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  “What about Olyva?”

  “I’ll talk to her about it. I want her to stay, but she may not want to. If she goes with you, will you look out for her?”

  “You know I will, but I can’t protect her the way that you can.”

  “Don’t kid yourself, Ti,” Rafe said. “You may not be a warrior, but you’re the strongest man in Valana. If you had been in the palace last night, you could have defeated Brutas and his hundred soldiers all by yourself.”

  The two men embraced, just as the sun peeked over the horizon.

  “I’ll miss you.”

  “I’ll be here,” Rafe said. “When you do what has to be done, I’ll be waiting. With your brothers out of the way, you can be the next earl. And I’ll always have your back.”

  Tiberius felt a stab of jealousy. His father would now have Rafe, and Tiberius wouldn’t. It was a nightmare, one that Tiberius had wrestled with often enough. Growing up, Ti knew that Rafe would serve Leonosis when his brother became earl. That thought had always made Tiberius feel ill, but when they were banished together, there was a small sense of relief that Tiberius’ vile brother wouldn’t get Rafe’s unwavering service. Now it seemed that a version of that nightmare was coming true, and it hurt.

  Chapter 25

  Rafe

  Rafe was sad, but he knew he had made the right decision. It was the right course of action, and while it might have left Tiberius in the lurch in some respects, the truth was Rafe was needed much more in Avondale. Telling Tiberius had been difficult, but he knew his friend would understand and support him. Telling Olyva would be another matter entirely, but that would have to wait.

  Rafe swung his leg over and climbed down the rope ladder that led to the top of the watchtower. Earl Ageus and Lexi were still asleep. Olyva had just awoken and was drinking in the first rays of sunlight. Tiberius watched over the ship, and now Rafe was going to summon the earl’s war band. The men of the war band would be loyal to Earl Ageus; at least Rafe hoped that they would.

  “You men,” Rafe said as he climbed down onto the tower. “Go and rouse everyone in the barracks. Tell them Rafe Grentzson is waiting for them on the training grounds.”

  The soldiers nodded and hurried away. Rafe looked up at the war ship and could see Tiberius looking over the railing at him. He gave his friend the thumbs-up sign, then turned and hurried down the long staircase that led out to the city walls, stopping to speak to the first soldier he found there.

  “You heard about the events of last night?” he asked the man.

  “Yes, sir,” the soldier said.

  “Earl Ageus is retaking control of the city. My father did not die in vain. Spread the word.”

  “Yes, sir!” the soldier repeated, before hurrying off.

  Rafe continued down to the war band’s training yard. Thick wooden posts lined the training yard and were used for everything from sword drills to spear targets. On one end of the training ground was a tall platform from which the ranking officer could shout commands or address his troops. There was also a wide expanse where Rafe’s father had trained the war band to form a shield wall.

  Some of the soldiers were starting to gather, but Rafe had a moment to himself as memories came flooding into his mind. It seemed that everywhere he looked he saw his father. He could almost hear Grentz shouting commands. He remembered running, fighting, striving to do everything perfectly, and always looking up to see his father’s grim face. Rafe had always hoped to see approval on his father’s face, perhaps even a smile of satisfaction in his son’s performance, but that was not Grentz’s way. Rafe’s father bestowed a grudging respect, and now Rafe treasured that respect more than anything.

  He climbed up to the commander’s platform slowly. He had been on the platform before, first as a child calling out commands when he and Tiberius had pretended to be soldiers. Then, when he was commissioned as an officer, he used the platform as he trained his own squad of soldiers. Rafe had risen through the ranks swiftly; his skill with weapons and determination to be the best warrior in the earl’s war band had been evident to everyone who knew him. But it also felt strange taking the command platform when it should have been his father commanding the earl’s forces, not Rafe.

  Looking down, Rafe felt a pang of resentment. Only about half as many soldiers were gathered on the training ground below him as Rafe knew there should have been. Some had obviously ignored his orders. It was possible that some of the earl’s men no longer considered him one of their number. Banishment carried a stigma, one that would not be easily overcome. And it was also possible that still others were siding with Brutas, perhaps because they doubted Earl Ageus’ miraculous recovery, but more likely because they were hoping that a change in leadership would somehow vault them into a more prestigious rank.

