Page 57 of Sword of Desire
Lyle shook his head. “I wish that was the case,” he said. “However, the entire royal family was executed during the Russek takeover. I know most of you saw the executions.”
“Are you suggesting that those claiming Prince Owen is alive are simply mistaken?” the officer asked.
“I am,” Lyle responded. “It’s imperative that we move forward quickly. I received information that ships arrived carrying an army from a kingdom called Marsden.”
Ackley’s skin prickled at the mention of his own land.
“We believe Marsden is trying to exploit our weakness to overtake our kingdom. They mistakenly assume we are defenseless and without a leader. They are wrong. I’m sending all of you to join with our troops up north to deal with this threat. If the leader of the Marsden army is claiming to be Owen to make it easier to take our kingdom, I will make him pay. Owen is dead, and I am king.” Lyle gave no room for questions.
Harley’s eyebrows raised ever so slightly, as if doubting her husband. Of course, Ackley could be reading too much into it, seeing things he wanted to, rather than what was there.
“I’ll go first,” Lord Silas announced. He turned and knelt before Harley. With great flourish, he took her hand in his. He swore his oath as the leader of Penlar, speaking slowly and with conviction.
When he finished, the soldiers began lining up. Harley clutched Lyle’s hand and smiled at him. The simple act felt like a dagger through Ackley’s heart. That smile, the one she so rarely bestowed, she’d just given to Lyle—her husband.
Ackley’s fingers curled inward, forming two fists. He wanted to rush forward, smashing Lyle’s face. He wanted to grab Harley, throw her over his shoulder, and run from the room. Relaxing his hands, he forced himself to calm down and not do anything rash.
Soldier after soldier stepped up to the dais, declaring his oath. Ackley couldn’t get that close to Lyle. Someone as shrewd as him would notice Ackley’s darker hair and eyes. Ackley needed to sneak out of there without anyone noticing. But he had to look at Harley one last time.
Just then, Harley turned Ackley's way, and their eyes locked for a brief two seconds before she blinked and glanced away. During those two seconds, she hadn’t shown any indication that she recognized him. The blank look on her face made it seem as if he appeared to be just another soldier.
It felt as if he sunk deeper into the quicksand, it now covering his mouth and nose, swallowing him up. Either Harley played her part exceptionally well, or she’d been fooling him this entire time.
* * *
Ackley exited the tiny storage room, hoping it was late enough that the activity in the castle had died down. He needed to find Harley and talk to her. He had to know if she wanted to be extracted. Cracking his knuckles, he went over various plans in his head, accounting for different contingencies.
Remaining in the shadows cast by the intermittent torches hanging on the walls, he made his way along the corridor. The place almost felt too quiet.
Soft voices came from the room up ahead on the right. Ackley slowed, being careful not to make a sound as he approached the doorway.
“Are we certain Owen got the message?” a man asked.
“Yes.”
“How can you be so sure?”
A low, dark chuckle rumbled from the room. “Harley, the idiot that she is, thought she was communicating with Rikter when she wrote it. I took the message and put it where Owen’s other man would find it.”
“I know you caught Rikter, but what of this other man?”
Ackley knew Rikter would never give up information, which probably meant he was dead.
“I let him go to make sure the news reached Owen. I’m keeping tabs on him though. That’s why I believe another one of Owen’s men is here.”
“Is that why you have Harley locked up?”
Fury filled Ackley at the thought of Harley being locked up like an animal. He knew what being stuck in the closet did to her.
“One of the reasons. The wench tried to murder me. As if she could kill someone.”
Pride filled Ackley along with a sense of relief. Harley had tried killing the bloke. That meant he could trust her, and it had all been an act with Lyle.
“Are our men in Losger ready for Owen?”
“More than ready. Once Owen goes near the place, he’ll be killed. My soldiers have direct orders.”
“Aren’t you concerned he’ll manage to raise an army?”
