Dragon Sword (The Dragon Lord’s Bride #2)

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Some time passed but it was still night when I was roused from my sleep. Voices outside the room alerted me to a problem and I opened my eyes to find myself alone in the bed. The bedroom door was shut but I could hear Will speaking with an unknown man.

“The hour is late, General,” I heard Will comment in an irritated tone.

“We come here during the night to avoid embarrassing your ward and yourself,” the man countered.

“I understand. A visit during the day would lead to excitement among the neighbors, but why visit at all?” Will argued.

“You understand our rules nearly as well as any of our people,” the stranger scolded him. “Anyone not of our kind seen entering the city must be detained.”

“I escorted them into the city!” Alisa snapped at her ‘guest.’

I sat up and flung the covers off myself. The fire was now only a few glowing coals but the moonlight provided me with enough light to tiptoe over to the door where I pressed an ear to the wood.

“You have a known bias for this man,” the stranger commented as I heard boots pace the floor. “You would allow him inside the gates even if he was plotting something against us.”

Will gave a derisive laugh. “Plot against you? Why do you believe I would do that?”

The footsteps stopped and scuffed the floor as the person turned. “At this time we do not have the luxury of bonds with outsiders. They may pose a risk to us.”

I desperately wanted to match a face to the sharp-tongued man so I moved over to the keyhole. The peek allowed me to see a man dressed in a black cloak and the same silver armor the guards at the gate had worn. The stranger’s long silver hair trailed down his back and his elegant hand lay on the hilt of a large, long sword. A pair of those same guards stood near the door and between the strangers were our irritated hostess and Will. His demeanor was calm but the way he held himself told me the situation was tense.

The man stiffened for a moment before he spun around to face my direction, unsheathing his weapon as he did so. He pointed the sword toward the door. “Who is in there? The lady you escorted into the city? Come out immediately!”

I jerked back and let out a little gasp. The man marched toward me but Will slipped past him and positioned himself between the door and the soldier. Will’s words came out in an even but sharp tone. “She will do you no harm but I cannot make the same promise should you touch even a hair on her head.”

The two guards jumped forward at Will’s sudden movement but Alisa stepped into their path and stretched out her arms on either side. “This is enough foolishness!” she snapped as she looked over her shoulder at the leader. “Either state your intention to throw them out or leave at once!”

A tense silence settled over the room before the man sheathed his weapon. “I do not intend to do either of those things. They are to come to the palace and be held in the dungeons until their fate is decided.”

Alisa spun around and her face revealed her fear and confusion. “You would throw Lord Thorn into the dungeon?”

The soldier lifted his chin slightly. “It isn’t my decision. The king has ruled that all outsiders are to be sent there regardless of their affiliation with the city. He listed no exceptions.”

“But Lord Thorn saved us!” she insisted.

The man shook his head. “I am sorry but there is nothing I can do. You may petition the king if you believe he should amend his orders. My duty at this time is to escort them to the dungeons.”

“But you cannot!” she snapped as her eyebrows crashed down. She drew up her sleeves and a soft white light emanated from her hands. “I will not allow-”

“Alisa.” The voice was calm but cut through the tension like a knife. All eyes fell on Will. He shook his head. “There’s no need for that. We’ll go with the general.”

Her arms fell to her sides along with her face. “But. . .but you can’t. . .they shouldn’t-”

“Whatever the king has decreed must be followed,” Will insisted before he turned toward the general. “Will you allow us enough time to fetch some things?”

The man nodded. “Yes, but the patience of the king’s edict is not long.”

Will passed by him and approached the bedroom. I scuttled back and he opened the door and slipped inside. His expression was grave as he walked up to me and studied my face. He spoke in a low whisper that even I could barely make out. “You heard it all?”

I nodded. “Yeah, but why? Why’s the king throwing everybody in jail now?”

He pursed his lips as he shook his head. “I’m not sure but we’ll find out soon enough.”

“From prison?” I pointed out.

Will smiled at me and brushed a hand against my cheek. “Do you think I would allow you to remain in prison for long?”

I snorted. “That depends on how bad I’ve been.”

He looped an arm around my waist and drew me against his side. “Only with me but we should pack what clothing is dry.”

We tucked our clothes into a blanket and rejoined the others in the front room. Alisa was staring daggers at the open front door beyond which stood the two guards and the general. She turned to us and her expression softened. We strolled up to her and she quickly jumped in front of Will, grasping one of his hands in both of hers.

She looked pleadingly into his face and spoke in a hushed whisper. “Escape! Escape while you can!”

He smiled and set his other hand atop hers. “I would never leave you to suffer the consequences alone.”

She shook her head as her eyes brimmed with tears. “But you do not deserve this treatment!”

“Then I’ll find out why they believe I do and remedy the situation,” he assured her as he gently drew his hand out of her grasp.

He grasped my hand and guided us past the distraught elf. She followed us out into the front garden where the guards lined up behind us, blocking her from joining our little party. The general took the lead and faced us where he studied Will’s face. “My apologies. Truly.”

Will cocked his head to one side and examined our captor. “I would trade your apology for an explanation.”

The general shook his head. “That I cannot do. Follow me.”

He turned and marched us out of the garden and onto the street. I couldn’t help but look back. Alisa had stopped at the gate to her abode and grasped the low stone wall that surrounded her property. Her eyes were filled with fear and her hands shook as they clutched the rocks. She looked like she was about to bolt toward us.

Will walked tall and didn’t look at her, but he almost imperceptibly shook his head. Alisa’s face fell and her shoulders went limp. She turned and slouched back to the house, a picture of dejection.

I looked up at Will. His stony face couldn’t hide the lines of worry at the corners of his mouth. I leaned close to Will and lowered my voice to a whisper. “Will she be okay?”

He stared straight ahead as he nodded. “She will.”

I cast my curious gaze at our captors, particularly the tall leader. “So who is this general guy, anyway?”

“General Raimo Terve,” Will whispered to me. “Captain of the King’s Guard, Protector of the Walls, and Steward of the Vahti.”

“What? Only three titles?” I quipped.

“Silence!” one of the guards at the rear barked. “You are not permitted to speak!”

Will jerked to a stop so fast that our joined hands almost gave me whiplash. He turned his head far enough that one sharp eye could glare at the offending guard. The elf retreated a step and tightened his grip on his spear.

General Terve also stopped and half-turned to us. “What is the matter?”

“Your guard needs a lesson in holding his tongue,” Will told him.

Terve frowned at his man. “Though we are taking these two as prisoners, they are to be treated with the courtesy of guests.” The guard’s face fell and he bowed his head. The general returned his attention to us. “Let us continue.”

Will nodded and we continued our unhappy jaunt through the dark and quiet streets of the capital. The birds had lain themselves to rest and even the flowers had closed their petals. The oppressive silence made me walk close to Will and he looped an arm around my waist to keep me close.