Cara's Twelve (24 page)

“I need to speak to Helfrich and Tahdaon,” he muttered, not looking at her. “I'll send Efy up to stay with you tonight.”

“I don't want Efy. I want you. Please don't leave,” she begged, hating herself for the desperation she heard in her voice.

“You can't be alone,” he said, watching her impassively. “Your rules, remember. Efy will be up shortly. Unless you want one of the other men to join you?”

Cara shook her head and looked away. “Efy is fine.”

From the corner of her eye she saw him hesitate briefly before turning to leave.

“Finn,” she said, stopping him. “I was only trying to protect you.”

He nodded once and opened the door. “It's my job to keep you safe, not the other way around.”

The room reverberated as the door slammed shut.

“You're wrong,” she whispered.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, she stared at the dying fire and waited for Efy to join her.

The days began to lengthen, and the first signs of spring could be seen as the caravan crossed over the border of Bere Alstern and into the province of Ashwater. Their remaining time among Arwel's brothers had passed without incident, and as far as she knew Finn had kept his promise not to confront Arwel, but even so Cara could feel the men's unease grow as they headed north.

Their time in Ashwater was much the same as the time they spent in Bere Astern; tension ran high, and Cara was aware of the resentment that Theo's people felt towards her and the remaining Twelve. There was an undercurrent of hostility, and Cara couldn't help but feel that the citizens of Ashwater begrudged her time among them.

It had been months since Cara had received a message from the council, and despite her inquiry, she was unable to get a clear answer from the Viceroy or his men about the state of the country. There were whispers of civil war, of conflict between Hellstrom and the King, but nothing had been confirmed.

Cara knew very little of the relationship between Balsam and his brother Ballack, but she had heard talk of the resentment that Ballack held for his brother. If rumors were true, Ballack envied his brother's title, believing that it should have been him and not Balsam that was chosen as one of Birkita's Twelve. Whatever the reason, Ballack stood close to treason, and Cara worried about how the king and council would respond.

Cara sat in the great hall of the Viceroy of Ashwater's large estate, speaking with one of Theo's many cousins when Finn walked into the room and nodded for her to join him. Anger flared in his eyes, and she knew immediately that something was wrong. Tahdaon followed behind him, his expression just as fierce as Finn's, as he made his way across the room towards Cush and Efy.

“What's wrong?” Cara asked, as Finn took her by the arm and led her to the back of the room where no one could hear them.

“Soldiers. Hellstrom cavalry. They're meeting with Edmund and the Viceroy of Ashwater as we speak.” Finn looked at her hard. “We need to disappear. Now. If Edmund's father has succeeded in overthrowing the council, then you aren't safe here. We need to go before they notice our absence. Helfrich is waiting for us in the stables, readying our supplies and horses.”

“We can't just leave,” she said, frowning at the urgency in his voice. “You don't know for certain why they are here. I won't abandon the tour unless I have just cause.”

Finn shook his head and started to speak, but he didn't have time to argue with her before their attention was drawn to the opposite side of the room.

There was a stir at the doorway, and she saw Finn's pale as he looked over her head. Cara turned and saw Edmund enter the room, followed by twenty Hellstrom soldiers, their weapons drawn.

Cara went cold as dread washed over her.

Finn cursed under his breath, and his hand went to the hilt of his sword.

Edmund's eyes roamed the hall until he found her. Her stomach shrank as she looked into his cold calculating blue eyes that held the crazed confidence of a man high on power.

Arwel and Theo entered behind Edmund with their weapons drawn. Only Edmund stood unarmed.

“What's the meaning of this?” Finn growled, taking a step forward, positioning himself in front of Cara.

Edmund's eyes lazily left her. He tilted his head, and arrogantly raked Finn with a look of disgust and sneered, “If you value your life, then I suggest you surrender your weapons immediately.”

Rage darkened her gaze as she looked between Edmund, Arwel and Theo. Men who had once sworn by their blood to protect her now stood with their weapons drawn to kill and destroy what she loved most.

Cara squared her shoulders and glowered at Edmund. “I could have you sent before the council on charges of mutiny. If you value
your
life, then I suggest you tell your men to sheath their weapons and withdraw at once.”

Edmund laughed and the sound echoed throughout the great hall and sent a shiver down Cara's spine.

“I don't think the council would have much to say to me or anyone else for that matter,” Edmund scoffed, looking sidelong at Arwel who chuckled, his lips drawn up in a vile smirk. “My father's men have informed me that the members of the council are indisposed at the moment.”

