From Darkness Won - Jill Williamson [151]
The soldiers’ horses parted for him like cream in water. Achan rode along merrily, until he spotted a face so familiar and so out of place as to almost unhorse him.
Harnu Poe? Riding a stunning white and black courser.
“Whoa, boy.” What was Harnu doing here? Anger flooded him as he looked at Harnu’s pockmarked face. Achan swallowed, torn by how to address the bully who’d tormented him all his childhood. Politeness would be best, so long as they had an audience. “Harnu. I’m glad to see you well. When did you join our army? Is Noam with you?”
“No…” Harnu glanced at Shung, then bowed his head. “Y-Your Highness. We were separated in Mahanaim.”
“Separated? How?”
“I was trading my wagon for a boat when your men attacked the city. I was unable to get to the boat, so I joined the battle and just… decided to stay on.”
“Your Highness,” Cortland said. “Why not bring this man to the side of the road so the others can keep moving.”
“Of course.” Achan steered Scout into the grass on the side of the King’s Road. Harnu followed, his horse flicking its tail. The army trudged on, horses’ hooves scraping over the dirt, men talking, wagon wheels creaking. “Tell me, Harnu. What became of Gren, Noam, and Sparrow?”
Harnu’s dark eyebrows sank over his eyes. “Sparrow?”
“Vrell Sparrow. She was traveling with Gren. She told me you and Noam rescued her from Sitna Manor.”
“Oh.” Harnu’s forehead wrinkled. “They’re together, the women and Noam. The lady, er, Vrell, she spoke to my mind. I told her to leave me behind since Captain Demry allowed me to join the ranks.” He bowed again. “Your Highness.”
Sparrow must be safe if she’d left Mahanaim. “If Captain Demry asked you to join his men, you must have fought well.” Achan felt some of his anger leaking away. Harnu now served in his army. And served nobly, at that.
Harnu lowered his gaze. “I did my best. I have no formal training with a sword. As you know.”
“If only Captain Demry had some pitchforks on hand.”
A mixture of expressions fought for purchase on Harnu’s face, but he settled on a smile that looked painful.
Achan continued before Harnu said something he’d regret. “But you’ve likely created enough swords to know a weapon’s strength. Did you find that knowledge useful?”
“I did.”
“Well, I thank you, Harnu, for assisting Sparrow. Vrell, that is. For helping Gren rescue her from Lord Nathak’s wagon, for getting her safely to your father’s cabin, and for watching over her until she returned to her body.”
“How do you know all that?”
Achan glanced at Shung. “We bloodvoicers talk.”
Harnu’s gaze darted between Achan’s guards, his face suddenly pale. “Uh… Your Highness, since I took care of your lady friend, might I ask a similar favor?”
Achan frowned. Don’t push it, swine. “You may ask.”
“Help me convince Grendolyn to marry me?”
A moment passed before Achan realized that his mouth was hanging open. He barked out a laugh. “Uh… I think Gren may have her heart set on… someone else. Furthermore, I won’t force Gren to marry anyone she does not wish to marry.”
Harnu scowled. “Didn’t stop you before.”
Achan straightened in his saddle. “What do you mean?”
“Riga. Gren didn’t want to marry Riga.”
“Well, I know that. She wanted to marry me, but her father would not hear of it.”
“But you set the marriage in motion. Riga told me so.”
“I had to!” Some of the passing soldiers stared at Achan, so he lowered his voice. “To save her.”
“No,” Harnu said. “I’d been trying to talk Riga into marrying Kelmae Samsol. I’d nearly convinced him too, ’til you came barging in with your accusations.”
“It was no mere accusation. Esek wanted to take Gren as a mistress.”
“Only to spite you.”
Achan’s stomach boiled. But Harnu had more to say.
“Where were you on her wedding night?”
The question shocked Achan. He glanced to the passing army, to a cart stacked with rolled-up