Page 39 of The Prince's Sacrifice

Pel shrugged and nodded, slipping his hands up the back of Tor’s tunic.

“We should probably do this in a hurry and be halfway decent if anyone comes to get us,” Pel proposed.

Tor grinned at him and tugged him closer. “I like the way you think.”

It felt like they’d barely fallen asleep after their very pleasurable activities when they were woken by one of the guards.

“Attack?” Pel and Tor said at almost the same time, sitting up abruptly.

“No, Your Highnesses.”

The woman hesitated for a moment. She was holding a partly-shielded lantern, her dark eyes and skin making it hard to see her expression in the dim room.

“What is it?” they asked in unison once more.

She came closer. Now Pel could see that there was an odd look on her face.

“They’ve gone up the mountain. Most of the guards. We got back from patrol to the east, and they were already gone.”

For a moment, Pel didn’t understand. And then Tor swore, and Pel got it. They’d been put in this roomdeliberately, so they wouldn’t see and wouldn’t be able to stop the guards. Sneaking off in the middle of the night didn’t presage anything good.

Pel and Tor both scrambled up, shoving their feet into boots and strapping on swords. Pel grabbed his quiver and bow, then snatched up their cloaks.

He held one out. “It’ll be raining in the mountains.”

Tor nodded and pulled one on. Pel did the same.

Pel cast a quick look around the room. Good enough.

Tor still looked furious and… guilty.

“Sir Cloril lied to us,” Pel pointed out, knowing that guards going into the mountains couldn’t be a good memory for Tor.

“Should have expected that,” Tor shot back grimly. “We knew he was under orders.”

Pel couldn’t deny it, really, but it was too late now.

“Do you know where they’ve gone exactly?” Tor demanded.

“Can’t see anything up the mountain for sure, not with the dark and the rain. Denil is getting answers,” she said. “I came to wake you. I’m Beluna, Your Highness.”

“Thank you, Beluna.” Tor smiled at her, though it looked strained.

Pel watched the man’s demeanor change the moment they left the house. His shoulders went down and back, his expression serious and stern. This was the High Prince.

He gathered the remaining guards with a few sharp words. They were all watching Tor warily, especially when he threw up a ball of magic that hovered in the air and lit up the area. Tor had told Pel that was the hardest magic to do, because magic liked to be attached to something.

Tor’s voice was arctic. “I will be gracious and assume that you were unaware that I came here on behalf of my brother to prevent indiscriminate slaughter. Iwillhave words for Sir Cloril later, and anyone who deliberately hid the guards’ intentions from me.”

There was a restless movement, but no one spoke.

“Prince Pelun and I will be going up the mountain. You had better all stay here and do your jobs. Because if things go awry in those mountains,youwill be the first line of defense. You will patrol, and you will defend Tond from here, onthisside of the mountain. Is that understood?”

There was a chorus of, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Tor’s voice was crisp and cold. “Very good.”

They went to saddle their horses, and Beluna followed them to the picket line. Two more guards loped after her, one huge and blond, the other seeming especially slight by comparison, with dark hair and tan skin. Beluna eyed the big one like he was a surprise.