Page 34 of Legacy of Thorns (Kingdoms of Legacy #3)
“It was Lord Barlowe,” Daphne said loudly. “He was the one who told them to do it. He ordered them to kill me!”
“Lord Barlowe?” Lord Castlerey frowned. “Nonsense! Why, he was called away on an urgent family matter some time ago. He isn’t even here. If these men have been bandying his name about in an effort to save their own hides, I shall see them suitably punished.”
Daphne growled under her breath. No wonder Finley had been reluctant to approach the lord with their story.
Lorne put a steadying hand on her arm and spoke to his friend. “If you could have these ruffians delivered to the nearest guards, I would be in your debt, my lord. It has been a terrifying experience for my goddaughter, and I would like to get her back to the inn and warmed up as soon as possible.”
“Of course, Lorne, of course,” Lord Castlerey said.
“It’s no wonder she’s overset. A most troubling business!
Attacking my guests as they leave my ball—I never heard of such a thing!
We have the villains well in hand, don’t you fear.
” He signaled to several footmen, and they hurried forward to take charge of the prisoners.
“I suppose we needn’t worry about what the men might say,” Daphne said dryly as they turned away, “since it seems Lord Castlerey has decided what happened for himself.”
“I suspect it’s for the best on this occasion,” Lorne murmured. “I believe this is a matter best handled by ourselves.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and led her down the road, toward the village. Archer followed close behind, flanked on either side by Nisha and Morrow.
“What happened to Avery?” Daphne checked over her shoulder at the people still milling around Lord Castlerey and the six prisoners, but there was no sign of the two merchants there.
“She and Elliot already headed back to the inn,” Lorne replied.
“They’re a capable pair, so I’m sure they’ll have a private sitting room ready for us by the time we arrive—hopefully one with a roaring fire.
I really do want to see you warmed up, my girl.
That dress isn’t made for the night air, and I don’t want you going into shock. ”
Daphne stopped abruptly, pulling him to a stop with her. “I’m not the one we need to be worrying about right now.”
“I assure you I have top class worrying skills,” Lorne said with unimpaired cheer. “I can worry about a staggering number of people all at once.”
“Is that something to boast about?” Archer asked. “My mother always advised me not to worry.”
“A wise woman,” Lorne said. “But we all need occupation in our old age, and since I can no longer travel much, I sometimes dabble in other hobbies.”
Nisha spoke up from behind them. “If we’re going after Finley, we’ll need transport. And better directions than just southwest . The inn seems as good a place as any to strategize.”
Archer stepped up to Daphne’s side and slung an arm over her shoulders. “And they have lovely, comfortable chairs as well. How could you resist?”
“How indeed?” She shrugged out from under his arm, giving him a repressive look.
But her knot of worry loosened slightly at sight of the concern and impatience that lurked at the back of his eyes. She wasn’t the only one eager to be off after Finley.
Lorne resumed walking, and the rest of them followed. “At the inn, we’ll consult a map and plan what we can from there.”
When they finally reached the brightly lit building, they found everything just as Lorne had predicted. Daphne gratefully accepted the warm drink handed to her, but she didn’t dare sit in one of the armchairs by the fire. She would be asleep in seconds if she did.
With everyone gathered, Daphne told the evening’s story again, this time with full details. Her audience exhibited a satisfying amount of shock at the revelation of the true identity of Finley and Archer’s father.
“Their father was Prince Timothy?” Avery seemed to be the only one who recognized the name.
“And he’s deceased? King Vesper will be sorry to hear it.
The last time I was in the capital, he confided his brother’s story to me—confidentially, of course.
He regrets his father’s firm stance on the matter and asked me to keep an eye out for Prince Timothy in my travels.
” She glanced at Elliot. “We’ll have to adjust our plans and visit the capital before we move on to Halbury.
I can’t leave Oakden without telling the king the news of his brother’s death. ”
“Of course.” Elliot put a comforting arm around her. “We said we’d be in Halbury in the summer, but not exactly when. We can take as much time as you like.”
Avery seemed to draw strength from the contact, her manner turning brisk. “For now, however, we have more pressing matters.” She produced a map of Oakden and laid it across the room’s large table.
Everyone crowded around as Daphne searched for a lake that fit Finley’s description. It wasn’t hard to find it.
“There.” She placed her finger on the spot. “That’s where Fin thinks Barlowe’s castle is. Except it’s surrounded by brambles and forgotten by the world. I think the Legacy has helped with the forgetting, but it must have been cut off for at least a generation.”
Avery rolled up the map, speaking with decision. “Once we’re there, we should be able to find something as big as a castle, brambles or not.”