“What Edmund means is that their bodies are crow food, their decapitated heads adornments for the city gates,” Arwel said, turning on her, his features distorting, as he pointed his long sword at her. “Along with the king's. So you better think twice about your next words princess.”

Edmund raised his hand to silence Arwel.

“No.” Cara's voice quavered. She took a ragged breath and tried to control the icy fear that threatened to consume her. “You lie.”

“He tells the truth,” Edmund asserted, his face cold and calculating as he watched her. “My father has taken the city of Annul. He holds the throne. I alone am Elbia's rightful heir, and just as I promised, you will be my queen. So unless you want your little pets to get hurt, I suggest you tell them to stand down.”

“Treason,” Finn spat, drawing his sword. “You think the people of Elbia will just sit by and allow this?”

“And who is going to oppose him? You? Crantock's army? Our men outnumber Crantock's a hundred to one,” Edmund laughed. His gaze turned to Cush and something dark crossed his expression. “Let's hope the other Viceroys won't be as foolish as Cush's father.”

“What are you saying?” Cara hissed.

Edmund's mouth twisted upwards in a malicious smirk as he looked at her. “He found out what my father had intended, and instead of joining forces as any wise man would do, he decided to betray him. Threatened to inform the king of my father's plans. Fortunately, my father was able to silence him before he did any real damage.” His eyes darted back to Cush and his expression changed to false sorrow. “It was a shame your family had to be there when my father's men came for your father. I quite liked your little sister. Such a pretty girl. From what I hear she squealed like a pig in delight as my father's men ravished her. The little ones weren't as willing, but from what I was told, by the end they were all begging for the mercy of the men's swords.”

Cara couldn't breathe as the harsh reality of Edmund's words slammed into her. She heard Cush cry out behind her, and her heart broke at the pitiful sound that echoed throughout the hall.

He moved before anyone knew what he was doing. Unsheathing his sword, Cush charged at Edmund.

“Murderer,” Cush shrieked.

He was fast, and for a moment, Cara thought his blade would strike true, but Arwel was faster. Cara's own fury gave way to panic as Cush lifted his sword above his head, and Arwel's blade sliced through the soft flesh of Cush's abdomen.

Cara drew in a sharp breath and cried out, “No!”

Cush's eyes went wide. He dropped his weapon, his hands grasping at the open wound, as he dropped to his knees.

Cara screamed.

Finn tried to hold her back, but she clawed at his arms until he let her go. She ran to Cush who lay prostrate on the stone floor. Kneeling beside him, she turned him over and applied pressure to the wound, but her efforts were wasted. Already she could see the life leaving his eyes. Blood pooled around them, soaking her hands and dress in crimson. She held him and wept, barely aware of the fighting that started around them.

“Loc.” He choked on his youngest brother's name, his turquoise eyes filling with tears. “He…killed them.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“Don't let…him…win.”

There was a sickening gurgling sound in his chest, and he began to gag and choke on blood. Cara tried to sooth him as his eyes widened in fear at the knowledge of imminent death. She stroked the sweat soaked curls from his forehead and hushed him as he tried to speak.

“I'm here,” she murmured, holding his head in her lap and rocking him gently. She blinked back the tears that blinded her. “I'm sorry,” she whispered as he drew his last breath.

She had failed him, just as she had failed Batch, and in that moment she felt truly powerless. Edmund had already won, and there was nothing she could do about it.

The clash of steel against steel rang around her.

How had it come to this? Cush and Batch murdered in cold blood. The country in anarchy. This wasn't supposed to be her life.

Overwhelmed by grief and helplessness, Cara stared vacantly at her blood stained hands. Her body trembled violently, and her skin felt as if it were covered in a sheet of ice. She tried to move, but her arms and legs were immobilized, as if her brain no longer controlled their motion.

Angry voices roused her from her absorption, and she glanced up to see the chaos of swords and blood. One of Edmund's soldiers lay on the ground a few feet from her, and another clutched his arm where a blade had sliced almost clean through.

Tahdaon and Finn fought side by side, their swords moving swiftly and lethally, their movements fluid and graceful. They were warriors trained to fight, and it wasn't long before they had cut down the majority of their opponents. Edmund was nowhere to be seen, but Arwel and Theo remained and fought alongside Edmund's men, but they were no match against the skill and precision of a united Finn and Tahdaon.

