Retaliation

By M.M. Brownlow

Eaglecrest has fallen, the royal family is missing, and Bacovia is in turmoil.

Fleeing before Rhys' attack on the capital, King Eryk and Queen Aislynn are now in hiding. Separated from their children, and plotting to retake their kingdom, the exiled royals are forced to search for allies in unlikely places. Can they gain the support they need to bring Rhys to his knees?

For Rhys, having the kingdom without the royal family is meaningless. His goal to destroy the pact that has ruined his life hinges on the lives - and deaths - of the Bacovian royals. He has his spies searching for the missing king and princes, but as his ties to his allies start to crumble, Rhys doesn't have time to waste.

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.M. Brownlow
• Release date: Apr 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781311949042

M.M. Brownlow

M.M. Brownlow works as an elementary teacher and lives with her husband and three sons in Ontario, Canada. She's also surrounded by a variety of "critters" - a dog, two cats, two guinea pigs, a hamster, a pair of frogs, and a leopard gecko. Life is never boring, and she finds herself often wishing for more hours in a day.

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cover-image, Retaliation - Smashwords

Retaliation

Deadly Decisions - Book 3

M.M. Brownlow

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2017 M.M. Brownlow

Discover other titles by M.M. Brownlow at Smashwords.com

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 1

Aislynn dropped lightly to the ground, landing in a crouch and looking around. Seeing nobody, she pushed off and dashed across the street to the nearby alley. A grunt behind her told her that Eryk had also reached the ground, and she forced herself to keep moving instead of looking back over her shoulder to check on her husband’s progress. It was imperative that she and Eryk get out of the city as quickly as possible, and she had to trust him to keep up.

Pausing at the other end of the alley, the assassin listened carefully. Sounds of battle echoed on the warm spring breeze, and she closed her brown eyes to better pinpoint the location of the fighting; if she and the king wanted to escape, they’d be best served by avoiding the soldiers, on both sides.

Where’s Cheta?

Aislynn opened her eyes and looked at Eryk, who’d come up beside her.

She’ll find us, the queen answered. Cheta has her own ways in and out of places. It wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t see her again until we leave the city though.

Cheta, the queen’s eesprid , had a number of interesting abilities. Being a magical creature, the wolf didn’t age, didn’t get sick, and had ways of moving unnoticed that Aislynn didn’t understand, but did envy. There’d been more than one assignment in the past when having the eesprid’s magical tricks at her disposal would have served the assassin well.

Where are we going? the king asked as he watched his wife scan the street before them.

Out of the city, and into the forest, she replied. We’ll figure out the next steps after that.

I can’t believe we’re doing this, Eryk muttered. Aislynn heard him clearly, despite his low tone of voice, but she stepped out into the street and started to jog across to the next shadowed alley instead of answering. Fleeing in the face of danger rubbed her the wrong way, too, but they had little choice if they wanted to survive.

When the city of Eaglecrest came under attack from Madelia’s forces, the royal guard mobilized to confront the threat, helped by a military company that Petyr, Eryk’s army general, had moved here for that purpose. It had come as quite the surprise when Mortimer and Chelle, the pair of Spirit mages working with the crown, reported that the attack on the city was a distraction and that there was an impending attack on the palace itself that was the greater threat. After facing nearly two years of attacks, against both Eryk and Aislynn, it was decided that the best course of action was to flee, regroup, and then retaliate. The group that came to attack the palace was well-coordinated and had at least one mage with them, and while running wasn’t really part of either Eryk’s or Aislynn’s personality, for the sake of their lives and the lives of their children, they fled.

The alley spilled out into the middle of one of the large roads that crisscrossed the capital city of Bacovia. Their time for hiding in the shadows was over, for now, and the king and queen paused at the edge of the road. There was a group of people to their left, too far away to be sure which side they fought on, but their weapons glinting in the sunlight left no doubt that it was a group of soldiers. To their right, the road was empty, and there were no civilians anywhere in sight.

Right will take us deeper into the city, Eryk murmured, and Aislynn nodded her agreement. So do we go left?

Aislynn took another look at the group of soldiers. They were just standing there, talking, and she bit her lower lip as she thought through their options.

