can hover outside my doors, for all I care. At the sound of even the slightest danger you can come barging in, if it pleases you. Although, this is a moot point because no army will reach me, right?”
Emmeli ne waited for his reply. He’d already claimed no army would breach Dolmerti’s borders, but how certain could he be? Was she going to be safe? Would Erick’s men stop anyone before they got to her? He promised they would, but she wanted to hear it just one more time. She needed that reassurance.
Erick nodded, but worry clouded his eyes. Emmeline’s shoulders fell. If the army got through to her, she’d have no choice but to . . . she couldn’t finish the thought.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Erick asked.
For a moment Emmeline couldn’t remember what it was she had wanted. Safety? Yes. Freedom? Yes. A chance at a normal life? Yes. And then she remembered. She wanted to prepare herself like any other bride – without the groom keeping guard with a sword in one hand and a vendetta in the other.
“Yes, ” she said finally.
“Fine. I’ll double the guards outside your door. Adelia will be with you, right?”
“Yes, of course.” Adelia wouldn’t miss the chance to help Emmeline dress for her wedding. Not only was Adelia her handmaiden, but she was her closet friend next to Erick.
“Good. She will be able to alert the appropriate parties, if need be.”
“I’m sure everything will be fine. I’ll only need a few hours before the ceremony.”
“ One hour.”
“Three, ” Emmeline countered.
“One.”
“Four.”
Erick tilted his head back and let out a laugh full of tension. “How about two hours?” He gave her a sly smile and pulled her closer. “Until then, I insist you stay by my side.
“ I can manage that,” Emmeline said with a smile.
“I’m not saying I’m happy with this arrangement. It’ll be the longest two hours of my life.”
“I know.”
Erick straightened and, taking her hand, quickened their pace toward the Commander’s quarters. After a quick rap on the door, and before Emmeline could blink, they were in his office huddled over maps with Commander Benshi fully dressed and ready for action. The two men pointed at locations, disagreed on tactics and deliberated on defensive lines and attacks.
Emmeline slumped into a chair and marveled at Commander Benshi’s seemingly endless supply of energy. As a young soldier, he moved up the ranks faster than any soldier before him. The King noted his rapid promotions and made him Commander over the entire army at the age of twenty-six. The men respected him and many attributed Dolmerti’s strength to his leadership. They had enjoyed over thirty years of peace since his instatement. But that was all about to change.
“This is well within the means of our army,” Commander Benshi declared after two hours of deliberations.
“I believe so.” Erick said.
“I will take care of everything. We will depart at first light.”
Erick’s shoulders seemed to relax. “Thank you. I knew I could count on you.”
The two grasped arms and Emmeline recognized the end of a productive meeting.
“Thank you, Commander,” she said. “I wish you success.”
Commander Benshi bowed. “For you as well, Your Highness. You have no need to fear.”
Emmeline smiled and as she and Erick stepped into the corridor, she felt less desperate, somehow, less afraid. Benshi was not a man who ever made mistakes or left a job unfinished, and she knew she could trust him. When he said he would take care of something, it meant it would be taken care of.
All that was left for them to do was to wait.
Chapter 8. Infiltrate
Tiergan couldn’t keep his grin from breaking his firm demeanor. Everything had fallen into place. Dolmerti’s strength and high numbers were unparalleled, and for that reason, he knew his success could only be achieved through stealth. It was imperative he leave without a trace for he could not afford
Emmeli ne waited for his reply. He’d already claimed no army would breach Dolmerti’s borders, but how certain could he be? Was she going to be safe? Would Erick’s men stop anyone before they got to her? He promised they would, but she wanted to hear it just one more time. She needed that reassurance.
Erick nodded, but worry clouded his eyes. Emmeline’s shoulders fell. If the army got through to her, she’d have no choice but to . . . she couldn’t finish the thought.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Erick asked.
For a moment Emmeline couldn’t remember what it was she had wanted. Safety? Yes. Freedom? Yes. A chance at a normal life? Yes. And then she remembered. She wanted to prepare herself like any other bride – without the groom keeping guard with a sword in one hand and a vendetta in the other.
“Yes, ” she said finally.
“Fine. I’ll double the guards outside your door. Adelia will be with you, right?”
“Yes, of course.” Adelia wouldn’t miss the chance to help Emmeline dress for her wedding. Not only was Adelia her handmaiden, but she was her closet friend next to Erick.
“Good. She will be able to alert the appropriate parties, if need be.”
“I’m sure everything will be fine. I’ll only need a few hours before the ceremony.”
“ One hour.”
“Three, ” Emmeline countered.
“One.”
“Four.”
Erick tilted his head back and let out a laugh full of tension. “How about two hours?” He gave her a sly smile and pulled her closer. “Until then, I insist you stay by my side.
“ I can manage that,” Emmeline said with a smile.
“I’m not saying I’m happy with this arrangement. It’ll be the longest two hours of my life.”
“I know.”
Erick straightened and, taking her hand, quickened their pace toward the Commander’s quarters. After a quick rap on the door, and before Emmeline could blink, they were in his office huddled over maps with Commander Benshi fully dressed and ready for action. The two men pointed at locations, disagreed on tactics and deliberated on defensive lines and attacks.
Emmeline slumped into a chair and marveled at Commander Benshi’s seemingly endless supply of energy. As a young soldier, he moved up the ranks faster than any soldier before him. The King noted his rapid promotions and made him Commander over the entire army at the age of twenty-six. The men respected him and many attributed Dolmerti’s strength to his leadership. They had enjoyed over thirty years of peace since his instatement. But that was all about to change.
“This is well within the means of our army,” Commander Benshi declared after two hours of deliberations.
“I believe so.” Erick said.
“I will take care of everything. We will depart at first light.”
Erick’s shoulders seemed to relax. “Thank you. I knew I could count on you.”
The two grasped arms and Emmeline recognized the end of a productive meeting.
“Thank you, Commander,” she said. “I wish you success.”
Commander Benshi bowed. “For you as well, Your Highness. You have no need to fear.”
Emmeline smiled and as she and Erick stepped into the corridor, she felt less desperate, somehow, less afraid. Benshi was not a man who ever made mistakes or left a job unfinished, and she knew she could trust him. When he said he would take care of something, it meant it would be taken care of.
All that was left for them to do was to wait.
Chapter 8. Infiltrate
Tiergan couldn’t keep his grin from breaking his firm demeanor. Everything had fallen into place. Dolmerti’s strength and high numbers were unparalleled, and for that reason, he knew his success could only be achieved through stealth. It was imperative he leave without a trace for he could not afford
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