  “Brothers,” Rafe said loudly, hushing the crowd. “You know me. I am Rafe Grentzson, and I have traveled across the blighted lands and lived to tell about it. But who I am is not important. What I have done is not important. All that matters today is that a usurper has taken control of the palace, thrown the rightful earl into the dungeon, and slain the commander of this war band. You all knew my father—he was a fair and fearsome man. He gave his life defending the true earl, and I shall honor him by seeing that Earl Ageus is restored to power.

  “Many of you may doubt that Brutas has overstepped his bounds. With Leonosis in the capital, Brutas would have become earl upon his father’s death, but Earl Ageus is well. Earl Ageus has recovered from his malady and is strong once more. Brutas came to Avondale with soldiers from Sparlan Citadel, but he shall not rob our city with his band of mercenaries. Today we will retake the palace, drive his soldiers out of the city, and restore Earl Ageus to his rightful place as ruler of Avondale!”

  Most of the crowd cheered, but Rafe saw that some looked skeptical, even frightened. He couldn’t help but wonder what they knew that Rafe didn’t. If Brutas had a troop of one hundred soldiers, even the most fearsome fighters in the kingdom, they would still be easily overrun by the troops gathered in the courtyard. So why did some of Rafe’s troops seem frightened?

  “Gather your weapons and return here,” Rafe ordered. “Earl Ageus has been freed from the dungeon and is on his way here even now. Together we shall rout the usurper and his band of preening spearmen.”

  The troops moved off, following the worn path that led to the armory. Spears, swords, and shields were gathered. Most of the Eearl’s war band wore no armor. The tall walls of Avondale were all the protection they needed. Some took bows and quivers full of arrows, and slowly they returned to the training ground.

  Rafe met Tiberius and Earl Ageus coming down from the watchtower. He looked for Olyva, but she was not with them. Rafe wanted to tell her about his decision to stay. He felt as if he weren’t being honest with her, and it was eating away at his conscience. At one time returning to Avondale would have been Olyva’s greatest desire, but Rafe had to admit that Olyva wasn’t the same person as she was when they were banished. She was no longer weak or afraid or even indecisive. He had fallen in love with Olyva as a fragile flower of immense beauty, but she had grown into a strong woman who knew her mind and could back up what she believed. He thought of the way she had picked up the spear when Rafe was fighting the king’s soldiers the night before. She hadn’t hesitated to strike down a soldier to protect him, and that made her even more attractive to Rafe than she had ever been as an earl’s daughter.

  Still, he was afraid that she wouldn’t want to stay. She had fallen in love with the wide open spaces of the blighted lands. Rafe somehow doubted that Avondale would be enough for her now, even if he was here.

  “The girls?” Rafe asked.

  “They stayed on the war ship,” Tiberius said.

  “Do we have enough men?” Earl Ageus asked.

  “I believe so,” Rafe said. “We should be able to overwhelm Brutas’ troops from Sparlan Citadel easily.”

  “You don’t sound convinced,” the earl said.

>   “I’m afraid he may have gathered support from others in the war band,” Rafe admitted. “We may end up fighting our own men.”

  “If they have sided with Brutas, then they are guilty of treason and deserve their fate,” Earl Ageus said.

  “Avondale would be better off if we could contain the situation with a show of force rather than an actual confrontation,” Tiberius said. “We shouldn’t be too quick to condemn our own men.”

  “Tiberius,” Ageus said with a sigh that was equal parts exasperation and disappointment. “What you fail to grasp is that mercy is always perceived as weakness by our enemies. We have not ruled Avondale because we were weak.”

  Rafe glanced over at Tiberius, expecting to see disappointment on his friend’s face, but instead there was a look of amusement. In the past Tiberius would have been crushed by such a rebuke, but now he seemed completely unfazed. Rafe had always known that Tiberius was a better person than his brothers and father, but it seemed to Rafe that Tiberius had finally accepted that truth, as well.

