Page 26

Chapter 26

Julius

J ulius, Olivia, and Cade headed into the market again the next afternoon, this time with Daphne in tow. Ostensibly they were taking Olivia’s cousin sightseeing, so her presence was essential. But he suspected she wouldn’t have accepted being left behind anyway.

They went straight to Markus’s stall, and as soon as they had received their tankards of cider, he spoke in a low murmur. “Mistress Larkin showed up this morning. Bought a loaf of bread and four rolls from the baker’s stall, just like you said.”

“This morning?” Olivia looked ready to jump up, but Julius put his hand over hers, and she settled, lifting her tankard quickly to her lips.

“Mmm,” Daphne said. “You’re right, Olivia. This really is delicious cider.”

Markus grinned. “Thank you, my lady.”

“Oh, I’m not a lady. Just Daphne.”

Markus grinned. “Well, I always appreciate praise for my cider—whether it comes from a commoner or nobility.”

“With cider this good, I’m surprised your stall isn’t teeming.” She took another long drink.

Markus leaned forward, his eyes shifting from side to side. For the first time, he actually looked as if he were about to impart a secret, a break from his usual subtle manner.

“I don’t give everyone the good stuff,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “I’m very discerning about who gets to enjoy it.” He patted the barrel their drinks had come from.

Julius sat back and laughed. “Consider us honored in that case. Although I suppose it’s Olivia we have to thank, since she was the first one to win you over.”

Markus smiled at Olivia. “I can recognize an overwhelmed, homesick expression when I see one. And I’m willing to offer a bit of cider-flavored comfort to those that need it.”

Olivia laughed. “How long ago that seems! I remember my first visit—I couldn’t believe how enormous the market was. I was wishing I had convinced my cousins to come with me instead of braving it alone when I sat down at Markus’s stall just to escape the crowds.” She smiled at him. “I’m glad you took pity on me as I can’t imagine my time in the capital without your delicious cider.”

“Have we waited long enough?” Cade murmured, clearly struggling with the task of looking calm and relaxed for enough time to finish a tankard.

Julius threw him a sympathetic look. His respect for Cade’s self-control had grown considerably since learning about his connection to Marigold. He had shown remarkable self-restraint in appearing so normal for the last months.

“I think we can go now.” Julius drained the last of his drink in one long swallow. “Ladies?”

“Oh, yes! I’m done.” Daphne stood up with a satisfied sigh. “And you can be sure I’ll be back, sir.”

Olivia laughed. “Cider appreciation runs in the family, apparently.”

Julius caught the intensity of the glitter in her eyes. Her laughter was the only outlet she was allowing herself, but her emotions were running high.

They left their two grooms at the market in charge of the horses, walking the short distance to the Larkins’ home on foot. They hadn’t bothered to bring any guards since they couldn’t risk taking them anywhere near the Larkins’ anyway. And Julius was no longer concerned about the need for a guard in the market. The people had already grown used to his and Olivia’s frequent visits, and he no longer feared they might be crushed by an enthusiastic crowd.

Thanks to the new hint of cool in the air, they had been able to get away with bringing cloaks, and all four of them donned the garments and drew up the hoods shortly after leaving the market. Julius looked around keenly as they walked, searching for any hint of watchers. He could see no one.

His heart beat quickly anyway as they waited outside the Larkins’ door, the seconds after their knock seeming to stretch impossibly long. Were the Larkins not home?

Finally the door swung open. The young maid on the other side fell back with a gasp at the sight of four cloaked figures on her doorstep. But there was no time to reassure her. Rushing forward, the four of them pushed their way into the house, the maid staggering back out of their way.

“But who…who are you?” she gasped.

Olivia pulled off her hood and Julius quickly followed suit. The girl gave a squeak of delight as soon as she got a good look at Olivia, reassuring Julius that she wasn’t too upset at their abrupt entry.

“Your Highness!” She dropped into an exaggerated curtsy.

“What’s this?” Master Larkin’s harried voice came from further down the hall. “Is it?—?”

