untied hers and mounted, the six Knights accompanying them doing the same. Once everyone was ready, Ackley led them east.
“Where are we going?” Reid asked, steering her horse alongside Ackley’s.
“To the duke and duchess’s manor.”
Why did Ackley want to go to Harlow’s house? What did he hope to discover? “Is this regarding the stones or something else?”
He looked sidelong at her. “What do you think?”
“That it’s about Harlow.”
“Why do you say that?”
He didn’t seem shocked or surprised by her answer. “I don’t know. But something isn’t right with her.”
“How so?”
“Harlow knows secret passageways in the palace not even Nara knows about. One night, she spoke to me about people’s motives…it was some kind of warning.” They exited the forest, then headed up a small hill. “What about you? What do you think is going on with her?”
“I have no idea—which is the problem. She never speaks, never shows emotion, and doesn’t seem to care about anyone or anything. The only thing I can deduce is she’s hiding something.”
“And you hope that by going to her house, we’re going to discover what it is?”
“We probably won’t learn anything.” He adjusted the horse’s reins. “Since I’ve combed through her bedchamber in the castle and found nothing personal to indicate she’s living in the room, I’d like to see where she grew up. Is her childhood bedchamber just as impersonal? If so, that will tell me something about her. If not, it will indicate she’s hiding something.”
At the top of the hill, Reid observed the valley before them. A well-kept manor was situated between towering pine trees. “Is anyone home?” she asked.
“There are probably some servants around.”
“Why are the Knights with us?”
“To distract the servants so we can get in and snoop.” He winked.
“The place looks pretty quiet.” No one was out and about, the stables were still, no smoke rose from the chimneys, nor did any lights shine from within.
Ackley ordered two of his men to investigate. Reid watched them ride down the hill, approaching the square manor. The building was three stories tall, with a turret at each corner and two more at the front entry. Green grass and thick pine trees surrounded the home.
The Knights went around back, out of sight. Ackley handed Reid a chunk of bread. She ate it, waiting for the Knights to return. About twenty minutes later, the two men rode up the hill.
“The place is closed up,” the Knight on the right said. “All the servants are gone.”
“That makes sense,” Reid said. “The duke is south with a contingent of his men, and the duchess is at the City of Buckley with the rest of Bridger’s soldiers.”
“I suppose.” Ackley nudged his horse, then began to descend the hill.
Reid followed.
At the front of the manor, they tied their horses to the trees. Ackley broke them into groups of two, putting Reid with him. So they could finish quickly, each group was assigned to investigate a different section of the manor. The sun was about to set, and it would be dark soon.
As Reid and Ackley headed to the front door, she worried about being gone for so long. She hoped Dexter didn’t think something bad had happened to her—like being kidnapped again.
“Focus on what you’re doing,” Ackley snapped. “I’d prefer you not to get anyone killed because you’re busy daydreaming.”
She froze three feet from the front doors. “What am I missing?” Nothing appeared dangerous.
“I don’t know. But they could have the place filled with traps.” He withdrew something from his pocket, then reached forward, picking the lock. The front door squeaked open. Ackley peered inside. “Let’s go,” he whispered, stepping into the manor.
Reid followed, being careful not to make a sound. The large entryway revealed a grand staircase and a sitting room. Two Knights entered behind Reid. Ackley pointed up before signaling with two fingers. They nodded, heading to the second floor to investigate. The other Knights were entering from the back, and they would cover the entire first floor.
Ackley waved Reid forward. After carefully closing the front door, she followed him up the staircase to the third floor. She was about to head to the left when Ackley grabbed her arm, pulling her to the right. Even though they could cover more ground if they separated, she understood the reasoning for staying together.
They peered in bedchamber after bedchamber. Most were simple, containing only a bed and dresser. Reid assumed they were guest rooms. The duke and duchess had adjoining rooms. Both were elaborate with thick,