a few days before the searchers return.”
Slipping one hand out of his pocket, Keenan subtly adjusted his pack, sliding the straps out of sight.
“Sir Keenan.” The captain snapped his heels together, though the sharp click was lost in the melting snow.
“Her Majesty feels it would be prudent for you to stay within our walls until the physician clears your injury.” Since she’d been so concerned about his health when she insisted that he spar.
“If you require activities to fill your time, I would be happy to locate a suitable assistant for your interests.”
“I’m not a knight,” Keenan said automatically, but his heart was sinking into his stomach. Mori’s captain had been dispatched to ensure Keenan couldn’t leave. Queen Arisa might be claiming that he was a prince, but she was treating him like a prisoner.
Until she decided to let him go, he was trapped.