Page 56 of Sword of Desire
Emma hurried over, carrying a dark red gown. She opened the laces and held it for Harley. Harley stepped into the gown, and Emma cinched it up.
“I’ll need a necklace,” Harley said. “And a pin for my hair. Both are in the queen’s dressing room on the right. Can you please get those items while I put my shoes on?” She slid her one shoe off and pushed it out from under her gown.
“Yes, of course.” Emma rushed back to the dressing room.
Harley grabbed the key, shoving it into her bosom. Then she tucked the sacks up her gown and under her waist band. Lastly, with the bulky letters, she had to split them in half to hide them in her undergarments. She stood just as Emma ran back in with a necklace and hair pin.
“Thank you,” Harley said, gathering her hair and holding it up so Emma could attach the necklace. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
A loud grumble sounded.
“Is that your stomach making those noises?” Emma asked.
Harley released her hair. “It is. I haven’t eaten today.”
Emma shook her head. “I’ll make sure something is brought to your room for you.”
“Thank you.” Harley clutched the woman’s arm and squeezed it in appreciation. “Now we must go before Lyle becomes angry.”
Together, they exited the room. With the items stashed in Harley’s gown, she felt extremely uncomfortable walking and feared something would slip out. However, she forced a smile on her face as she made her way down the stairs and to the first floor of the castle. They stopped outside the great hall and the doors swung open, revealing a room packed with soldiers.
Ackley
In the great hall, Ackley made his way over to the side to be near one of the exits. Just in case. Thankfully there were well over a hundred soldiers in attendance, and he could easily blend in amongst them. At the front of the room, two throne chairs sat on the raised dais. He wondered if Harley would be attending today’s event—whatever today’s event was—and if she’d sit in one of the throne chairs.
Yesterday, he witnessed Harley crowned. She’d been even more beautiful than he remembered. As she’d taken her oath, she looked confident and poised, as if she wanted to be crowned. A week ago, he wouldn’t have thought it possible. But given all he’d learned since being there, he realized he didn’t know Harley as well as he thought he did.
Ackley listened in on the conversations of those around him, trying to learn as much information as he could. The snippets he caught had to do mostly with troop movement. It sounded as if they intended to leave the castle in two days, marching north.
A hush descended over those gathered, and the soldiers stood a little taller. Movement came from the front of the room. One of the side doors opened, and Lyle entered the great hall. He strode to the dais, climbed the steps, and then turned and faced those present.
Ackley’s fingers itched to withdraw his dagger and impale it into Lyle’s eyeball.
The back doors swung open, and Harley stepped forward. She glided toward the dais looking like a queen. Holding her head high, the dark red dress swayed around her body. Her golden hair cascaded down her back. Lyle proffered his hand, and she took it, climbing the steps to stand alongside him.
It felt as if Ackley had eaten a handful of worms. Seeing Harley on the dais alongside her husband made him want to vomit.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Lyle said. “Before you swear fealty to your new queen, there is an issue we must address.”
It felt as if Ackley stood in quicksand. This room was filled with soldiers there to swear loyalty to their new queen. If Harley wasn’t a willing participant, then she wouldn’t be cooperating. Instead, she would be fighting for Owen.
Maybe there was something going on that Ackley wasn’t aware of. Some vital piece of information he had yet to discover. His legs wanted to run from the great hall, to do something to discover what the missing piece was. Because he knew Harley wouldn’t have betrayed him.
Unable to tear his gaze away from her face, he remained rooted in place, watching.
“I’d hoped to have written proof of Queen Harley’s birthright,” Lyle said. “Until the late king’s possessions can be found, Lord Silas of Penlar has agreed to be a witness.”
The side door opened, and Lord Silas entered the great hall. Ackley recognized his gait right away—he was the man from the other night. The one Ackley had followed to the dungeon. Which meant Lord Silas had been talking to his wife, Lady Mayle.
“As many of you know,” Lord Silas began, “I raised Queen Harley as my daughter. However, I’ve known since before she was born that she is not my blood. Lady Mayle conceived Harley with the late King Coden. Harley is the late king’s illegitimate child, putting her in line for the throne.” Lord Silas looked over his shoulder at Harley. “I’ve loved her as my own, but she is not mine.”
Harley’s eyes glistened with tears, but she quickly blinked them away. It was the first crack Ackley had seen in her facade.
“Since there can be no objections to Queen Harley’s line to the throne, let’s begin with the oaths,” Lyle said.
It felt as if Ackley sunk deeper into the quicksand, his legs now stuck, unable to move.
“Pardon me,” an older officer said. “There are rumors Prince Owen is alive.”
