Lord Jamis claps the captain on the back. “As the head of my guard, Captain Omar will ensure your safety.” He means the king’s guard, but of course I don’t correct him. “Leif and Tomas will also assist on this hunt.” The Bull and the Fox. “Once you’ve found Mackay, they’ll return him to the castle.”
I meet Captain Omar’s stern gaze and wonder if he’s pleased with this development, or if he’d rather justice was served by the noose. Nothing about traveling with him or his men has any appeal. Beside the captain, Tomas has beady eyes that shift about, making me think he’s the type who would stab a sleeping man. And the bigger fellow, Leif, is too brawny to have the grace a man needs to move silently through the woods. Then again, Cohen isn’t much smaller and he always moved like a cat.
Cohen. He couldn’t have killed Papa. Could he? And yet, there’s no denying the evidence. I crush my fingernails into my palms, needing the distraction of pain.
I pin my attention on Leif. “Three guards are unnecessary and will make traveling harder to go undetected.”
Leif shifts his weight, and a frown glances over his mouth.
“The objective is to catch Mackay,” the captain interjects in a dour tone, dismissing and sharing his dislike. “You may be considered a good tracker, but you’re no fighter. Yesterday should be enough reminder you’re easily overpowered.”
Yesterday was an exception is what I want to tell him. Then I remember how he responded before to my brazenness and hold my tongue.
“The guards are not optional,” Lord Jamis says as he crosses to his desk and rolls out a map. “The kingdom’s fiefdoms are not as heavily manned now that the lords have sent their best men to the border. Travel alone would be dangerous. And there’s a chance the hunt may take you over the border. You’ll need Captain Omar and his men for protection.”
“Shaerdan?” I ask, unable to hide my disbelief that Cohen would flee Malam without the king’s consent. He’d be marked as a traitor. Punishment would be torture until he begged for the mercy of the noose. Then again, he’s already accused of murdering the king’s bounty hunter. What would it matter if he became a traitor as well?
Tomas, the wiry fox-like guard, stiffened when I mentioned Shaerdan. I wonder if he’s more concerned about the imminent war or the country’s dark magic. He catches me watching him and glowers.
The captain approaches Lord Jamis and looks over the map. His finger punches a spot on the parchment. “We’ll leave tomorrow at first light. See that our tracker is outfitted to draw less attention.”
Lord Jamis eyes my tangled hair, my soiled skirt, and nods in agreement.
“Maybe the scrant will clean up enough for tasting.” Off to my right side, Tomas leers.
Leif doesn’t react, but my limbs go rigid. Tomas’s comment promises unwanted attention that would lead to his death and then mine for murdering the vile man when he dared touch me. Behind Lord Jamis, Cohen’s dagger taunts me from the desktop. It could mean my escape. No longer restrained by manacles, I could easily maneuver around the high lord and swipe it. If I put it to the fox’s throat, I could use the diversion to get out of this room. Sprint down the castle halls. Reach the stairwell. But then how would I get past the guards at the gate?
Regardless, I cannot stomach using the blade that ended Papa’s life.
Forgetting that plan, I make a note to avoid Tomas as the guards follow Captain Omar out of the study. Another option of escape will present itself. At least, I hope it will.
“A bath and clothing will be brought to the dungeon,” Lord Jamis tells me.
I tear my eyes from Cohen’s dagger. “I haven’t agreed to go.”
A confused frown settles over his mouth.
It makes sense that someone in my position, facing death, would agree to his offer, but he doesn’t understand that I’ve already lost everything. Or maybe he does and thinks vengeance is enough to sway my decision. It should be.
“You want me to agree to tracking down my father’s killer.” It sounds wrong, so wrong to say. “For what? My life for his? What life do I have to return to? The king has my land and my home, so there’s nowhere for me to go. Without shelter for winter, I’ll be dead anyway. That is, if the captain or his men don’t kill me first.”
“The captain requested to go as part of the agreement, to ensure you fulfill your end of this bargain. You have nothing to fear if you uphold your end of the deal.” Lord Jamis moves behind his desk and stares at me almost sympathetically. “And the other guards will do you no harm. Trust me.”
I’ve never had the luxury of trusting anyone besides my father and Cohen. Though clearly trust has done little for me, seeing as how one of the men I put my faith in is dead and the other an accused murderer. I’m certainly not going to start trusting anyone else now.
When I give no response, he leans forward, elbows on the desk. “Perhaps there’s more I could offer as an incentive.” He is quieter than before, and the drop in his pitch becomes more ardent, drawing me in. “By law, you cannot inherit your father’s land because you were born outside of a legal marriage. But if you find Mackay, I’ll grant you ownership of the land and cottage.”