Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
For his part, Aramus did this hiding his thoughts, which were centered on the fact he was rather rabidly concerned for his wife’s safety.
This was, on the one hand, logical.
On the other, a quarter of Keel Castle’s grounds were bordered by ocean, which was at his wife’s command. But regardless, there was a dock, which was guarded on land and at sea.
The rest of the castle grounds were protected by a fifteen-foot wall, which was manned with soldiers. There was a gate to get to the lane to the castle that was staffed with guards and a portcullis to enter the courtyard that was manned by more. And the castle itself had yet another cadre assigned to it.
And there were a further one hundred in the guards’ quarters that could come at any sign of trouble.
She was safe there.
She was safe in her home.
She was certainly safe by the sea, for she could make herself that way.
In foreign lands, that was one thing.
But as she put it, in her own home, was entirely another.
So why was Aramus so utterly terrified she was not?
He knew the answer to that, he was in love with his queen and times were rife.
He also knew there were other answers to be had, and he’d put it off, for a number of reasons.
But in times this rife, now that he was home, he needed to seek them.
From olden times, the King of Mar-el had a secret weapon.
It was just, due to its perils, he had to be very careful about using it.
“I do not think this is a good idea,” Ore said as Aramus dismounted at the neck of the abyss.
He looked up at his brother still on his mount and saw Oreti’s eyes aimed at the opening, and they were not narrowed only against the stiff sea breeze.
He was not surprised at Ore’s reticence. The abyss did not look welcoming. Indeed, the entire area was craggy, bleak and uninviting.
Aramus did not refer to that.
“No matter what you see, or hear, or feel, you do not descend this chasm behind me,” he ordered.
“Cap,” Xi murmured.
“No matter what,” Aramus said.
“Who thought I’d want to be back in that throne room listening to landowners griping about fence placement disputes,” Nis muttered.
But Bond dismounted.
Aramus turned to him.
“No matter what, Bond,” he warned.
Bond got close and dropped his voice.
“My king,” he began, and Aramus braced, for none of his men addressed him in this formal manner.
His next words explained it.
“As you are aware, I do with honor what my father did before me. I am in direct service to my king. And as I’ve taken up that mantle, it is my duty now to share what my father told me. This being that your father told him that if you were ever to come to this place, I should do what I could to talk you out of walking that path.”
He said this, pointing to the narrow path that ran the side of the gorge.
“Rest easy, my brother,” Aramus replied.
“The royal missives are being received, and thus far, there are no reports of unrest. With the end of bondage in the Southlands, which are known to be barbaric, and we are not, they must have known that this would happen here and be waiting for it.”
“It is early days.”
“True, but we are prepared.”
“Bond—”
“And we began operations even before we left Wodell to ascertain if that Rising was attempting a foothold on our shores, and thus far, there’s no murmur of it.”
“This doesn’t—”
“Aramus,” Bond got closer. “The quakes have ceased. We have not felt one for some time.”
Aramus understood his friend had to do this.
So, he fell quiet to let him do this.
“We all saw her murdered, my brother,” Bond stated quietly, coming finally to the meat of the matter. “But if told Queen Mercy would die for her country, she would not have shirked that honor.”
“She did not die for her country. She was made a martyr.”
“Queen Mercy would not have shirked that either. The only thing she would have changed is not allowing her son to see it.”
Aramus clenched his teeth, for he was right.
“We can keep her safe,” Bond asserted.
He was now referring to Ha-Lah.
In a low voice, Aramus shared, “The Nereus men do not love like normal men love.”
“Yes,” Bond muttered.
“My father with my mother, it was legend.”
“Yes,” Bond repeated.
“My grandfather with my grandmother.”
“Aramus, I know.”
“It is the gods who bring them to us, it is the women who force the fall.”
Bond fell silent.
Aramus had to choose his next words wisely, for his men did not know what was within that abyss.
Only the King of Mar-el knew.
And his heir.
“I can no longer go on not knowing what I’ve come here to know,” he felt it safe to say.
“I wish you to rethink your ability to do that,” Bond urged.