Page 56 of Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate #1)

Chapter Twenty-Six

The Princess

T he soldiers hold a different formation as we ride up and out of the valley.

I was ready to go galloping over the hill when I heard the scream, but it’s clear that Ky and his men are wary after Asher mentioned a trap.

I probably should be, too, but I heard the desperation in that cry.

The soldiers hold the pace at a walk, with Charlotte and me in the middle of the group.

Ky is to my left, and Asher is to our right.

Only the captain has ridden ahead, and he’s waiting at the crest of the hill—likely for some invisible signal from the king.

To the east, smoke curls into the sky, thick and black. When I inhale, I can taste it.

“What’s in that direction?” I say, keeping my voice low, though we’re still not over the hill.

“Not much,” says Ky. “We’re still a good ways from the sea, and you’ve seen the state of my grazing lands.”

Nikko looks back. “There are usually some Suross settlements out this way,” he says in his rough voice.

Callum nods. “I’ve led patrols out here. There aren’t many, but I’ve seen them, too.”

“What are Suross settlements?” I say.

“Incendar has a few traveling bands of nomads,” Ky says.

“A hundred years ago, they lived in the mountains, but as more and more people mined for iron, they dispersed into the hills.” He pauses.

“My father used to say they were a blight on Incendar, because they refused to fight in the war.” He shrugs a little.

“But I can’t use soldiers who don’t want to be there.

There aren’t many of them. They don’t cause too much trouble, so I leave them alone. ”

Callum scoffs. “They’re a little crazy.”

“And they hate outsiders,” says Nikko.

“They’re still my people,” says Ky—but he sighs.

We’ve drawn closer to the crest of the hill, and he lifts a hand to signal to Captain Zale. Another scream peals over the mountain, and it tugs at my heart. The pain in the sound is piercing.

And then I realize why: it reminds me of the moment my mother died.

“It doesn’t matter who they hate,” I say. “Someone clearly needs help.”

“Or someone is pretending to need help,” says Asher.

I grit my teeth and nudge my heels into my horse’s ribs anyway.

Ky grabs my horse’s rein before the animal can take off. I glare at him and try to yank the rein free while the horse prances underneath me.

His expression is resolute, his grip tight. “We are not riding heedless into danger, Princess.”

Asher glances between us, but he says nothing. Up ahead, Captain Zale rides to the top of the hill and surveys the valley below. After a moment, his horse whirls, and he jogs down to us.

“It’s a small Suross encampment,” he says. “Two of their huts are on fire.” He pauses, and I can feel the weight of unspoken communication between the king and his captain. “It’s spreading. They’re pulling buckets from the stream.”

That scream won’t stop echoing in my head, and I can’t tell if I’ve heard it again or if my thoughts just won’t let it go.

My heart pounds hard against my ribs, and I try to jerk my rein free again.

“Then we should help .” When Ky’s grip doesn’t give, I snap, “You just said they’re your people! You can stop the fire!”

He ignores me, his hard gaze shifting to Asher. “Draeg forces often try to lure me out by torturing my people with fire. Would your Hunters know to do the same?”

The words send a chill through me, but Asher lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “I’ve never hurt someone else to get at a mark,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean another Hunter wouldn’t.”

I grit my teeth. “If you won’t help, I will.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t help them, Princess.” Ky looks back at Captain Zale. “Did you have a clear sight line?”

He nods. “The whole valley. They seemed panicked. It doesn’t feel like a trap.”

Ky gives a decisive nod. “Nikko. Hold the crest. Cal, keep the perimeter. We’ll check it out.” He finally looks back at me. “ Stay here. ” His eyes shift to Charlotte. “Both of you.”

She gives a dutiful nod. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

But I glare back at him. “I’ll stay on the crest of the hill with Nikko.”

He runs a hand across his jaw. “Fine. Asher—”

“I can help, too.” He says this a little bitterly, like he expects to be told to remain at the crest with me and Charlotte. But Ky just nods, whirls his horse, and leads his soldiers away.

The billows of dark smoke are getting thicker, clouding the sky.

From the crest of the hill, the damage is worse than I expected.

The straw roofs of two mud huts are entirely ablaze, but the fire has spread to the dry grass, blazing red flame crawling through the brush like something alive.

