Lady's Ransom (The First Argentines, #3)

Ransom started. “Are you certain?” Axien, one of the Elder King’s men, had joined his mesnie following the king’s death. He’d never demonstrated signs of disloyalty before, but perhaps the promise of extra pay had enticed him.

“Lord Toole had him followed, discreetly of course, and found him to be in correspondence with an Espion assigned to Atha Kleah. There was another one, a lesser servant, in Connaught. Lord Toole was going to arrest them both after we left, but I confronted Sir Axien myself with the evidence.” She sighed. “And he confessed it all. He was paid handsomely for his information by none other than Lord Longmont.”

“Did he know Longmont was replaced?”

“Yes, but he still meddles in things. There are some Espion who have stayed loyal to him. Still others have been paid by Occitanian livres. Hence my deception. I wanted Estian to think I was attacking Bayree. No doubt he has ships anchored there waiting to ‘surprise’ us.” She gave him a very fetching smile.

“Sir Axien,” Ransom said, shaking his head in disbelief. “He was loyal to the king.”

“To Devon, maybe. But not Benedict. He’s been playing you for a fool. Playing us both. I’ll let you divine a suitable punishment for him once this conflict ends. He’s still on the boat we sailed in on.”

Ransom’s thoughts darkened at the prospect. He wanted revenge.

“I’ve also heard the news,” Claire continued, “that the Duchess of Brythonica has forged her independence from both kingdoms. Did you hear the same?”

“Yes, the news reached us as well. But there is more to the story.” He quickly told her about stealing the Wizr set, the very one they’d spoken about some months ago, and how Guivret had been captured during their escape. He didn’t reveal that the duchess could summon him at will.

“That was a foolhardy mission, Ransom,” she said. “What if you’d been captured as well? I can’t believe Emiloh condoned it.”

“She didn’t,” Ransom said, cringing at her rebuke. But she was right—the danger had been real. If not for Constance’s vision, he wouldn’t have gone. Nor would he have risked it had he known what would happen to his family. “I took advantage of Estian’s absence. That is why Alix came to you. By kidnapping one of our sons, she no doubt hoped to force us to return it.” What an unbearable thought. He felt a pulse of longing for the boys, but it was better that they were safe at home than here, on the cusp of war.

“I still mourn Keeva. She was so brave and loyal.”

Ransom nodded solemnly. “Guivret will be heartbroken. The two of them had feelings for each other.”

Claire looked at him in surprise. “Did they?”

He took a hasty bite from the roast fowl. His hunger was ravenous now. “They both thought the seering stone was harming you, so they conspired to take it away. Used indiscriminately, it’s as dangerous as the book Alix took. Was it through that stone that you began to suspect I was unfaithful to you? Or did it happen sooner?”

Claire’s gaze fell. “Yes, but my fears sprung to life before that, I confess. You hadn’t done anything wrong, Ransom. It’s just . . . as I’ve said before, I had this strange sense of a connection between you and the duchess, almost as if . . . It feels foolish to say it, but it felt like if fate had twisted a different way, you might have chosen to marry her and not me. The stone only confused me more.”

Her words caused a jolt in his heart. Constance had expressed a similar sentiment. He didn’t understand what it meant, but it was curious that Claire should feel the same way. Perhaps it was similar to the way he sometimes felt a strange place or person was familiar. Either way, there was no knowing the cause.

“The seering stones serve a purpose,” he declared. “One must be commanded by the Fountain to use them.”

She tilted her head. “You know I don’t believe in all that. If you’d been raised in Legault, under different beliefs, you might feel the same way.”

“It wouldn’t have made a difference, Claire.” He looked away for a moment, trying to find the words, then gazed into her eyes. “The Fountain speaks to me. It warns me of danger.” He pressed his fist to his heart. “Lord Bryon told me that very few people can hear the Fountain’s voice. He’s spent his whole life hoping to be one of them. But to me . . . it came easily. The Fountain-blessed aren’t just a myth. I’m one of them. My gifts for war started young and aren’t entirely natural. I sense things that others cannot. I foresee dangers other people do not.”

Conviction swelled in his chest as he spoke, and something in Claire’s eyes changed.

“Oh, Ransom,” she said. “I—”

A firm knock sounded on the door and startled them both. Ransom rose from the floor, where they’d spread a blanket to share the meal. He walked to the door and opened it and found Dearley waiting there expectantly.

“I gave you as much time as I dared,” he whispered. “Estian’s army has arrived. They are setting up camp across the meadow and have sent scouts to investigate our position.”

“He might attack tonight,” Ransom said with conviction.

Claire had risen from the floor and sidled up next to him. She gripped Ransom’s arm. “Then you should attack him first.”

“I would highly recommend he get his armor back on first,” Dearley said with a meaningful look. “I’ll assist you.”

Claire helped too, and having her there, knowing all was well with them and their boys, gave him a feeling of confidence and determination that bolstered his strength and doubled his courage. Every layer of armor increased his confidence that he could defeat Estian.

As Ransom helped Claire tighten the strap on his arm bracer, he looked at Dearley. “Make sure there are sentries posted in the castle at all times. If Alix tries to sneak in, I want her apprehended or killed. I can sense her if she’s near, and I intend to find out whether she’s with Estian’s army tonight.”

“She may be waiting in Bayree,” Claire said. “They believed I would attack there.”

“True, but she can travel great distances quickly. She could be in both places tonight.”

Claire nodded. “The book she stole from me speaks of such things. Of ley lines and words of power. I’m grateful it’s gone, but I fear she might learn some new tricks from it.”

Ransom flexed his arm and twisted his elbow to ensure the fit was right. “That book is dangerous for anyone to read. It corrupts.”

“It is true. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I felt lighter as soon as she took it.”

Their eyes shot to the door as one at the sound of rushing steps. Dearley hurriedly fit on another piece of Ransom’s armor while Claire went to the door.

“Message from the palace,” said the page, handing the note to her.

“Read it to me,” Ransom said, forced to stand still while Dearley knelt to fix on his leg armor.

Claire opened the seal and started to read. It was from Emiloh.

“‘Lord Ransom, I felt I should send these tidings straightaway. Jon-Landon has fled the palace through the Espion tunnels and joined with Duke Ashel’s army.’” Claire grunted. “The carp-faced eejit! Sorry, let me continue. ‘We are defenseless now, save the warriors who have sworn to hold Kingfountain with their lives. I know you face terrible odds, but if you can spare any men to come to our aid, I will bless your name. If you cannot spare them, I understand. We can hold out for several days. But the people are beginning to clamor for a new king.’”

Claire lowered the letter and shook her head in disbelief. “They want a brainless badger as their king? A pox on them all for so utterly lacking in sense!”

“Read on,” Ransom said, feeling the tension return.

Claire lifted the page. “‘I also received word today that Lord Kinghorn . . .’” Her voice caught. She swallowed and then read more slowly, sadly. “‘. . . succumbed to an illness brought on during the campaign. Benedict requested . . . and was given permission . . . for him to visit the inside of the oasis before he died. He was buried there, by one of the fountains since it’s forbidden to bury in water in that land. My heart grieves for his son.’”