Desperate Forest Read online

  “And do what? Live a long, comfortable life knowing I did nothing to help my kingdom or avenge my father?”

  “I’m sure your father would care more about your safety than vengeance.”

  While I knew that was true, I also knew it wasn’t what my father would do if he were in my situation.

  “It’s more than that . . . I have a duty to my people.” I sighed, wishing I could make him understand. “I need to at least try.”

  Jay said nothing more as we picked up speed, but I could sense his disapproval. I sighed again, knowing I was in for a long, uncomfortable ride.

  Chapter 8

  As the afternoon wore on, my thoughts drifted to Darius.

  Why had Gianna said Darius was planning on starting a war? It didn’t make sense. Marcsnovia was known for its peacefulness. King Charles had always valued harmony, and surely, Darius would uphold his legacy. He would only fight if it was necessary, such as to stop my uncle.

  I pushed the confusing thoughts aside, instead remembering the summers I had spent in Marcsnovia with my father. Happier times, when Darius and I had grown to care for each other.

  Particularly, I remembered last summer. My father and I had just arrived for the season, and I lingered at the stable, visiting the horses I hadn’t seen in almost a year.

  I was feeding my favorite mare an apple when I heard movement behind me and turned to see Darius.

  “Roselynn! It’s so good to see you,” he said, coming to stand next to me. “How were your travels?”

  “Very good.” I was surprised to see him. Darius had never sought me out before, and I hadn’t expected to see him until dinner that evening. He must have been on his way out for an afternoon ride.

  “I imagine you’re tired after your long journey.” He leaned against the horse’s stall.

  I shook my head and smiled. “I enjoy riding so much it doesn’t usually tire me. I was just visiting with the horses—I always miss them. I hope they haven’t forgotten me.” I blushed at how silly my words sounded.

  “Forget you? I’m sure they didn’t.” Darius grinned. “That would be quite impossible . . . Thea had a foal last week. Have you seen her yet?”

  “No. Where is she?” I craned my head, looking around the vast stable.

  “Over here.” Darius grabbed my hand and led me to a corner stall where one of my favorite horses, Thea, stood with a gray foal nestled beside her.

  “She’s perfect!” I breathed, stroking the pony’s soft mane. “What’s her name?”

  “Doesn’t have one yet. Why don’t you do the honors?”

  I smiled, thinking for a moment. “She looks like a Selene to me.”

  “Selene . . . I like it. How did you come up with that?”

  “Well, her mother is Thea, the Greek mother of the sun and moon. And Selene means moon, which is what she reminds me of with her gray mane.”

  Darius laughed. “I can’t argue with that logic. Selene it is. We might need you to name all the horses from now on.” He gazed at me appreciatively, and I found myself blushing again.

  He offered me his arm. “If you’re sure you aren’t too tired, would you accompany me for an afternoon ride by the river?”

  “I’d like that.”

  Darius called to the stable hand to saddle two horses, and we spent all afternoon together. Darius told me about his plans for the kingdom, and how he hoped to live up to his father’s legacy someday.

  I told him about my father’s and my visits to the town of Tover that we’d started making. Darius asked me many questions about the village, impressed by my growing knowledge of the people who lived there.

  That year, Darius not only danced the first dance of the annual ball with me but many of the others as well. We spent a great deal of time together for the rest of the summer.

  It was almost surreal having our relationship grow the way I’d always dreamed it would. Darius included me in many of his princely duties, including his own visits into the town of his kingdom. As always, I was awestruck by his charm and confidence.

  When my father and I left in the fall, my father had smiled at me and said he wouldn’t be surprised if I received a marriage proposal next summer when we went to visit.

  But our visit never happened. My father’s health slowly declined until he passed away in early spring.

  My heart had been broken. When Darius came to my father’s funeral, he was a great solace. And when he proposed that day, I felt a sort of comfort that my father’s prediction had come true.

  Now all I had to do was stay alive long enough to marry him.

