“Why then?” Reid asked, wondering what had changed.
“That’s when I went to the Knights’ headquarters to train. While there, I snooped.” He smiled wryly. “I figured I should put the things Anna taught me into action. One night, I picked the lock to her desk. I found an old, worn letter addressed to my father. The writer expressed her love for him, along with her dissatisfaction with his upcoming wedding to a foreigner. It was signed by Anna. When I returned home, I discussed it with Idina. We both agreed Anna had to be using me for something—we just couldn’t figure out what. Then Anna kept telling me things about Eldon…things that made me question what he was doing and why.”
Ackley rubbed his face. “As the years went by, Anna managed to convince me that Eldon was a power-hungry, self-serving, conniving man. I even found evidence Eldon had killed our father. And I believed it all.”
“What are you saying?” Reid whispered.
“Something just didn’t add up.” Ackley stared directly at her. “Did you know Hudson was poisoned the same way as Broc?”
Reid shook her head.
“All these years, I thought my father had killed my grandfather. Then I believed my brother had killed my father. But that’s not the case. I think Anna killed them both.”
Reid wasn’t so sure about that. Henrick had explained how erratic Hudson was being before their father’s death. “Maybe you’re looking for something that isn’t there?” she suggested.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I need to talk to Idina. She always sees and understands things quicker than I do.”
Grease sizzled in the fire, and Ackley removed the cooked rabbits.
“Reid once said something about being a pawn,” Dexter mumbled, his deep voice echoing in the space. He glanced up, meeting her eyes. “I fear we have all been pawns.”
Gordon rubbed his face. “I think we should alter our plans. Instead of splitting up, we’ll all go to Ellington. Once we’ve fetched Mum and Idina, we’ll travel to the City of Buckley to get Ackley’s fellow Knights and my soldiers. Then, we’ll retake Marsden.”
“I think that’s a wise idea,” Duke Ellington said.
Reid didn’t think it would be that easy. Especially if Eldon wasn’t the mastermind. If Anna had devised some elaborate plot, they’d have to deal with her. The problem was that Anna had years to perfect her plan.
Setting out early the next morning, the group rode fast in order to reach the Gast River as soon as possible. If they wanted to thwart the king’s plans, they didn’t have a lot of time.
“Do you think Victor is still tracking us?” Reid asked, glancing over her shoulder. There was nothing but flat fields for miles. If her second cousin were pursuing her, she should be able to see him.
“He won’t be a problem,” Ackley replied with a grin.
“What did you do?” she demanded.
“When I went hunting, I backtracked, found him, and slipped him something.”
“Did you kill him?” Reid asked, horrified.
“No.” He sighed. “I knew you wouldn’t want me to. I simply gave him a sleeping tonic to ensure we could get far ahead of him before he woke.”
“It’s not hard to figure out where we’re going,” Dexter pointed out. “I’m sure he can catch up.”
Reid eyed Ackley. He was acting far too confident. “What else did you do?”
He winked. “I may have given him a little something extra.”
“What?” Reid and Dexter asked at the same time.
Ackley rolled his eyes. “Nothing that will harm him. Just something that’ll throw off his vision for the next week or so.”
Reid wondered if Ackley traveled with these tonics or if he’d managed to acquire them that quickly. She decided she was better off not knowing. “Remind me to never get on your bad side.”
“Oh, my dear Reid, I only have a bad side.” He smiled wickedly.
Two days later, the Gast River came into view. They’d been traveling west in order to cross the bridge directly into Ellington—it was the same one Reid and Harlan had used what seemed like a lifetime ago.
Once Duke Ellington, Ackley, and Gordon had each crossed the bridge, Reid steered her horse onto it.
“Are you good?” Dexter asked from behind her, still safely on solid ground.
“Yes.” A mixture of trepidation and relief filled her. Uncertain of how much weight the bridge could hold, they’d decided to cross one person and horse at a time. As scared as she was to be on the wooden bridge with rushing water beneath it, the thought of being back in Ellington was enough to propel her onward.
The river below drowned out the creaking bridge. Her horse whinnied, so she murmured a few soothing words to him, hoping he heard her.
“Welcome home,” Duke Ellington said when Reid joined him.
She breathed in the crisp air. As good as it felt to be in her homeland, it came at a price. Pulling her hat out of the saddlebag, she put it on, concealing her hair. Now was not the time to attract unwanted attention by gallivanting around Ellington as a woman. While here, she needed to blend in. Once Eldon and the Melenia army were dealt with, she could work on turning Marsden into the kingdom she wished it to be.
With little fanfare, they made their way north. Each mile they traversed, the landscape dulled, the green rolling hills turning brown. The towns and homes they passed were all wooden structures in dire need of repair. The farms were scarce. In many places, the land was rocky and barren. The air turned cool.
Even though Dexter didn’t comment on the scenery, Reid felt him stiffen when they passed a home with a lopsided roof, its doors hanging off their hinges, and children running around with holes in their clothes. She wanted to assure him it wasn’t her father’s fault—that he was doing his best. It was the infertile land, the harsh weather, the heavy taxes, and the restrictive laws.
“How about we go into the next town?” Ackley suggested.
“We’re only a day away from my castle,” Duke Ellington said. “There’s no need to stop.” They had enough food and water.
“I want to hear what people are saying,” Ackley explained. “Has word reached them that a foreign army is here? Do people have any idea things are amiss?”
While Reid thought it was a good idea, they could glean that information from the town closest to her home.
“Ackley’s right,” Dexter said.
Reid narrowed her eyes. Dexter was agreeing with Ackley? That was a first.
“If we wait until we reach the City of Dorsot,” Dexter said, “people will already know we’re there. They might be more reserved with their tongues.” He nudged his horse, riding alongside Ackley, both speaking in hushed whispers.
Gordon positioned his horse next to Reid. “If you don’t want to go into town,” he murmured, “I can wait on the outskirts with you.”
“Why do you think I don’t want to go?”
He shrugged. “In town, you will have to play a role you thought you’d no longer have to. Axian was your freedom. This is your cage. I can see it on your face.”
Her cheeks warmed at his astute observation—he’d always been good at reading her. However, he was only partially right. Her hesitation also stemmed from Dexter. She didn’t want him to see how uneducated her people were, the rampant poverty, or the poor living conditions. Most of all, she didn’t want him to see her bend to society’s laws.