His eyes go wide. “They did?”
“Just got the reply from Judd,” I explain, patting the letter in my pocket. “The King of First agreed to reroute his ships going to port at Second and instead head for ours. Once there, we’ll get our supplies of food, and he’ll get a fuck ton of oil at a very good price.”
Ryatt lets out a weighted exhale. “Well, finally some good fucking news.”
Nodding, I say, “We needed it.”
“It certainly helps our food supply, but we still have problems,” he cautions. “The army is grumbling more than normal. We’re lucky we’ve always trained them to stand up to harsh conditions, but even they’re taking a morale hit with all of this shit.”
“I know.”
Ryatt shoots a look at Osrik across from him before returning back to me. “They deserve better than this,” he says, leaning forward so that his metal chest plate clinks against the table. “They got dragged across the fucking continent for show, dragged back, and now they have to prepare for yet another war that you might instigate.”
“I’m not instigating it.”
“You know what I mean,” he says, waving me off. “They’re loyal. You know they are. And they’re the strongest, most fierce, and feared army in Orea. But they’re losing faith in their leadership.”
“I know that too,” I say before Os and I share a look. “Which is why I’m going to officially name you as the new army commander of Fourth.”
My brother lurches back, shock crossing his face. “What?”
I nod. “It’s already done. I filled out the paperwork, and Os turned it into the lieutenants. You might want to prepare a speech.”
Ryatt looks bewildered. “You can’t be fucking serious.”
“You’re ready,” I say. “And honestly, you’ve been ready for a while. It’s time I pass the reins officially.”
“You’re really going to give it up? Going to trust me to lead them? We argue all the fucking time.”
“I trust you.”
He looks at me warily, as if he doesn’t quite believe me. “I’m sure there are going to be things I disagree with from time to time, but I’m also sure that you have this army’s best interest at heart, as well as all of Fourth Kingdom,” I tell him.
He doesn’t take the bait of the compliment, but he does look a little bolstered. “I thought you liked being commander way more than you liked being a king.”
“I do. But this army doesn’t need me anymore.”
“What about Rip? Half the army’s fear factor is because of the notorious rumors about you.”
I give an easy shrug. “I’ll make sure I bring Rip around plenty to show a united front to the soldiers, and I’ll fight when I need to, but for all intents and purposes, Commander Rip is retiring so we can bring in new blood for the coming days. As far as being notorious...I’m sure you’ll make a name for yourself.”
He snorts and shakes his head but doesn’t voice any other doubts. “What about Drollard?”
“How often you visit is up to you. But as the true commander, you will have more responsibilities, and that means you won’t be able to go there as often.”
“That’s fine,” he says quickly—eagerly. And that right there is all I need to know to confirm that I made the right decision, that he is ready for this. He gestures over at Os. “How come Os or one of the other fuckers isn’t getting this position instead of me?”
“You think any of us want it? Fuck no.” Os rumbles out a laugh. “We’re much better off continuing to be your captains and telling you when you’re shitting the bed.”
“Thanks,” he says dryly.
“So you accept? Officially?” I check.
He stands up, and I stand with him, and to my surprise, he holds out his hand and we shake. Much different from the last time we stood across this table.
“Thank you.”
I give a nod as he drops his hand, and I pat him on the shoulder. “Don’t screw up.”
Ryatt rolls his eyes, but it doesn’t have any of his normal acrimony in it. “I’m going to be on your ass about any decisions you make that affect the army, you know,” he warns me.
“Oh, I’m aware,” I say with a smirk.
Another reason why I know I’m making the right choice. Ryatt needs this—needs his own identity, his own purpose, and Auren showed me that. It’s something I should’ve given him a long time ago.
Just then, there’s a knock on the door, and Os thumps over to open it. I see one of the runners pass off a sealed vial, saluting Os as he’s dismissed.
“What is it?” Ryatt asks.
Os twists open the lid and dumps out the scroll inside before passing it to me.
Taking it, I quickly unroll it, eyes scanning over the contents, and then my stomach drops. “Fuck.”
“What?” Osrik asks, snapping out the word in a graveled voice.
“One of the mines. It fucking collapsed.”
Both he and Ryatt tense. “Which one?”
I look up from the paper, barely able to stop myself from crushing it in my fist. “Oil.”
Os lets out a curse. “Well, that’s fucking convenient.”
“Way too convenient to be a coincidence,” Ryatt seethes, looking over at me. “What’s going to happen with the First Kingdom deal?”
“It’ll fall through if there’s no oil at the port to meet his ships,” I say through a growl.
“Can we prove it was sabotage?” Os asks.
“The foreman is looking into it.”
“This is bad,” Ryatt says, scrubbing a hand over his face. “What the fuck is with her? Queen Kaila has never pushed you like this before.”
My rot pricks and writhes beneath my skin, the roots jabbing beneath my jaw and threatening to dig deeper down my arms.
“This is her chance to weaken us, and she’s taking it.”
I shove the letter into my pocket and stride for the door. Ryatt pulls his helmet back on as he and Osrik follow behind me. As soon as we’re outside, the noise of the base is amplified, the smell of smoke from the fire pits clogging my nose.
Instead of fresh meat that should be cooking over the flames, I know they’re probably eating some kind of travel gruel. I’m lucky that the soldiers are so loyal to me and their captains, or I might have more fighting and grumbling on my hands. The way they proceed from here on out will be a true test of their fealty.
The soldiers walking around give us a wide berth, but there are more respectful nods than guarded looks of irritability. Probably because I gave everyone a pay raise. Yet if the mines on the other side have been caved in too...
One problem at a time.
Just as we reach the run-in shed where some of the horses are kept, another horse comes galloping toward us, dirt kicking up beneath its hooves. The rider yanks it to a stop, practically leaping off its back when he sees us. I’m instantly on alert, stopping with Os and Ryatt at my sides as the man hurries over. I can see right away by his uniform that he’s one of the castle’s guards.
“Sire,” he says, running up, face flushed. “There’s a problem.”
Tension thickens the stance of my shoulders. “What is it?”
“There was a woman attacked in the gardens.”
Everything in me becomes chaotic. A jolt of noise in my ears, a jump in my chest, even my vision seems to flare.
“Lady Auren?” A million things run through my mind, but the guard shakes his head.
“No, Sire. The Lady Rissa.”
Osrik’s head reels back. “What?” he snarls. “What the fuck do you mean she was attacked?”
Most people would be a bit intimidated when being faced with all of Osrik’s fury bearing down on them, but this man holds steady. “She was stabbed, sir. The guards patrolling found her and another guard out there with fatal wounds.”
Osrik shoves past the guard and leaps onto his horse before I can even finish processing what the man said.
Ryatt and I sprint to our own mounts, trying to catch up as we race back to the castle. The three of us get back in record time, the horses pulled to a stop at the front courtyard. When we toss the reins to the handlers, Os is already through the side door, running the shortest path toward the gardens.