Page 74 of Sword of Desire
“Is Lyle still incapacitated?” Ackley asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
“I doubt it.” The poison only lasted so many hours, and it had been days. Water dripped from her hair, though her clothes remained dry thanks to the cape she’d worn.
She and Ackley headed along the corridor. “Fletcher and Dalton,” Ackley called out as two of his Knights approached. “Owen and Idina are in the sitting room with the rest of my Knights. The two of you need to organize my soldiers. Lock down the castle. No one comes or goes until we find Lyle. Oh, and someone needs to locate Harley’s mother, Lady Mayle. Understood?”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Both men placed a fist over their chests before hurrying away.
“My mother was here in a guest suite.” She couldn’t remember if she’d included that detail when she’d told Ackley and Owen everything that had happened since the last time she saw them.
“I’m aware of that fact seeing as how your mother knocked me over the head.”
“She did?” Harley had a hard time envisioning her mother behaving in such a way.
“She was helping Lyle,” Ackley revealed. “I don’t know if she can be trusted—which is why we need to find her.”
Harley doubted her mother would have left the castle on her own. She wasn’t even certain Lady Mayle could ride a horse. However, after discovering her father wasn’t her father and the man who’d raised her wasn’t what she thought, she couldn’t be sure about her mother either.
They entered the kitchen. “What are we doing in here?” she asked, her teeth chattering.
“This is the warmest room in the castle.” He pulled her closer to the hearth. “Stand here for a few minutes and warm yourself. Then we’ll start hunting.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t kill Lyle myself.” She’d had two opportunities and failed both times.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” He started checking the weapons hidden throughout his clothes.
“I thought I could either poison him or bring him here and put him in the dungeon. I wanted Owen to have the chance to question him.”
“Why?” After tightening his weapons belt, he leaned against the table and folded his arms, watching her with curiosity.
She shrugged. “It seems Owen and I deserve an answer.”
“Sometimes there isn’t one.”
She wanted to tell him Silas was Lyle’s father but didn’t feel like getting into that at the moment. She was still reeling over the shock that she’d been fooled all her life.
“You look better,” Ackley commented. “Your lips aren’t blue any longer.”
The warmth from the fire had seeped into her body. “I know Lyle has to be near here; I just don’t know where.”
“Your soldiers?”
She rubbed her eyes, warding off the increasing tiredness. “A dozen came with me. The rest were leaving as soon as they could. One of the captains said he’d organize them. They’re supposed to form a perimeter or something around the castle once they get here.”
Ackley nodded. “They’re probably a solid day behind you.”
“What do you think we should do?”
He tilted his head to the side. “What doyouthink we should do?”
She was too tired to think. She rubbed her face, trying to work through everything. She’d explained to her men that Owen was alive and well. Most of them seemed wary about the news, especially since that meant Harley was a traitor. She’d told them she only took the throne to ensure Owen’s safety and that when they returned to the castle, they would have proof. Thankfully, Owen was here and most of the captains knew him. She’d deal with the part about her being a traitor later.
“The only way Lyle wins, is if Owen’s dead.” Harley started pacing, imagining what needed to be done as if each event were a move on a game board. If she strategized through this correctly, she could figure out a way to win.
“I agree.”
“Silas and Lyle came here because this castle is safe. It is where the royal family lives.” And it was where Owen would come. “He’s going after Owen.”
Ackley nodded.