He caught sight of Julius and hurried forward. “Back to the packing now,” he told the girl. “I’ll see to our guests.”

The maid obeyed slowly, looking disappointed. She threw frequent glances over her shoulder until she was out of sight, but Larkin waited patiently for her to disappear before speaking again.

“We don’t have many staff,” he said, “and we haven’t mentioned you to any of them. It seemed safer that way.”

Julius nodded. “Very wise. And you’ve received the ransom demand?”

“That we did.” Larkin led them into the sitting room from their previous visit. “And we’re nearly packed and ready to go. You came just in time.”

“Packed?” Julius asked blankly. “How much coin did they demand?”

“None,” Master Larkin said grimly. “Their demand is that we pack and leave the city immediately, collecting our daughter on the way.”

“The abductor wants you to leave the capital?” Cade asked. “That’s all? But why? What does he stand to gain from that?”

“Or she,” Daphne murmured, but Cade didn’t seem to hear.

“That’s not quite all,” Master Larkin said with a note of resignation. “I’m also to drop my current business plans. I assume he wants me to leave the capital to make it harder for me to ever pick them back up again.”

“And what are your business plans?” Julius asked, tension knotting deep in his belly. Would they finally get a clue to the identity of the abductor?

“I’m not a skilled man myself,” Larkin said. “Not in the way of making things anyway. But I can recognize quality when I see it. I found several smaller glass workshops that produced quality products but were struggling to distribute their wares effectively. I’ve been negotiating a deal to pool their products and managed the sales and distribution as combined stock. We were planning to focus on Glandore to begin with as I have a good merchant contact there who would take possession of the goods at the border.”

“And someone sees your deal as a threat,” Julius said. “It sounds like the abductor works with glass in some way.”

Master Larkin’s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes darting around the group before he shrugged, not speaking.

Cade shifted uncomfortably beside Julius. “I take it there was no direct responsibility taken by anyone?”

“No, my lord.” Master Larkin looked down, seeming nervous.

Julius frowned. Was he hiding something? But why would he want to hide something from the people who were trying to help him?

He glanced at Cade, wondering if he had some insight, but from the tightness of his muscles, he was too on edge to think clearly. They would have to make do with the clue they had been given and hope the father wasn’t holding anything back.

When he looked for Olivia, he found her a few steps away, fumbling with something in her pocket. When she caught his eye, she nodded reassuringly.

“I know this must all be very terrifying for you and your wife, Master Larkin,” she said in a gentle voice. “But we intend to help you retrieve Elisabeth safely.”

“Thank you, my lady.” The man didn’t seem very reassured, despite his words.

Julius’s brow creased even further, but when Olivia gave him a second small nod, he accepted her judgment. He didn’t know what made her so certain about Larkin, but she was silently asking him to trust her, and he was willing to do so.

“Do you really intend to flee the city, even with our support?” he asked. “We can protect your family.”

Larkin’s head jerked from side to side. “Thank you, Your Highness, but as long as my daughter’s abductor is free, I won’t sleep a wink in the capital. We will obey our instructions to the letter.”

“Can we at least have the two letters?” Julius asked. “They can serve as proof of the abduction after you’ve left.”

Larkin hesitated. But after another glance at each of their faces, he retrieved two folded parchments and handed them over to Julius.

“We truly do appreciate your support, Your Highness, but all we want now is to have our daughter safe back in our arms again and to take her far from any future danger. If I have to give up a new business opportunity, I’ll do so without a second thought.”

“You’re a truly loving father,” Olivia said softly, “and that is to be admired. I hope you have your daughter safe at your side again soon.”

Larkin cleared his throat. “Thank you, my lady.” He hesitated. “I don’t wish to be rude, but we’re currently in a frenzy of packing. If we’re to make the rendezvous on time, we’ll need to leave in half an hour. I’m afraid I have to ask you to leave now.” He nodded toward the letters. “I hope those can be of some use.”

“We will do all in our power to make sure they are,” Cade said earnestly, and Larkin smiled although it didn’t reach his worried eyes.