As I watch, a gust of wind blows sparks onto a third hut, the straw catching immediately.

Two trees have also caught, fire climbing the trunks, reaching for the dry branches.

Ky was right that the settlement seems small.

Only a dozen people can be seen running with buckets to the stream, sloshing half out on their way back to try to attack the fires.

But then my eyes fall on the woman who’s screaming, because she stumbles away from a burning hut, where she’s trapped by a field of fire.

She wasn’t visible a minute ago, so it’s possible Ky and his men haven’t even seen her.

Her circle of safety is quickly dwindling, and I watch as the king and the others reach the bottom of the hill.

I wait for Ky to sketch the sigils that will bring all of this fire under control, so she can run to safety.

But...he doesn’t.

He’s calling orders to his men, but he’s too far for me to hear the words clearly. The soldiers have leapt off their horses, and they start going for buckets, too. I look to Nikko, my heart suddenly in my throat. “Why isn’t he stopping the fire?” I demand. “Why isn’t he using his magic?”

Nikko frowns a little, like I’ve asked an unexpected question. “His magic summons fire,” he says in that rough-quiet voice. “He cannot stop it.”

Charlotte gasps, and my breath stops in my chest as those words sink in. I remember the king summoning a sphere of fire to hover above his palm.

It’s real fire, Princess. It’ll burn whatever it finds.

The world tilts a little. I thought he’d ride down and stop the flames. I thought he and his soldiers would be safe from harm. That he would swiftly rescue these settlers and this would be an easy solution.

Another gust of cold wind sweeps down through the valley, blowing sparks and flames along the dry grass. I blink, and suddenly there’s twice as much as there was before, blowing toward the people gathering buckets. The soldiers are shouting, people scrambling to avoid the flames.

That trapped woman screams again. The wind has blown flame onto her dress, and she’s panicked, beating her skirts against the ground. Her circle of safety has shrunk to half the size. She backs toward the hut, but that’s no better. Flaming bits of straw are falling from the roof.

Another woman is on the other side of the burning grass, and it sounds like she’s shouting to the trapped one. She looks ready to stride right into the flames.

I look toward the king and his soldiers, who are on the other side, heading toward the stream.

“Oh,” I whisper. “Oh no.” Then I raise my voice. “Ky!” I shout. “Ky, there’s a woman—”

But I break off. He can’t hear me. The shouts are too loud, and I’m too high.

That woman disappears from view again.

I think of my mother, of the way Lady Clara screamed. I think of Asher, racing to help the king and his men.

My heart is a caged bird, wildly flinging itself against the bars.

Suddenly I’m not thinking at all. Not anymore. I’ve drawn up my reins and dug my heels into the horse’s sides. Nikko and Charlotte shout behind me, but I barely hear their words. I’m already flying down the hill.

THE HEAT FROM the flames hits me like a wall, making my eyes burn and the air hard to breathe.

This army steed must be used to confronting fields of fire, because my horse is bold and unflinching, even when another gust of wind sends sparks and flaming bits of debris in our direction.

A glowing ember lands on my arm, and I shriek and smack it away.

It’s possible I’ve been too bold.

Then I realize Charlotte has followed me, her horse cantering through the flaming grass at my side, her expression marked with determination.

She’s so brave—and she really doesn’t have to be. I think of that moment Ky asked if she could be a friend.

Yes , I think. She definitely will be.

I’ve lost track of Asher, but I spot Ky among the scrambling people, and I aim the horse right for him.

One of the other soldiers gives a shout of warning, and the king whirls in surprise.

I haul on the reins to bring the animal to a sliding stop, but I’m already leaping out of the saddle.

Charlotte is half a second behind me, breathless and winded, her horse fighting her grip on the reins.

The king catches me before my feet even hit the ground, his strong hands secure on my waist. His eyes are full of concern, but his expression looks like thunder. “Princess, I said—”

“There’s a woman,” I gasp, breathless. “You didn’t see her. She’s trapped—”

“Where?”

I point. “There! Behind the—” The wind changes, and I get a mouthful of smoke. My words break off and I cough hard.

The king takes stock of me quickly, then looks to my lady. “Charlotte,” he says sharply, his voice full of command. “Help them. Join the line.” He points at his soldiers, who are already pulling buckets from the stream, but his eyes return to mine. “Princess. Show me.”