Rowena Through the Wall: Expanded Edition by Melodie Campbell Page B

said.
    I raised a mocking brow at the king. Of course.
    Picking up a spoon to use as a pointer, I said, "These tankards at the top are the fortresses north of Norland. I don't know how many there are, but they ally with Norland, I am told."
    "There are four still standing that we know of," Sargon said.
    I pointed with the spoon. "Janus has gone to the northern allies to gather troops. His cousin has gone east to meet with the Danes."
    "What?"
    A rumble of noise rose around the table. I had their attention now.
    "He was already preparing for war before you came to Huel, Sire."
    Sargon frowned. "How do you know this?"
    That's when I hesitated. "I was there when he gave the orders."
    "At Norland's fortress?"
    "Yes," I said, meeting his eyes. "War with Huel, not you."
    Sargon smiled, but it was a grim one. "And I can easily guess why."
    The testosterone in the room was growing.
    I flushed and turned back to my crude map. "Cedric is somewhere down in the south. I don't know how far your island goes. These tankards represent the southern forts. Ivan will join with him there."
    "Do you know this for sure?"
    I glanced at Thane. "No, but it's what I would do. He can't go to Norland. They hate each other. And Gareth would kill him on sight. Ivan wounded him last week and would have killed him if―" I didn't finish the sentence.
    "You know this is true?" Sargon asked, his mouth curled in a scowl.
    "I was there," I said.
    He cursed.
    "So you've got Cedric, Ivan and Jon," I said, ignoring him. "Yes, Jon went with him and Cedric. They're roaring for a fight.
    Castle Huel you left unattended and it is h is by right. I expect they'll head there with the men from the south. I don't know anything about them―or how many they are."
    Murmurs coursed around the table.
    "Gareth will come south for sure," I said. "He promised the allies a fight and they'll have it. But he needs time to heal. That may take a month or more. He'll want Ivan's head, I know. Will he challenge you?" I shrugged. "It depends."
    "He'll know you're here," Sargon said. "He has scouts too."
    "Then you have three choices, as I see it." I scanned the men. Hoo boy! Except for Thane, this was a rough crowd. "You can wait for Norland and Huel to engage in battle. Then attack when their troops are decimated. Or you can wait for Norland to attack from the north and hit him from the other side."
    "And the third choice?"
    I cleared my throat, nervous. "You can sit this out and negotiate with the winner. I expect you would need to release me, as terms. Honor would demand it."
    The rumbling grew louder.
    "What would you do?" Sargon challenged above the din.
    "I would go home if I could, because I want no part of this."
    Sargon barked a laugh, then turned to his men. "Now you see of what I speak." He looked as proud as if he had just hatched me himself. "We have our own Minerva, here in the flesh."
    I really wished he hadn't used that word. I didn't like the feel of all those eyes on me.
    "May I go now, Sire?" I asked.
    He waved a hand in the air. "Yes, go."
    I moved as gracefully as possible to the door. Thane and Logan followed a few steps behind. I left the hall and walked outside into the sunlight. Leaning against the outer wall, I let out a long sigh, thankful for the wall holding me up.
    "You were magnificent back there," Thane said, his voice thick with emotion.
    I drew a breath. "Do you think it would make any difference if I left?"
    He was silent for a long moment. "It might be worse. I think they would be even angrier that we let you go or did not protect you."
    I absorbed the warm sunlight. "I thought as much."
    So there would be war. Men would get hurt―killed―and ther e was nothing I could do about it.
    Or maybe there was…
    "I'd best get back," Thane said, interrupting my thoughts. "Logan, can you…?"
    "I'll take her back."
    Thane studied me. "I'd like to think if I were Sargon that I would act differently."
    "About war?"
    "About you. But I greatly fear I wouldn't."