  ✽✽✽

  After we stopped for the day and set up camp, Gavin walked over to me, holding two swords.

  “Have you ever used one?” he asked.

  I shook my head. One of the luxuries of being a princess meant I had a team of knights trained to protect me. A lot of good that did me now, since the man controlling the knights wanted me dead.

  “Well, it’s never too late to learn.” Gavin didn’t seem surprised by my answer. It wasn’t considered proper for a woman to practice swordsmanship. Perhaps if I ever became queen I could change that.

  Gavin led us away from the camp into a small field, then handed me a sword.

  “What hand do you write with?” he asked.

  “My right.”

  “Okay, so grip your sword like this.” Gavin moved closer and positioned my right hand carefully around the hilt of the sword. “Good. That will give you the most control . . . Now the thing you want to remember about swordplay is it’s just as important to protect yourself as it is to strike. You don’t want to leave yourself open to an attack, even if it means hanging back. Wait for the right moment to come at your opponent.”

  From there, Gavin showed me how to keep a proper stance. He guided me on keeping my free arm away from my adversary, and eventually moved on to footwork.

  My movements were awkward and stilted. Gavin stopped his instructions many times to correct my form and guide my actions. We went into simple strikes and defenses, using sticks before trying with the swords.

  “Good job,” Gavin said after I landed a few easy strikes against his sword. “Let’s quit for the day. You’re off to a great start. We’ll try to train a few times a week to get you really comfortable. I’m not going to lie to you . . . the two of us traveling to Marcsnovia alone is risky.”

  “I know.” But I also knew traveling with Gavin was still better than my original plan of going by myself. Plus, I would have a weapon and a horse.

  Gavin nodded. “I’ll have Jay chart out the safest route for us to take from Galesmore.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked, remembering the conversation Jay and I had earlier that day.

  Gavin smiled. “He knows this land better than anyone.”

  “It’s just—I don’t think he’s happy about you coming with me. And I get the feeling he doesn’t want to help me.”

  Gavin was silent for a moment, then said, “You can count on him. Jay’s proven himself more times than I can name—I have complete faith in him. If it weren’t for him, I don’t think our group would have made it this far.”

  “How did you two even become allies?” I couldn’t help but be curious. They were both so different, yet they seemed to have a deep, mutual respect. “With the way Jay acted upon finding me yesterday, I’m surprised you didn’t kill each other when you first met.”

  “We almost did.” Gavin chuckled as if recalling a fond memory.

  I rolled my eyes. Men.

  “But we soon discovered we were better off joining forces,” Gavin said. “Jay has his share of demons, but I trust him with my life.”

  “And what demons are those?” I asked, wondering if Gavin could give me some idea of who Jay really was.

  But he shook his head. “It’s not my story to tell—perhaps you should ask him yourself.”

  I said nothing as we walked back to camp. Gavin might trust Jay, but I wasn’t sure I did.

 
; ✽✽✽

  When Gavin and I returned to camp, Gavin retired to his tent to rest for a few hours. He had told me that he and Jay switched off keeping guard at night, and tonight it was his turn.

  I walked over to the fire where Macie was preparing dinner. Gianna was a few feet away, shooting arrows into a distant tree trunk. I was amazed at her speed and accuracy as she let another arrow slice through the air.

  “Can I help you with anything, Macie?” I asked.

  “That’s mighty kind o’ you, my dear, but I got it all under control.” She placed potatoes in a boiling pot and smiled. “Why dontcha have a seat an’ keep me company?”

  “All right.” I sat next to the fire on a fallen log. We chatted easily for a few minutes. Macie told me she had grown up several kingdoms away, one of twelve children. I badgered her with questions. As an only child, I’d always been a bit lonely and longed to have brothers and sisters to play with.

  “What about you, dear?” Macie asked, wiping her long fingers on her apron. “Any family to speak of?”

  I shook my head. “Not besides my uncle.”

  “Well, never you mind, darlin’.” Macie patted my hand. “You got all the family you need with us here. We’ll take care o’ you.”

