A Soul for Vengeance

Chapter 6



Kell slid down from the cart and stretched. Another day of being jostled from side to side until his body ached. Another day of witnessing the desolation and destruction the war with Thallus had caused. Another day of staring in awe at the massive windmills the Thallians had built along the skyline to power their machines. And another day of watching Zara constantly looking over her shoulder and jumping at the slightest sound.

Tonight, she’d led them to an abandoned barn. The rats had eaten holes through the thatched roof, allowing the snow to pour in and the wind to swirl through, but the solid walls offered some protection from the winter weather.

And it hid them from the patrols of Thallian soldiers that roamed the countryside, if Zara was to be believed. So far, though, he hadn’t come across one since they left Boznac, which suited him just fine.

Bynn’s sister barked out orders, designating duties to each of the men as they settled in for the night. All except him, of course. He caught her arm before she disappeared outside with her crossbow to “patrol” the area. “And what can I do?”

She shook his hand off. “You can stay put and focus on getting strong enough to help our cause.”

Her dismissal raised his hackles. “Are you saying I’m completely useless?”

Her eyes traveled from his face to his toes and back again. “At the moment, yes.”

Her reply heated his blood. He’d show her that he wasn’t useless. Every day, he pushed his body to do more and more, but it seemed he needed to work even harder if he wanted to take control. He glared at her, challenging her assessment of him until she finally turned away and went outside.

A growl of frustration rose from his chest as he returned to the corner of the barn where the men were building a fire and gathering ingredients for the evening meal. “Doesn’t it bother you that you’re taking orders from a woman?”

“Not as much as it seems to be bothering you,” Parros replied. He tossed a skin to Kell. “Here, have a sip of this and cool your temper.”

Kell took a long drink of the fortified wine, but his wounded pride found little comfort in the alcohol. “She should be under the care of her blood, following orders, not giving them.”

Parros leveled a knife at him. “Watch what you say about Lady Zara. She is here under the consent of her blood, and we follow her orders because she’s earned the right to give them, unlike some people.”

How dare that old knight reprimand him! He jumped to his feet, pointing to his chest. “Might I remind you that I’m a Prince of Ranello.”

“Then start acting like one.” Parros shook the knife at him like a wagging finger. “Instead of insulting Lady Zara, you should be thankful she found out where you were and organized all the events that led to your freedom.”

His angry retort faltered, and his hand fell to his side. “You mean Bynn didn’t organize this?”

Parros nodded and began slicing an onion into a pot. “Lord Bynn thought it was a huge gamble, but Lady Zara insisted on going. Said she had enough evidence to know you were still alive and was willing to risk her life on it.”

Kell sat back down, letting the knight’s words sink in. “What kind of world have I come home to where women are expected to risk their lives to rescue me?”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m some helpless female,” Zara said from behind him. She slung her crossbow over her shoulder and crouched beside the fire, warming her hands. “I’m a border lord’s daughter, Kell. I was trained more for battle than for batting my eyelashes.”

The frankness of her words reminded him this was a different Ranello than the one he’d left behind nearly eight months ago. How many other women were forced to take up arms to defend themselves and their homeland? The question stuck in his throat like a lump of bitter truth. “You’re still a woman and deserve to be protected.”

She stared into the fire for a long moment before turning to him. “Then be the prince we need you to be.”

That was a challenge that seemed far more difficult than the one she’d given him earlier. His body grew stronger every day, and soon, he’d be able to take his place in battle. But would he ever be ready to lead his people?

Zara ambled over to the cart and rummaged through the contents of the false bottoms until she pulled out a sword. She brought it to him. “This is how I knew you were still alive, that the rumors of you hiding in Gravaria were false.”

The firelight flashed on the mark made by the swordsmith, Foresco. Kell took the sword from her, its weight as familiar as an old friend. He wrapped his hands around the hilt and let the power of the magnificent weapon seep through his skin. This sword had been forged with magic and was meant for only him.

And now that he had it back, he felt more like a prince and less like a prisoner.

“Where did you find it?” he asked.

“In a shop in Boznac. I recognized it immediately.” She sat next to him, admiring the weapon. “No one has a sword like that.”

“How did you get it back?”

Zara and Parros exchanged glances before the knight cracked a grin and replied, “Let’s just say Lady Zara is used to getting what she wants.”

Bynn’s sister grinned and looked away. Somehow, he didn’t think she used her feminine wiles to procure the sword, not based on her response to his kiss years ago.

“Once I had it, I was able to figure out what ship you were on after questioning the merchant. Then, it was just making sure we could get you off of it.”

“Don’t make it sounds so simple.” Parros finished slicing up the last of the onion and started peeling a potato. “You worked very hard to set up this mission.”

“Including choosing the best men for the job.” Her face grew sober, making her appear years older than she really was. “But we’re still not finished. Once we have the prince safely within our camp, I’ll consider this mission a success. Until then, we need to be more cautious than ever.”

They ate their meal in silence and huddled under the thin blankets stored in one of the coffins. Snores filled the otherwise silent night, but sleep eluded Kell. Something about tonight’s conversation nagged him to the point where he wouldn’t be able to shut his mind off until he had the answer. Thankfully, the one person who might be able to answer that question was still awake.

He joined Parros by the dwindling fire. “May I ask you what you meant about Zara earning the right to give orders?”

The old knight stared into the fire, his posture relaxed. But from underneath his cloak, his sword shifted. “Lady Zara was at home when Thallus invaded.”

He didn’t need to say anything else. Cordello sat on the border between Ranello and Thallus and would’ve been the first duchy attacked when the Thallians crossed the mountains. They wouldn’t have had the time to be warned, to prepare. They were the front line. “Was the duke home, too?”

“Yes,” Parros replied, his voice tight. The sword scraped against the loose gravel. “When he fell in battle, Lady Zara took over. She fought as well as any man, as bravely as any knight. And she suffered as much as any of us.”

Kell turned his attention to the small, curled-up form across the fire. “If she was a leader, then why didn’t the Thallians take her prisoner?”

“Because they left her for dead.” Parros’s shoulders tightened, and his sword disappeared under his cloak. “When she tells you to become stronger so you can help our cause, Your Highness, it’s only because she’s had to do it herself. I consider it an honor to fight alongside her, just as I had her father.”

The knight’s gaze went from the fire to Zara, then traveled around the barn to all the men sleeping inside before coming to Kell. “Did you know that despite Lord Bynn’s hesitation, more than thirty men volunteered to join Lady Zara on this mission? These men you see here were chosen by her, and we all would follow her until we drew our last breath.”

If he was going to lead his people, he could start by learning from Zara’s example. “And what is it about her that inspires such loyalty?”

The corner of Parros’s mouth rose, deepening the wrinkles in his face. “It would take me all night to explain it to you, Your Highness. I suggest to watch her and see for yourself.”

“Perhaps I shall.” Kell wrapped his blanket around him to trap the last warmth from the fire and lay down with more questions running through his mind than he’d started with. He’d come home to a world he no longer knew, and the only compass he had so far to steer him the right direction was a woman who both baffled and intrigued him.