Broken Stone by Kelly Walker Page B

foolishness, that would not have been if they feared the Councilor’s response?”
    Jessa’s lips pursed into a straight line, and trouble filled her eyes. “If they would just follow our laws in the first place, instead of gathering here inciting a riot, it wouldn’t even be a question of how to deal with them or how many might be harmed.”
    Emariya watched Jessa wavering, knowing her friend was searching for the line between right and wrong. Turning back to Blaine, she said, “Perhaps that is why they call your father a dictator, instead of a leader.”
    “You don’t see us with this sort of uprising.” Blaine’s haughty tone turned defensive. His bay mare shifted nervously beneath him, feeling the tension.
    “But you don’t inspire loyalty, either. Can you honestly say that if Kahl and Alara made a push to return to the throne, people wouldn’t just as easily follow them as you?” Emariya asked.
    Blaine didn’t get a chance to answer. As if her grandfather had heard his name, he brought his own horse close. “Enough. Focus on the problem at hand.” Kahl pointed across the valley. “Your Highness, are those your men on the other side of the valley?”
    Torian squinted, putting his hand across his brow to try and block the glare of the sun. “It looks like it.”
    Garith rode up, looking annoyed. “What’s the hold up; why have we stopped?” Looking down the hill, he seemed to determine the answer to his own question. “Commander Plank said they couldn’t get through.”
    “I don’t want to ride into there unprepared. As much as I hate to lose the time, we’ll ride around and join our men on the other side. Their insight may prove invaluable.” Torian gave her a tight smile before heeling his horse into a trot. He held his back proudly, and Emariya smiled. Making a decision brought out the confidence she loved and admired in him, which had also been missing in recent days.
    Having a decision he could control must have helped his mood, at least temporarily.
    She couldn’t help laughing at herself a bit as she recalled a time when his making a decision without giving her a voice would have annoyed her.
    Reaching their own men took until long after the sunset. Emariya tried to keep from swaying in the saddle as they drew to a stop. She’d planned to spend this night warm inside of Damphries, in a real bed. Instead, she’d likely be attempting to negotiate a truce in the dark. Torian dismounted first, before reaching up to assist her. Butterflies took flight in her chest as his strong hands clasped her around the waist, lifting her off her horse easily.
    She turned her chin upward, hoping for a quick, tender kiss before they began to sort out the present situation. A soldier ran forward, offering to take their reins, and Emariya sighed as Torian turned to question him without touching his lips to hers.
    “Who is in charge?” Torian asked, all business.
    The soldier nearly tripped over his own two feet, bowing. “I am, Your Highness?”
    “Are you asking me or telling me?”
    “T-telling, Your Highness.” The soldier’s face, illuminated by a nearby campfire, burned red.
    As night had fallen, so had the temperature. Emariya sent an exploratory force of her gift toward the fire and was soon rewarded when it burned larger, brighter, and warmer than before.
    “Good, what’s the situation?” Torian asked the soldier, while turning a slightly amused eye toward her. She shrugged, flashing him an innocent smile.
    The soldier, Sargent Corlin he said his name was, explained how they’d arrived in the area after coming through the pass. They’d made it through the Uplands without incident, but nearing this area the citizens had stopped them. Each time they’d tried to go around, the citizens fanned out, blocking their way. While the citizens were weakly armed, they outnumbered the soldiers three to one. “Plus, His Majesty was clear. Our assignment was to retrieve Princess Terin, and we were to