The Emperor's Guard Page 8
Then the toe of her left boot caught on something, and Nesta tumbled to the forest floor. She breathed hard, the unforgiving ground temporarily knocking the air from her lungs. Nesta glimpsed the way from which she came, noticing that Leyla was quickly approaching. But what laid next to Nesta garnered more attention.
Nesta rose to one knee, then the other, eventually getting to her feet. She stood over the body, uncertain what to make of it. Leyla sidled up to Nesta, her demeanor no different than before.
“Is that Reece?” she asked with a steady voice.
Nesta gawked at the body. The man laid motionless on his stomach, and there was a small tear to the back of his shirt. Probably from a blade. Nesta noticed blood seeping from a wound beneath the shirt. She moved to the side of the man, bent down, grasped one of his arms, and flipped him toward her.
Nesta examined the man’s face. “That’s Reece,” she finally said. “It’s a damn shame. I was hoping to gut him myself.”
Then she caught a glimpse of something to her right.
# # #
Caitlyn spotted the first figure, but Asgall held her back when he noticed two others running in the same direction. The one in the lead was already too far past them, but they could still intercept the others.
Asgall motioned to Caitlyn, and she darted in front of Asgall, the Commander trying to stay on her heels the best he could. He was nearly twenty years her elder and, despite being in superior physical condition, Asgall no longer had the swift and youthful legs that Caitlyn possessed.
The two of them weaved their way through an obstacle of trees and bushes, Asgall holding the hilt of his sword as he ran in an attempt to keep it from swaying. Asgall watched one of the runners trip and fall to the ground several hundred yards in front of them. Caitlyn saw it as well. Asgall didn’t think it possible, but Caitlyn’s feet picked up the pace even more.
As they neared, Asgall could tell that one of the figures was a woman. A minute passed. Maybe more. Asgall’s chest was burning, but they were almost there. There were two women now, one having caught up to the other. And Asgall recognized one of those faces.
CHAPTER FIVE
Nesta looked at Asgall with disbelief. “Commander?”
“Nesta.”
She gazed at the woman beside Asgall, and the Guard member returned her stare. Then the woman reached a hand across her body, pulling her sword from its scabbard. Nesta took a step back.
“I know who you are,” the woman said. “You’re one of the Resurrected.”
Asgall placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Stand down, Caitlyn.”
Caitlyn turned to Asgall. “Sir, she’s a traitor. She was part of the coup that tried to overthrow the Emperor.”
“I’m well aware of who she is,” Asgall said, “and I’ll explain everything to you later. But I need you to stand down first.”
Caitlyn refused to take her eyes off Nesta, but she obeyed Asgall’s command and sheathed her sword.
Nesta watched as Asgall lowered his gaze, his eyes narrowing.
“That looks like Reece Owens,” he said.
Nesta nodded. “It is.”
“Is he dead?”
“I’m pretty certain of it.”
“By your hand?”
“I wish, but no. I’m assuming it was the person I was chasing.”
Asgall bobbed his head. “We saw them, too. What are you doing here?”
“I was in Granmore with Owin.”
Asgall’s eyes bulged. “Owin’s alive?”
“The last time I saw him.”
“When was that?”
“Yesterday, but he might be dead already.”
“What?”
Nesta shifted her feet, and Caitlyn placed a hand on her dagger. Nesta grinned at her, then turned her attention back to Asgall. “Owin and I overhead someone in Granmore, a man named Griff, discussing a deal. He’s known for selling items on the black market, and he mentioned someone in Southwallow. We tailed him to his house, and we learned that he was planning to deliver a vial of plague powder to Reece.”
She hesitated, knowing that what came next would be difficult to say. “To make sure it didn’t fall into Reece’s hands, I took the vial with me. But when we tried to escape, Owin dropped the bottle. It shattered, and he chose to stay behind. I wanted to go back for him, but several members of the White Wolves were close by, so I had to find refuge. That’s how I met Leyla here.”
Asgall and Caitlyn both glanced at Leyla.
“So the vial’s been destroyed?” Asgall asked.
“I suppose you can say that,” Nesta replied.
“Then why are you here?”
“Because of Owin. I can only imagine what he’s enduring right now. I might not be able to save him, but I figured I could do the next best thing.”
“Which is what?”
“Kill one of the men responsible. But someone obviously beat me to it.”
