A. Searle - The King's sword

“We push on now,” Ronan said and as if summoned the horses appeared on the boulders, the cape dropping from around them. Ahearn grasped the cape in his mouth and led the others to step down carefully. They waited for their riders to climb upon their backs.

Ronan took the cape, folded it and tucked it back in his pack before swinging onto his horse. “Ula, can you give us a bit of light once we get away from the banks? Just enough we can see where we are going?” Ronan whispered and she nodded that she could.

“I’ll go first.” Keegan was already kicking his horse ahead of the others.

“No.” Ronan waited until he stopped and twisted on the horse to look back at him. “Let Arien go ahead. He has the best horse for it. Ahearn will alert us of any dangers.”

Arien looked as if he’d been named the captain of the guards himself. He quickly gave Ahearn a slight kick and the horse started forward into the murky swamp water.

Ronan reached down and lifted Mikel the Hort, who’d become uncharacteristically quiet, behind him. “Ula, you go next so you can give light when we are away from here,” Ronan said, glancing back to be certain the guards were not returning.

“You should go next. You have the sword. It must be kept safe,” Fiona told him and Ronan nodded, falling in line behind Ula. He turned to look back at the two horses left.

“Then I’ll take up the rear.” Keegan fell back and waited for Fiona to follow Ronan. “Keep your eyes and ears open. Fiona, I’d feel much better on our end of the line if that tongue of yours was out sniffing danger.” She winked over her shoulder and flicked her tongue at him. Ronan faced forward.

They traveled slowly, cautiously through the thick waters of the swamp. Ahearn wound them through and Ula lit the way with her blue magic. The darkness dragged on and Ronan felt himself begin to doze atop Sorcha’s back. The soft sloshing of the horses’ legs moving through water only made the urge to sleep stronger. It wasn’t until Fiona’s voice broke the quiet at dawn that he sat straighter, more alert.

“They’ve started moving.”

Ronan tilted his head as a thought struck him. “Are they at the swamps edge yet?”

“No,” she answered after a moment. “They are still on dry land.” Ronan closed his eyes. He called to the vines of the trees, snapped them loose and with his will dragged them through the water.

Ahead, the island rose up from the murky water like a savior but Ronan only concentrated on what he willed the vines to do. He wove them together quickly; creating a net nestled beneath the surface behind them. It might slow Diato and his men enough to give them another’s day’s ride.

Ronan was thankful when his horse climbed up the bank of the island. A few trees stood, offering thin shelter but Ronan didn’t care. He was weary and needed rest desperately. Sleep. I shall keep watch. Ahearn’s offer was all Ronan needed. Swinging from the horse, he moved toward one of the trees and settled at its base.

“Wake me in an hour,” he called back to Keegan.

“You are going to sleep?” Fiona asked as if he’d lost his mind.

“Diato and his men will be detained by a net of vines. I made it strong enough to buy us a few hours. I suggest you all get some rest as well.” He closed his eyes.

Ronan woke with a start. Around him, the others slept but he sat up. Something wasn’t right. The vines! They were undone. Ronan could feel it. He reached out with his will but the vines resisted him, under another spell.

Someone has cast a spell that will rebuke your magic. Ahearn’s wisdom found his thoughts.

“I made sure to hide the magic I put on the vines. I placed them out of view,” Ronan argued in a whisper.

Someone who knew that you had created a net cast the spell. Ronan’s stomach dropped. His eyes darted around to those that still slept. Those he had told were all there.

“No.”

Yes. Ahearn answered. You have been betrayed.

“Get up!” Ronan bellowed and each of those around him awoke. They looked at him with confusion as he met each one of their eyes.

“They are moving closer,” Fiona’s tongue darted out from her lips and then back again. “But how?”

“One of you,” Ronan answered turning to climb onto Sorcha’s back. “One of you has betrayed me.” The truth of it ripped at his chest.

“One of us?” Keegan repeated.

“You are the only ones who knew that I made the net with the vines. The magic that unties the vines works against my will. One of you has betrayed me…has betrayed all of us.” Ronan looked back at them as they looked around at one another.

“But who?” Keegan’s eyes flashed angrily.

“Unfortunately only the person who has done this knows.” Ronan glanced at Arien as he moved to quickly mount Ahearn. The boy said nothing but his eyes looked sad and afraid. Ronan knew how he felt. They’d bonded with each of those traveling with them. Now there was no clue to who they could trust.

“It wasn’t me,” Mikel the Hort announced as he neared Ronan. “I came back to warn of danger. Not to put myself in the middle of it.”

Ronan nodded and leaned down to lift him to sit behind him on Sorcha’s back.

“Come, we need to ride.” Ronan turned his horse, without waiting for the others. Arien immediately set out ahead of Ronan. One by one the others followed.

Ronan thought of each of them. Arien had risked his life to save Ula and had eagerly placed himself in danger by riding ahead to scout for danger. Ula had fed him healing broth and had protected Arien at all costs. Mikel the Hort had risked his own life by bringing news of danger to Ronan. If he was the betrayer he could have allowed Diato to ride upon them while they rested.

That left Fiona and Keegan. Keegan Yore had fought the centaurs. Ronan remembered the blood on his sword blade. Fiona. Ronan glanced back at her. She had ties to Diato, a past with him.

He shook the thoughts from his mind. He focused on one of the trees once they were well away from the island. He pulled it without a sound from the ground and eased it into the water. Then he pushed it back until it was only a few feet ahead of Daito and his men.

He said nothing of what he’d done as his eyes drifted up to the Harpies that still sat atop the cliffs. One of them turned her head and looked down at him. Can you hear me? He pushed his thoughts toward her. She flapped her wings and tossed her hair. Good. Stop those that follow. Make them turn back. Do this and I shall leave you a meal at the edge of the swamp. I give you my word as a wizard and as a King’s guard. He reached back and pulled the blankets of his pack back, revealing the guard’s cloak momentarily. The harpy immediately took flight, screeching a call to the others.

“It was not me. Don’t kill me,” Mikel said after a moment. “I did not betray you.” Obviously the little changeling thought himself a suspect. Ronan did not answer him, hoping the betrayer was also feeling a bit nervous at the moment.

Sorcha slipped a bit in her step but then pulled up again as Ronan considered Fiona as the betrayer. If it was her, she’d done well. The game in the cave had weakened him to her. Of course he would trust a woman he’d had sex with. Sorcha slipped again and mud rose up to her neck. Behind Ronan, Mikel screeched.

“Quiet,” Ronan commanded over his shoulder, giving Sorcha’s reins a flick. She struggled but to no avail. They were stuck.

“Hold on.” Keegan was easing his horse carefully along side. “The swamps are full of these holes. Let me…” He leaned forward to grab Sorcha by the bit.

“Come on, girl,” he whispered as he kicked his horse forward. Ronan tried to keep still as he could. He waited but Sorcha wasn’t moving. Finally, he swung from her back, ignoring the protests from Ula and Fiona as he did.