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Chapter 22 ~ A Stone’s Throw

Dàibhid

I pulled the hood of my cloak higher, concealing my face. Standing beside me in the shadow of Bailanín’s walls, Thomas did the same. Liam was off in a different shadow, providing extra protection.

It had taken convincing to get Liam to agree to this outing even though it had been Thomas’s idea. Liam had, of course, reminded me that it could be dangerous.

But the moment the Shadow Swords had left, the moment Rígan had closed the door to the apartments, I’d been restless. Imagining what could go wrong with twice the vigor, busying myself with requests from Ardannian citizens and correspondence from various city nobles, which only reminded me of the danger I’d sent the six of them into. I needed something different, and a training session wasn’t going to help, not with my most recent training partners’ lives on the line. Cianán’s point about having fun wormed its way in, and for the first time in a while, I latched on to it like a lifeline.

When I was prince, I’d rope Thomas into going around the capital with me undetected. Cloaks were good enough, so long as you chose the right sort of weather. Exploring the city that would one day be mine had been a joy: seeing the shops, getting to know the people, watching them and their successes and failures and debating what I could do to help. Thomas had sensed I needed that simple distraction again, and he’d hardly needed to speak the idea before I’d grabbed my cloak. And after a conversation alone with Liam, he’d relented to the plan, so long as he came with us. My desperation must have been palpable.

“Is there anything in particular you’d like to visit?” Thomas asked.

The wind whipped around us, cloaks billowing. My hair flew into my eyes more than once, but I stopped caring. The thrill of the excursion was too intoxicating.

I smiled, excited to play tourist again in my own city. “Everything.”

Thomas barked a laugh. “Everything it is.”

I led him from Bailanín’s outer walls into the thick of things. Wealthier homes and high-end shops met us first, large glass windows reflecting the bright sun while late-season flowers and wind chimes were battered by the gusts. Many people were out, mingling and darting in and out of stores with bundles in their arms. We bypassed most of those shops, as employees would have recognized me without much effort; many of them, especially the bookseller, often paid visits to the castle with deliveries for me.

Though the stationary store did call my name. The display window was filled with new quills, quality paper, and beautifully bound journals. I promised myself I’d return when drawing attention wouldn’t be as much of an impairment. Just like I would the music shop, which I’d scarcely had time for in a while. My fingers twitched, and I longed to pluck my harp. Music was one of the indulgences I missed the most, but the Exile problem came first.

Once we reached the center district, we wandered freely, stepping inside stores and smiling at those milling about. Some might have recognized me, but from my days as their prince, enough knew that if I was out here in a hood, I didn’t want to be disturbed. Liam scowled every time Thomas and I walked into a store, likely fearing an owner was a rebel, even though he and Thomas had vetted the locations in advance.

The atmosphere in the center district had improved in the last few weeks—with no new large-scale attacks around Ardanna and even the lesser ones dwindling, there was less suspicion, more regular customers returning to shops, and a general sense of lightness. No one was under the illusion that everything was resolved, but it was reassuring seeing my people enjoying themselves, even if my own worries never fully went away. They deserved happiness; I would carry the rest for them.

We stopped for a break around midday, purchasing tea from a cart with a clear view to the river cutting a path beside the city. The cup was warm, steam swirling around my nose, the strong blend tingling my sinuses. The frigid wind only made the cup that much more satisfying, heating my throat to my stomach.

“The wind has picked up,” I said, leaning against a post.

Thomas clutched his cup tighter. “Let’s hope it dies down before we head back.”

“Do you honestly still hate climbing the hill with a downwind?”

“Do you not?”

I chuckled, turning to face the hill in question. The castle sat atop it, stones softened in the cloud-dampened sunlight. On days like this, the castle and the country being mine brought a sense of lightness. Of comfortable purpose. If only for a moment.

Shouts down the road made me jump. I settled when a group of six people, around fifteen or sixteen years old, passed us, having fun. Not rebels like it had been after the farms or the night The Crown was burned. My nerves continued to twitch regardless.

What if I sent the Swords to the wrong place? What if the Exiles we needed to question were in a different part of the country? Or a big attack happened in Tírdorcha while they were there? What if they were caught in the crossfire?

What if the report from Onyx Watch was mistaken, the information planted to be a trap?

No. Tírdorcha was still the logical next step, whether the information we received was good or not. And the team was skilled. It would be fine.

Always have your people’s best interests at heart, my father had said.

It would be better if everything could have been guaranteed to be peaceful.

“Dàibhid?” Thomas’s face was lined with concern.