  When they emerged onto the training ground, there were nearly three hundred soldiers armed and waiting. They cheered for the earl, who raised his hands in thanks for their support, but he turned to Rafe.

  “Why so few?” he asked.

  “We sent word along the wall but didn’t send for those troops,” Rafe explained. “I expected more troops to join us, as well, but Brutas could just as easily have this many men with him in the palace.”

  “We need to know,” Ageus said. “My son is regretting not having killed me last night. He won’t make that mistake again.”

  “I have a plan,” Tiberius said.

  “You? How?” Ageus asked.

  “Trust him,” Rafe said. “What did you have in mind, Tiberius?”

  “If Brutas isn’t being a complete fool, he’ll have the palace locked down,” Tiberius said. “It was a fortress before it was a palace. If he stations his men at the entrances, even with a smaller force, he’ll still have an advantage.”

  “And if we can’t root him out,” Ageus said angrily, “he’ll continue to gain support.”

  “I suggest you put these troops around the palace, with orders to hold their ground,” Tiberius said.

  “What good will that do?” Ageus said.

  “It will keep most of Brutas’ forces tied to the key entrances of the palace,” Tiberius said. “Then we’ll take one of the war ships to the roof of the palace with a few of your most trusted fighters.”

  “That’s no good at all,” Ageus said contemptuously. “He’ll see the ship approaching and have men waiting for us on the rooftop.”

  “True,” Tiberius said. “But I can deal with them. There won’t be enough of those men to keep us out. Then, while most of Brutas’ forces are guarding the entrances, we can attack him directly.”

  “It’s foolish,” Ageus said. “You’ll be defeated before you set foot on the palace roof.”

  “I think it will work,” Rafe said. “You can stay in the war ship until the roof is cleared, my lord. If we fail, then you can redirect your attack using the rest of the war band.”

  “If we fail,” Tiberius added, “you’ll have only lost a handful of men. Don’t you think it’s worth the risk?”

  “I think a more direct attack is wiser,” Ageus said. “We have enough men to storm the palace.”

  “But if we do, hundreds of your faithful warriors will be slaughtered,” Tiberius argued. “My way only risks a few and offers the same reward.”

  “I don’t think it will work, but I won’t stop you,” Ageus said. “But I’m staying here. If you don’t capture Brutas by midday, then I’m sending in my troops.”

  “Fair enough,” Tiberius said. “Rafe, six men should suffice, and maybe a few more to help Lexi and Olyva fly the ship.”

  Rafe smiled. He felt a sense of pride seeing Tiberius so confident and in control in front of his father. He also felt that with Tiberius behind him he could face an army singlehandedly.

  “I’ll select the men,” Rafe said.

  Chapter 26

  Tiberius

  Tiberius regretted not knowing a levitating spell. Climbing back up the entire flight of stairs in the watchtower was brutal, but he pushed himself, trying not to look weak in front of the other soldiers. Then he let them make the climb into the war ship while he caught his breath. Once he finally got on board, he found that several of the soldiers were already at work preparing to sail the ship from the watchtower to the palace roof.

  “So I understand my part in your plan,” Rafe said as Tiberius settled himself on the deck of the ship. “But what are you planning to do to the enemy soldiers on the roof?”

  “Honestly, that depends on who shows up,” Tiberius said. “If Brutas just sends soldiers, we’ll have to fight them. If he comes up himself, I could possibly take him out without hurting anyone else.”

  “Not much chance of your brother exposing himself to danger, though, is there?” Rafe said.

  “You’re going into the palace?” Lexi asked.

  “We have to,” Tiberius explained. “My father wants to storm the palace with his war band. A lot of people could be killed.”

  “I understand that,” Lexi said. “But don’t we have more pressing concerns than saving your father’s title?”

  “She’s right,” Olyva said. “We could just leave.”

  “I have no problem leaving Avondale,” Tiberius said, noticing the pained expression on Rafe’s face. “But Rafe—”

  “Wait!” he said, interrupting Tiberius. “Just … let me have a minute with Olyva.”

