News of battle made it to Craw Coorie from another mounted messenger. Lochlan and Ascomannian forces had patiently waited while Kalorian troops squeezed onto the strip of land, and then attacked from the river side, stream side, and north. Meanwhile ships sailed down from the bay to royal lands for the battle that would take place there.
So far everything had gone according to plan, much to the joy and relief of all the leaders in Craw Coorie.
“At this rate you could be back in the castle as soon as tomorrow, my queen,” said Harrison.
“Seas willing,” she whispered, too afraid to hope.
Once she’d been informed, the officers left the thatched house where Aerity was to remain during the battle, surrounded by guards. She looked around at the others. They appeared as tired as she felt, especially Paxton, who had finally sat and was rubbing his face.
He brought his palms down to rest on his thighs and looked at Aerity. They stared at each other, neither appearing happy, and both steady in mutual agreement: it was too good to be real. Knowing what a cunning man Prince Vito was, it seemed unlikely he’d fall so easily for their trick. They were dealing with an evil mastermind. Others might forget it, but Aerity and Paxton could not.
After well over an hour, the confined room began to feel stifling. Aerity could not bring herself to sit still or eat the food they’d been brought. For once she had more energy than Vixie, who looked on the verge of passing out from exhaustion at any moment. Aerity so desperately wanted to fly above the lands like a hawk and see what was happening.
“Aerity, you’re going to wear a path in this poor family’s rug,” Wyneth said gently. “And if you don’t eat something your body will eventually crash.” Her cousin held out a plate with a buttered roll, roasted pumpkin, and a poached egg.
She took it and sat heavily at the table, wanting to appease Wyneth. She took a nibble of the roll and pushed the pumpkin around until Wyn cleared her throat and nodded at the plate. Aerity shoved a bite of roasted pumpkin in her mouth and had to grab a cup of water to wash it down when it got stuck. She forced down several more bites before pushing it away, stomach aching.
“Give it here.” Vixie sounded grumpy as she sat across from Aerity and took the plate, absently putting bites into her mouth. Furball walked over to her, put a hand on the bench next to her, and began to lift himself up to the table.
Wyneth made a sharp click with her mouth that caused Furball to jump back, away from the table.
“Good boy,” she said. She grabbed a sausage from her plate and tossed it to him, shrugging when Harrison crossed his arms and gave her a rueful look. “What? It’s not as if you lot were going to eat it.”
He opened his mouth to speak but didn’t have a chance. A hurried knock at the door pulled him away. Paxton stood and went to Harrison’s side as he opened it. One of the officers stood there with fervent worry in his eyes that made Aerity’s stomach plummet.
“Bad news, Lieutenant. When the Kalorians realized they were under attack, half their forces stayed to fight while the other half fled across the stream. But instead of continuing south, they turned and headed northward. We hadn’t expected that since the stream is chest deep and nearly frozen. We’re not certain if they’re trying to circle and hit our forces from behind, or if they’re taking the long route here to Craw Coorie, but it’s time for the town to brace and the queen to be moved.”
“Aye,” said Harrison. “Though the Kalorians will be in poor shape after going through the stream. And what of the small village on the other side of the stream? Have their people evacuated?”
“Those that remained have been told to flee.”
“Very good. I want the queen, princess, and lady taken to safety straightaway,” Harrison said.
The officer nodded and pivoted to leave. Harrison turned to Aerity and the other lasses. “A boat awaits to take you across the Loch of Lanach where the town of Easthaven will harbor you.”
“Fine, thank you,” said Aerity, knowing better than to argue. Paxton’s shoulders lost their tension when she agreed.
“I’m going to get an idea of their arrival time and round up your horses,” Harrison said. “This is only a minor setback. Nothing we can’t handle.” He gave Wyneth a warm look and she rewarded him with a small, reassuring smile before he turned to go.
“Will you come with us?” Aerity asked Paxton.
His eyes moved to the door and then back to her. He grasped the back of his neck. Aerity felt a pinch of worry in her chest when she realized he wanted to stay and probably to fight. Or heal. Or both.
“Pax, please,” Aerity said, her chest expanding and collapsing with each bang of her heart. He came to her and took her hands.
“Soldiers will accompany you,” he told her gently. “I’ll be the first across that lake once things settle.”
Aerity closed her eyes, trying to calm her anxiety. She knew she could beg and even use guilt tactics to make him leave with them, but she also knew his mind and heart would remain here, in Craw Coorie, feeling as if he’d abandoned the other men when every hand was needed . . . feeling as if he’d taken the coward’s route.
“Please be safe,” she implored.
He leaned his face down to kiss her when a bang rocked the ground beneath their feet. Vixie screamed and voices outside rose to a shattering volume of screams and shouts. Paxton’s eyes went huge.
