Hidden Knights (Knights of the Realm #3) - Jennifer Anne Davis Page 0,16
mastermind. If Anna had devised some elaborate plot, they’d have to deal with her. The problem was that Anna had years to perfect her plan.
Setting out early the next morning, the group rode fast in order to reach the Gast River as soon as possible. If they wanted to thwart the king’s plans, they didn’t have a lot of time.
“Do you think Victor is still tracking us?” Reid asked, glancing over her shoulder. There was nothing but flat fields for miles. If her second cousin were pursuing her, she should be able to see him.
“He won’t be a problem,” Ackley replied with a grin.
“What did you do?” she demanded.
“When I went hunting, I backtracked, found him, and slipped him something.”
“Did you kill him?” Reid asked, horrified.
“No.” He sighed. “I knew you wouldn’t want me to. I simply gave him a sleeping tonic to ensure we could get far ahead of him before he woke.”
“It’s not hard to figure out where we’re going,” Dexter pointed out. “I’m sure he can catch up.”
Reid eyed Ackley. He was acting far too confident. “What else did you do?”
He winked. “I may have given him a little something extra.”
“What?” Reid and Dexter asked at the same time.
Ackley rolled his eyes. “Nothing that will harm him. Just something that’ll throw off his vision for the next week or so.”
Reid wondered if Ackley traveled with these tonics or if he’d managed to acquire them that quickly. She decided she was better off not knowing. “Remind me to never get on your bad side.”
“Oh, my dear Reid, I only have a bad side.” He smiled wickedly.
Two days later, the Gast River came into view. They’d been traveling west in order to cross the bridge directly into Ellington—it was the same one Reid and Harlan had used what seemed like a lifetime ago.
Once Duke Ellington, Ackley, and Gordon had each crossed the bridge, Reid steered her horse onto it.
“Are you good?” Dexter asked from behind her, still safely on solid ground.
“Yes.” A mixture of trepidation and relief filled her. Uncertain of how much weight the bridge could hold, they’d decided to cross one person and horse at a time. As scared as she was to be on the wooden bridge with rushing water beneath it, the thought of being back in Ellington was enough to propel her onward.
The river below drowned out the creaking bridge. Her horse whinnied, so she murmured a few soothing words to him, hoping he heard her.
“Welcome home,” Duke Ellington said when Reid joined him.
She breathed in the crisp air. As good as it felt to be in her homeland, it came at a price. Pulling her hat out of the saddlebag, she put it on, concealing her hair. Now was not the time to attract unwanted attention by gallivanting around Ellington as a woman. While here, she needed to blend in. Once Eldon and the Melenia army were dealt with, she could work on turning Marsden into the kingdom she wished it to be.
With little fanfare, they made their way north. Each mile they traversed, the landscape dulled, the green rolling hills turning brown. The towns and homes they passed were all wooden structures in dire need of repair. The farms were scarce. In many places, the land was rocky and barren. The air turned cool.
Even though Dexter didn’t comment on the scenery, Reid felt him stiffen when they passed a home with a lopsided roof, its doors hanging off their hinges, and children running around with holes in their clothes. She wanted to assure him it wasn’t her father’s fault—that he was doing his best. It was the infertile land, the harsh weather, the heavy taxes, and the restrictive laws.
“How about we go into the next town?” Ackley suggested.
“We’re only a day away from my castle,” Duke Ellington said. “There’s no need to stop.” They had enough food and water.
“I want to hear what people are saying,” Ackley explained. “Has word reached them that a foreign army is here? Do people have any idea things are amiss?”
While Reid thought it was a good idea, they could glean that information from the town closest to her home.
“Ackley’s right,” Dexter said.
Reid narrowed her eyes. Dexter was agreeing with Ackley? That was a first.
“If we wait until we reach the City of Dorsot,” Dexter said, “people will already know we’re there. They might be more reserved with their tongues.” He nudged his horse, riding alongside Ackley, both speaking in hushed whispers.