The Witch's Retribution

Chapter 24

Liam woke before dawn, a feat so unusual that the few guards and early rising servants who noticed him had to look twice. Even then they believed themselves to be hallucinating. He disappeared into the stables where his horse was already prepared for him. In the flickering torchlight stood a single knight, his aging face pale from a recent bout of illness, but his metallic blue eyes shone clear and bright. The scar on his left cheek stood out like a fresh wound in the dim light as he nodded at Liam.

"Sir Garrett." Liam greeted him. The knight had dressed in full armor just as Liam had even though they hoped it wouldn't be necessary. "Have all the preparations been made?"

"Of course, Sire. The horses are ready, and we have enough provisions for at least a week."

"Hopefully, it won't take that long."

"Sire," Garrett began, "are you sure just the two of us will be enough for this journey?"

Liam almost wanted to say no, to insist they bring an entire army with them, but that would be too suspicious. "We'll be fine." Liam replied. He doubted they would be charging into any battles anyway. "Let's go before the kingdom wakes and discovers us missing."

"This is unlike you, Sire." Garrett said. "I wonder if Lily's impulsiveness is rubbing off on you."

Liam snorted, a tad bitterly. "Unlike her, I won't be making a habit of it."

"I am sure she will appreciate this."

"I don't care if she appreciates it or not. I simply want her home," he paused, not wanting to picture her far away and injured as Xan had suggested, "and safe."

They rode their horses through the gates, passing the two guards asleep at their posts. Liam had the urge to stop and yell at them for neglecting their duties, but for once there were more important matters to deal with than threatening the incompetent. If he remembered, perhaps he would come back to it. The dark forest passed them quickly as they rode their horses at maximum speed, taking the shortest route they could to Pierake. It would still take far too long to reach the fiery kingdom, and even longer to reach the castle which is where he knew Lily had gone. He doubted she was roaming around any of the villages out there.

He had never actually been to Pierake; in fact, he hadn't really visited any of the other kingdoms aside from Railark. He never had the desire to venture into unknown lands, not while he was his father's only heir. If something were to happen to him, Mercuri would surely fall or worse, end up in the hands of those unfit to rule. Before Lily had come into his life, he never even wondered about the other kingdoms, never saw their importance aside from maintaining alliances and trade.

Before Lily, he hadn't cared much for anything or anyone other than himself and his kingdom. If he had never met that frustrating woman, he wouldn't find himself in the position he was in now. He wouldn't be rushing headlong towards the most dangerous of lands just to make certain she was alright even though his common sense stated she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Still, she was worth the trouble, worth the danger. He had lied to Xan before. Lily was far more important than his kingdom, and he would still give it all up for her.

As the sun began to rise, casting light among the shadows, they veered out of the forest. The hills and valleys forced them to ride slower than they would've liked, not wanting to risk their horses losing their footing. Liam remembered watching something like that happen to Lily, the way she had just barely managed to roll out of the way of her fallen horse, and how angry--no, how terrified--he had been. He had barely known her a month, and yet already, he had been entranced by her. He hadn't known a single thing about her, other than a false name and hazy background that she never felt the need to clarify. Looking back, it was so obvious that she was not a single thing she claimed to be, but he had believed her anyway. He had loved her anyway.