  I smiled. “Thank you, Macie, that’s very kind. It’s a relief to know not everyone here thinks I’m a stuck-up nuisance.”

  “Don’t be daft, my girl! Who said that?”

  “Jay.”

  Macie chuckled heartily. “Why, he doesn’t know what he’s talkin’ about . . . you’re sweet as apple pie, you are. And as far as being a nuisance, well”—she winked at me—“maybe that’s just what that lad needs.”

  Heat rose in my cheeks at her implication. “I don’t think—”

  “Who?” Gianna asked, sitting down next to me.

  “Jay.” Macie laughed again, shaking her head. “Seems he hasn’t been mindin’ his manners.”

  “What else is new?” Gianna rolled her eyes, setting her bow and arrow by her feet, then turned to me. “Tell us about your fiancé instead—the prince. Is he handsome?”

  “Yes.” I smiled, my face flushing again. “Yes, he’s very handsome. And charming and—”

  “Perfect,” Gianna finished for me with a sigh. “What are the chances there are any princes roaming around these woods?” She nudged me with her elbow. “After all, we found you.”

  I laughed. “Well, Darius is actually a king now . . .”

  “I’d settle for a handsome king.” Gianna grinned. “I’m not picky.”

  Macie shook her head and tutted. “It’s a shame what happened to that King Charles, ’tis.”

  “What happened?” Gianna asked.

  “He died suddenly,” I said. “I don’t know how, but it was quite a shock.”

  “You don’t know, dear?” Macie drew her auburn eyebrows together.

  I shook my head. “I only heard about it from servant gossip, and even that was kept pretty quiet. My uncle wanted me completely cut off from everything.” For all I knew, he was behind King Charles’s death.

  “Well, it has been kept mostly hush-hush,” Macie said. “I ’spect they don’t want to start a panic in the kingdoms. But Pete has a brother who works in the castle at Marcsnovia. Said the king was killed by one of his own knights.”

  “What? Why?”

  Macie shook her head. “No one knows. Apparently, a fight broke out in the stable between the king and his knight. Quite a mess, ’twas—caused a fire. By the time the flames were put out, the stable was nearly burned to the ground.”

  “That’s terrible,” I whispered while Gianna nodded slowly.

  “King Charles’s body was discovered ’mong the rubble.” Macie lowered her voice. “But it wasn’t the fire that killed him.”

  “It wasn’t?”

  “No, he’d been stabbed to death. Quite gruesome, ’twas.”

  I gasped. “And the knight?”

  “No one knows for sure. His sword was found in the wreckage, but he’d vanished. Either the fire left nothin’ of him or he fled.”

  I shook my head. “Poor Darius . . .” No wonder Darius hadn’t been able to come for me.

  “How awful,” Gianna said. “Who was the knight? Why did he want King Charles dead?”

  “That I don’t know, my dear. I ’spect no one knows but King Charles and the murderer himself.”

  Chapter 9

  When we stopped to make camp the next day, Gavin informed me we would train again tomorrow, but he needed to spend the evening hunting. I was relieved my muscles would have one more day to recover.

  After Gavin, Thaddeus, and Gianna slipped through the trees with their bows and arrows, Macie asked me to care for the horses while she prepared dinner.

  Quite happy with my assigned job, I headed over to the horses with a large bucket of oats and water and divvied up the nourishment for each horse.

  I was feeding Amon when I sensed a presence behind me and turned around.

  Laurel was standing close, leaning against a tree, watching me.

  “So,” she said, “I hear you’ve talked Gavin into taking you to Marcsnovia.”

  “He offered to come with me,” I said, bothered by her implication I’d manipulated him somehow.

  She laughed acidly. “How fortunate for you.”

  I sighed, patting Amon. “If you have a problem with Gavin helping me, just say it.”

