Page 194 of Unrivaled
“We’re accompanying you south,” Jameison told her.“Now.If it doesn’t fit in your saddlebags or takes you more time’n it takes me to fill my belly, you don’t take it with you.”He turned and, with a piercing whistle, strode toward the barracks.
South.Wolves howled around us.No one moved.We all stood, iced over.
“Don’t go,” Isolde said, the words just loud enough to reach my ears.“You can’t fight on his terms.”
I couldn’t remember Duchess Arabella’s face.The fear was there, though, fresh as the first snow.Men moved before us.From my peripheral, I couldn’t see the lady, but I’d know if she moved.Steps rose and fell in time with the beating of my heart.Tired, dirty faces didn’t dare look at us.
If Audrey didn’t go, the next group wouldn’t just ride into the bailey a little short on their manners.I kept my eyes straight ahead.The spear in my hand was cold but solid.It would do.I would do.I’d died in the South once.I’d do it again.I’d do it here.Neither of the women behind me moved, but the soldiers had.
I waited for her order to die.To kill.To breathe.
The Duke’s men were seeing us.Noting our lack of response.They knew we weren’t following their orders, but hers.They moved, wary.We waited, tense.We’d had the upper hand when we had surprise.
That surprise was bleeding out.
“I don’t need to fight,” Audrey murmured.“And…I can’tnotgo.”
“I saw no official summons,” Isolde objected.“Demand a writ.”
“He has a writ,” my lady said, emotionless.“You know he does.”
“This is a trap, Audrey.”Isolde’s words were as sharp as the tip of my spear and as far away as the sun.
We all knew it was a trap.
We all knew it was an order.
The Duke gave the orders.We followed.Until we couldn’t lift our arms and our legs could barely hold.Until the weeping finally ended.Until the silence fell.Until the cold thawed.The Duke gave the orders.The whimpers, the wind carried them away.
“I’m aware.”My lady turned.I thought I heard snow crunch under her boots, but it was just some grit on the steps.
The wind screamed like wolves.I made my lungs work.Icy air burned.Men wearing the same sigil as me looked at me like I was a corpse on the snow.My heart beat in time with the rise and fall of their boots.Blood pumped, soaking into my boots, hot against the bitter chill biting into my toes.I tightened my hand on my spear.
The Duke ordered.
We died in the South.Again.Forever and always.
CHAPTERSEVENTY
AUDREY
No disrespect intended, of course, but I’m still shocked you let the last Wolfsblood from your sight.You’re not the type to make the same error twice…but I do worry for you.—in a letter from General Dieudonné, Count of Black Borough to General Victor, Duke of La'Angi
27thDay of Autumn’s Son Moon,
Age of the Locways, Year 272
La’Angi Keep
My thoughts collided.Things I needed to do.Plans I needed to make.The door to my tower approached and Isolde went ahead to open it.She was shorter than me.How long had she been shorter than me?I remembered the way she’d shaken and flinched and I was already back up in my tower trying to soothe her.I tripped over my own feet and a hand bit into my elbow, steadying me even as I caught myself.Chay’s hand.I had to change my pace because of it.He threw me off.His hand stayed until I looked at him.
I couldn’t deal with him.I didn’t want to worry about what his expression meant.Isolde opened the door and I followed.My guards would close us in.Keep us safe.
We had to go.
“This is a trap,” Isolde said, the words emphasized by the sound of the bar falling over the door behind us.They echoed around the tower.
“I know it’s a trap.”I couldn’t fight him.Not surrounded by an army.That was fine.It gave me more time, didn’t it?My skirts tangled around my feet, the fabric wrapping around my legs like briars.“I know it’s a trap.I know what’s happening.”