Nesta noticed movement over Asgall’s shoulder, and she feared her eyes were deceiving her. Nesta held her breath as two figures approached. If there ever was a time to have faith in a higher power, she believed it to be now. She wouldn’t call it a prayer, but Nesta made an internal plea to anyone willing to listen. Asgall, sensing the footsteps, turned to look, Caitlyn following suit.
“Owin!” Nesta shouted.
The big man smiled. “I found this fellow running through the woods.” Owin held the man by his arm. “I had a hunch you’d be coming here, and this one looked suspicious, so I took the liberty of apprehending him.”
Nesta didn’t recognize the man’s face, but the crimson cloak he wore looked familiar. “I believe he’s the one I was chasing.”
Caitlyn took a step toward the man, her eyes narrowing. “And the one I saw meeting with Reece last night.”
“Are you certain?” Asgall asked.
She nodded. “He was supposed to be Reece’s buyer, but Reece told him he was selling to someone else.”
Nesta had wondered why the Commander was there, and Caitlyn’s comment made it clear to her now.
Asgall arched his brows. “That sounds like motive to me.”
“Motive for what?” Owin asked.
“Killing Reece,” Nesta replied, pointing a finger in the dead man’s direction. She moved aside, and Owin craned his neck around Asgall, noticing the body for the first time.
“A knife wound?”
“Looks that way.”
“He could have used this.” Owin held out a sheathed blade. “I found it in his possession.”
“Can I see it?” Asgall said.
Owin was about to hand over the knife, but Nesta stopped him. “No. Wait.”
Asgall squinted at her. “What?”
“What if it’s contaminated?”
Asgall backed away.
“It’s fine,” Owin said. “I’m not infected.”
“How is that possible?” Nesta asked.
“Turns out Griff is just as conniving as Reece. He was planning to sell him sneezing dust in place of plague powder. I was grateful to learn that death wasn’t coming for me, but I did have several sneezing fits last evening.”
A chuckle escaped Nesta’s lips.
Owin surrendered the knife to Asgall, and the Commander pulled it from the sheath. “Fresh blood.” He gawked at the man. “It doesn’t prove you killed Reece, but it’s enough to put you in a cell.” Asgall turned to Owin. “We’ll take him back to Southwallow with us.”
“As you wish, Commander.” Owin waited for Asgall to secure the man, then released his grip.
Now that Owin’s hands were free, Nesta ran to him. She wrapped her arms around his wide shoulders, resting her head on the big man’s chest. His fingers squeezed the middle of her back, eventually easing. Nesta pulled away, noticing that Caitlyn was eyein
g him.
“He’s one of the Resurrected as well,” Caitlyn said.
# # #
“I can’t believe we let them go,” Caitlyn said.
Asgall raised an eyebrow to her.
“Sir,” she said, forgetting to address him properly.
He didn’t show it, but Asgall grinned inside.
The two of them trekked through the woods with their prisoner in tow. The man walked between them, his hands bound in rope behind his back. Asgall held one arm while Caitlyn held the other.
“If you have to know,” Asgall said, “they tried to make amends for what they did.”
“I don’t see how.”
“Berian was the one who led the resistance.”
“I’m aware of that, sir, but they chose to follow.”
“That’s true, but he misled them. Lied to them. By the time they figured it out, it was too late. They had already acted on his words.”
Caitlyn shook her head. “I still don’t understand how that changes anything.”
“Maybe it doesn’t, but they risked their lives to take down Berian.”
“I thought he was killed by a foot soldier.”
“He was, but Nesta killed several of his closest followers. And Owin played a part in it as well. The resistance no longer remains. Owin and Nesta made certain of it.”
“No one ever told me that, sir.”
“That’s because I was there, and I’ve only shared this information with a few people. Consider yourself fortunate.”
If Caitlyn was thankful for Asgall’s admittance, she didn’t show it. The young Guard member still refused to meet Asgall’s gaze.
“I can never allow Owin and Nesta back into the Guard, or even Southwallow, for what they did,” Asgall said. “However, it doesn’t mean I don’t care for them.” He looked away, uncertain whether to continue. “All of the Resurrected were members of the Guard,” he finally said. “And all of them were under my command before turning rogue. I have to live with that for the rest of my days.”
Caitlyn didn’t turn to look, but Asgall noticed a slight nod as she continued to walk. Even if she couldn’t accept Asgall’s viewpoint, perhaps she could understand it, at least. He focused on the prisoner again. The man staggered along, yet to say a word to either of them.
“What’s your name?” Asgall asked. The man stared at the ground, maintaining his silence. “If you’re not willing to reveal your name, maybe you can offer us something else. Perhaps the name of Reece’s buyer. It might grant you some leniency.”
