Page 23 of Kingdom of Locks

There was a different edge to Furn’s smile now, this time harder to place. “I don’t have such large ambitions, Your Highness.”

“What are your ambitions, then?” Amell asked, his interest piqued. Furn was undeniably capable of a more challenging role than the one he currently held, and he was a fastidious and driven man. Amell had no doubt the guard had dreams of his own, but he’d never heard Furn talk about them.

“Nothing to speak of,” said Furn, with a firmness that effectively closed the topic.

Amell raised an eyebrow. He was certain there was something behind Furn’s light words, but apparently he wasn’t to know what. He hadn’t quite decided whether to press when Tora took the decision out of his hands.

“I can’t believe you havenoplans, Furn,” she said, her voice a little too smooth. “There must be something you intend to pursue.”

The guard shot her a swift look under his brows, but still said nothing, his expression stonier than Amell had ever seen it.

“Remind me again, Princess Tora,” Furn replied at last, “how you convinced His Majesty to allow you to accompany the group today?”

“Oh, I didn’t,” said Tora airily. “Amell is going to convince him for me.”

“I’m what?” Amell demanded, distracted from Furn’s uncharacteristically taciturn behavior. “Tora, doesn’t he know you’re here?”

“Not a clue,” Tora replied cheerfully. “But I don’t see why you should have all the excitement. Besides, you’ll need someone to watch your back.”

“I believe that’s my role, Your Highness,” said Furn, in the disapproving voice Amell so often heard from his other guards, and so rarely heard from Furn. It awoke such a familiar frustration that almost in spite of himself, Amell was goaded to his sister’s defense.

“No need to scold, Furn,” he frowned. “She’s not wrong about there being no good reason for her to miss the excitement.”

“This isn’t a festival, Your Highnesses,” Furn said, his tone clipped. “It’s a visit to the site of a violent crime, that site also being a prison containing the continent’s most dangerous criminals.”

“Yes, we’re aware of our destination, thank you,” said Tora pleasantly. She turned slightly in her saddle to face her brother. “You’ll speak up for me to Father, won’t you, Amell? Tell him you think I should be allowed to come?”

Ever sympathetic to a plea to be included in the action, Amell shrugged. “I’m willing to, Tora, of course I am. But I’m not sure how far my word will go. Honestly, Furn would be more likely to convince him.”

“But Furn is determined to be disagreeable where I’m concerned,” Tora informed him calmly, without looking at the guard.

Amell did so, however, and was amazed to see that Furn’s expression was more deadpan than ever.

“You’re not going to be disagreeable, are you, Furn?” he asked.

“It’s never my intention, Your Highness,” Furn replied, his voice mild enough. “But I must confess, I don’t think it’s a good idea for the princess to come.”

“Why not?” Amell demanded.

Furn cleared his throat, avoiding looking at Tora at all. “I do not wish to speak ill of my peers, Your Highness, but I have sometimes felt that the princess’s personal guards are not as competent as one might wish.”

“Oh yes, we all know Tora’s guards are embarrassingly easy to dupe,” said Amell matter-of-factly, glancing back at the two mounted men sitting just out of earshot. “But it’s not a bad thing, Furn. Her life would be insufferable if she could never shake them, or hoodwink them into doing what she wanted. She doesn’t have someone understanding in charge, like I do.”

This compliment failed to wipe the grim look from Furn’s face. Peering at his friend, Amell realized Furn was genuinely troubled. Perhaps he was anxious about his ability to keep both of the young royals safe if Tora’s guards failed to do their duty in the event of danger at the prison.

But seeing the hardness around Furn’s jaw, Amell couldn’t help but wonder whether the guard’s refusal to aid their cause actually sprung from annoyance at their earlier prying into his personal affairs. It wasn’t like Furn to be so reactive, even on the many occasions Amell had shown much less sensitivity than he and Tora had just now.

Amell opened his mouth, but before he could put his foot in it, as he surely would have done with any attempt to peel back Furn’s suddenly stiff outer layer, his father appeared in the castle’s entranceway, and his thoughts returned rapidly to the matter at hand.

The king’s gaze passed over the assembled travelers, lingering on his children for only a moment before he turned to exchange words with the captain of his guard. Once he was mounted, however, he urged his horse toward their little group.

“Amell, I’m glad to see you here punctually.” He nodded in acknowledgment of Furn’s presence.

“Of course, Father,” said Amell. “I wouldn’t hold you up.”

The king nodded without much conviction, his eyes traveling on to his daughter. “Tora, what are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d join the visit, Father,” said Tora placidly. “I can ride with Amell and Sir Furnis.”

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