Page 30 of War Queen
“I just—”
“You don’t need to explain yourself. You can long for something and be sad when you’re reminded of it.” He pulled her chin up to make her look at him. “And I’ll be here, sad with you.”
She wrapped her arms around him and smiled with the most beautiful of sad smiles. “I love you.”
“I love you.” And nothing had ever been more true.
Chapter nine
TheKharavianarmyreachedthe borders of the North, silently and undetected. As expected. They hadn’t earned the name of Shadowmen without merit. Now the challenge would be making it to the capital.
Soren had ridden mostly in silence, his mind not entirely focused, which frustrated him. It was good to be back where he belonged, fighting for those he loved. Salar’s forgiveness brought a joy that he struggled to push aside to keep his mind on the task at hand—the North.
Adrian rode beside him. He eyed the young bear. How strange it must feel to lead an army against one’s home kingdom, but Salara was the North’s true queen. Adrian believed this, and Soren had faith in him. And Adrian would see his brother again, a day Soren knew he longed for.
Salara worried for the Bear, and if he was honest with himself, Soren did too. The Bear would never stand idle as his kingdom was overthrown. And he’d certainly never stand for his queen being attacked. He’d die first. Soren prayed it hadn’t come to that. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if something had happened to the Bear—an enemy he’d fought for so long, yet a man he could never imagine himself without. So, he told himself what he told Salara time and time again—the bastard prick wouldn’t die.
And Soren worried for Caspian. If he didn’t deliver the Northman back to Tahla alive, back to his child that he knew nothing of yet, Tahla would never forgive him. Before departing the Uru, Soren had promised her. He needed to keep that promise.
The task before them was a dangerous gamble. For the first time, Soren wasn’t completely confident in the outcome. If this was a ruse, if something had happened to the Bear and it was Aleon that awaited them, united with the North, the Kharavian army would be overtaken. Not easily, or so Soren preferred to think, but Aleon had one of the largest armies in the world, and the North not only had their own forces but mercenary armies as well.
And these were no ordinary mercenaries the council had obtained. The Holy Knights were the most sought after of mercenaries and came at the greatest cost, but unlike ordinary mercenaries, they didn’t fight for gold alone. They fought only what they considered to be holy wars—battles of good and evil—and the council would have definitely made this a holy war.
Men fought most fiercely for that which they believed, and the Holy Knights fought only for what they believed. It made them near invincible.
The Kharavian army made their way through the outer reaches, spreading ranks out and weaving in and out of villages, using every tool of stealth to pass through the Northern lands in secret. The army had now made it farther than they ever had before. Soren would have liked to boast it as skill, but in truth, in their years of war, the Bear would have never let them get this far. He would have known the moment they stepped inside the borders. Someone was letting them draw near, but whether it was the Bear who called them to join him, or the North and Aleon luring them into a trap, he didn’t know.
When they reached the midlands, Soren called for a group to break off, mitigating the risk if they were, in fact, walking into a trap. He and Mikael would covertly lead a smaller army through the mainland toward the isle, assessing possible routes across the channel to the castle and ensuring Aleon was not in wait. If all went well, they’d cross the channel and launch a surprise attack to divert attention. If the Northmen were on their side, they’d open the gates of the main bridge, where Adrian would lead the army across to join them. It was a solid plan.
That was, if the Northmen were loyal to Salara.
And if they weren’t, if it was a trap, the army would retreat and get Salara to safety. Despite her vehement objections, he and Mikael were able to convince her to stay with the broader army. Soren ordered Adrian to keep behind as well, to make sure she followed the plan.
Night hung heavy over the mainland, the perfect cover, and the Kharavian army slipped quietly through the darkness. They followed the messenger who had brought the news to Kharav. Soren could practically hear the man shaking in his boots, and he gritted his teeth in annoyance.
Cohen followed after the messenger. Soren was glad to once again have him in his service. He watched the boy closely. Cohen’s eyes and mind were sharp; he saw things others missed. If there were warnings to see, he’d be the one to catch them. But all was quiet, and Cohen motioned the small army forward.
There was no sign of Aleon—no sign that anyone knew they were there.
Good.
Or bad.
They slipped through the dark alleys of the city, and when they reached the channel, they scanned the banks, looking for the best way across. In all his time in Mercia, crossing the water to the capital isle was the one challenge Soren still didn’t have a solution for. He knew there was a tunnel that ran underneath, one that Caspian had led him through when he’d fled with Salara. But his mind had been on escaping and keeping Salara safe. He couldn’t remember his way back to it, and they didn’t have time to find it.
The bridge was the only way across, although with summer now gone and winter approaching, the forming ice provided a possible alternative.
“There,” Soren said to Mikael as he pointed to a strip of ice stretching across the still water between the mainland and the castle isle.
“It hasn’t hardened enough to carry the weight of a man,” the messenger said, his voice still lacking confidence. “And if you fall into the water, that cold will have you dead within moments.”
“Then how do we get across?” Mikael asked.
The man shook his head. “The only way I know is the main bridge. But I’m supposed to bring you to the Narrows—the market stall side streets.”
Soren snorted. “That sounds exactly like what we’renotgoing to do.”
“What’s there?” Mikael asked him. “Why the side streets?”
