The Nechi's Wife

✣ chapter twenty-nine ✣

"It's been months, they were probably worried. I know my parents."

Flynd faced the King. "Even if she...lied," he seemed disgusted just saying the word. "What is the issue?"

"Are you certain you made sure to explain that you are safe?" King Renyld asked, ignoring Flynd.

I nodded, hoping. "Yes, I am."

King Renyld bit his lip, skeptical, but appeased for now, "Then I suppose we will have to await their response."

Flynd looked at me coldly. "I suppose we will."

...

Lorcan's POV

The hidden garden in the courtyard. Eight in the evening.

Virtue shall never die.

This was it. The most important assignment I'd ever had. Forget the wars, battles, fights, and conflicts I'd ever been a part of. No, this was the one that mattered the most. This was the fight that would end the Federation.

Bring Princess Ayan and Flynd back. Restore peace to the castle.

Lord Eavan had a hand on his side, ready to unsheathe his sword at a moment's notice. As we traversed through the thick overgrowth surrounding the gardens, soft moonlight cast against him. His face was strained, determined. But I also detected worry.

"Lord Eavan," I whispered.

He flinched, turning his head to glare at me. "Be quiet."

"Don't be anxious," I murmured, motioning behind us at the flock of soldiers, knights, and armed noblemen following our lead. "We are more than they."

He ignored me, instead raised a finger, telling us to wait. We were face to face with a wall of overgrowth. "This is it."

"The hidden garden is here?"

"Be quiet," He snapped again.

I took in a deep breath and obeyed. King Renyld had put him in charge of this ambush, meaning his word was my command. And because this assignment was so critical, I refused to argue at all. We had more important things to worry about.

"Men," Lord Eavan said, addressing the group. "We enter in three...two..."

One.

...

Blanyr's POV

"How does it feel to be a maidservant again?" Ailis asked as we wandered through the corridors. Her smile felt so familiar, so comforting. I hadn't talked to her in ages, not in any meaningful way at least.

"Wonderful," I lied. "Anything to not talk to a nobleman again."

Ailis giggled. "I can't imagine what it must have been like. Was it exhilarating?"

"Yes," I answered, remembering the rush from the past several months. I'd had so much purpose as a spy, made so much of a difference. I hadn't felt that way in so long, but already I could feel the sensation slipping away.

The ambush had been a success. They'd caught the Federation in the act of conspiracy. The slow-growing group was grossly outnumbered, and the ensuing fight had been a rapid victory for King Renyld's knights.

We'd been lucky to stumble on a meeting with many of its key members. The King suspected the group would die within a month; they'd lost too much of their own. There were no outlined leaders or figureheads left—already dead, or soon to be.

After the success of the ambush, I had been released. The King said I could return to my maidservant duties, he thought it was a reward. I'd shown so much apprehension before, and now he assumed he'd freed me.

But he hadn't. It was like I'd returned to my chains.

"Oh no," Ailis whispered, pointing. "Look."

Sir Lorcan was approaching, his expression jovial, amused. "Blanyr! Glad to have bumped into you." I nodded, pretending to believe this was an accidental encounter. He waved at Ailis who immediately looked away. "Er...I came to congratulate you."

"For what?"

"For helping us. Your work was instrumental."

"Did you not think it would be?"

"Not everything must be a fight," He said. "I was simply thanking you."

"After this, you have no more excuses to bother me."

"I didn't intend on bothering you," he said, his expression somewhat forlorn. I pushed down my creeping guilt. Don't forget what he tried to do to you. What he did to Lady Eora and so many other women.

"Let us part on good terms, then."

"I don't like the word, 'part'."

Ailis coughed, touching my shoulder. Embarrassment flushed my cheeks; I'd completely forgotten she was still here. "I'll be...somewhere else..." she whispered, hurrying away.

I hated making Ailis uncomfortable, but I needed to address Sir Lorcan before I went to apologize. "Our journey is over."

He regarded me sincerely. "You know I adore you, don't you?"

I managed to stifle a gasp. "Please, don't do this."

"I don't think I know how to stay away from you," he whispered.

"A shame, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry."

"An apology? So uncharacteristic of you."

Frowning, his voice gained a sudden, strange conviction, "If this is the last time, I see you...then, I accept it. But I swear, Blanyr, if we ever are thrust into one another's lives again, I know it's more than a mere coincidence. And then you'll never be rid of me."

I found myself agreeing before I could fully comprehend his words, "So be it."

"So be it."

"Don't you dare look for me in the maid's quarters. Don't follow. Don't cheat. Stay away. Understand?"

He raised a hand in promise. "Knight's honor."