Chapter Twelve
Rhylen
You’re mine,” the declaration keeps playing over and over in my head. I curse at myself for the assertion. My blood burns in annoyance.
This is the third coach we’ve raided heading for Eldsford Keep. All of them filled with bodies for the skin market. More and more young girls are being traded to the crown. More and more families are falling apart due to the heavy taxes the crown levied against its people. Disgust fills my bones.
I glare at the three women we just picked up, frail looking things, too skinny. Little do they know their future will look far different now. They’re free. Was I the devil for not informing them of that bit of information? Probably. Did I care? Not one bit.
Argus counts the coins he found in the coach. The clanking of each coin sounds louder and louder with each clank. He smiles as he moves on from one pouch to another. “Just enough here, I say. Just enough to fill our bellies.”
“And others,” I glare at him. He quickly nods.
“Of course, Rhylen. After all, robbing the rich to feed the poor is the name of the game.”
“Is that what you do? You’re just a bunch of thieves,” my mysterious woman, who calls herself Isla, asks in disbelief.
I bite back a chuckle. Her ignorance is astounding. “You’re the crew who robbed the Prince and almost murdered him?” She accuses.
“Murder?” Wyll howls with laughter. “No princeys were harmed in that heist, lovey. Can’t help he was embarrassed.”
Isla crosses her arms, clearly unimpressed and unamused with my friend’s antics. An amused smile twists on Wyll’s face at her glare. His nonchalant attitude only fuels her fire. I roll my eyes at the pair. They remind me of young children in the play yard. We don’t have time for this.
“Enough talking. We need to move. There will be another band of soldiers passing through soon enough and I don’t feel like dealing with them.”
We don’t waste another second and hustle to finish the job. The guard, in far worse shape than he was when we first crossed paths, is sent off on his way. The horses gallop off with the coach full of bodies. I can’t stop smiling at the thought of the tantrum that the childish Prince will throw.
“That’ll be ripe in the next day or so,” Irric jokes. His eyes follow the horse down the beaten road through the Grove. Wyll finishes unsaddling the second horse when they send them on their way. The horses take off galloping through the woods.
Ignoring them, I walk through the woods to where we left our horses earlier. My group of friends follow shortly after.
“Why can’t we use the two guards’ horses?” Isla asks, eyeing me. I whip around to look at her.
“Because I don’t trust you,” I bite out. Her ignorance irritates me. She begins to answer, but stops herself, lips pressed together. “You expect me to believe that you will follow us? When you’re so deeply devoted to the crown?”
“I’m not devoted to the crown,” she snaps.
“Oh?” I ask, in disbelief. “You weren’t just pining over your lost love? Who so happens to be working for the crown?”
“That’s not the same thing.”
I bark out a laugh. “You’re foolish if you believe that.”
Isla stomps over to me. Her breasts against my chest. Her brown eyes are filled with anger and resentment. They send a thrill up my spine in satisfaction. So different looking into the eyes of a woman I’ve only seen lately in my dreams.
How different it is to be seeing her up close, to be able to touch her, speak to her, instead of watching in the shadows.
“I’m not riding with you,” she snarls.
“I beg to differ,” I lean in close. “You’ll do what I say, don’t forget that. It’ll be wise to listen to the hand that feeds you.”
“Or what? You’ll slaughter me like you’ve done to those villages? To those poor children? You’re disgusting,” she spits. I can’t hold back the laugh that bursts from my chest.
“The only one who’s slaughtering women and children is the one you lay down with at night.” Pain and disbelief flashes in her eyes.
“You lie.”
“I might be a thief, but I’m not slaughtering innocents.
” I grab the reins of the dappled gray mare I’ve had for the past couple years.
Patting her neck one last time, I turn towards Isla with my hand out.
She sighs and walks over. Grabbing her hips, I hoist her on the back of Fia and follow suit before she can get settled.
Isla stiffens as soon as my arms wrap around her. She leans forward a touch, hoping to avoid as much touching as possible. I chuckle at her effort. “You might want to relax, love. It’s going to be a long ride like that.”
“I’m fine.”
“Suit yourself,” I shrug. It made no difference to me whether she stood stiff as a board or melted into my embrace. In fact, anything that made her miserable was my preference.
∞∞∞
Two hours later, we pull up to our home base for the few weeks we’ve been here. The sun has fallen just below the trees. This little camp that’s nestled in the middle of the Coarann Grove has been home for the past few weeks, while we raid more shipments headed towards the prince.
Nestled in amongst the old oak trees, we’re well protected from any outside travelers. Tales of monsters who lurk in the Grove keep many people out from traveling as far in as we have. Irric and Wyll try their damndest to keep the tales alive.
I dismount and reach my hands up to grab hold of Isla. She lets out a small groan, causing me to bite back a laugh. “Stiff?”
“Just perfect, actually,” she argues. Isla reaches for my hand, letting me pull her off Fia.
She falls into me as soon as her feet hit the ground.
Her hands are splayed against my chest as my hands find themselves on her waist. I wasn’t expecting her to fall as quickly as she did.
Isla looks up at me, shock written all over her face.
“I, I’m sorry,” she stammers, but neither of us move.
I take a second to examine her pretty face.
She has copper eyes that make me think of coin and freckles that dance across her face.
There’s a natural beauty about her. One that has lured me from the first time I saw her in the grove.
One that shows she doesn’t need to try hard in fancy gowns and jewels to attract the male population.
