With Mendenwal’s armies in full retreat, I climbed to my feet again and loaded the chain mail into Mystic’s saddlebag. I refastened the brigandine around my chest and sheathed my sword in preparation to ride back down the ridge. But somewhere in the fields far behind me, I heard a familiar voice calling my name. Looking for me.
“Fink?”
I grabbed my sword and ran toward his voice. He wasn’t much taller than some of the grasses here, but he continued calling for me.
Finally I saw him, limping heavily and with his hands bound in front of him. He had a torn shirt and a dark bruise on one cheek, but otherwise, he seemed all right.
I started running toward him, but when he noticed me, he only started shaking his head and sobbing. “I’m sorry,” he cried. “Jaron, I’m sorry.”
“For what?” He already had my forgiveness, and always would have, but I needed to know what had happened.
“I told them about Falstan. That’s why they weren’t here before. They let Mendenwal get swallowed up in the lake and waited until it was over.”
“Who did?”
“Vargan’s army. I’m so sorry.”
As he spoke those words, I heard a sound growing from the base of the hill upon which Fink and I stood. Horses snorted while their hoofbeats pounded against stone and earth. We were not alone, and I figured it was a safe guess that whoever was coming was no friend of mine.
In the distance, a mass of mounted soldiers was approaching. Even from here I could see their black livery coats crossed in red. Having been surrounded by them for so long, the uniform of Avenia was painfully familiar to me. Far ahead of them was an advance group on horseback, and I knew nearly all of them. At the lead, King Vargan was accompanied by Commander Kippenger and Avenia’s standard bearers. Another man rode with them, not in Avenia’s colors, but dressed instead in the fine robes of a nobleman. I squinted to see him better. It couldn’t be. . . .
But it was. Bevin Conner was riding directly beside the king of Avenia. Conner pointed me out first, and Vargan turned course straight for me. I told Fink to get behind me, and then withdrew my sword, eager to test its sharpness. For all of Conner’s arrogant claims that everything he had done was for the benefit of our country, this was a complete betrayal of Carthya. Whatever bargain he had made to ride beside Vargan now, he could never justify this treason, even to himself.
“Let’s just run,” Fink said.
“There’s nowhere to go,” I muttered back to him. For as far as I could see ahead, there was nothing but red and black uniforms growing on the horizon. And there was nothing behind us but a sheer cliff and a long fall.
My sword was ready when they stopped in front of us. I hadn’t yet decided which of them to attack, since I’d likely only get one target before the rest of them stopped me. It would’ve been satisfying to get Conner, but the sneer on Vargan’s face made me furious, and Kippenger had actively participated in the abuse I’d suffered in Vargan’s camp. I owed each of them a response.
Vargan greeted me first. “King Jaron, how nice it is to see you again. My apologies for being late to all your fun with Mendenwal.”
“I wish you’d have come. I would’ve loved for you to meet their fate. Preferred it, actually.”
Vargan arched an eyebrow. “Is there no one left?”
“Not unless they have some excellent swimmers. Either way, you won’t have their services any longer.”
“Other soldiers from Mendenwal are here in your country,” he said. “You haven’t defeated them all.”
“No,” I said. “Not yet. But my captain and I have a bet. Whoever wins the most battles gets to melt your crown for the gold. I’m planning to win, since we have business to settle — I made a promise to that effect.”
Vargan laughed, echoed by the men who flanked him. He said, “I am eager to see you try to destroy my great armies, boy king.”
If it were only me on this hill, my decision would’ve been made. I would’ve rushed at Vargan with my sword held high, letting the consequences fall where they would. But Fink was still behind me, and I couldn’t abandon him.
“You have a difficult decision now,” Kippenger said. “Do you attack us and lose that boy behind you? Or try to escape, in which case you will also lose that boy.”
“All we want is you,” Vargan told me. “Lower your sword and we’ll let the boy go.”
“Is nothing beneath you?” I asked. “He’s just a boy, not a pawn in our talks.”
“A boy who I’ve heard means a great deal to you.” Vargan glanced down at Fink, eager for any depth of cruelty if it could touch me. “What will you give me to save his life?”
“A deep cut with my sword,” I responded. “Carthya will never bow to you, Vargan.”