I rolled my neck. “I’m fine.”

He examined me a moment before saying, “So are they. You know, you’re doing a good job with everything going on.”

I stared at the water, his words forming a tangled mess in my chest. I wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved by them or hold on to my doubts. “Am I that transparent?”

“To me? You’re basically a window.” He collected my empty cup. “Let’s keep walking.”

By midafternoon, we’d reached the lower district, just before the outermost homes. Those houses could be seen down the way, a slope leading toward them. One used to belong to Rígan, Maya, and Lou. I wondered who lived there now.

At the top of the slope, I led us down a wide street. Children played about, adults bustling between them, friendly shouts crossing from one side to the other. The row houses were small and old, the exteriors looking a little worse for wear. This was as run-down an area as Ardanna got, though it used to be far worse. Most of the families here had an income, access to food and care. My father and I had done a lot to make sure of it. As a child, I saw these same families wearing threadbare clothing and sharing measly bits of food, doors missing from hinges and windows covered by no more than blankets. I was close to tears seeing the transformation. I always was. There was still work to be done, but it was getting better.

A crowd was gathered outside the last house on the left. Slightly bigger than the rest, the house used to be a mill that came under disrepair decades ago. Someone had fixed it up as a project, and it had recently sold.

Colm Leancormac stood in the doorway, apron covered in flour and a tray in hand, negotiating with a man in front of him. Before we reached the door, the man was off with fewer coins and more scones.

I shot an enthusiastic glance at Liam, standing on the opposite side of the street. He did a visual sweep before signaling it was safe.

I stepped up to the threshold with Thomas and lowered my hood.

“Something smells divine,” I said. Murmurs broke out as people recognized me and spread word to those who didn’t.

Siobhan whipped around from beside the oven. “Come in, Your Majesty! Come in!”

Colm ushered us in, while their eldest, Saoirse, descended the stairs. The space was much smaller than the original Crown had been, but it had everything a good kitchen needed.

“Have you moved in upstairs?” I asked. From the outside, the second story didn’t seem like it would be much for a family of five.

“Still with our friends a couple streets over,” Colm said. In an even smaller house than this, then. “But it’s good for us for now. We wanted to get this back up, and with the money you gave us, we were able to. We thought about rebuilding in the center district, but . . . well. We’re not ready for that.”

“I understand.” I glanced outside, where the line was growing for reasons I was sure had nothing to do with me. “You seem to be doing well.”

Siobhan pulled scones from the oven, cinnamon and excess butter wafting out with them. “Customers followed us here. It’s been quite helpful for the neighborhood, too. More of a chance to sell their wares, you see, with more visitors.”

I beamed at the news. Perhaps I’d see if I could assist them in some way, set up a market.

“They’re feeling safer around here again, too,” Colm said. “What you said before in one of your petitions spread fast. We trust you’re doing what you can, which makes it easier for us to live our lives.”

Thomas elbowed me when the family wasn’t looking in a clear I told you so .

Liam, apparently content there was no danger outside, stepped in and took the scone Siobhan offered him. Thomas and I took our own, Siobhan waving off our attempts to pay.

“The best pastries,” Thomas said as he bit in.

Siobhan turned red. “Oh, well, now.”

“Take the compliment, Ma,” Saoirse said. “You’re a talent.”

“And you?” I asked Saoirse. “How have you been with all this?”

“I—”

“Get inside!” a voice yelled from the street. “Get inside, now!”

I took two great strides to the door and located the source of the order. A city guard, herding people into buildings at random. I pushed outside, Liam and Thomas hot on my heels.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

The guard was close to reprimanding me before he realized who’d asked the question. “Your Majesty, it’s not safe for you out here. Homes are being attacked three streets over.” As the words left him, screams erupted in the not-too-far distance, shattering echoing behind. “Rebels, mostly, smashing windows and threatening those they come across.”

My people had become so much more hopeful again; I couldn’t let the rebels take that away. My hand flew to my side, and I swore. I’d left my sword at the castle. Liam and Thomas both drew theirs.

“We’ve got this, Your Majesty,” Liam said. “Get back inside the bakery.”

I ignored him. “Do you have an extra weapon?” I asked the city guard.

He hesitated, looking to Liam. As captain of the royal guard, Liam outranked every city guard, but I outranked Liam. It wasn’t fair to him, what I was doing, but I wouldn’t sit idly by when my people needed me.

The guard caved. “I don’t, but others do. We can find you one on the way.”

We rushed toward the clamor, people running in the opposite direction.