Still no reply.
“I don’t think he knows, sir,” Caitlyn said.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because Reece wouldn’t disclose that information to him. I heard their entire conversation.”
Caitlyn’s response discouraged him. With Reece dead, there was no way to know. Even though the deal never came to pass, someone in the Emperor’s circle had plans for the plague powder. And that’s what concerned Asgall the most.
# # #
“How did you know I was here?” Nesta asked Owin.
“When we were planning our escape from Griff’s house, I overheard part of your discussion with him. And I forced him to tell me afterward just to be certain.”
“Afterward? What about the White Wolves?”
Owin shrugged. “Griff made a convincing case. They left without issue.”
Nesta let out a long breath. Perhaps those were the same White Wolves she saw in the alley when she was behind Griff’s house. Instead of coming for her, they could have been returning to their posts.
“I should have gone back for you,” she said.
“No. You shouldn’t have.” Owin looked to Leyla. “Thank you for helping her.”
“It was a pleasure,” Leyla said, a smile stretching across her face. “This was such an exciting adventure. Would the two of you care to stay the night at my place?”
Owin’s lips parted, but Nesta interrupted before he could answer. “You’re too kind, Leyla. I’m grateful for your assistance, but I don’t think going back to Granmore is the wisest thing for us. You witnessed today just how much trouble we can bring you. Plus, I don’t think I need to remind you that we’re marked traitors. It’s hardly the type of company you want to keep in these parts.”
For the first time, Nesta noticed a dent in Leyla’s figurative armor. A flattening of the lips. A fading twinkle in the eye. Leyla forced a grin, but Nesta could sense her disappointment. Leyla placed her backpack on the ground, rummaging through it for several seconds.
“Here,” she finally said, holding a rolled-up parchment in one hand.
Nesta grasped the parchment and unfurled it with both hands, briefly examining its contents. “A map of Granmore.”
“In case you want to visit again. You’ll know where to find me.”
# # #
Two days later…
Niclas Owens stood outside the cell, adjusting his spectacles, making certain of the man he’d come to see. As the prisoner’s face came into focus, there was no doubt in Niclas’ mind. It was him. Cedrik noticed the doctor and sat up, a bushel of hay cushioning his back-side.
“Niclas?” he said, peering through the bars.
Niclas said nothing. Cedrik had to know why the doctor was there. The man had murdered Niclas’ son, Reece, after all. He waited for Cedrik to speak. To offer an apology for his crime. To plead his case as to why Reece deserved to die. Anything. But no words came. Niclas glimpsed the end of the corridor where a guard stood. Likely too far away to hear their conversation but better to be safe than sorry.
“Reece was a troubled man,” Niclas whispered, “but he was still my son. I only want to know one thing. Why you would feel the need to take his life.” Cedrik swallowed, his lips tight. “Was it because he chose to sell to me instead of you?”
Cedrik’s eyes narrowed, and the man slowly got to his feet. “You?” he murmured. Niclas nodded. “Why?”
“I could ask you the same.”
Silence ensued. “I never planned to use it,” Cedrik finally said.
“Nor did I. When I learned of Reece’s plot, I chose to intervene. Despite my loyalty to the Emperor, I couldn’t inform him or the Guard of my son’s plans. If you had family, you’d understand my conundrum. Regardless, I couldn’t risk the powder being used, so my plan was to destroy it. According to the Commander of the Guard, Griff never had the powder in his possession, so I suppose I can take some comfort in that.”
“It was never my intent to bring harm to the Emperor or anyone in Southwallow, but you have to admit that there are some very powerful people throughout the land. People who would pay significant coin for it. And it needn’t actually be used. Just the threat of unleashing it could sway kingdoms. End wars.”
Niclas bobbed his head and grinned. It didn’t surprise him that Cedrik had allowed greed and personal wealth to influence his decisions. However, what Cedrik failed to realize was that devotion sometimes carried more weight than any amount of gold or silver.
“Wealth comes in many forms,” Niclas said. “For example, my relationship with the Emperor. As his doctor, he not only sees me as a loyal supporter but a friend as well. He might look down on Reece considering the type of man he became, but he still values family, and I’m certain he’ll sympathize with me.”
Cedrik’s brows tightened. “What does that mean?”
“It means you haven’t many days left in this life, so enjoy your remaining time behind bars.”
Table of Contents
THE RESURRECTED CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
HUNTING GLORY CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER T
WO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
TRAITOR’S MARK CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE