Arrows of Promise (Kingmakers Book 2) (20 page)

“The experience of being partners with a wizard, that’s
something I never had. I didn’t find someone like Ash and Ashlynn did. So I
couldn’t teach them much about that. What you were saying today was invaluable
to them. Letting them see firsthand how well you dealt with some magic, but not
others, that was important too. So much of what I tell them is only words until
they experience it firsthand.” Gerrard finally looked up from the work in his
hands. “I hope these lessons will continue even after we reach Estole.”

Riana gave him a soft smile. “They will.”

“A bridge?” Ashlynn repeated, not following.

“A bridge,” Edvard confirmed, waving her toward the table
before stabbing downwards onto the map laying on the surface. “In mild winters,
the channel ices up a little around the edges, but it’s still passable. But
during harsh winters, it ices over so badly that we won’t be able to cross it
at all. That means during the winter months, our settlement will be cut off
from us, and I don’t like that idea one bit. I think we need to build a bridge
to span the distance.”

Broden was of a mind to agree. The man made sense, although
it would be quite the feat to span that distance. “No’ the sort of work that
can be done by year’s end.”

“No, even with magic, this will take two or three years to
complete,” Edvard agreed. “But we need to start it sooner rather than later.
According to the farmers, they predict it will be a mild winter, so we should
be alright this year. But next? The one after? The faster we have this bridge
up, the better we’ll be.”

Ashlynn held up both hands in a staying gesture. “Hold on.
You keep saying ‘bridge’ but where are we supposed to put this thing? The most
direct route would be off of Portal Road but that will directly cut into the
docks. We can’t afford to block them, that’s our main source of trade.”

“Agreed, it’s a bad location.” Edvard straightened and
beamed at her. “So, let’s go location hunting, shall we?”

Broden could tell by Ashlynn’s expression that she was
actively trying to stay patient. “Edvard. Be there a reason for wanting to do
this right now? It can no’ wait for Ash’s return?”

“The city is expanding every possible direction,” Edvard
explained. “If we don’t mark out a place and reserve it now for the bridge,
we’re going to end up tearing it down later. I’d rather not do that.”

Alright, it made sense. Broden peeked at Ashlynn from the
corner of his eyes and found her nodding. Grudgingly so, but a nod regardless.

Resigned, Ashlynn asked, “I suppose you want to do this
right now?”

Edvard beamed at her. “You’re not busy.”

“Commanding it does not make it so. Your Majesty.”

“For at least an hour, you’re not busy,” he rephrased,
already gathering up his map and ready to stride out the door.

“Yes, yes.” Rolling her eyes, she followed along behind as
Edvard nearly skipped out the door.

This eager attitude to go out and start a project was a
little out of character for Edvard. As Broden trailed along, he studied the
man. Usually Edvard disliked having to do anything else because it meant
straining already tight resources to pull it off. So why…? Leaning in closer,
he murmured to Ashlynn, “Man be chipper about this.”

She inclined her head toward him to whisper back, “We made
him stay in for three days and do paperwork. I think he went a little
stir-crazy.”

Ah. Now he got it. Any excuse to leave the office would do,
eh?

Going with Edvard anywhere in the city was not a quick trip.
He stopped and spoke to anyone that called out. Sometimes it was in an official
capacity, other times it was just to chat for a moment. Broden did not know how
other kings acted, not when face to face with their own people, but Edvard invested
in every individual. He wanted to know how they were, was concerned for the
wellbeing, and the people sensed his honest interest and responded in kind.

It neared noon by the time they reached the docks. Edvard
stood with arms akimbo and looked around. “Obviously this immediate area is a
no-go. But these are the newer sections of the docks. The original ones are
reported to be too rickety for use because of their age. I think we might be
able to tear them down and use the site for a bridge.”

“Are you sure we can afford to?” Ashlynn lifted a hand to
cover her eyes from the harsh sun. “The way we’re expanding, I think we might
need every inch of dock space that we can get.”

“I came down to talk to the dockmaster about that very
question.” Edvard looked around and frowned when he did not immediately find
the man he was looking for. “He was supposed to meet me here. Did he get tied
up somewhere?”

Likely so.

From behind, a timid voice called out, “Your Majesty?”

Edvard turned with an automatic smile on his face. “Yes?”