“Will you not let us accompany you?” Julius asked, shocked at their sudden expulsion. “We could stay back out of sight when you approach the rendezvous.”

“No!” Larkin said sharply. “We were directed to come alone, and we intend to obey all instructions. To the letter.”

“But—” Julius started to protest, but Cade laid a restraining hand on his arm.

“Come on,” he murmured. “We can talk outside.”

Julius frowned, wanting to argue further, but Olivia approached on his other side.

“The Larkins have helped us. We can’t do anything to put their daughter in danger.”

Meeting her eyes, Julius sighed and capitulated.

As soon as they stepped outside, the door was shut firmly behind them. Julius hesitated, but Cade moved swiftly, hauling him down the narrow lane that ran between the Larkins’ home and the house beside it. The two girls followed on their heels, everyone’s faces creased with worry.

“We couldn’t stay and harass the poor Larkins,” Cade said breathlessly. “But I don’t intend to leave it at that, and I’ll warrant none of you do either.” He threw a slightly doubtful look at Daphne, but when she didn’t protest, he continued. “Let’s see the letter. It might give us a clue.”

Julius unfolded the top parchment, holding it out so that everyone could read at once. Four heads bowed close to peer at it in the dim light of the laneway.

The note was brief and to the point—addressing the Larkins by name but giving no signature, just like the first one. The straightforward demands aligned exactly with what Larkin had told them, the only new piece of information being the rendezvous location.

“Is it far?” Daphne asked, clearly unfamiliar with the listed spot.

“It’s near the northeast gate.” Julius pulled up a map of the city in his mind’s eye. “I suspect the abductor intends to hand over Elisabeth and then lurk nearby to observe their departure for himself. It’s a perfect location for that since he wouldn’t need to follow them for long.”

“I entered the city through that gate,” Olivia said. “And I remember this square. We stopped there for a drink from the public fountain, and I was so excited by everything I saw that I still remember the name plaque. It’s a small square, yes, but it still seems a very public place for a handover of this sort.”

“The square itself is public,” Cade said, “but it has a number of dark alleys and lanes that feed into it. I think it would work for the purpose. I’m sure they wouldn’t be planning any sort of dramatic meeting. They’ll probably send Elisabeth in to meet her parents alone—with a warning to pass on to them, most likely.”

“What kind of warning?” Olivia asked, her face pale.

Julius grasped Cade’s point instantly, answering for him. “A warning that they’re being watched, and that if they do anything but progress straight to the gate, they’ll be shot. There could be archers hiding in second stories or down alleyways easily enough to make the threat real.”

“They wouldn’t even need real archers,” Daphne added. “We’ve already seen that fear alone will achieve their ends.”

“But what if the Larkins had gone to the guards?” Julius asked, thinking aloud. “At a location like that, it would be easy to surround every alley and lane from the rear and catch the watcher that way. At least that’s what I would have planned to do if we’d had time for elaborate plans. But there’s no time for that now, which I suppose is why Larkin was willing to hand the letter over.”

“I think the Larkins know the identity of the abductor, even if we do not,” said Daphne thoughtfully. “And I think it’s someone powerful enough that he doesn’t fear such an eventuality.”

“Do you really think Master Larkin lied to us?” Olivia didn’t sound convinced. “I looked at him closely , and he looked sincere.” She gave her cousin a significant look, one Julius couldn’t interpret.

“I looked as well,” Daphne said calmly, “and I saw sincere fear. Deep fear. The kind that comes from an enemy who far outmatches you. I’m not saying he lied outright. The note doesn’t include a name, so he doesn’t know for sure. But I think he’s guessed it anyway. He must know his own business rivals.”

“I have an idea,” Cade said abruptly. “But we have to move fast.”

“You want to go to the rendezvous ourselves?” Olivia asked, sounding torn. “That would mean breaking our promise to Master Larkin, but it might be our only chance to identify and follow the abductor.”

Julius frowned. If he was alone, he would have planned to do just that. But he had no desire to put Olivia at risk.

“We need guards for such an endeavor,” he said, “and we didn’t bring any with us. We’ll have to detour and fetch some.”

