Knight's End (The Knight Trilogy) (16 page)

Aston tried to shake his head, but seeing as his chin was captive, the move was futile. Instead, he said, “It’s against my code to let a murderer walk free, Jade. A knight’s honor doesn’t allow it.”

“Not even as a personal favor? For a princess?”

“No, Jade, not even for that,” Aston sighed, closing his eyes.

He opened them again when he felt a pair of soft lips against his own. Jade’s eyes were closed, her hand still resting lightly on his chin. The other arm had moved from his shoulder and was searching the bed beside them. He took her hand, instinctively knowing that was what s
he desired, and closed his eyes, letting himself fall into this one kiss. After this, he’d have to keep his distance from the princess, but he would allow himself what he wanted this one time.

The knight
pushed against her lips, returning the kiss she gave him. He didn’t push it any farther than simply lips touching; he didn’t need to get himself in any deeper with the Princess of Adion than he already had. Aston pulled away shortly after the thought entered hi
s head, watching as Jade
’s eyes slowly opened.

“There’s no harm in trying, right?” she asked. Jade stood and left the room, saying something about finding ice for his wound. Aston found himself wondering if she was talking about the favor she’d asked, or the kiss.

Had she kissed him to see if he’d bend?

“To love means loving the unlovable.
To forgive mea
ns pardoning the unpardonable. 
Faith mea
ns believing the unbelievable.
Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.”
- G. K. Chesterton -

Jacob slowed his horse to a walk as the gates of Fridel came into view. He’d heard from a servant that Aston Smith was sent to look for Jade
.
H
e thought the King of Fridel might be able to tell him where Aston went.

As soon as he identified himself to the guards, Jacob’s horse was taken to the stables to be rested. He was sent to the palace and directed to the throne room. As he walked the halls, he caught people sending him sideways glances, but no one talked to him.

King Donn was seated on his throne when Jacob entered the room. He walked briskly down the red carpet, stopping in front of the middle throne and going down on one knee. He bowed his head and waited for King Donn to acknowledge him.

“Marquess Jacob. Welcome to my home,” King Donn said. Jacob stood and nodded in thanks.

“I am here on orders from King Aric. I was told you sent Aston Smith to search for Jade du Halen,” he lied. King Donn’s eyes widened.

“Where did that information come from?” he asked Jacob, his voice frantic.

“From King Aric. He sent you a letter,” Jacob said, his brow furrowing in confusion. Did King Donn not send Aston, after all?

“Aston Smith is a
traitor
to Fridel. He was present in Adion the night your father was killed,” King Donn said coldly.

“He was there?” Jacob murmured. The king nodded. “Why would King Aric send for him?”

“Aric likely doesn’t know that Aston betrayed us that night. You should return to Adion. Send Aric word that he won’t find his daughter, or Aston Smith, here.”

Jacob nodded before turning and leaving the throne room. Aston Smith, a traitor? Surely King Aric would not send a traitor to find his daughter? He would send a man he trusted.

Kin
g
Donn must be wrong about Aston,
Jacob thought, returning to the stables. He ordered the stable hand to pr
epare his horse before mounting and
ri
ding
from the stables. He wasn’t sure where he was going. A small voice behind him stopped him.

“Wait! Wait, sir, wait!” Jacob turned around and frowned at the small redheaded child running towards him.

“What do you want, boy? Identify yourself,” he spat. The boy flinched, but didn’t back down.

“My name is Richard. I’m a maid,” he answered. Jacob laughed.

“A boy maid? Next thing you know, Fridel will have woman stable hands,” he joked.

“Aston Smith isn’t a traitor. King Donn is wrong,” Richie responded, and Jacob immediately stopped laughing.

“Continue, b
oy. Tell me what you know.”

“Talbot and Aston were in Adion when your father was killed, but Aston tried to catch The Rogue while Talbot stayed behind with the princess. If anyone should be called a traitor, it should be Talbot. King Donn won’t listen to anyone, though. He believes his son is innocent.” Richie looked at his feet, frowning.

“So, Aston
is
innocent. I thought as much.” Jacob took a silver coin from his pocket and flipped it into the air. Richie caught the coin in both hands and looked at it, his eyes shining. He looked up at Jacob questioningly.

“For your information, boy. Everyone deserves payment of some sort,” Jacob answered. He dug his heels into his steed’s sides and the horse raced off, leaving Richie in the dust.

“They’re in
Northsbury
!” Richie called. Jacob waved a hand to let Richie know he had heard him. He turned left out the gate, finally having a destination.

*
*

“This is frustrating,” Aston told Jade. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, reading a book she’d picked up from the local bookshop. She looked at Aston when he spoke, pointing at the line she’d been reading so she wouldn’t lose her place.

“Are you hurting?” she asked him, frowning.

Aston shook his head. “Not really. I’m pretty numb. I just hate
sitting
here,” he replied.

“You’re used to constant travel, no rest. This will be good for you,” Jade told him. When he didn’t reply, she turned back to her book. Aston sat up and moved forwards, bringing his legs out from under the covers and sliding to the end of the bed. He looked over Jade’s shoulder, reading with her as she moved her finger along the page.

“He was a brave man, always fighting. She wanted to tame him. She wanted to take him into her arms and make him feel like he was home,” he read aloud.