“What was that?” Wyneth asked.
“Gunpowder explosion,” Paxton said.
“It sounded close.” A wave of panic crashed through Aerity. “Maybe even town hall.”
“We’ve got to get you out of here.” Paxton pulled her by the hand and looked at Wyneth and Vixie when he got to the door. “Stay close!” They huddled with Furball at their side.
Aerity wasn’t prepared for the shock of what she saw when they came out of the cottage. Her guards had fanned out, staring at the commotion, with their bows and arrows drawn.
Beyond the hill that hid them was the town square and town hall. Flames shot high into the air, stretching its smoke into the darkness of night. From the corner of her eye, Aerity saw a flash of light as something came soaring through the air.
“Watch out!” she screamed, pointing. Paxton pushed them back just as the flaming arrow hit the thatched roof of the tiny house next to them. It crackled and quickly spread until its roof was in flames. Heat wafted toward them.
“Where is Harrison with the blasted horses?” Paxton yelled. The four of them peered around at the commoners with armfuls of belongings, and soldiers who were pointing, directing, and running with weapons brandished. But so far not a single enemy could be seen in their valley.
Wyneth murmured a plea to the sea under her breath.
Paxton looked at Aerity. “He must have met interference. I’m going for the horses myself. Stay behind your guards. If anything happens, run north and don’t look back.” She squeezed his hands and he sprinted up and over the hill.
The three girls clung to each other in silence, watching the chaos. Their guards moved in closer to surround them. A covered cart rounded the hill and sped down toward them, halting as the guard’s arrows were aimed at its single driver, a Lochlan commoner.
“An army of Kalorians are just through those trees—” The moment the man said it, another flaming arrow came soaring from the woods, hitting the ground and skidding to a halt in front of them. A guard stomped it out. The man continued in a rush. “I carry two riders, villagers from across the stream, but there’s room for three more: two in the carriage and one up front with me. Any takers?”
The guards looked at one another, then their eyes went to Aerity. She shook her head. “I will wait for Paxton.”
One of the guards hurried forward and bent his head so only the royal lasses could hear. “Your Majesty, I implore you to go now. And to take two guards.”
“I’m not leaving my sister and cousin.”
“Aerity, don’t be absurd!” Wyneth said.
“Go!” Vixie pleaded. “We’ll be right behind you.”
The guard’s eyes beseeched her and Aerity exhaled, knowing she had a duty to keep herself safe. “All right.” She kissed Wyneth and Vixie quickly on their cheeks. She did not want to leave them. Every footstep toward the carriage went against her instincts.
Please let Harrison and Paxton be safe. Please let Vixie and Wyneth follow me to safety straightaway.
One of the guards climbed up next to the driver in front. Her guard opened the door to the carriage and looked in at the occupants before nodding and ushering Aerity up, then climbing in himself. Seconds later they were moving. Aerity glanced at the two commoner women, both who wore dirty aprons, and she gave them nods, which they returned. If they recognized her, they didn’t make a fuss. She wished there were windows in the cart, but the cloth covering was tight over the carriage.
A shout came from the front of the cart, followed by a loud grunt and a thud. The cart shifted momentarily as if the weight in the front had changed. Aerity grasped the seat to keep from falling. Her guard grabbed the door and was about to swing it open to peer out when the driver shouted back through the cloth wall overhead.
“Sorry about that! All clear now!”
Her guard sat back slowly, appearing as edgy as Aerity felt. The commoner women took the bump in stride, silently. Aerity’s eyes dropped to their hands in their laps and her stomach filled with agitated, nervous buzzing. They were Lashed.
She scolded herself for the rush of prejudice and fear that seeing their lash marks brought. She had no reason to feel distress in the presence of her own Lashed commoners, unfriendly though they may be.
“I thank you for sharing your cart,” Aerity said.
The woman stared, straight-faced, and did not reply. Aerity’s neck prickled.
Her guard sat forward. “This is your queen, Aerity Lochson, who has addressed you—”
“It’s okay, sir.” Aerity lay a hand on his forearm just as shouting rose up behind the cart.
“Stop them!” she heard. Was that Paxton’s voice? She sat up straighter.
One of the women sprang and grabbed the guard’s hand. He tried to pull away, but in a split second his face slackened and he fell forward. Aerity stared in horror at his body at their feet before a shattering scream tore from her throat. She lunged for the door, but the women grabbed her and pushed her back. She screamed, kicked, and flailed her arms against their holds. The cart moved faster.
“Stay still or we will kill you,” one of the women said in Kalorian.
Aerity loathed the whimper that escaped as she went limp in obedience.