Page 24 of Kingdom of Locks

The king scowled. “It’s not an expedition of pleasure, Tora. This is a serious affair. Your presence was never part of the deal.”

“I understand the situation, Father,” Tora said. “And I’m taking it seriously, I assure you. I simply want to understand what’s going on, so I can better support the response from back here in the castle. Surely this is the safest time for me to visit, when I can travel in the midst of such a large group of trained fighters.”

The king’s gaze passed skeptically to her two guards, who were sitting to attention in their saddles, but looked visibly nervous under their king’s scrutiny.

“If safety is truly the issue, Father,” Tora pressed, “you needn’t worry. I’ll stay with Amell the whole time, and Sir Furnis will look after me.” She threw the guard an innocent look. “Won’t you, Sir Furnis?”

Furn’s jaw worked for a moment, his eyes meeting Tora’s at last. Then all at once he bent his head in a stiff bow to the king. “Of course I will do so if that’s your desire, Your Majesty.”

King Bern sighed, looking distractedly back at the captain of his guard, who was waiting for him. “Oh, very well. If Sir Furnis is willing to take responsibility for your safety, I suppose this is the best opportunity we’ll get for you to view the site. But it’s a one time visit, understand? You will return to the castle with the group this evening, and stay here.”

“Yes, Father,” said Tora brightly, struggling to hide her delight.

The king had already turned away, but Amell didn’t miss the anxious look on Furn’s face.

“It’s a lot to ask of you, Furn,” Amell said repentantly. “Of course you’re right that if there is any genuine danger, the ineptitude of Tora’s own guards could be a bit of an issue.”

Tora opened her mouth, a clear protest in her eyes, but when her gaze flicked to Furn, she seemed to deflate a little.

“It is a big ask, isn’t it?” she admitted. “I’m sorry I threw you into it, Furn. Perhaps I had better stay.”

The guard’s steely expression softened slightly. “Nonsense, Your Highness,” he said, his voice still a little gruff. “It’s no trouble. I don’t anticipate any danger.”

“Don’t you?” Tora asked, a smile instantly breaking across her face at her victory. “Not even alittledanger? That’s disappointing.”

Furn’s tension returned instantly, and Amell gave his sister a look. She was bouncing in her saddle, showing no sign of the dejection that had softened Furn. When had she become adept at using emotion to manipulate people? He’d never noticed it before.

“You’re shameless,” he muttered to her, as she turned her horse around to exchange a few words with her guards.

“You have no idea,” she assured him, a small smile tugging up one corner of her lips.

She was still speaking with her guards a moment later, when King Bern once again approached his son.

“We should be there within four hours. Don’t wander off from the group. I’ll meet with the warden as soon as we arrive. You can join me.”

Amell nodded dutifully, but as soon as his father was gone, he turned a dismayed face to Furn. “Four hours? You were right about the group traveling slowly, Furn.” He made a face. “I can’t even suggest we ride on ahead, can I? Since Father’s just told me not towander off, like a small child.”

Furn smiled, but kindly refrained from pointing out what Amell already knew—that his indignation at his father’s warning lost some weight given he’d just admitted a desire to do precisely what his father had predicted.

The king’s assessment of time proved to be depressingly accurate. It was past noon by the time the group arrived at the magically reinforced prison. Amell let out a low whistle when the road emerged from the dense forest and the facility came into view.

It was a surprisingly pleasant building for what it was. Its three wings formed three sides of a square, the open edge revealing an enclosed outdoor area in the middle. The whole structure sat in the center of a large cleared section of forest, its surroundings remarkably peaceful for a prison.

Or at least, it must have been pleasant and peaceful a few days before. The view that met Amell’s eyes was one of industry, with guards swarming all over the clearing. And the building’s gray stone walls and neat tiled roof were somewhat marred by the blackened pile of rubble that had once formed one end of the horseshoe.

“Explosion was no exaggeration,” Amell commented to Furn.

The guard nodded, his troubled expression suggesting that he found the sight as confronting as Amell did. It was one thing to hear about a prison break. It was quite another to see with their own eyes the violence that had achieved it, and be reminded of the mischief the fugitives might even now be perpetrating across the countryside.

“I don’t see any prisoners,” Tora commented.

“Would you expect to, from out here?” Amell asked.

In answer, Furn nodded to a nearby section of clearing, and Amell realized that it was a currently abandoned logging yard.

“Oh, the prisoners must work there sometimes,” he mused aloud. “Father told the warden to focus on securing the rest of the inmates. I’m guessing they’re all locked inside until this crisis has been addressed.”

“I’m sure you’re right, Your Highness,” Furn agreed.

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