and fear of the warrior woman. She was the greatest of leaders, and he would follow her to the ends of the earth, for to be at Eira’s side was to know true power. But Eira’s strength was rooted in ambition and fearlessness, and Alistair doubted she’d ever felt the flames of love that burned in his blood at any thought of Ember Morrow.
“I ask your forgiveness, my lady,” Alistair said quietly. “I am sorry to have earned your anger.”
Eira snorted, half turning from him to look at Cian as though for guidance.
Cian stood quietly. Her face showed lines of tension that Alistair read as disappointment.
“Your actions are difficult to understand, Lord Hart,” Cian said. “Do you have doubts about my sister’s plans for the order?”
Eira’s eyebrows shot up and she wheeled on Alistair. “Do you?”
Dropping to one knee, Alistair said, “Never, my lady. I am yours to command.”
“A reprieve is in order.”
Alistair looked up in surprise to see Bosque coming toward him. He’d been silent as a statue upon Alistair’s return to the great hall. Alistair could see that Bosque had been listening to all that was said, but Bosque hadn’t spoken until now.
Eira frowned at Bosque. “A reprieve?”
“His deeds tonight may have been misguided, but his loyalty to you remains true,” Bosque said with an air of finality.
Meeting Bosque’s steady gaze, Eira slowly nodded. She stepped back when Bosque moved to stand before Alistair.
“Rise, Lord Hart.”
Alistair stood up. Bosque was unsettlingly close, his silver eyes boring into the young knight.
“Do you know where the traitors’ path leads?” Bosque asked.
“Ember goes to her sister’s new home,” Alistair told him. “The estate of Count de La Marche in France.”
Eira broke in. “Does she go alone or with the others?”
“I can’t say,” Alistair answered. “I only know that Ember gave me her word that she would seek refuge with Agnes.”
“And you trust the lady Morrow’s word?” Eira made a low noise of disgust.
Alistair fell silent. He didn’t know if he fully believed what Ember had said, but he’d believed her enough to let her go. His heart had assured him the risk was worthwhile.
“Whether she reaches that destination or another, she travels to the coast,” Bosque offered. “And will take to the sea.”
“Yes,” Alistair said. “It would seem more likely that she sails with Lukasz and Kael rather than alone.”
“And what of Barrow?” Cian interrupted. “You haven’t spoken of him. Was he not with Lady Morrow?”
Alistair cast a grim smile at her. “He fell.”
“He’s dead?” Cian paled.
“He may well be,” Alistair answered. “His horse went down and rolled over him. He lay ashen and unconscious when I left them.”
“Whether Barrow or his corpse travels to the coast is of no moment,” Bosque told them. “Another matter must be attended to first.”
He fixed his silver eyes upon Eira. “The ritual that we discussed.”
“What ritual?” Cian asked.
“Can we spare the time?” Eira ignored Cian’s question, speaking to Bosque. “If you truly believe they can be intercepted, we should leave now.”
“There is no need to hurry,” Bosque told Eira. “Once they’re upon the sea, they are mine. When you’ve performed this task for me, we can even seek our beds and ride to the coast on the morrow.”
Bosque’s smile reminded Alistair of an assassin’s knife blade flashing under moonlight. He wanted to ask what Bosque meant, and he feared for Ember’s life. Fists clenched, Alistair remained silent. After what he’d done, he could request no more favors without the risk of undoing Bosque’s pardon.
As if sensing Alistair’s distress, Bosque laid a hand on the knight’s shoulder.
“It seems fitting, Lady Eira,” Bosque said, “that these two—your most loyal knight and your own blood—are here to bear witness as you ascend.”
Eira’s quick glance at Alistair told him that she
“I ask your forgiveness, my lady,” Alistair said quietly. “I am sorry to have earned your anger.”
Eira snorted, half turning from him to look at Cian as though for guidance.
Cian stood quietly. Her face showed lines of tension that Alistair read as disappointment.
“Your actions are difficult to understand, Lord Hart,” Cian said. “Do you have doubts about my sister’s plans for the order?”
Eira’s eyebrows shot up and she wheeled on Alistair. “Do you?”
Dropping to one knee, Alistair said, “Never, my lady. I am yours to command.”
“A reprieve is in order.”
Alistair looked up in surprise to see Bosque coming toward him. He’d been silent as a statue upon Alistair’s return to the great hall. Alistair could see that Bosque had been listening to all that was said, but Bosque hadn’t spoken until now.
Eira frowned at Bosque. “A reprieve?”
“His deeds tonight may have been misguided, but his loyalty to you remains true,” Bosque said with an air of finality.
Meeting Bosque’s steady gaze, Eira slowly nodded. She stepped back when Bosque moved to stand before Alistair.
“Rise, Lord Hart.”
Alistair stood up. Bosque was unsettlingly close, his silver eyes boring into the young knight.
“Do you know where the traitors’ path leads?” Bosque asked.
“Ember goes to her sister’s new home,” Alistair told him. “The estate of Count de La Marche in France.”
Eira broke in. “Does she go alone or with the others?”
“I can’t say,” Alistair answered. “I only know that Ember gave me her word that she would seek refuge with Agnes.”
“And you trust the lady Morrow’s word?” Eira made a low noise of disgust.
Alistair fell silent. He didn’t know if he fully believed what Ember had said, but he’d believed her enough to let her go. His heart had assured him the risk was worthwhile.
“Whether she reaches that destination or another, she travels to the coast,” Bosque offered. “And will take to the sea.”
“Yes,” Alistair said. “It would seem more likely that she sails with Lukasz and Kael rather than alone.”
“And what of Barrow?” Cian interrupted. “You haven’t spoken of him. Was he not with Lady Morrow?”
Alistair cast a grim smile at her. “He fell.”
“He’s dead?” Cian paled.
“He may well be,” Alistair answered. “His horse went down and rolled over him. He lay ashen and unconscious when I left them.”
“Whether Barrow or his corpse travels to the coast is of no moment,” Bosque told them. “Another matter must be attended to first.”
He fixed his silver eyes upon Eira. “The ritual that we discussed.”
“What ritual?” Cian asked.
“Can we spare the time?” Eira ignored Cian’s question, speaking to Bosque. “If you truly believe they can be intercepted, we should leave now.”
“There is no need to hurry,” Bosque told Eira. “Once they’re upon the sea, they are mine. When you’ve performed this task for me, we can even seek our beds and ride to the coast on the morrow.”
Bosque’s smile reminded Alistair of an assassin’s knife blade flashing under moonlight. He wanted to ask what Bosque meant, and he feared for Ember’s life. Fists clenched, Alistair remained silent. After what he’d done, he could request no more favors without the risk of undoing Bosque’s pardon.
As if sensing Alistair’s distress, Bosque laid a hand on the knight’s shoulder.
“It seems fitting, Lady Eira,” Bosque said, “that these two—your most loyal knight and your own blood—are here to bear witness as you ascend.”
Eira’s quick glance at Alistair told him that she
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