A young girl of fourteen stood with her hands clasped
tightly together in front of her stomach. She wore a shoddy dress of dark blue,
clean but a size too large for her, brown hair in a single plait over her
shoulder. “Sire. Word is that if I’m under fifteen, I can’t be hired. Is that
true?”

“Most of the work the government hires out for is taxing for
even an adult to do,” Edvard explained. His forehead gathered as he took in her
strained expression. “But I do make allowances, depending on the circumstances
and what skills people have. Are you an orphan?”

She shook her head rapidly. “My father broke both legs on
the way here, sire. I’m the oldest. Someone has to work until he’s well again.”

“Ahhh, I see.”

Ashlynn caught her brother’s eye, gesturing that she would
go off looking for the dockmaster while he dealt with the girl’s situation.
Edvard gave them a slight nod and a wave to go on.

They both knew without asking that Edvard would hear the
girl’s whole story and then find someone that would be willing to hire her.
Never mind that it was a prefect’s job to do such a thing. Because she had
approached Edvard, it would be the king who would fix it.

“Man has a soft spot for women, he does.”

Ashlynn chuckled softly. “It was because of his soft spot
for women that this country was formed. I have no complaints. Besides, I rather
like Edvard’s approach to ruling. Hmm, now how to find Dockmaster Hatcher?”
Spying a sailor working to unload, she flagged the man down.

He dropped what he was doing and came to her in a scurry of
a walk, jerking the cap off his head as he moved and ducking into a bow.
“Wizard Ashlynn. What can I do for ya?”

“We’re looking for the dockmaster,” she explained. “Have you
seen him?”

The sailor scratched at his thinning hair, head turning this
way and that. “He was here a few minutes ago.” Turning back to his companions,
he called out, “Hey! Anyone seen Hatcher?”

There were shakes of the head. “Wizard, I can get up in the
crow’s nest and take a gander, see if I can spot him for ya?”

“Please do,” Ashlynn requested.

The sailor was like a monkey, he climbed the rigging so
fast, and gained the crow’s nest in a bare minute flat. Hand up to shield his
eyes, he peered about. Even from this distance, Broden could see a frown appear
on the man’s face as he leaned further out, staring hard toward the road.

What was he looking at? It wasn’t anywhere around the docks.
Broden turned to stare in the same direction and didn’t see anything unusual.
He did hear something, though, a lot of excited voices crowding into the same
place toward the far side of the road. “What be that about?”

“I don’t know.” Ashlynn was staring hard in the same
direction although with this thick crowd, seeing anything was nigh impossible.
Pointing toward it, she raised her voice and called to her spy, “What’s going
on over there?”

The sailor yelled back, “Some fool on the roof over there
just threw a bag of money on the street!”

Bag of money? For a split second, Broden didn’t understand
at all. Then he realized that there was only one of two reasons why someone
would do such a thing, and one of those reasons wasn’t good. “Lass!”

She was not waiting for him to see the obvious and had
already spun back around, eyes frantically searching the roofline. “I see him.
Go to Edvard
now.
”

Broden took off in mad sprint for the last place he had seen
his king. Maybe it was just some generous fool throwing money at people, but
with the low amount of currency, the odds were against it. More likely this was
an assassin and he was using a bag of coin as a diversion to thin the crowd out
enough to get a good shot at the king. As he ran, he bellowed, “EDVARD! ASSASIN
ON THE ROOF!”

Ashlynn was running just as hard for the possible assassin,
magic building up around her as she moved.

Both of them were too late.

From the roof, a quick burst of magic shot out, so small and
fast that even though Broden was looking for it, he barely caught sight of it.
There was a cry of alarm from up ahead. It felt like something hard punched him
right in the gut. Had it hit?

People were scattering in every direction, looking for
cover, making it harder for him to find Edvard in the madness. He had to shove
some aside.

A man whose face he recognized, although he could not
remember the name, waved both hands over his head. “Master Broden!”

Broden weaved his way to him, demanding as he came, “The
king?”

“Here.” The man ducked behind a stack of barrels.

Stepping sideways, Broden followed suit and found Edvard
sitting upright with his back pressed against the brick wall, a handkerchief in
his hands as he pressed against the open wound of another man’s side. The king
looked a little shaken, and there was blood all over his hands, but he was
steady enough to look up at Broden and command, “I need a physician. Apothecarist.
Someone
.”

Broden clasped a hand on the man who had called out to him
and ordered, “Get some help over here.”