The street under attack was chaos.

People pushed past each other to get to safety, children and belongings clutched to their chests. Some barely had the clothes on their backs, shoes and shirts and trousers half-donned as they fled.

The rebels weren’t hard to find. They threw rocks at homes, some of them even at people. My neck heated, the need to protect flaring.

“A weapon. Now.”

The city guard waved another over, two swords strapped at her waist. She unflinchingly gave me one.

“We’ve captured two rebels so far,” she said. “We believe there are six others. Or, at least, six others causing damage. There could be more blending in, or fewer, if people who simply enjoy violence decided to join in.”

“We round them all up,” I said. “Take them alive, unless your life or an innocent’s requires otherwise. Understood?” Nods all around. “Good. Do your duty.”

We stalked in, guiding the panicked away as calmly as we could while advancing on the rebels. One noticed me and pivoted, the rock that was poised to smash a door now pointed at me.

“I didn’t take you for a fighter,” they said.

“You’re sorely mistaken.”

I swung at their wrist, but they smashed the rock into my blade with more weight than I expected from their slight frame. I stumbled forward and another rebel kicked my shin. My knee buckled but I stayed upright, swinging back around to attack. I grazed the kicker while the one with the rock sidestepped and hit me over the head. I stumbled, blinking back stars. Something hot slid down my neck. I touched my fingers to the back of my head. They came away slick, sticky, and red.

I raised my blade, but Liam jumped in and distracted the kicker, who was rearing for a fight. That left the one who had drawn my blood.

“Maybe you should see to that,” they taunted.

“You’re more important right now.”

They bowed, teeth flashing. “An honor.”

Cocky. I swung, the hilt of my sword colliding with their temple before they’d even straightened.

I waited a moment to make sure they wouldn’t get back up. “Now we’re even.”

Liam clasped my arm. “We should get you out of here.”

“I can manage,” I said. My head was pounding, pressure building in my ears.

“It’s largely under control. Most of the activity now is citizens fleeing despite the danger being subdued. Look, Thomas is rounding up the last of them.”

Indeed he was, the last rebel on her knees, forehead bleeding, as she spat foul words in his direction.

“Have the rebels sent to the cells,” I said. “City cells for now, if there’s room. They’re closer. We’ll discuss what happened with the city guards tomorrow, after they’ve looked more thoroughly into things.”

He gave the orders while energy poured out of me. The blow to my head must have been worse than I’d thought.

The royal physician told me as much back at the castle.

“Though it could have been worse,” Eva said, threading the last stitch through the base of my skull. She’d sat me in one of the chairs in my apartments’ sitting room. “You’re not nauseated, and your vision has cleared. A day or two of rest should be all that’s needed, but I’ll check on you then and we can re-evaluate as needed.”

When she left, Cianán approached, hands wringing. “We’re lucky it wasn’t worse. For you or anyone else.”

No reports of death had come in. Injury, yes. But lives hadn’t been lost, thank gods.

Thomas and Liam, who had been seen by other physicians, entered. They’d only sustained scrapes and would be left with tender bruises. One painted the side of Thomas’s face, purple flecked with yellow.

“You’re alright?” Liam asked me.

“I’ll be fine.” After a nap. “Anything more to report?”

Thomas shook his head. “It’s slowing down. I’d expect more won’t come to light until tomorrow.”

What mattered most to me was whether the attack was sanctioned. I assumed it wasn’t given its chaotic nature and lack of many skilled fighters. Still, we needed to know.

“Thank you both. You can take the remainder of the day to rest.”

Cianán took a seat beside me once the door had closed. “I know you’re more than capable of holding your own.” I visibly braced for his next words. “I do. And I’m not saying we should change the way things are being handled in this exact moment. But perhaps, once the team is back, you consider keeping them close. A dedicated circle of protectors for you. And the princess, if she’ll allow it.”

I’d thought of the possibility too, with everything that had happened since Cianán last suggested the idea, but nothing had changed enough to warrant it. I had my extensive royal guard, who was more than capable themselves. Adding sellswords would only draw attention. And there was no chance Brí would agree to a detail. Having a guard keep an eye on her was a hard enough sell, let alone the people I’d put her on a team with.

“We need to see how things unfold first.”

Cianán patted my knee. “Alright. Just be open to the idea of adjusting how you’ve been approaching all this, if needed.”

I stared at the fire crackling in the grate, my head throbbing. “Of course,” I said to appease him. Because what that adjustment would look like, I wasn’t sure. But I also wasn’t sure I liked the possibilities.