Chapter 211

Not even a full day had passed when Eli noticed the signal in Wrenbrook’s window. Part of him wasn’t too surprised to see that Rona’s attack on him had been the catalyst for dissension within the castle. Without knowing exactly what it was that caused Cassius, or Avinia, to place the flag on the right of the window above the stained glass of the chapel upside down, he couldn’t tell whether or not Kit had lost her cool and said something regrettable to her mother or if it was Rona’s temper that sparked the flame. Whatever it was, he was needed back at Wrenbrook.

He should’ve never left. He was aware of that, had been since Cassius had insisted he’d be safer elsewhere. But as far as Eli could tell, the soldiers that patrolled the village were not looking for him. In fact, he was fairly certain Vin and the others actually thought they’d succeeded in their mission the night before and knocked him off. The soldiers kicked in doors and made demands throughout the small village; Eli could hear them from various hiding places in tall trees and broken down towers. They were searching for someone, but it wasn’t him. And the man they sought was far away now, safe in a place Rona would never think to look, Eli was certain.

Night fell before Eli dared an attempt at regaining entrance to Wrenbrook. Getting in wouldn’t be too difficult. It was navigating to the entryway that would be problematic. He could easily get through the gate beneath the dais where Rona liked to mete out punishment and give longwinded speeches to citizens who were more interested in bread than her glory. Once inside, however, he’d be relying on the assistance of others, men who had yet to be tested, for safe passage back upstairs. Hopefully, he would find Katrinetta safe and sound in her chambers, but something told him Cassius would not have signaled if there wasn’t something amiss with the princess.

Making sure there was no sign of anyone staying inside of the little hut on the outskirts of town, a place the soldiers had already checked twice while Eli was outside, he untied the horse he’d used earlier and set it free. He’d need to find his way back home on foot this time. It would take an hour or so to walk through the entire village and up the steep slopes surrounding Wrenbrook if he made a direct path, but since he would need to find solace along the way, it would take even longer. He prayed to the goddesses that whatever was happening within the castle walls, Kit was unharmed, and he’d arrive in time to be of service to her.

Horses whinnied as hooves stomped packed earth on one of the nearby roads. Another detail out looking for Remont. Eli ducked beneath some bushes and waited. Satisfied that the duke was not hiding in the small log home, they moved on, skipping an even sadder dwelling than the one Eli had been staying in, and moving to the next larger sod house down the way a bit. Eli took the opportunity to move forward.

Part of his journey would include crossing the heavily trodden road between the castle and the village, the one that led out to the gate and the great stone wall that ran completely around the exterior of Wrenbrook’s lands and the village. It would be the most difficult part of his journey. Not only could horses appear from several directions, including the castle itself, but there could be eyes on him from any number of lookout towers. Dressed in dark colors, including a black cloak Avinia had provided him with, he felt as if he may be able to blend in with the shadows the tall trees cast from the village side of the dirt path, but it would still be tricky, and after several hours of dodging soldiers, hiding in shrubbery and trees, and a moment when he was certain he’d been sighted only to feel his heart beating out of his chest when the soldier who’d had eyes on him turned and left with the rest of his group, Eli was ready to be back inside the castle, despite the fact that the danger didn’t end inside of the walls.

An owl called out from a tall elm near the edge of the road. Eli waited in the darkness in a copse of trees twenty or thirty steps from the obstacle. In the distance, he could hear the pounding of hooves, but he was fairly sure the horses were sprinting away, not toward him. The fact that Rona had sent out not only members of her own guard but also several contingencies from the army was a sign that the queen meant business in finding her husband. Like the man who’d seen him earlier, there were friends of the princess amongst each group, even the Queen’s Guard, but they wouldn’t be able to do much if Eli was spotted and recognized out in the open. He’d need to be certain of his chances before attempting to step out in plain sight.

A flutter of wings in the tree let him know his companion had decided to hunt elsewhere, and the night went still. Seeing the sentinels on the top of the castle was difficult from here. He knew they each had a spy glass to hold to their eyes, improving their ability to see distances. He doubted any of them would be looking straight down. In his experience, most of them spent a good deal of their shift chatting. Still, should he ever endeavor to do this again, he would be sure to find his own method of extending his vision.

He stepped from between the trees, stopping at the bottom of the small rise that bordered the road, and took a look in each direction. No one was in sight. Along the other crest, no trees lined the road, but there was a stone wall fifteen paces from the edge of the path. He would take solace there until he was sure it was safe to proceed. The exterior door he was aiming for was mostly used for prisoners to be transported from the dungeon up to ground level and then to the chopping block. There wasn’t much of a chance any soldiers would exit from there, not with the army having their own entryway on the other side of the castle and the Queen’s Guard generally choosing to ride from behind Wrenbrook, but he would still proceed with extreme caution.

Eli shot across the expanse, keeping his head down and moving quickly. Crouching beside the wall, he took slow, deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. In the distance, he heard approaching horses and knew he’d have to move on shortly, but for now, his lungs needed air, and his heart needed to stop hammering in his chest.

Now, he would be moving uphill, across several stone barriers. It would be simpler to take the winding path the carriages traversed when approaching Wrenbrook, but that would take too much time and leave him vulnerable to being seen. The closer he got to the castle, the harder it would be for anyone to see him unless they were on the ground, and as far as he could tell, no one was patrolling so closely to the castle itself. Most nights, the only forms he saw moving along this part of the castle were Kit’s guard members, and if he stumbled into any of them, it would be a welcomed sight.