Spinning around, the man took off, and Broden sank onto his
haunches to try and help as he could. “What happened?”

“I can’t tell you. I had sent the girl off with instructions
to find her prefect, and was about to look for the two of you, when I heard you
yelling. I didn’t even have time to figure out
which
roof when this
man—” he looked down at the docksman under his hands “—tackled me and forced me
back in here. I would have been shot in the back if not for him.”

Broden had thought the man passed out from the wound but he
opened his eyes, voice strained as he spoke. “You’re welcome, Majesty.”

“You fool.” There was no heat in Edvard’s words, just remorse.
“The king is to protect his people. Not the other way around.”

“No kingdom without you,” the man denied, his eyes falling
shut. “We all know that. There’s not a man or woman in this country that won’t
die defending you.”

The consequence of being a good king was that the people
loved him. Even to this extent. Broden was touched by the man’s loyalty and
quick-thinking. “Ye work these docks, do ye no’?”

“Yes, master.”

“When ye get on yer feet again, come to me. I can train ye
to be a guardsman.” It would be better pay than his current position. “Ye just
proved ye have the reflexes for it.”

That made the docksman smile. “I’ll be there. Don’t think
I’ll not.”

“And I’ll take care of your family until you’re well again,
don’t worry about that either,” Edvard tacked on. “Broden, go find that
surgeon.”

“I will get the lass.” The docksman was losing far too much
blood, a surgeon would not be able to save him at this point. “She be a better
option.” So saying, he got to his feet and went to the nearest caller, standing
on the corner. Putting his hand against it, he called clearly, “Lass.”

“
Broden. I lost him. The man’s slicker than an oiled
weasel.”

He was not too surprised. The man had the skills to get past
Troi and all of the magical wards protecting Estole after all. “Get back here,
then. A man was hit protecting Edvard and he does no’ look like he will make it
without yer help.”

“
Where are you?”

“Corner of Port Road and Seaside Docks.”

“Coming. I’m not far away.”

Broden went back to the barrels but remained standing,
giving Ashlynn a way to see where to go. She was good to her word, back in
moments, and lost no time in following his pointing finger toward the barrels.
Ducking down, she took in the wounded man with a wince, magic flaring out
around her hands.

“Good thing you called me,” she told the listening men. “A
surgeon would not help with a magical wound like this. What’s your name, sir?”

“Jacobs, Miss Wizard.”

“Jacobs, I won’t lie. This will feel painful and tingly but
remain as still as you can.” At his nod, she spoke the spell with crisp
precision, hands lowering as she worked until she touched bare skin, shifting
Edvard’s out of the way to do so.

The king retreated and watched as his lifesaver was healed.
The wound completely closed, cauterized with magic. As Ashlynn finished, a
balding man with a large black bag puffed his way toward them, sweat pouring
off his temples.

“There’s an injured man here?”

Broden ushered him to Ashlynn’s side. She immediately made
use of the man’s medical knowledge and supplies as they cleaned and bandaged
the wound properly. Jacobs remained awake throughout and while still pale,
seemed able to breathe a little easier.

With people’s ready help, they got Jacobs out from behind
the barrels and the surgeon tagged along as he was carted home. Edvard sat
hunched over on his heels, bloody hands dangling between his knees, expression
haggard. “Ashlynn, the assassin?”

“Got away,” she admitted sourly. “You’re not hurt?”

“A few bruises from where I was knocked down. But I won’t
complain. Jacobs took the hit for me. I swore to him that I would see his
family taken care of while he’s recuperating, so help me do that. Also, Broden
wants to train him as a guardsman, which he was interested to do.”

“He’s older than our usual recruit,” Ashlynn said with
splayed hands, “but after what he just did, I think we can let that slide. I’d
be happy to have him.”

“Good, good.” Blowing out a breath, the king looked at the
opposite rooftop, where the assassin had lurked. “How did he get past Troi?”

“I’d have to investigate, but I don’t think he came through
any of the gates. I’d bet he took advantage of the weak defenses here at the
docks. We had to pull from the guard here to deal with a riot earlier. I’m
wondering now if the riot wasn’t also the assassin’s doing. Edvard, this isn’t
the first assassination attempt this week. It’s just the first that’s gotten
far enough to actually put your life in danger. Will you stop pouting now and
accept the fact that you need a bodyguard?”