But Cade was already shaking his head before Julius finished speaking. “There’s no time for any of that. Even if we leave now and hurry there by the most direct route, we still may not make it in time. If we happen to pass any guards on city watch, by all means, order them to join us. But we can’t take the time to divert in search of them.”

Julius frowned. “Time isn’t quite as tight as that. We won’t have time to set up a proper surveillance operation, of course, but we have plenty of time to reach the rendezvous point, even if we divert for troops on the way. In fact, when we reach the guards, we should trust the matter to them and not go ourselves at all.” He threw a quick look at Olivia who frowned in response to his words.

Cade shook his head again. “You may do what you like—in fact, as crown prince, I encourage you to keep yourself safe. But I will be going myself.”

Julius hesitated, torn. Of course he couldn’t let his best friend go haring into danger alone. But if he said he was accompanying him, then he was willing to bet that?—

“Agreed,” said Olivia before he even spoke. “I intend to go regardless of what you do, Julius.” She gave him a defiant look, and he groaned.

Cade sighed. “I would honestly prefer you all keep yourselves safe, but I don’t mean to waste any time on a losing battle. The key point is that I’m not thinking of going to the rendezvous. Its location—along with the clue about glassblowing—has given me a theory. There’s an old, disused warehouse close to that square. It used to house glass wares, but a water leak on the second floor caused part of the ceiling to collapse, smashing a large section of stock on the floor below. It still hasn’t been repaired, so it’s not in active use and would be the perfect place to stash an abducted victim—or two.”

Julius immediately understood the urgency visibly vibrating through Cade. After all this time, he had a possible location for Marigold.

“But surely they won’t have been keeping Marigold in one place all this time,” he said.

“If they had, she would have found a way to escape by now,” Olivia said with a grin.

Cade nodded once. “Agreed. The neighbors could also become a risk if they stayed anywhere too long. I suspect they’ve been moving around, and it’s likely that after the exchange this afternoon, they’ll move again. They won’t risk staying where they are in case Elisabeth reports them after all.”

“Marigold might be at this warehouse right now!” Olivia bounced on the balls of her feet. “What are we waiting for?”

“Precisely.” Cade didn’t wait for agreement, taking off for the entrance of the lane and jogging down the street.

Both girls took off after him, and Julius brought up the rear. He hadn’t even been given the chance to voice his concerns—including that they didn’t know how many men the abductor might have guarding the kidnapped girls. While he understood Cade’s desperation, he didn’t want to be part of leading any of them to their deaths.

But he couldn’t restrain all three of them at once. And he knew when a royal command would do no good. All he could do was accompany them and do his part—and keep his eyes peeled for guards along the way.

They didn’t pass a single pair of patrolling guards until they reached the northeast corner of the city, and he’d almost despaired of any appearing. Putting on a burst of speed, he overtook the others and stopped in front of the armed men.

“You’re with me,” he barked out. “We have trouble and there might be fighting. There’s no time to explain.”

“Excuse me?” one of them asked coldly, but his companion elbowed him hard, his eyes wide.

“Yes, Your Highness,” the second man said. “We’re at your disposal.”

The first speaker’s eyes also widened, and he gave a deep bow. “My apologies for not recognizing you, Prince Julius.”

“Never mind that.” Julius’s breath came fast after his dash through the city. “For now, follow me. We’re being left behind.”

The others hadn’t slowed or stopped, although Olivia was looking back for him over her shoulder. But he knew they would slow to a walk soon. They had only made it so far by alternating jogging and walking since none of them were professional runners.

When the group did slow, Julius quickly caught them up before dropping to a walk himself and quickly filling the two guards in on the bare bones of the situation. He didn’t mention Marigold by name, but both men were incensed and ready to assist, although they respectfully suggested that Julius himself should stay back and allow them to take his place.

“I thank you, but no,” he said. “And that’s not up for debate,” he added when one of them looked inclined to argue.

Cade led the small group through a maze of back alleys, amazing Julius with his sense of direction. If it had been up to Julius to lead them, he would have been hopelessly lost by that point.