  “Of course I have a problem with it, you stupid girl,” she said, taking a step toward me, her lean frame intimidatingly close. She stood a good head taller than me. “Do you think of nothing but yourself? It’s bad enough you’re here at all. The two of you traveling alone is a suicide mission.” She pushed me with her last two words, and my back hit a rough tree trunk. “If Gavin is discovered by Tover knights—knights who’re looking for you—they’ll kill him.” She grabbed my arms and pinned me to the tree. “If anything happens to him because of you, I swear, I will make you pay.”

  I struggled against her grip, preparing to push her away when an outraged voice sounded behind us.

  “Laurel!” Jay strode over and pulled her off me. “What are you doing? Leave her alone!”

  Laurel wrenched herself easily from his grasp and inclined her head. “She needs to learn her place here. This isn’t her castle. She can’t just pull the strings and expect us to be her puppets.”

  “Laurel—” he began, but she pushed past him and stomped away. Jay sighed and faced me. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” I said, rubbing my arm where Laurel’s fingernails had dug into me.

  “C’mon.” Jay waved for me to follow. Hesitantly, I fell into step behind him.

  He led me to the wagon and dumped a heavy mess of rope in my arms. “Here.”

  I nearly collapsed under the weight. “What’s this?”

  “Nets. You can help me set them up.” He draped two similar bundles over his shoulder and walked toward the forest.

  “I’d rather not.” The last time I was in the woods with him, I’d been caught in one of these very nets.

  He stopped and laughed. “It wasn’t a question, Princess. I have work to do, and I’d feel better if you weren’t around Laurel right now. So, you can come with me and everyone’s happy.”

  Not me.

  “Fine,” I said, following him, feeling burdened by the weight of my load. “But she’s the one who attacked me. Why don’t you take her with you?”

  Jay shook his head. “Laurel’s difficult. Besides, she has a real problem with you being here—rightfully so.”

  “Well, I didn’t exactly ask to stay here!”

  “I know that.” He held his hands up. “Don’t worry, Laurel’s plenty mad at me and Gavin, as well. She sees you as a threat to our safety.”

  “Am I?” Although I was furious with Laurel, her words did concern me. I didn’t want to put anyone in unnecessary danger.

  “Yes, but I am too . . . and Gavin . . . and even Laurel. We’re all running from
something, but it’s safer to be together than alone.”

  We pushed through the trees, leaving the camp behind, as Jay went on. “Gavin feels strongly about your situation. Even though he left Tover, he’s still extremely loyal to the people there—and that includes you. He was very insistent you shouldn’t be traveling by yourself. And I agreed.”

  “You did?” I couldn’t help but feel Jay didn’t really want me there any more than Laurel did.

  “Yes, of course.” He pushed back a large branch, letting me walk in front of him, his tone turning harsh as I passed. “Although, I still think you should stay in Galesmore when we get there, instead of dragging Gavin to Marcsnovia with you. But if I wanted to see you dead, I could have just left you in the river.”

  “How did you even find me?” I’d been curious ever since Jay told me he’d been the one to save me. Had he been following me in the woods?

  “I was on my way to the river myself when I heard you scream.” He stopped walking and grabbed the net from my hands.

  “Why did you disappear after you pulled me out?”

  “I was laying your cloak over you and I saw the crest of Tover stitched on the inside.”

  My face flushed at his words, as I recalled how I’d only been in my flimsy undergarments at the time.

  Jay didn’t seem to notice my embarrassment. “I knew only someone connected to the castle would have something like that. I assumed a young woman like yourself, with possible royal ties, wouldn’t be traveling alone. I was afraid you had knights with you, so I went back to warn Gavin and the others.”

  I nodded.

  “Of course, then you got yourself caught in one of these.” Jay gestured to the net he was currently setting up and frowned. “Quite a pain it was to repair, by the way.”

  “I’m so sorry for your inconvenience.” I rolled my eyes. “Next time I get captured, I’ll make sure I’m more careful.”

  He laughed. “See that you do . . . hold this.” He handed me a long rope now dangling from a tree and adjusted the counterweight.

  I sighed. “For what it’s worth, thank you. I probably would have drowned if you hadn’t been there.”