Page 5 of Sword of Desire
“Your Highness,” a familiar voice said, coming up behind Ackley.
He allowed Finnegan, one of his most trusted men, to catch up with him.
“Captain Gytha is asking if we should set up camp in Melenia before nightfall?”
As the first group, they determined how far the army traveled each day. “We’re crossing the border.” They were too close to Landania not to seek refuge there.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Finnegan said.
Not wanting Landania—and Emperion by extension—to think Ackley was invading with his army, he’d written a letter to the empress of Emperion stating his case and asking for asylum. “Lieutenant, I need you to do something for me.” He withdrew the letter from under his tunic. “Take my horse, this letter, and this map.” Ackley pulled out another paper, handing everything to Finnegan. “See that this letter is delivered to the empress. Bring her reply to me immediately.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Finnegan tucked the letter and map into his belt before mounting the horse and taking off.
Gytha joined Ackley. “What’s going on?” she demanded. “Are we making camp for the night?”
“Eventually.”
“Are those…heads on spikes?” Gytha asked, her voice rising higher pitched than usual.
“Unfortunately.” He was surprised she hadn’t seen them before when she and Ledger had met him and Harley near the border.
“Are you certain you don’t want to set up camp here?”
Ackley snorted, as if here was safer. “We need to enter Landania before we stop.” That way if Lyle attacked them, they’d be on Emperion soil, and it would be seen as an assault on the empress.
Gytha shivered. “You never did tell me what you were doing in Russek.” They continued down the hill, toward the spikes. She didn’t say anything else. If she suspected why he’d gone, she gave no indication she knew.
“I met with Kerdan,” he revealed.
“The Russek prince in exile?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
He didn’t feel like discussing it now—especially with so many soldiers around. “Russek isn’t the enemy.”
“Even though they did all this?” Gytha waved a hand at the spikes.
“The late King Drenton is responsible for this.” He nodded at the severed heads. “He’s dead. One day soon, Kerdan will sit on the throne. He is not evil like his father was.” However, the Russek soldiers were ruthless and would require someone strong and capable like Kerdan to keep them in line.
The smell hit Ackley like a boulder so he pulled his tunic up over his mouth and nose. Flies buzzed. Most of the heads were severely decayed with missing eyeballs and rotting flesh. A few vultures flew overhead.
The stench caused several soldiers to vomit. Ackley forced one foot in front of the other, focusing on the ground in front of him.
“I assume there aren’t any towns nearby?” Gytha asked.
“No.” While there could be a small village or two, there weren’t any cities around for miles. It was one of the reasons he chose this location. The other was the low rolling hills. Once they went over the one up ahead, they would set up camp and no one looking from Melenia would see them. They’d be close, but not too close. Plus, he didn’t want to encroach too far into Landania and upset the empress. He had no idea what sort of woman she was. He’d never heard of a woman lording over a kingdom, let alone one the size of Emperion. She had to be smart, mighty, and not one to trifle with. Ackley would have to tread carefully.
He’d already told Gytha where they were going and why. He suspected she’d asked the question to take her mind off the row of death. They stepped foot into Landania, and Ackley’s shoulders relaxed.
“Where did Finnegan go?” Gytha asked, nodding up ahead where the soldier disappeared over a low hill.
“He’s taking a letter to the empress.” Ackley didn’t know how long it would take for his man to reach Rema and return with an answer.
After traveling about two miles, he gave the command to stop. His men immediately got to work setting up the tents and cooking food. The second group arrived and got to work. Three and a half hours later, all seven hundred of his men were accounted for. Darkness had descended as he stood outside his tent, looking over the camp they’d erected. He made a list of tasks that needed to be completed.