“You’re coming with us?” Daphne asked.
“Of course,” she replied, and her husband laughed.
“If you can keep Avery from jumping into a rescue with both feet, please let me in on the secret.”
“I appreciate your enthusiasm as always, Avery,” Lorne said with a smile. “Are you volunteering your wagon?”
The three of them began to discuss logistics, but Daphne wasn’t listening.
“You would be just as capable of opening the brambles as Finley,” she murmured to Archer.
He made a thoughtful sound at the back of his throat. “We’d have to get there before them. Can we do it?”
“Barlowe and Finley are in a carriage, so if we go on horseback…”
Elliot’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Brilliant as your plans may be, Avery, those two seem to have a scheme of their own.” He nodded in Daphne and Archer’s direction.
“Daphne? Archer?” Lorne raised his brows, looking concerned.
“We need horses,” Archer said. “Fast ones.”
“You want to get there before Barlowe and Finley,” Nisha said slowly.
Archer nodded. “Barlowe has already shown he’s willing to kill to keep his secret.
So what do you think he’ll do to Fin once Fin opens those brambles and wakes the girl?
We have to get to that castle before they do—Fin’s safe until then.
I can open the brambles enough for us to get in, and then we can take Barlowe by surprise when he arrives and rescue Fin. ”
“Unfortunately the stables of this inn aren’t exactly brimming with riding horses of sufficient speed and stamina,” Nisha said.
Elliot exchanged a look with Avery. “There’s Nutmeg, at least,” he offered when she gave a small nod.
“Is that your cart horse?” Archer sounded skeptical.
“She’s not exactly a normal cart horse, though, is she?” Daphne asked, remembering her previous encounters with the chestnut mare. “I always thought she seemed…different.”
Avery laughed. “She certainly is, but you’re observant to have noticed. Most people don’t.”
“How unusual is she?” Archer asked, brightening.
“Very,” Elliot said dryly. “Avery has taken her so many places over the years—sometimes into places brimming with Legacy power—and it’s changed her.
She’s far smarter than any horse has the right to be, for one.
Like the parrots in Glandore or the mice in Sovar.
And she doesn’t tire nearly as quickly as she should. ”
“She can manage the ride,” Avery said decisively. “Elliot knows that from experience.”
Daphne raised her eyebrows, looking between them. At any other time, she would have been interested in the story behind that statement. But she couldn’t think about anything but rescuing Finley.
“Just how extraordinary is Nutmeg?” she asked instead. “Could she manage the ride with two riders?”
“That depends on the second rider.” Avery glanced at Morrow. “Extraordinary or not, she’s still a horse, so if one of them was Morrow here…But I assume you mean yourself and Archer? In that case, she should manage.”
Nisha frowned. “But what can the two of you do on your own?”
“We’ll come up with a strategy on the way.” Archer spoke with the confidence of extreme youth. “We’ll have the element of surprise, remember. And you can all follow behind more slowly to provide backup.”
Daphne didn’t share his confidence, but neither was she going to say anything to discourage the scheme. They had to take the risk and try to rescue Finley. And for once they would be the ones a step ahead instead of Barlowe.
Archer glanced at Daphne. “Fin wouldn’t want you to go with me, though. He would want you to stay safe.”
“If Fin was here, he would get a say,” Daphne replied tartly. “Since he’s not, I’m going.”
The two faced off for a moment before Archer grinned. “If you’re sure, I won’t be the one to stop you. Fin can grumble about it all he likes once he’s safe himself.”
“I don’t know why I’m agreeing,” Lorne muttered, “except that I don’t think we could stop you if we tried.”
“I know that we wouldn’t be the first choice to go usually,” Daphne said quietly. “We’re not exactly the strongest fighters of the group. But we are the lightest, and we have something else going for us besides.”
Lorne met her eyes, understanding in his. “The Legacy,” he said simply, and she nodded.
They were heading into an area rich with Legacy power, and of all the people present, she and Archer were the two to have most recently attracted the Legacy’s attention. Daphne had been decrying the effect ever since, but it was time for her to make use of her position instead.
“You’d better come and meet Nutmeg, then.” Avery led the way to the inn’s stables where they were greeted by a chestnut mare who whinnied at the sight of Avery.
She seemed reluctant to take Daphne or Archer on her back at first, but after some chiding from Avery, she settled and accepted her new riders.
“We’ll hire a cart horse in the morning and follow as quickly as we can,” Avery promised. “So don’t get yourselves killed in the meantime.”
Daphne only had time to nod before Nutmeg took off as if she wasn’t carrying any riders at all.