Page 47 of A Touch of Shadows

No one had been able to make Finn leave her, not for a second, not even to see the healers.

The journey back to Knightsford was slow, Roland leading the way, Finn carrying the girl with him on a borrowed mount. What had happened to his beloved horse, Roland didn’t know. There would be time for a debriefing soon, but at the moment there was no point. The first thing he needed to do was get them both to safety.

Later he could find out everything. Finn would tell him, once he’d rested and was sure the girl was safe. Roland knew him better than anyone.

Once he had dreamed of having children. A son to carry on his name, of course. Everyone wanted that. A host of strong boys, to train and raise in the knightly way. But a daughter too, as beautiful as her mother and as wise.

None of it had been possible. Roland’s fault, really, for falling in love with a queen. And not just any queen. She had claimed his heart with just a look and that had been that. Even if he had wanted to love another it would never have worked out.

So raising the royal hostage in the aftermath of the devastation of the war had been not only an expression of duty to his country and the crown, but had become a pleasure. The wild little creature who had been deposited with him had grown into a fine young man, one anyone would be proud to call son. Brave, resilient, skilled, clever.

Roland would never be able to express his pride in Finnian. But he felt it keenly nonetheless.

Any time duty took the boy over the border and back into Ilanthus, however, Roland worried. With good reason, as the situation now demonstrated. Alessander might demand to know his youngest son was still alive and healthy, and Finnian might obey the summons, but they were all aware of the threat he posed to Leander and how much the crown prince loathed him. That Finn used those visits as opportunities to gather intelligence for Roland had always deeply unsettled the Grandmaster. It was too great a risk. But then, Finnian occupied a precarious position between the two hostile powers. Either of them would take any harm to him as a grave insult.

Not that Leander cared about that either. It was the worst thing that could have happened, the crown prince following him, capturing him. It could have ended in disaster for them all.

Roland watched Finn now, while the healer tried to coax him to cooperate, and knew it had been far too close. Leander must be very sure of himself to come here after Finn.

Assassins and witchhunters on Asterothian soil… it was not to be endured. Roland would see them hounded to the ends of the earth if anything happened to the boy. And as for the security here… He’d fortify the garrison of course. And increase patrols on the border. Those invaders already dead would send a powerful message to the Sidonian court, one he was sure Alessander would heed. But what would it matter in time? Leander would want vengeance.

Roland suddenly felt old. Every one of his forty years weighed on him as if they were doubled.

Knightsford was a bustling town on the river, protected by high walls and fortifications. It was the last defence on the road to Ilanthus. The place to which people like the villagers of Thirbridge were meant to retreat. Roland had sent a scouting party there, to see if there had been any survivors. But he doubted it.

Anselm was waiting for him in the garrison office, and from his expression the news about Thirbridge was grimmer than expected. He listened to the expected report without comment, and then examined the list of those invaders captured or the dead who had been identified. Precious few of either and no word on Leander himself. Nothing to prove he’d been there but their own word, and Roland knew from bitter experience that the Ilanthians would die rather than identify their prince as having led them here.

‘Is Finn… is he hurt?’ Anselm asked tentatively. Their friendship had always been strong. Roland had found himself relying on that to protect his ward as much as anything else. He trusted Anselm.

‘I’m going to see him now. They didn’t treat him kindly. We got there in time, however, and that’s something to be thankful for.’

‘And the girl?’

Rumours were already flying then. ‘That remains to be seen. She was exhausted. The use of magic seems to have drained her completely. She’s lucky to have survived. You can accompany me, if you wish. I’m sure Finn would appreciate a friendly face.’

‘He hasn’t done anything wrong, has he?’

Trust Anselm to come to Finn’s defence. Roland smiled.

‘That remains to be seen, but there are many questions to be answered right now. Not least, what happened back there?’

The young knight’s eyes narrowed. Well, he was always the clever one. ‘And who is the girl?’

CHAPTER 28

ROLAND

Their footsteps echoed along the stone floors of the corridors leading to the infirmary and Roland was glad of the company. While he valued Anselm’s opinion, he knew he would need to debrief Finn and couldn’t immediately offer the comfort the boy might need. Having his friend there would be a boon to both of them.

The healer, in her long white robes and cowl, met them outside, her expression stern.

‘You’re going to have to speak to him, Grandmaster. We can’t get him to cooperate in the slightest. He won’t leave her side. Not even now she’s sleeping.’

Finn, being stubborn. Not exactly a surprise. But this strange devotion was a worry.

Roland let the healer lead him to the small room in which the girl lay on a bed and Finn sat beside her, studying her face as if trying to commit it to memory.

‘Report, Ward,’ Roland said, though he didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.