the inn because I know nothing of killing or fighting. It’s not a skill anyone teaches a slave or a fool.”
Phantom winced. “I’m sorry, Lutian. It’s not in my nature to trust.”
Lutian looked at the scar on the man’s throat. “Nay, I guess it isn’t. But know this: I would die before I ever betrayed Queen Adara.”
“Does she know of your past?”
He shook his head. “And I would keep it that way.”
Something almost kind darkened Phantom’s eyes. “Have no fear. Keeping secrets is something I excel at.” He released him. “Good night, Lutian.”
Lutian inclined his head to him before he entered the dormitory and headed for his room.
Phantom watched the fool leave, then listened to the night winds that whispered around him. The Sesari were there. He could feel them. They would not stop until they had completed their mission.
But then, neither would he.
“It shall be interesting to see who wins this,” he whispered, then laughed.
A wounded prince, a runaway slave, and a condemned thief were about to join forces with the devil and the damned to save a queen and her people.
The next few weeks would definitely prove interesting indeed.
Six
Christian woke up to the harsh morning light. For an instant there, he was a boy again in the monastery in Acre. His heart clenched as panic swelled and he waited for Brother Arthur to douse him with water, then box his ears for being late for prayer.
But he was no longer a child. The old monastery was gone…as was Brother Arthur. Christian grimaced at the reminder of how they’d all died the night of the attack that had come without warning.
“Cease,” he whispered, banishing those bad memories. There was nothing in the past for him. Nothing.
He sat up slowly, his body loudly protesting every movement.
“Cease what?”
He turned his head to find Adara seated in theuncomfortable chair where she’d been the night before, watching him. “I thought you were angry with me.”
“I am, my lord. Make no mistake over that. However, I have done much thinking since I left you last night and I agree that you are right. What good would it do me to have a king who has no interest in my throne or his? For too long I have lived my life waiting for you. No more. Once we return to Elgedera and you depose your misbegotten relatives, I shall seek your annulment and find myself a consort who is worthy to be king.”
Christian frowned at her words and her flat, emotionless tone. She spoke so matter-of-factly that they could have been discussing the weather as opposed to her future.
“What has brought about this change in you?” he asked.
She shrugged nonchalantly. “Common sense. Since you have no wish to be king, you will need to choose a successor. That successor will be my spouse.”
Surely she was jesting. “And if I choose someone you revile?”
“You won’t.”
She was so cold as she resigned herself to such a heartless fate. Of course, that was the fate of most women in her position, and yet a part of him that he didn’t want to acknowledge rebelled at the idea of her marrying another man. Surely a womansuch as this deserved something better. Someone who could at the very least value her.
What do you care? She is after another poor sap to marry. Be grateful. You are free of her now.
Then why didn’t he feel better about it? Why did something inside him feel like it had been battered by her decision?
’Tis your pride that she would accept another man. Nothing more, nothing less.
Perhaps…
Adara got up and headed for the door. “Thomas sent a servant out at first light to return to the inn so that he could wait for your friends and tell them what has happened to you.”
“Then the rest of you must have been waiting for me.”
She nodded.
“I shall be ready shortly.”
She inclined her head to him and headed for the door. Christian watched her leave. She was again dressed in the plain watchet gown of a peasant with her hair braided
Phantom winced. “I’m sorry, Lutian. It’s not in my nature to trust.”
Lutian looked at the scar on the man’s throat. “Nay, I guess it isn’t. But know this: I would die before I ever betrayed Queen Adara.”
“Does she know of your past?”
He shook his head. “And I would keep it that way.”
Something almost kind darkened Phantom’s eyes. “Have no fear. Keeping secrets is something I excel at.” He released him. “Good night, Lutian.”
Lutian inclined his head to him before he entered the dormitory and headed for his room.
Phantom watched the fool leave, then listened to the night winds that whispered around him. The Sesari were there. He could feel them. They would not stop until they had completed their mission.
But then, neither would he.
“It shall be interesting to see who wins this,” he whispered, then laughed.
A wounded prince, a runaway slave, and a condemned thief were about to join forces with the devil and the damned to save a queen and her people.
The next few weeks would definitely prove interesting indeed.
Six
Christian woke up to the harsh morning light. For an instant there, he was a boy again in the monastery in Acre. His heart clenched as panic swelled and he waited for Brother Arthur to douse him with water, then box his ears for being late for prayer.
But he was no longer a child. The old monastery was gone…as was Brother Arthur. Christian grimaced at the reminder of how they’d all died the night of the attack that had come without warning.
“Cease,” he whispered, banishing those bad memories. There was nothing in the past for him. Nothing.
He sat up slowly, his body loudly protesting every movement.
“Cease what?”
He turned his head to find Adara seated in theuncomfortable chair where she’d been the night before, watching him. “I thought you were angry with me.”
“I am, my lord. Make no mistake over that. However, I have done much thinking since I left you last night and I agree that you are right. What good would it do me to have a king who has no interest in my throne or his? For too long I have lived my life waiting for you. No more. Once we return to Elgedera and you depose your misbegotten relatives, I shall seek your annulment and find myself a consort who is worthy to be king.”
Christian frowned at her words and her flat, emotionless tone. She spoke so matter-of-factly that they could have been discussing the weather as opposed to her future.
“What has brought about this change in you?” he asked.
She shrugged nonchalantly. “Common sense. Since you have no wish to be king, you will need to choose a successor. That successor will be my spouse.”
Surely she was jesting. “And if I choose someone you revile?”
“You won’t.”
She was so cold as she resigned herself to such a heartless fate. Of course, that was the fate of most women in her position, and yet a part of him that he didn’t want to acknowledge rebelled at the idea of her marrying another man. Surely a womansuch as this deserved something better. Someone who could at the very least value her.
What do you care? She is after another poor sap to marry. Be grateful. You are free of her now.
Then why didn’t he feel better about it? Why did something inside him feel like it had been battered by her decision?
’Tis your pride that she would accept another man. Nothing more, nothing less.
Perhaps…
Adara got up and headed for the door. “Thomas sent a servant out at first light to return to the inn so that he could wait for your friends and tell them what has happened to you.”
“Then the rest of you must have been waiting for me.”
She nodded.
“I shall be ready shortly.”
She inclined her head to him and headed for the door. Christian watched her leave. She was again dressed in the plain watchet gown of a peasant with her hair braided
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