Crown of One Hundred Kings (Nine Kingdoms Trilogy #1) - Rachel Higginson Page 0,31

met them the other day,” I sneered. “They’re very good with ropes.”

“That they are. And with combat. You’d be wise to accept my help and have these men ride at your side.”

“If I were wise, I wouldn’t have ended up in their trap to begin with,” I countered.

Arrick’s eyes flashed with frustration, “Tess, see reason.”

“Why are you so determined to accompany us? Yesterday, you were happy to leave me to hang in the Blood Woods. Today I cannot be rid of you. What changed?” I felt the presence of the crown in the room. He’d said he hadn’t looked through the pack, but he could have been lying.

Arrick stepped forward, his hands held out in front of him. “This realm is dangerous. A girl like you, without protection, will be eaten up within days. It’s my civic responsibility to make sure you arrive at your destination unharmed.”

“I have protection,” I nodded toward Oliver.

“Real protection,” Arrick clarified.

“Hey!” Oliver protested.

Oliver might not have looked like much, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would protect me with his life. And he was proficient with a number of weapons. He was not the scrawny, skinny boy he appeared to be. And yet we’d still managed to be caught.

My thoughts moved to the crown. If Arrick had found the crown, even if he’d merely glimpsed it, he would have already killed me. The crown was all that was needed to take control of this failing realm. With it, he could elevate his army from rebel to royal. If my uncle was truly that incompetent at running the realm, then the crown and a new king would be enticing to a kingdom in ruin.

But I also didn’t believe he felt any obligation to me, civil or otherwise. He was a rebel, a hunted bandit. He didn’t hold respect for this land or the sovereigns that ruled it. He certainly wouldn’t care what happened to a stranger.

I stood, matching him as closely in height as I was able. “I need more than your civic duty, Commander. I need reasons I can actually trust.”

“Despite what you believe, Stranger, my army does in fact want peace. We fight to protect the helpless of the realm, the victims that Tyrn wishes to crush beneath his boot. We save what we can from the marauding Ring of Shadows. We fight oppression and repression. We fight so that young girls like you may walk from one kingdom to the other and keep their heads atop their bodies.”

I swallowed, working to breathe beyond the large lump suddenly lodged in my throat. I fought to hold out hope for my uncle, despite Arrick’s mounting evidence against him.

“And we have horses,” Arrick continued. “We would reach Elysia in a third of the time it would take you on foot.”

My desperate need to get home and dig my realm out of this mess made me wonder if the pros to Arrick’s offer outweighed the cons. I looked into his eyes and saw his determination. I didn’t believe any of his reasons for accompanying us. I wasn’t sure about his dedication to the realm and his mission to fight my uncle. Those reasons weren’t enough for him to accompany Oliver and me.

But he was willing to escort us to Elysia. With his horses. He would bring his muscled men with their weapons and forest experience. He could solve our pesky problems with papers.

“Fine,” I heard myself say. “You may accompany us to Elysia. I, er, we shall allow it. But be warned, Commander, we have nothing of value to pay you for your time and services.”

That wasn’t quite true. Once we made it to Elysia, I would have stores of gold and coin to heap upon him and his army. But I would hold back that offer until we’d crossed the Marble Wall and the crown was situated firmly on my head.

“We do not expect payment, m’lady,” Arrick said with a bow of his head.

I noticed that his men stared at him agog. Apparently, they expected payment. Was I being manipulated into a sense of safety? A quick glance at Oliver told me he didn’t know what to think either.

I put away my feelings of unease for now but vowed to keep my guard up. “When will you be ready to leave?” I asked, ignoring the tremble in my voice. “We are eager to be on our way.”

Arrick’s lips twitched before he swept his hand toward the doorway. “That much has been