  He took Olyva to the other side of the ship.

  “What is going on?” Lexi asked.

  “Rafe is staying,” Tiberius said. “He’s decided to take his father’s place and serve my father.”

  “What? Why would he do that?”

  “He connected with his father yesterday in a way he never had before,” Tiberius explained. “Then he watched his father die to protect the earl. That is what he has trained and worked for his whole life. He feels partially responsible for his father’s death, I guess. And he wants to honor the legacy his father started.”

  “I can’t believe he would turn his back on you,” Lexi said.

  “He isn’t. He talked to me about it. It’s hard to think of us going on without him—and possibly without Olyva—but then again they may be safer here. Leonosis wants me and the Balestone, not Rafe or Olyva. My father will pardon them and welcome them back into his service. They can be married and have a family. Maybe that’s worth the sacrifice.”

  “It won’t be worth anything if we don’t stop whatever is trying to find the stones and use them to enslave Valana,” Lexi said. “Besides, your father doesn’t deserve Rafe’s loyalty. And he certainly doesn’t deserve you risking your life.”

  “Maybe not, but I’m not doing it for him. I’m doing it for Rafe and for us.”

  “Us?”

  “Yes,” Tiberius explained. “My father may be arrogant and cruel, perhaps even corrupt, but he won’t blindly support Leonosis. Not after Brutas’ attempt to kill him. Even if he’s nothing more than a thorn in Leo’s side, it will help us. Leaving Brutas in control of the city gives Leonosis and Queen Ariel de facto control of the entire kingdom.”

  “I guess you’re right, but I don’t like it,” Lexi said. “And if you’re going down there, I’m going with you.”

  “It will be safer here on the ship,” Tiberius said.

  It was just a simple statement, not an ultimatum or even a request that she stay. The truth was, he liked the idea of having Lexi by his side. She was more than capable, and he wanted to share everything with her.

  “We’re both better off together, even facing danger,” she said.

  “I agree,” he said with a smile.

  Then he kissed her and held her tight for a moment. His heart was beating fast, and he felt uneasy about attacking his own brother. It didn’t feel right to confront his family
, even though he knew it was the right thing to do. Brutas wasn’t just out of line, trying to replace their father as earl of Avondale; he was actually serving Leonosis’ darker purposes, and Tiberius couldn’t let that stand.

  “Okay,” Rafe said, as he and Olyva rejoined Tiberius and Lexi. “I’m ready.”

  “I’m going, too,” Lexi said.

  “Actually, most of our belongings are still on the sky ship from Hamill Keep,” Olyva said. “Wouldn’t it be better if Lexi and I reclaim them?”

  “The Balestone is still on the ship,” Tiberius said, realizing for the first time that his brother might already have the stone.

  “She’s right,” Rafe said. “I never went back for our belongings.”

  “Well…” Lexi clearly didn’t like the idea of leaving Tiberius to attack his brother in a palace filled with soldiers, but she knew her skills would be more useful on the sky ship.

  “You have to do it,” Tiberius said. “We’ll deal with Brutas—you get our things transferred to this ship. We’ll take it south when we leave.”

  “I’m going with you,” Olyva said, her voice filled with regret. “Avondale will never be my home again.”

  Tiberius looked at Rafe, who was clearly distraught, but he didn’t argue.

  “You’re welcome with us,” Tiberius said. “Always.”

  “It’s my choice,” Olyva said. “Rafe must follow his heart, and I must follow mine. It isn’t the way I hoped, but I can’t stay. I don’t know how to explain it, but I know I can’t stay here.”

  “It’s okay,” Rafe said. “There will be time to talk about it when this is over. Brutas is showing his hand already.”

  Tiberius turned and saw two dozen men on the rooftop. They all had spears and shields. Brutas wasn’t among them, and none of the soldiers were from Avondale. Tiberius breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t mind attacking the king’s soldiers, but he was loath to hurt the men of his father’s war band, even if they had sided with his brother.