Page 59 of Sword & Sacrifice

When they reached a fork in the road, Archer held up his hand to signal everyone to stop. It was early in the day for a break, but the army would be splitting up soon, and he needed to ensure everyone understood their instructions.

Archer sought out Captain Kern first. Several inches over six feet, the man was easy to find in the crowd of other soldiers. From afar, Kern and Archer could be mistaken for each other. Kern had a long, bushy black beard, thick black curls, and the same tall, sturdy build as Archer. Up close, the differences were more obvious: Kern was a few years older, his beard already threaded with silver, and his gregarious nature spilled over to his companions. People gravitated toward him during break times and begged to be assigned to his unit. Much different from Archer’s quieter, sterner personality.

Even now, laughter bubbled among the young soldiers surrounding Kern. When he caught sight of Archer, he excused himself from the group and bowed at the waist. “Your Majesty.”

“Captain,” Archer said, nodding once. “Are you ready?”

“At your service, as always,” Kern replied, a smile peeking through his thick beard.

The first time they’d marched through Bellacosta, Archer had a similar beard, his hair also shoulder length. Recently, he’d allowed one of Litus’ barbers to trim several inches from both his hair and beard. The people further from the capital wouldn’t know about these changes, including the advisers and soldiers who had scampered off at the first sign of trouble.

Kern followed Archer to the front of the troops and took Hugo’s reins from one of the other soldiers. The horse nickered and nudged Archer’s shoulder, silently demanding answers for this change of riders.

“He’ll take you home,” Archer promised, stroking the horse’s velvety nose. The huge black horse was too recognizable, and Archer couldn’t risk any traitors identifying him from a distance.

“What should I expect?” Kern asked. “Assassins? Bandits? Angry townsfolk cursing your name?”

Archer shook his head. “It should be a safe journey.” Though he trusted Kern’s skills in battle, Archer didn’t need the man to fight in his name. He just needed people to witness the King of Arnsveld returning home.

“I certainly won’t complain about an easy mission. Shall I give the queen-mother your love when we return home?”

Archer glowered at the captain. His father had passed a little over a year ago, leaving Queen Helena a widow. The mourning period had ended right before Archer sent his first letter to Silas. More than one soldier had commented on Helena’s beauty when they hadn’t realized Archer was listening.

Kern held up his hands in a sign of peace. “No offense meant, sir. Purely filial expressions of love. How long am I pretending to be you?”

“To the gate,” Archer confirmed. “In case anyone is watching from a distance.”

Kern nodded. “Whatever your mission, sir, I wish you full success.”

Archer left Kern and his horse at the front. The more distance he put between himself and the fake king, the more the soldiers around him pretended indifference to his presence. The deception worked best if they showed Kern the same deference they would have shown Archer.

Next, Archer found Sergeant Gable. The sergeant was taking a few moments to shake a rock out of his boot. When he noticed Archer approaching, he straightened to attention. Surrounded by his fellow soldiers, any onlookers wouldn’t catch the slip-up.

“You understand your assignment?” Archer asked, keeping his voice low.

Gable nodded and quickly recited, “I’ll look for the Witch in her cottage and relay your message if I find her.” He patted his chest where he’d stashed the letter under his uniform shirt.

During Arnsveld’s campaign against Bellacosta, Adelaide and her daughter had moved into their second home in Casselarn. They usually spent the winter in the more populated city so they were available if someone needed Adelaide’s healing magic. However, Archer wasn’t sure if they had stayed in the city, returned to their cottage in the foothills, or moved somewhere else altogether. The brief scraps of paper Adelaide had re-used to send her letters implied she was far away from either of her workshops. If she could have accessed her supplies, she would have sent more details about the danger Archer was returning home to.

If Griselda’s theory was correct and Emmaline’s father had found them, they had probably fled. Finding them on the road would be nearly impossible. The best Archer could do without more information was search for the mother and daughter in either of their homes. Gable would head to the cottage, and Kern would deliver any messages to Adelaide if she remained in Casselarn.

“If the barrier is broken, or you find signs of a struggle, send a message to Kern immediately,” Archer ordered.

“Do you want me to try to track them?” Gable asked.

Archer’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Not alone. Choose two other soldiers as backup.” Three messengers seemed excessive, but they had no idea how dangerous their opponents might be.

“Yes, sir.”

Confident Gable understood the importance of his mission, Archer continued toward the back of the line.

Private Carolin followed behind with a chestnut horse on a lead. Scout had seen better days. He was a picky horse who only really liked Penn. Ever since he’d been separated from his rider, he’d stubbornly resisted the Bellacostan grooms’ efforts to care for him. There were tangles in his mane and the tail swishing rapidly behind him.

None of the other soldiers could ride him, and when Archer approached, Scout glared at him balefully.

Archer took a sugar cube from his pocket and offered it on the palm of his hand. Scout grudgingly accepted the rare treat, and accepted Archer’s hand on his neck, the tight muscles marginally relaxing. “I’ll reunite you with your rider,” he promised.

There were many things Archer hoped to find at Sparrow Hill: traitors, deserting soldiers, Penn and Valerian.