Page 25 of The Wolf Queen

“But—”

“You’ll need all your patience to deal with your sister tomorrow,” Gael said, nudging his shoulder. “A warrior is always alert and ready to act, but he can’t be if he doesn’t get enough sleep. We’ll be in bed shortly.” He yawned theatrically. “Everyone’s dead on our feet.”

Gael’s words seemed to act as a reminder because everyone started to move, gathering bed rolls, banking the fire’s flames and cleaning up the mess of dinner. But when I got up to go and hobble the horses, Rake did too.

“Milady…” His tone was quiet, respectful now, but also pitched so no one else could hear. Good things rarely came from such conversations. “No matter what happens in the capital, if you need to be extricated from this arrangement with the wargs—”

“Extricated?” I frowned.

He glanced from me to where Axe was walking off with Del at his heels.

“I’m sure the king never meant to force you into an alliance where you would be required to care for your… husbands’ by-blows.”

I laughed at that, then smothered my response, lest it bring the others back.

“I’m fairly sure the king didn’t give a rat’s arse for my fate,” I replied, crossing my arms. “And anyway, Jan and Del aren’t anyone’s illegitimate children. Their parents were killed by Reavers—”

“So it’s true…”

Rake hadn’t meant to let that out, I could tell. His cheeks flushed, his eyes widened, but I plunged on. Men like Rake frequented ale houses everywhere. The news I was about to impart might therefore be spread far and wide, putting more pressure on the Granian king to act, whoever ended up in charge.

“Of course it’s true. Why the hell would we be in Grania if it wasn’t for Callum and his Reavers?”

“Callum? Prince Callum?” Rake stepped closer, but I put a hand up to stop him from getting any closer.

“You know a lot about your history, messenger,” I said.

“Perhaps.” It was as if the polite, thoughtful man who stood before me was packed away and replaced by the smirking prick from before. He regarded me with a lazy smile. “A messenger’s gotta be able to read, don’t he? No law against reading history books.”

And no inclination to do so, either. Many of my father’s people had their letters, but they preferred novels or the newspaper, not dusty tomes about the past.

“No, I guess not. Then you know about the threat the Reavers pose.”

“They were supposed to be a myth.” I watched him struggle to accept what I’d said, just like everyone else. “Agents of the old queens.”

“Well, this time they’re agents of a prince we thought long dead. Callum wields the power of the Morrigan, the Crone. He gains power from death, resurrects the newly slain as Reavers.” Rake’s eyes went wide, as well they might. “Whatever troops are sent against him, he’ll do his damnedest to kill and then repurpose as his own, growing his host. He took Snowmere and there’s nothing to make me think that will be enough for him.” I shifted slightly closer to the man. “You’re obviously no ordinary messenger, but a courtier with the ear of the prince, so I need something from you. I’ll give you what gold or jewels I can strip from my father’s estate to pay you with. When we get to Aramathia, tell Crown Prince Bryson that the Reavers are coming. Make him see that there’s much more pressing matters to attend to than taking a wife.”

I stared intently at him, willing him to agree. But those golden eyes flicked from side to side, not focused on me at all, but either dissecting the news I bore, or contemplating the gold I offered. Then he looked up and nodded.

“I’ll see it done, milady.”

Chapter17

Middlebury was a bustling town because it was the entrance into the northern region of Grania. Goods traded from north to south, or vice versa, came here first and men like my father sent their stewards, or came here themselves, to buy them. It was also where my mother was born.

Linnea had complained to my father more than once about the fact Father never took me with him when he went to Middlebury for trade. It was her home town as well and I think she would’ve liked the opportunity to visit them, using me as an excuse for her presence. But Father had just scoffed and left without listening to her pleas.

The streets were filled with people from every walk of life. As our horses picked their way between them, I noted that every casual glance in our direction became an outright stare as we passed. “Not many two-souled ever come this far south,” Gael told us, nodding to one girl with bright blue eyes standing there. “’Cept those that make it their home.”

And what kind of home was that? I wondered. When the surprise and curiosity at our appearance wore off, people went back to their errands, but gave the girl a wide berth. Her cheeks flushed as she put her head down and scurried off.

“I suspect lodgings are going to be hard to secure,” Dane said, then looked at Gael. “You know this town. Where do you suggest?”

“The Prince’s Arms will put you up, by royal decree,” Rake said, holding up a pristine roll of paper, complete with royal seal. “They’ll do so without complaint or they’ll hear from the crown prince himself. That should be enough to keep a civil tongue in most people’s heads.”

Would it?I wondered at that as we entered the stables, dismounting and handing our reins over to the stable lads. One just stared at me, and it seemed that having caught sight of my blue eyes he needed to actually force himself to take hold of my reins.

“Sheep, all of them,” Higgins announced, sweeping forward. “They know not of the wolf that comes. This is the dread lord’s chosen bride—!”

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