Breaker of Rings

Chapter 19

The hardest part of war was often the waiting, Bex thought. The best warriors didn't yearn to kill, but inaction made them feel uneasy. There was only so much training and preparation Finn's warriors and Paige's and Drew's knights could do, and when days stretched into weeks with no further sign of the Skull King—or The Shield—resources started to run low. Drew had already dispatched half of the knights he had brought to help with the rebuilding of the scorched villages, but most of the work had been finished within a week. "I hate to say it, because it feels like tempting the gods," Drew remarked, "but I almost wish that damn bastard would just do something. Anything. I'm tired of waiting."

"We all are." The reigning monarchs of the Three Kingdoms were sitting in the mead hall with the Four Horsewomen as well as Dean and Renee, meeting to discuss strategy for a battle that, at that point, seemed like it might never happen. Paige shook her head in frustration. "I want to help. I do. But you know I have my own problems with France—and within my own borders." She shot a dark look at Drew. "I hope there's none from the north as well."

Drew held up his hands peacefully. "We'll abide by the truce as long as you do, Queen." Then he turned to the Four Horsewomen. "Paige has a point. We all have our own lands to defend, and while the Skull King is a threat to us all, there is the possibility that there's also a divide and conquer plan in the works. I'll keep some of my knights here at your command, Bex, but I should send some back home."

"With Nikki, hopefully," Sasha muttered under her breath, quickly lifting her mug of mead to her mouth when Drew gave her an arch look.

Bex simply nodded. "We understand. You can't be away from your lands indefinitely, and the Three Kingdoms need defending too. If you can spare anyone to stay, we would be grateful, but you need to think of your own lands first."

Paige was the first to rise. "I won't be much help in the battle, I'm afraid, not after. . . ." She reflexively raised a hand to her neck, reminded of the old injury that kept her from being a warrior herself. "I'll take half my knights with me, and leave the rest under your command. I'll tell William to report to you when you're done here."

"We'll treat them as our own," Bex promised her, rising to hug the English queen farewell. Taking on the responsibility of foreign knights was its own daunting task: if anything happened to Paige's people while on the mainland, she could hold the Four Horsewomen accountable and start a war. Bex didn't figure Paige would go to such lengths, but she hoped not to find out. "Thank you."

"Calm seas and friendly winds," Charlotte added, rising in turn. After Paige had said farewell to everyone assembled in the mead hall, she went outside to divvy up her knights and begin their departure. "Finn, Drew—if you want to do the same. . . ."

"I'm staying," Drew declared firmly. "I'll send Nikki back with half our knights, however." He held Sasha's gaze as he said the last, waiting until she reluctantly dropped her gaze to continue. "I'll stay as long as I can, but. . . ."

"But Scotland comes first for you. We understand." Bayley bowed her head in respect as Drew excused himself to go talk to his people. After he left, she turned to Finn. "Same for you, Finn. Ireland is further away, but you still have to consider your people."

"I do," Finn agreed grimly. "And one of my favourite ones is sitting right there, which is making this damn difficult." Bex was sitting beside him and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Sheamus will stay and the majority of my warriors, but there are too many things I need to oversee. I'm sure the advisors I left in place are doing their best, but Ireland sits on my shoulders, not theirs."

"I know." Bex had fully expected him to leave—she was surprised he had come in the first place, given everything that was going on—but it didn't make the parting any easier. "Save travels. Give my love to my family, will you?"