If looks were to go off on, it isn’t a shock that the captain is infatuated with her. He’s always been obsessed with little pretties, and Isla is no different. Anger sparks at the thought.
A throat clears, pulling me out of the enchantment of Isla. She jumps out of my arms as if she’s on fire. There’s a wry look on both Irric and Wyll. Ewan presses his lips together as he walks over to grab Fia’s reins.
I grin at the pale shade of red that graces Isla’s cheeks. She cuts her eyes at me in defiance. Argus breaks the silence, motioning to our new friends. “Where d’ya want them?”
“Those two,” I nod towards Raia and Maisie, “can stay in Wyll’s tent. Set up first watch between you three. Don’t want them running to their savior captain before we’re finished.” Argus nods. Wyll slings his arm over his brother’s shoulders.
“Ready to snuggle up with me, brother?”
Irric rolls his eyes and pushes him away. “I’ll keep watch first. Come on you, two. Let’s get you settled in.”
“And where am I sleeping?” The aggravating woman demands. A sly smile slides over my face as I tower over her.
“With me,” I answer her. Anything to goad the anger that simmers below the surface.
“Absolutely not.”
“I’m sorry, love. You don’t get that choice. You’re mine now, remember?”
“You make me sick.” She forcefully pulls apart from me, stomping three feet away. It's a welcome distance; a chance to breathe without her floral scent invading my every sense.
“Do you know what you’re doing?” Ewan asks. I shake my head and sigh. “You’re in trouble, my friend,” he snickers as he slaps my back. “Deep trouble.”
I storm past my best friend, grab Isla by the wrist, and tug her towards my tent. Everything in me rebels to have her in my space. I know there will be no sleep tonight.
“I’m not sleeping with you,” Isla snaps, exhaustion seeps through her words.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I gesture towards the bedroll. “You can sleep here.”
“And where are you sleeping?”
“Fear not, it won’t be there. I have work to do,” I reply, heading towards the empty chair.
The tent is small, but deceivingly spacious inside.
I have a small make-shift desk with a map of Azmerin sprawled on the table.
There’s a cot on the other side of the wall and a trunk next to it.
Isla slowly walks towards the bedroll and sits down, mistrust apparent in her eyes.
“What are you working on?” She asks. I look up at her from my desk.
“Surely you don’t think I’ll spill all my secrets so soon? To the very woman in love with one of my biggest enemies.”
Isla lifts a shoulder half-heartedly. “Just wondering what havoc you were preparing to wreak next, whose lives were on the chopping block, or perhaps who was going to be humiliated next.”
I chuckle at the last part. Clearly, she won’t be letting go of her poor captain’s ego too soon. I can’t help my curiosity. “Tell me something. You honestly believe I’m the monster behind all of this? That this so-called rebellion the Prince is trying to squash is something that I’ve orchestrated?”
“You’re The Hood, aren’t you?”
I snort. “Ahh, yes. The hooded nightmare the Prince has been warning everyone about. And pray tell, what exactly is this Hood doing?”
“What? Hard to keep track of all the death and destruction you’re causing?”
“Something like that.”
“The guards you slaughtered when you robbed the prince? The three villages near the Peaks are just collateral damage, huh? They don’t matter to you? Just objects in the way?” Her chest heaves from anger. Red splotches mar her chest and neck. “All those women and children, what happened to them?”
“For one so passionate, you’re awfully misinformed. I shouldn’t expect anything less when you’re receiving all your information from Captain Cahir.”
“You claim you’re not behind the three villages that were burned to the ground? Then someone else is using your name.”
“How did you come to meet the Captain of the Cahir Estate?” I ask, switching the subject. I will prove to her soon enough that her beloved captain and Prince are behind the slaughters.
Isla opens her mouth to respond, but thinks better of it, causing me to smirk. Her eyes narrow as she glares at me. “Why.”
“Just call me… curious.”
I didn’t think she could glare any harder. “Curious.”
“Oh, Isla. Just think of this as us getting to know each other. After all, I did save your life today.”
“Well, it’s none of your business.”
“Ahh, I see.” My gaze leaves her. Turning the lantern on, I turn my attention back to the map.
Each village that has been destroyed is marked in red.
The Fomomir Peaks are riddled with red x’s all throughout the base of the mountain range.
Cailean is slowly shrinking his own kingdom through his own stubborn ignorance.
At first, he tried to argue it was Forranach slaughtering the border villages. That this Hood was their leader in all of the destruction, while he sits on his pretty throne and plans to levy heavier taxes and enslave his people.
The villages that don’t support him, that want peace with our neighbors? They’re swiftly destroyed, their people in chains, delivering a message to the rest of the kingdom that the prince's word is iron.
There’s no give in his orders, no leeway that allows people the option to buck against it.
I press my lips together in disgust. The lies he’s weaved are hard to keep track of.
None of it makes any sense. Isla’s eyes weigh on me, but I resist the urge to talk to her, to convince her of my innocence.
After all, what is the point? She’s naive, ignorant of the issues that swim around her and the peril her life is in.
I drag my feet in this rebellion, playing a bigger part than I want. It was only supposed to be a short time, rile the prince up, throw him off the rebellion’s trail while they built up, but alas, plans never go the way they should.
Isla sighs. I look up at her. “You should get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
She shakes her head, lays down, and turns away from me, leaving me enough room if I wanted. “Get comfortable, Isla. I won’t be lying with you tonight.”