If they’re ours, there won’t be a problem getting past them, other than the fact that we’ll be leaving a trail for whomever to follow, she said, brushing her long, brown hair away from her face in irritation. "If they’re not ours… Well, that will complicate things, and still leave a trail. Where do we end up if we go right?"

Eryk shook his head, the sunlight bringing out highlights of blue in his black hair. We’ll just end up among the homes of the nobility. There’s nothing useful there, and if Madelia is planning to meet up with whomever is in the palace, then they’ll have to pass through that area anyway.

Aislynn sighed. So left it is, trail or no. You stay here for a minute, and I’ll go see whose soldiers they are.

The king opened his mouth to object, but Aislynn was already moving. They’d paused at the edge of the road beside a tavern, and she used the shadows cast by the awning over the door to hide in for as long as she could. The next building was a bakery, given the smell of fresh baked bread and the large pane of glass glinting in the sun, and would provide no cover for her.  Looking upward, the assassin assessed the possibility of moving up a level instead.

The two buildings were relatively close together, and Aislynn slipped into the space between them. Bracing her hands and feet against the walls, she pushed herself quickly upward until she gained the roof of the bakery. She was in the open now, and hoped nobody would look up and spot her. There wasn’t much she could do about it though, as she’d need a running start to make the leap across the next alley to the nearest building’s roof. Taking a deep breath, knowing it had been awhile since she’d done something like this, Aislynn dashed across the bakery’s roof and leapt into the air.

The assassin cursed as soon as it became apparent that she wasn’t going to land cleanly. Slamming into the side of the building a heartbeat later, Aislynn managed to hook her right arm over the edge of the roof and catch herself before she fell, but she knew she’d be sore tonight. 

Damn it, she muttered as she pulled herself over the edge to lay flat on the roof, hidden from view. I seriously need to vary my exercise routine. Sparring obviously isn’t good enough.

Pushing herself to her hands and knees, Aislynn made her way across the flat roof to peer over the edge, hoping for a better look at the soldiers. She could see that there were six of them — not horrible odds — and since the telltale red shirt of both the royal guard and Bacovian army was absent from the group, she guessed that a fight wasn’t too far away. Making her way back to Eryk, she shared her news.

How close do you need to be? she asked, gesturing to the bow the king carried. When she’d quickly slipped up to her rooms to change before escaping the palace, Aislynn had grabbed the king’s long bow, knowing he’d likely need it.

I should be able to hit one of them from here, Eryk told her, and I’ll likely get another before they can close the distance.  Can you handle the rest?

Aislynn nodded. I’ll head up the middle of the road after you fire your first shot, she said. That should hopefully give you a clear view of whichever of them trails. I’d prefer not to get shot today.

Eryk made a disgusted noise. With all the training exercises you and Byron made me run through, I’m sure I won’t come anywhere near hitting you.

Without waiting for any further comment from her, the king drew an arrow from the quiver at his waist and set it to the string of his bow. Aislynn drew her sword and dagger and waited for Eryk to take his shot. The arrow whistled slightly as it flew, the fletching curved in such a way as to make the arrow rotate during its flight, and the missile struck one of the soldiers under his upraised arm. As the body fell to the ground, the rest of the group stood frozen in stunned silence, unsure of what had just happened. Eryk already had another arrow ready, his string pulled back to his ear as he aimed, before they started moving again.

Aislynn had followed the flight of the arrow, running out into the street and veering toward the far side a little to hopefully draw out the soldiers when they noticed her. It took a few moments, but a shout of warning was all that was needed to draw the attention of the remaining five men to the assassin. Eryk’s arrow struck one of the men in the neck, dropping him to the ground with a scream, and Aislynn lunged toward the closest Madelian soldier, slashing with her longer blade.

The startled man managed to draw his own sword, swinging it into place for a clumsy parry, but Aislynn spun to the right and the soldier’s unprotected flank. She slashed with her dagger as she moved, opening a long, deep gash across the soldier’s midsection, and he dropped his sword to try to stem the flow of blood. Aislynn stepped behind him, stabbing the man in the back of his neck and dropping him to the ground.

