Chapter 3
Istruggled to find air. Terym’s hands were too warm on mine, the desperation on his face too expecting.
If the king spoke the truth, innocent people were being killed by Mortremon’s magical curse.
And if I’m the only one who could stop it, I should, right?
My father would certainly think so. He always put everyone before himself.
It was him Eleanor received her gracious and gentle nature from.
She will need you, more than you know.
My mother’s written words echoed again. What would she want me to do? Eleanor needed me, her preparations were imperative, but if I could make a true difference, would my mother agree that I should? My stomach sank. She wouldn’t; Eleanor was the priority.
I pressed my lips together. There had to be someone else who could break the curse—anyone else. The king was mistaken; I wasn’t this chosen one.
Before I issued my refusal, I caught Lord Orcan’s narrowed eyes, his face was dark and cold.
His expression made it clear I didn’t have a choice in the matter.
Should I refuse, I would surely be dragged along against my will.
Despite his apparent kindness, the King of Torglea had a reputation. Ruthless.
No, I couldn’t refuse and run to Hutteran. I was doomed the moment I answered Orcan’s questions.
But Eleanor …
Would it be better to leave her, alone and unprotected, or take her along with a potential enemy? Neither option was appealing, and the curling in my stomach roughened—like a storm on the seas. Perhaps if I appeared amenable, I could negotiate, make a request to bring Eleanor and secure her safety.
“I … If I help you, I would like something in return.”
“You don’t bargain with the king. Who do you—”
A stern glare from Terym cut the pompous lord off.
When the king’s unreadable eyes met mine again, I swallowed roughly, my heart pumping furiously.
I had to continue; it was my only chance.
“My younger sister, I’m all she has. If I agree to help you, I want her safety assured, and I want her to travel with me. I won’t leave her.”
Terym’s triumphant smile lit his entire face. “Of course! Your sister shall join us, and I will provide her protection, shelter, food, and education. Everything will be taken care of. You have my word.”
It wasn’t relief filling me at the king’s easy agreement—but trepidation. Had I just made a terrible mistake? I nodded slowly, forcing a smile on my face. If I had, it was too late to take it back now. “Then I will help you.”
“My men will escort you home. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.” Without calling for them, two soldiers entered the room.
I barely saw them as I stood and left with a muttered, “Thank you.”
I walked home in a daze, hardly noticing the gossiping villagers or the two silent soldiers shadowing me.
My stilted conversation with Mr. Port was short, and he agreed to let us stay the night, provided I worked one last shift.
He allowed me only a few minutes to let Eleanor know we were leaving in the morning before I was forced to serve the quickly filling tavern.
Terym’s men stood along the wall all night, frightening away far too-many patrons, if Mr. Port’s scowl was any indication. Despite their presence, I didn’t stop all night. My mind a whirlwind of regrets and fears of the unknown, even the work couldn’t chase them away.
When I finally fell into bed far too late—or early, depending on your night—it was to stare at the ceiling. Terym’s men were stationed outside our door, thwarting any half-made plans I had to sneak away in the night.
With stiff limbs and tired eyes, I followed the soldiers the next morning, Eleanor at my side, bouncing with barely veiled excitement.
When we arrived at Layberry Inn, the crowd from the day before was gone.
Instead, soldiers mounted on horses filled the street, each of them eyeing us carefully as we were led to the inn’s front steps.
There was absolutely no way of getting out of this; we had to go with the king to end a magical curse.
“Ah, Adelia, my dear, there you are.” Terym strode from the porch, his tunic every bit as excessive as the day before. “And this must be your sister.”
“Eleanor,” I murmured, and my sister curtsied, prompting me to do the same.
“A delight. This is Pierce, he will be your guard on our journey.”
A soldier stepped up, towering over us in gleaming armor.
His stern face was marred with thin scars disappearing into a neatly trimmed beard, like someone had taken a thin blade to his face repeatedly.
Despite that, he was extremely handsome, in a rugged kind of way.
Light-brown hair dusted his forehead above brows furrowed into a perpetual frown.
He inclined his head to us both. “Miss Adelia. Miss Eleanor. I have your horses prepared.” He led us away from the king, who approached his own horse. Already, several of the soldiers were moving, directing their animals down the street.