“Carthya already bows to me! Did you think my offer to let you keep your throne would last forever? No, Jaron, you had your opportunity. Things have changed. Now, Lord Conner will be the king of Carthya, subject to my Avenian empire. Our agreement is made.”
Conner arched his neck and stared down at me. So he would have his throne after all.
“He’s no king,” I said. “Rulers aren’t made just because they sit on the throne. A true king serves his people, protects them, and sees to their happiness if he can.”
Conner’s lip curled when he asked, “What about dying for his people?”
My eyes darted sideways a moment. “Yes, he would die, if necessary. Though I hope we’re speaking about your death, and not mine.”
“King Vargan and I have made some agreements,” Conner said in his mocking tone. “They will ensure one of us a long and prosperous life. Can you guess which of us that is?”
I turned to Vargan. “You might be a horrible king and, for that matter, a horrible person. But Conner is worse. He’s a traitor and a murderer. Be careful in your bargains.”
“If I’m accused of being a traitor, I may as well act that way,” Conner replied. “And as to your other accusation, I intend to be the cause of only one more death, one I’ve been anticipating for months.”
Mine.
Vargan’s smile revealed his hunger for just that. “You’re trapped here, Jaron, with a cliff at your back and thousands of my men in every other direction. There’s no escape this time.”
A quick scan of the hills revealed the full size of his massive army, beyond anything I could hope to defeat. Most of them were still moving toward the valley, to where my army was stationed with no idea of what was coming their way. Just as we had blocked Mendenwal’s escape, they would soon block ours.
“You will come with Lord Conner and myself to Farthenwood,” Vargan said.
“Absolutely not.” I shook my head to emphasize my refusal. “Conner’s already taken me to Farthenwood once. Trust me, he isn’t nearly as good a host as he pretends to be.”
Conner laughed darkly. “I’d have thought you’d be happy at the news. To see your reign end where it began.”
“Farthenwood is where you met your downfall, Conner. It is not where I will meet mine.” My eyes settled on Vargan’s puckered face. “If we must talk, then let’s do it at Drylliad. There’s no reason for us to go to Farthenwood.”
“Of course there is.” Vargan chuckled now, as if he and Conner knew a joke they had yet to share with me. “You chose Farthenwood yourself. Do you remember when?”
The message I had sent with the Avenian thief. He took it to Vargan instead of keeping his promise to me. That was their joke.
Conner seemed almost disappointed. “I expected more from you, Jaron.”
“And I expected less from you.” I grinned. “Though I suppose if you and Vargan combined your brainpower, you might have enough wits for me. Almost.”
Vargan stiffened at the insult. “I will see you hanged this very week, and kill everyone who stands with you, just as I did to Imogen.”
My heart pounded at the mention of her name, but I finally saw a purpose in her death. No matter what else happened in this war, I could not allow anyone else I loved to die. I had to find a way to see this through.
With that thought, my eyes shifted from Conner to Vargan. “I understand your interest in hanging me,” I said. “But first I must carry out my promise to destroy you. And I might need a little more time for that, now that I have to add Conner to my list.” I gestured to Commander Kippenger. “Probably you too, by the way.”
“Take him,” Vargan ordered.
Kippenger rode for me, but I grabbed a knife from my belt and hurled it at Conner. The flat edge struck his horse, who bucked hard and startled Kippenger’s horse. Both Kippenger and Conner fell to the ground, which created even greater confusion amongst the animals. I turned and pushed Fink forward with me. Somewhere behind us, Vargan screamed orders to chase us as we raced toward the cliff.
“They’re coming!” Fink cried.
I couldn’t go down the steep trail I had come up before. The risk of someone catching up to us there was too great. But as we got to the ledge, I knew only one option remained, and it wasn’t good.
“How tight are your hands tied?” I asked him.
He pulled at them, but there was no give. “Very.”
“Put them over my shoulders.” I ducked low enough for him to comply while I grabbed the rope that I’d partially burned for Mendenwal’s army. I knotted it, then wrapped it two or three times around my waist. There was no time to do this properly.
Fink tried to wiggle off me. “No, Jaron. Please don’t.”
“Yes, Fink. Close your eyes if you must.”
Kippenger entered the ridge first and swiped at me with his sword. It stung my arm but I was already running. With Fink on my back and screaming in my ear, I ran off the side of the ledge and into thin air.