His friend finally stopped beside a building that gave every appearance of still being abandoned. The windows had been boarded up, and weeds grew around the back door, broken bricks scattered among them.

“We should wait for the abductors to leave,” Julius murmured in an undertone. “We can lay an ambush and take them by surprise in the open.”

Cade shook his head, stubbornness radiating from every line of his body. “If she’s not in there, I have to know it now. There’s still time for me to make the rendezvous point if I was wrong about this warehouse.”

“And what?” Julius whispered, exasperated. “Find the abductor yourself? On your own?”

“If I have to.”

Julius sighed. There was clearly no talking Cade down. Julius now had two guards on his side and could order for the young lord to be restrained, but he didn’t think Olivia and Daphne would just accept it if he did. And in truth, now that they were there, he could feel some portion of Cade’s eagerness coursing through his own veins. If Marigold was really on the other side of that wall, it was time they rescued her.

Cade tried the back door, rattling the latch, which didn’t open.

“Maybe we should try—” Julius began, but Cade had already picked up half a broken brick and thrown it through the window.

The sound of breaking glass made everyone except Cade flinch. He was already in motion again, knocking out the remaining glass shards using the other half of the brick.

“Really?” Julius hissed, but there was no time for him to get angry at his friend’s reckless haste. Cade had just announced their arrival, and they needed to act quickly.

Cade reached through the now empty window frame and unlatched the door. As soon as he’d done so, he wrenched it open and rushed through. Julius ran at his heels, one of the guards right behind him. The second guard had been instructed to remain at the rear, keeping Olivia and Daphne in the center of the party.

The two girls both wielded daggers, although he had no idea where they had come from. Had they been carrying them in their boots?

The door opened directly into a large, empty space. On the far side, he could see a couple of doors that likely led into offices, but the wreckage of the collapsed upper floor partially blocked both doors. The fallen ceiling still lay scattered across half the warehouse, along with smashed shelves and broken glass, making it unlikely their quarry was in the blocked rooms.

He swung around to examine the other half of the warehouse.

“Cade!” a piercing voice screamed, and his eyes settled on Marigold.

She was shackled to a heavy table but had somehow removed the gag that now hung limply around her neck. A short way away, a second girl, perhaps a little younger, stood staring at them, each of her arms restrained by a burly man. Apparently they had arrived just as Elisabeth was being led from the room.

One of the men abandoned Elisabeth and faced off with the newcomers, three other men appearing to join him. One of them ran past Marigold’s table, and she gave a loud scream and tried to sweep his legs out from under him.

He responded with a vicious blow that she only partially dodged.

Cade immediately let out a wild bellow and ran for the man, seeming oblivious to the three others standing in his way. Julius shouted as well, waving for the guards to join him in distracting the remaining three.

Two of the men had turned aside, moving to intercept Cade, but they wheeled back at Julius’s shout, each of them drawing a sword. Julius faced the man, putting himself between the abductor and Olivia, who had dashed after Cade. He wasn’t giving the armed men an opportunity to go after a weaker target.

The two guards surged forward valiantly, each engaging one of their attackers in a desperate struggle. Julius lunged for the remaining man who skipped backward, away from his blade. Julius remained in place, unwilling to be lured into a dangerous position.

The man changed tack, abandoning his strategic retreat and rushing Julius with a yell. Julius stepped back, expertly parrying the man’s attack. But he nearly misjudged the force of his counterattack, too accustomed to the careful bouts he engaged in with his friends.

Pulling back, he adjusted, his next lunge catching the man off guard. The man gave way before the force of Julius’s blow, his sword slipping away as Julius carried the thrust all the way through.

His opponent threw himself backward off Julius’s blade but immediately collapsed to the ground, both hands clutching his wound. Julius raised his sword again, panting as he looked toward the other two fights. One of the guards had subdued his man, but the other had somehow lost his blade, as had his opponent, and the two were pummeling each other with their fists.

Julius watched the cadence of the fight, ready to intervene when an opening presented itself, but a piercing cry of “Julius!” made him swing around.