Tahdaon sprung forward and picked up a sword of a fallen guard, wheeling the second blade with precision, his sight set on Arwel. He didn't see Theo charge him from behind, and Cara shrieked in warning, Tahdaon's name a piercing cry on her lips. At the last second before Theo's sword made contact, Finn parried the blow, saving Tahdaon from what would have been a fatal wound.

The impact of Finn's blade knocked Theo backwards, causing him to lose his balance. Finn moved quickly, seeing the man's weakness, and Cara knew when he raised his sword that his next blow would be fatal.

Cara closed her eyes and cringed as she heard the sound of metal slicing through flesh and bone. When she opened her eyes, Theo lay motionless, his dark eyes lifeless. For a split second she felt remorse for the man who had stood on the altar of Annul and pledged his life to her, but sorrow was quickly replaced by rage. He had forsworn his vow, and the result had been his own death. She would not feel pity for a man whose actions had resulted in the loss of countless lives.

Tahdaon continued his charge against Arwel. Edmund's soldiers had been no match for Tahdaon and Finn, but Arwel was a warrior, and he fought fiercely, deflecting each of Tahdaon's hard thrusts. He would have continued fighting if he hadn't spotted Theo's body from the corner of his eye. She saw his face go white, and his eyes widen in something akin to fear as he glimpsed Theo's corpse. His hard gaze fell on her momentarily before he ordered the few remaining men to retreat. There was a promise of revenge in his dark gaze, and she shuddered as she watched him withdraw from the great hall.

Cara glanced around the hall. The dead and injured littered the floor. Efy and Hauk were splattered in blood and sweat, but from what she could tell their injuries were only superficial.

“Where's Wesley?” Cara asked desperately, searching the room and the faces of the fallen men.

Finn kneeled down beside her, his hands roaming over her face and body, checking for signs of injury.

“He was never here,” Finn said when he was certain she was uninjured. Taking her by the elbow, he helped her stand. “We have to leave now. Before they send reinforcements.”

“We can't leave without Wesley,” Cara insisted. “Edmund will kill him if he finds him here.”

Finn shook his head and grabbed her by the shoulders. “If he heard the fighting, he probably already escaped. There is no time to search for him. We have to leave now.”

The other men were waiting by the entrance, and Cara saw the urgency in their eyes. Finn was right. Arwel would return with reinforcements, and they needed to get to the stables. She took Finn's hand and prayed that Wesley and Landon had made it out safely.

They encountered more resistance as they headed through the corridors, but like Edmund's men, the soldiers of Ashwater stood no chance against Finn and Tahdaon.

Cara followed the men in a haze and her mind was dulled to the blood and death that soaked their path.

“Can you ride?” Finn asked, as they entered the stables. Grabbing her chin roughly, he forced her to look at him. “We need the extra horse, but if you're too shaken you can ride with me.”

She shook her head and tried to stop her body from trembling. “I can ride,” she whispered, and allowed him to help her onto the russet mare Helfrich had saddled for her. There was no side saddle, and she had to hike up her blood stained dress past her knees to sit properly.

They rode for a time, hard and fast, and when they stopped, Cara didn't know if hours or merely minutes had past.

She looked around at the men that had escaped. A few of the soldiers that had accompanied them on their tour had made it out safely, but many had fallen in the great hall. Some were wounded, but there weren't any life threatening injuries among them.

“Why are we stopping?” Cara asked, as she dismounted and approached Finn and Tahdaon who stood under a large oak, speaking in hushed tones.

“The horses need a brief rest. We've already run them to hard,” Tahdaon said harshly. “And we need to figure out what to do from here. We can't keep this pace, and it's suicide to stay on the main roads.”

Efy approached, still mounted on his mare, and he patted her neck beneath its mane as it stamped nervously and whinnied. His voice cracked with apprehension when he asked, “Do we have a plan?”

Helfrich and Hauk joined them, and Finn nodded to Tahdaon to speak.

Tahdaon sighed heavily and looked between the men before addressing Cara. “Finn and I have talked about what we would do if our suspicions were correct and Edmund's father overthrew the council. Edmund was right. Crantock's army isn't strong enough to fight alone.”

“I need to warn my father,” Finn interrupted, running a hand through his hair.  “Ballack's army is much larger than we thought. Tahdaon overheard Edmund a few nights back talking with the Viceroy of Ashwater. Not only does he control the armies of Bere Alstern and Ashwater, but he also now controls the army of Lydd.”