“Will we be traveling far?” Eleanor asked, and Pierce grunted an unintelligible response as he held a mare steady for her to mount.
“Hmm, can’t say I’ve traveled that distance before. Ergh is about the farthest I’ve gone.”
I snorted a laugh, and Pierce’s lips twitched slightly before he donned his stoic expression once more. “At least a week, miss.”
“I imagine there’ll be much to see, I can’t wait!” She settled into the saddle, sparkling eyes scanning our surroundings, and I mounted the next mare the soldier held. Atop the horse, I could see exactly how many would be traveling with us.
Too many.
At least fifty soldiers and several servants surrounded us, and they were all men.
Unease settled, and I urged my horse closer to Eleanor’s while Pierce mounted his own. A week of travel as the only two women in a large group of men would be a long one.
Several villagers left their homes to gawk as we passed through Toreshire, and Eleanor sent wide smiles and several waves to each of them. Before long, we reached the open harvesting fields, our procession moving through the wheat to the open hills beyond.
Much to Eleanor’s disappointment, there wasn’t a lot to see on our first day of travel, vast grassy plains broken up by small groves of trees. When we stopped for the night, it was in a small, sheltered clearing, the trees protecting us from the worst of the wind.
Pierce pulled out several bedrolls before handing our horses to another soldier. He laid two side by side, a little way from the other men, his own bedroll between them and us.
“It’ll be just like our trip to Hutteran, Lia,” Eleanor exclaimed, plopping down and gazing at the canopy of trees.
I offered her a small smile before surveying the men unpacking horses. Fires were already lit, and the scent of food gathered in the air. Only a single tent had been erected, likely for the king.
This night would be nothing like our trip to Hutteran. Then, we were children with our parents to protect us. Now, we were women surrounded by unknown and potentially dangerous men.
“I’ll keep you both safe, miss.” Pierce’s rumble pulled my attention from the hive of activity.
Despite his rugged appearance, there was a kindness in his eyes. I nodded once, untwisting my hands from the hem of my shirt before joining Eleanor on the bedrolls.
I barely slept that night.
I barely slept any of the nights that followed. Most of which were spent on hard bedrolls beneath the stars, Eleanor curled at my side while I watched every man sleeping around us.
Pierce had proved respectful and kind the entire time. Any man who deigned to approach, whether with good intentions or not, were quickly sent on their way with a rough command.
Still, I couldn’t settle enough to sleep properly. The only thing that kept me from falling into exhaustion were the few nights spent at inns, the ability to lock us behind a door allowed me to shut my eyes properly, even if I still slept light.
We were all tired when we neared the end of our journey, even Eleanor was quiet as we climbed another rolling hill.
Ahead of us, Terym and his men disappeared over the other side.
When we reached the top, a small gasp escaped me.
A magnificent field spread out below us.
What truly took my breath away, though, were the beautiful flowers in full bloom despite the season.
A sprawling sea of blue and white contrasted with the setting sun, the sky a mix of pink and orange disappearing below the horizon.
We were well into fall; how could they possibly still be blooming?
“It’s beautiful,” Eleanor breathed, halting her horse beside mine.
A forest with towering trees lined the field, casting shadows long enough to reach the base of the hill we stood atop.
They must be hundreds of years old to have trunks so wide and tall.
Off to the right, nestled between the forest’s edge and the wave of flowers, sat a large array of tents.
The king’s navy flags fluttered in the cool breeze, creating a border marking our destination.
“Come on,” Pierce grunted, directing his horse down the slope and into the field where the king and his entourage were making their way toward camp.
Eleanor followed, the wildflowers swaying under the horses’ hooves when they passed through them.
I stayed a moment longer, absorbing the beautiful view.
Surreal. Like something out of our mother’s stories, bright flower-filled fields surrounded by the darkness of brown and green.
Cool air brushed over my skin, and gooseflesh rose along my exposed arms. A tingling sensation fluttered through me, raising the hair at the back of my neck, and an intense feeling of being watched settled over me.
I scanned the forest, catching movement among the trees.
Squinting, I tried to make out the shadows, sure I had seen the silhouette of a man walking just inside the tree line.
Nothing moved.