The Apprehension (Unexpected Circumstances #6) - Shay Savage Page 0,19
very well his meaning.
“If that is what it takes to keep you at my side,” I replied. I tried to shrug nonchalantly, but my blush and shiver gave me away as he touched the side of my face.
*****
I slept late again the next day, waking to the sound of voices in the morning room. Branford was speaking to Parnell and Rylan though when I spied through the bed curtains, I could see Branford’s chair was still angled so he could look to where I was at the same time.
“It makes no sense,” Parnell was saying. “They aren’t destroying the whole thing; they are taking bits of it apart and putting it back together again.”
“They have to be searching for something,” Rylan replied in his characteristic deep voice. “At least, that was the speculation from my source.”
“Do we not have spies there to give you information?” Parnell asked.
“There is a trusted man there,” Branford said softly, “but I cannot reach out to him. He would be jeopardized, and I need him where he is.”
For a moment, the men were silent. Then Parnell’s voice rang out again.
“There is still danger here, my king.”
“My men will patrol the borders as much as they can,” Rylan said, “but we cannot surround the entire Kingdom of Silverhelm. There will always be the possibility of a breach.”
“Parnell, are there new recruits available if I wish to take some of the more seasoned men for duty in the castle?”
“Yes, what do you need?”
“I want additional guards—men you trust implicitly—around Alexandra at all times. She and my unborn son must be protected. I will remain at her side, but I may not always be enough.
“There is something else,” Parnell said, his tone hesitant.
“What is it?”
“Rylan found more information on Janet and her family.”
“Tell me!”
“Though her parents are long dead, there is a living sibling,” Rylan said.
“Where?”
“Unknown,” Parnell said, “but I do know his name.”
“And it is?”
“His name is Kolby, my king”
There was a long pause.
“Kolby?” Branford’s voice was just a whisper.
“We believe him to be the same, yes.”
“First Dalton surfaces within my borders, and now we find my wife’s handmaid was the sister to one of the men that murdered my parents?”
“Yes.”
“How was this not discovered before?” Branford bellowed.
“I went back to a previous source,” Parnell said. “At the time, he claimed to know nothing, but when the deaths of Janet and Nelle were publicized, he decided to come clean with his knowledge.”
“He withheld this from us before?”
“Yes, sire.”
“Where is he now?” Branford growled.
“Quite dead, sire.”
“Good. Repost the bounty on Yagmur and Salik. If Dalton has reappeared, those other two are certainly close by. Let it be known they may be in nearby territory, probably in Hadebrand.”
“Already done, sire,” Parnell replied.
“Good man.”
“If those two are both shown to be loyal to Hadebrand,” Branford said, “there could be proof of Edgar’s involvement in my parents’ murders.”
“My king”—I heard Parnell take a deep breath before he continued—“if there were such proof, we would have found it by now.”
“If only I had the strength of men to openly go against him.”
“Seacrest has only agreed to protection, not to go to war.” Sir Rylan’s deep voice reminded my husband.
“I know,” Branford said with a sigh. “Rylan, if you would just give me a hundred and fifty men—”
“Just a hundred and fifty, King Branford?” Rylan scoffed. “How large an army do you think I command? I have to protect my own lands as well, you know. Considering our alliance with Silverhelm, we are now also potentially a target for Hadebrand.”
“They would not make a move against you,” Branford said.
“Agreed,” said Parnell. “Your presence will keep them from our borders indefinitely.”
“How long do you think we will be needed?” Rylan asked.
“Until my heir is born,” Branford replied. “Alexandra will not be safe until then.”
“It is amazing what the love of a woman will do to you, is it not?” Rylan said quietly. Both Branford and Parnell chuckled in response.
“I would go to war for her in a heartbeat,” Branford finally said, “irrespective of the odds. I would take on all of Hadebrand’s army myself if they stood between Alexandra and me.”
“I would do the same for Suzette,” Rylan replied.
“And I for Ida.”
All three of them chuckled again, and I decided to make my wakefulness known. Branford ushered the men out of the morning room so he could help me dress.
“You could have gone to the great hall to meet,” I said as Branford tied the last of my laces.
“I did not want to wake