Jade smiled at him.
“This is one of my favorite books. Father bought me a copy when I was young. I read it every winter,” she told him. She sighed and closed the book, setting it in her lap.

“Jade, I’ve been wanting to ask you…”

“About last night?” she finished for him. Aston looked away, but Jade still caught his nod. “I meant it.”

Aston turned to
Jade. She looked beautiful, sitting in the faint light coming through the curtains. Her auburn hair formed a halo around her face. Her emerald eyes were locked on his. He leaned closer, not closing his eyes, and his heart leapt into his throat when he saw her moving too.

When their lips met, Aston allowed his eyes to close. It was different than the first time. Where that was unexpected and spontaneous, this was planned and simple. As
ton leaned even further forward
, pushing Jade onto her back and lying on top of her, supporting himself with his elbows. He never allowed their lips to disconnect.

As he deepened the kiss, he felt Jade’s hands go to his shoulders. He tried to hold back his small gasp when her hand
rested on his wound, but Jade felt him go still. She quickly moved her hands to his stomach and pushed him back, standing and taking several steps away from the bed. Aston breathed heavily as he watched her, wishing she would come back and be beside him again.

“That was foolish,” Jade told him, turning around. Her face was flushed, her lips rosy. Her eyes had darkened. “We can’t get carried away, Aston. Not while you’re hurt.”

For the second time since he’d met her, Jade kissed him and walked away.

Aston leaned back on the bed as soon as the door closed behind Jade. He didn’t understand anything about this. He’d met plenty of women, women who were quieter and well-behaved. None of them affected him the way Jade did. Her eyes saw right through him. She was the only person, aside from Richie and Delgrab, who was willing to believe that he had a future. He’d known her for a week and already she was closer to him than so many others he’d had in his life for much longer.

Aston found his eyes traveling to the book Jade had left behind. With nothing better to do, he picked it up, turning to the first page.

The night was cold, the air thick with winter. She had lit a fire in the hearth and now lay curled by its warmth, folded in on herself in the midst of a cotton blanket.

**

Jade sat in the inn’s front room until the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and the moon took its place. What was this feeling? It was different from anything she’d ever felt before. She put a hand to her lips, remembering the way Aston’s had felt
against them. She was smiling like a fool, she knew, but she couldn’t stop herself.

When did this become more than just needing someone to look after me? When did this knight find a way into my heart?
Jade glance
d at the stairs. Her knight was up there now, lying in pain from a wound her brother had inflicted.

Her heart sank as she remembered. Nothing could ever happen between her and Aston. If it did, she would be obligated to save him and she couldn’t hurt Ernst that way. She realized she was in an insolvable spot. The way she saw it, she had two choices: save her brother, or save her knight.

There was no way for her to do both.

“Not until we are lost do we begin to
understand ourselves.”
- Henry David Thoreau -

Aston awoke the next morning extremely satisfied. He had spent the night beside Jade, listening to her soft breathing. He wanted more nights like that one, more mornings of waking up beside her. Those days would have to wait. Jade had only
paid
for two nights; it was time to leave.

“I can pay for another night, Aston. You know I have the money,” Jade said. She wanted Aston to rest, not start going after Ernst again so soon.

“We need to return
to Delgrab’s. I need to know if Richie has heard anything else from King Donn,” Aston said.

With a sigh, Jade followe
d after him as he left the room. He had
his bag in one hand and hers in the other. She took hers from the knight, not wanting
Aston
to strain his arm.

After checking out of their room, Jade and Aston went
to the stable
. Jade ti
pped the boy working
there
to tack their horses while she and Aston waited.

“I really think we should stay one more night. Your Rogue won’t go after Talbot without setting a date, Aston.”

“You said that already, Jade. I know. I’ll feel better knowing I’m closer to him, that’s all.” Aston looked away, not wanting
to discuss any further
. He was a knight. He’d spent more
nights wounded outside with no bed to lay in than he could count. Jade didn’t understand because she’d been brought up in a position where if she was hurt, or sick, she could lay down until she was better. Knights didn’t have that option.

Once the horses were ready, Aston wasted no time
mounting
Sterling and leaving town, Jade close behind him. In two days, they would reach Delgrab’s cabin. Aston still intended to ask Del if there was a place he and Jade could spend the winter.  He didn’t want to drag her around through the snow all season.

Already, the air felt colder. The
harsh wind whipped at his cheeks,
quickly reddening them. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jade hunched down in her saddle, letting her horse block the wind.
Aston smiled. If only the princess
knew how ridiculous she looked, her hair blowing everywhere, peeking out from behind her stallion’s head. Aston found himself laughing then, his sour mood lifted.

Jade scowled at him
. She quickly ducked back behind her horse, not used to the cold wind nipping at her face.

“You’ll get used to the wind once your face goes numb,” he called back to her.

“I’d rather hide and keep my face
warm
,” she replied. Aston stopped Sterling and pulled his satchel onto
his lap
. Reaching in, he pulled out a thick
cloak
.

“Wrap this around your shoulders and over your head. It will help,” he told Jade, who had stopped Edward beside Sterling. She did as she was told, reveling in the warmth the blanket offered.

“Thank you, Aston,” she said, her
cheeks rosy
. A
ston nodded and started forward
again, the princess right behind.