Ever the Brave (A Clash of Kingdoms Novel)(101)
“When do we leave?”
His eyes flick to her sleeping form and back to me, an apology written in the lines around them. “Immediately.”
My fingers find Britta’s, covering her hand as if I might secret away a prized possession. I nod, accepting my role to come in ending this dark time in our countries’ histories. “My heart, my blood, my life for Malam.”
Aodren exits, giving me a few moments alone. There’s a huge part of me that wants to tell him no. I want to stay by her side until she wakes. But I’ve made peace with the fact that I have a tendency to make choices that suffocate Britta. That’s something I’m not going to do anymore. My staying by her side might not make her feel like I’m trying to govern her. But it might. I have faith that whatever the king did for Britta will heal her. And once she’s on the mend, I want her to have the space and freedom to finish deciding what she wants in this life.
I drop a kiss to Britta’s forehead and then to the pale curves of her lips. “Come back to me, Dove.” My whisper washes over her mouth.
I hold for a moment, praying a miracle will happen, hoping for some sort of change that’ll confirm she’ll make it. That this isn’t our final goodbye. But nothing happens. Pain daggers through my heart as I turn and walk out the door.
Before leaving, I go to Finn’s side. The kid’s mottled face and weakened body threaten to break what’s left of my weak heart. I softly chuck his shoulder and tell him I love him. Then after bidding goodbye to Lirra, the Guild, and the Channeler girls, we travel to the camp outside Brentyn. There, King Aodren meets with the commander of Lord Freil’s soldiers. We spend two days organizing the men. On the third we march.
It takes four days for our army to seize control of Lord Jamis’s men. Many of them stand down as soon as their leader’s death is announced. Those who resist are subdued with little fighting.
Despite their betrayal, King Aodren offers a merciful punishment. The rebels are exiled from Malam. They may live out their lives in the Akaria Desert or north in the wastelands of Kolontia. But never again may they set foot in Malam.
In my opinion, King Aodren’s mercy is more than most of the rebels deserved. In the few days Jamis occupied Brentyn, the havoc he caused led to hundreds of deaths. The royal city, once called the heart of Malam, isn’t the same. Death stains the streets.
Time moves quickly over the next week as we see to the many grieving families.
With the rebels gone, we have the task of washing blood off the streets and wiping it from Castle Neart’s Great Hall. Graves are dug and filled. Cobblestones are scrubbed clean.
The hardest part about returning to Castle Neart, however, is finding the young girls who have been imprisoned in the dungeon cells. Most are timid mice, shying away from our lanterns. It takes soft words and patience to coax them from the pit of the castle. The king orders the suites to be set up as additional healing rooms for the girls who have suffered from exposure and lack of food. Leif helps me gather blankets and clothing and hot meals. The work is humbling to me, but more so, it’s good for him. Every girl he helps lifts his spirit a little more.
The work is endless. So much so that Finn and Lirra’s arrival at Castle Neart three weeks after I left Britta comes as a shock.
“They’ve come to help return all the Channeler girls to their homes,” King Aodren explains inside his private study. He stands beside his absurdly large desk. His father must’ve had a thing for flashy furniture. “You are more familiar with Shaerdan than any of my men. I am not asking that you personally escort all the girls safely home, but I do need you to organize their return.”
I cross my arms, hiding the fists of my hands under my biceps, calculating how long I’ll be gone.
“Split the girls into groups based on where they’re from. Then assign a few men to each group of girls. I want to ensure their safety.”
He goes on to talk about restitution. I consider his orders, willing back my frustration. Returning the girls means I’ll be on the road another few weeks. However, if I’m in charge, I can decide which region to go to first. The Channelers heading to the southeast corner of Shaerdan sound like the perfect group to chaperone home.
“Questions?” The king drops into the seat on the other side of the desk.
I shake my head, a smile forming inside. “None at all.”
Before leaving Brentyn, Finn takes me and Lirra to Hagan’s home, where Gillian has been staying. Finn originally left her because she was too weak and broken to move. When rebel guards came to search Hagan’s home, Finn covered Gillian with boxes and blankets in the attic space. Then he distracted the men by riding away on Britta’s horse. Unfortunately, he didn’t get very far. Finn was captured a quarter league from Hagan’s home.
The door opens, and Gillian greets us through a mess of her tears. “Finn! Cohen! Lirra!” She wraps us in her arms, attempting an awkward jumbled group hug.
I untangle myself from the others and straighten my tunic.
“Let’s not do that again.” Lirra steps back.
Gillian waves a dismissing hand at her. “Get in here.”
She demands we tell her everything. But as I cover all that transpired in the last couple of weeks, Gillian’s hand lifts to her chest, clutching her dress until I finish. Moisture pools in the edges of her eyes.