England 1366
From the ashes of vengeance and retribution, a legend is reborn.
The king of England was closing in fast. Reed was the only one of the triplet bastards still immune to the wiles of their birth father, Edward III.
Twice now, King Edward III had succeeded in turning Reed’s brothers into naught more than simpering dolts. Not long ago, they’d all worked together to raid the king - vowing vengeance on the father who wanted them killed at birth. But now his brothers, Rowen and Rook, paid allegiance to the man instead.
Mounted atop his horse, Reed led his small army back toward the catacombs where his brother, Reed, had recently lived. The stab of betrayal tore at his gut and his vengeance now found a new home – against his brothers. Never had he thought Rook would turn against him the way Rowen had done. But he’d seen it with his own eyes. Rook jousted to try to win Lady Calliope’s hand in marriage, knowing all along he was planning on accepting the king’s deal instead of remembering why they were there – to raid him.
Once a team with his brothers and known as the legendary Demon Thief, they raided from Edward to pay back the misery he’d bestowed upon his own bastard sons. Now the tide had turned and Reed felt like a ship lost at sea with no way home.
“Reed, slow down,” said his good friend, Gair, riding Rook’s horse. Reed wasn’t about to leave his brother’s horse at Naward Castle while he watched the traitor get married and be knighted. Rook would have wealth, a castle, a title and a noble wife now. None of these things motivated Reed. The only reason he raided was to get back at his father. He never even kept the pilfered goods, but instead gave them to the MacKeefe Clan in the Highlands where he’d been living with Ross for the last ten years. Ross had been the only father he ever knew. Never would Reed accept Edward as his father.
“I canna slow down. I’m too angry,” spat Reed.
“But the men are on foot and carryin’ trunks and barrels and all the goods we’ve stolen from Edward.”
Reed glanced back over his shoulder at Naward Castle where the huge celebration was still in progress. He didn’t see Edward’s soldiers coming after them yet. Then again, what started out as a jousting competition to win a lady’s hand in marriage ended up as a horrific melee.
“All right,” said Reed, slowing down. “Edward’s men havena come after us yet. But ye better believe that it willna be long before they come lookin’ for the king’s goods.”
“Then we need to get back to Scotland as soon as possible,” said Gair.
“Aye.” Reed nodded, wondering just how they were going to do that. Brody, Rowen’s first mate when he was a pirate, had given them a ride here on the Sea Mirage. But Brody wasn’t willing to raid with them since he thought that would be betraying Rowen. It was sickening the way Brody was still loyal to Rowen. Rowen wasn’t a pirate anymore and, yet, Brody acted as if they were still good friends.
Reed’s red kite shrieked from above him, making a quick circle in the sky before the hawk headed back to the catacombs. His brothers’ birds were nowhere in sight. It seemed odd – and lonely.
“Mayhap we can hide in the catacombs until we secure transportation back to Scotland,” suggested Gair. Gair was a short man with red hair like Reed. He had been one of Reed’s closest friends growing up in Scotland. Gair lost his family the night of Burnt Candlemas, just like Reed had. As Edward pillaged and burned the lands, Reed and his brothers were separated, taking them ten years to find one another again. Reed had gone to live with Ross in the Highlands. Gair, being all alone, had joined them.
“Nay, it willna be safe since Rook is now against us,” said Reed. “He kens the catacombs and we dinna. Even if we hide deeper in the mazes, he’ll find us or we’ll get lost.”
“What will we do?” asked Gair, looking at their small army of less than two dozen men. Reed noticed a few men missing. They were most likely dead inside the gates of Naward.
“A few of us will stay behind to distract the soldiers when they come for us,” Reed told him. “The rest will head to the coast with the bounty. Mayhap now that we have coins and goods, we can buy passage back to the Highlands.”
“We’ll need a horse and cart to get to the coast,” said Gair.
“The villagers have a cart,” said Reed. He remembered seeing it earlier. “We’ll send these two horses along to get our men there faster.”
“We?” asked Gair with a raised brow.
“Aye. I figured ye, Odar, and Murray, would stay with me while we sent the others ahead.”
Gair hesitated before he shook his head slowly.
“I willna let anythin’ happen to us,” Reed promised.
“I believe ye,” said Gair. “Ye’re like a brathair to me, Reed. Ye’re also the only family I have.”
“Then ye’ll do it?”
“I will. But still, I dinna understand ye.” Sadness showed in Gair’s brown eyes. “Ye saw yer sister, Summer, at Naward. Didna ye want to talk with her? I’d give anythin’ to see my sister again.” He hung his head in sorrow.
Reed felt his throat tighten. He’d seen Summer, Lady Cordelia’s lady-in-waiting. Lady Cordelia was Rowen’s wife. But Reed had stayed silent in hiding under his cloak as he prepared to steal from the king. He’d also seen all his sisters – or cousins as they really were – along with their mother, Annalyse, at Rowen’s wedding. It did make him long for the days when they’d been children. Those times were simple and so much happier. Still, anger pushed through his body. All he could think of was how he wanted to kill Rook and Rowen right now for abandoning him.
“Gair, all that matters right now is gettin’ these men and the goods safely to Scotland. Lead the men to the village. I’m goin’ to double back and make sure no one is followin’ us. I’ll bring up the rear.”
“Aye, I will,” said Gair, turning his horse around to talk to the men.
Reed nodded at the Scots that had risked their lives to raid with him today. They followed him loyally, never questioning his word. At one time, each of his brothers also had a small army following them. But Rowen had deserted his pirates when he married Lady Cordelia. Rook’s mercenaries, on the other hand, had all left him when they weren’t paid. Reed didn’t have the means to fight Edward much longer. Then again, if he had to, he would die trying.