The remaining three soldiers were better prepared to fight, and they all had their weapons in hand. As they turned to face her, Eryk’s next shot took one of them low in the back, and the Madelian dropped to his knees, not someone Aislynn needed to worry about for now. The two men still on their feet spread out to flank her, and the assassin smiled grimly, wishing Cheta was here to help. With a sigh, she dropped into a crouch and got ready to defend herself.

The soldier on her right moved just a few moments sooner than the one on her left, and as Aislynn jumped backward to avoid being skewered, she angled her body a little to the left. This exposed her flank to the man on the right, the one who’d moved first, but it also hid him from his slightly slower companion. As soon as her feet touched the ground once more, Aislynn bent her body to the right, arching over the path of the Madelian blade, while at the same time bringing her sword down along the right side of her body in case she miscalculated. The move was incredibly awkward, but undeniably effective, as the soldier’s sword glanced off of hers with a slight ringing sound before continuing on its path and impaling the man coming toward Aislynn from the left. That man looked incredibly surprised when his comrade stabbed him in the gut, but that was nothing compared to Eryk’s arrow punching its way through his chest from behind. Aislynn straightened, bringing her sword up with her, pointing behind her. A quick lunge backward took care of her opponent, and the assassin straightened, looking around at the downed soldiers. A few quick slashes with her dagger made sure that nobody was getting up, and she was pulling Eryk’s arrows from bodies when the king reached her.

That first shot struck deep, Aislynn stated, pulling the king’s last arrow straight through the body before handing Eryk the three she’d managed to retrieve. I think the head is stuck on a rib or something.

We don’t have time to worry about it, Eryk stated, glancing down the road. We need to go. Now.

Their brief fight had drawn the attention of another group of soldiers — a group of their own this time — but the king and queen were able to slip away before the squad of army soldiers reached the bodies. While the Bacovians took stock of the Madelian corpses, Aislynn and Eryk slipped into another shadowed alley.

Do you think that it’s safe to head straight out of the city now, or should we zigzag a little to hide our trail? Aislynn asked softly.  I’m not sure how much it’s really going to matter.

Eryk pursed his lips, thinking. I suppose it won’t, he answered, blue eyes shadowed with worry. If this man has a Spirit mage at his disposal, can’t he just track us anyway?

Possibly, Aislynn conceded. I’m not entirely certain what mages can do, outside of combat. And unfortunately, we don’t have access to our usual advisors.

The king grimaced with the reminder that somewhere, the pair of Spirit mages was fleeing the city with one of his infant sons in their care. 

We might as well just make a run for it, he finally stated. I know that magic has a range, and if we can get outside of that range, we should be safer. So speed is better at this point, I think.

Nodding her agreement, Aislynn peeked around the corner and then gestured for Eryk to follow her. Together, they ran down the street until another group of soldiers forced them back into hiding, this time behind a wagon and a load of barrels left abandoned at the side of the road when the alarm bells had started to ring. And so it went, with the king and queen running straight for the outskirts of the city while they could, and hiding when they couldn’t. Their path still ended up being nearly straight, if slow, and the first blush of evening stained the sky above the mountains when at last they reached the relative safety of the forest.

Is it just me, or was there something truly eerie about the city? Eryk asked as they walked through the gathering darkness.

It was basically empty, Aislynn agreed. I guess everyone did what they were told, and hid inside their homes. It does seem a little strange that it was so quiet though. I would have expected more fighting.

So does that mean our soldiers forced Madelia back quickly, or that they were overrun?

Aislynn shrugged. Your guess is as good as mine. At this point in time, we need to worry about ourselves first, then figure out what happened in Eaglecrest.

Walking through last autumn’s fallen leaves, wet and soggy from the melting snow and spring rains, the pair fell silent for a time, concentrating on their footing. It was Eryk who eventually broke the silence.

And what is the plan? he queried. I mean, now that we’re out of the city, do you have a plan? Because I sure as hell don’t.

Sure, I have a plan, Aislynn answered wryly. Find somewhere dry and warm to sleep, find something to eat, then find some information — in that order.

Eryk groaned. That’s not a plan, it’s an outline of a thought that might one day be a plan.

It’s all I’ve got, she insisted. Do you have a better idea?

The king shook his head, the movement nearly invisible now that twilight was fading to true darkness here among the trees. 

Not really, he admitted. I do, however, have an idea about where we can find somewhere warm and dry. Assuming we don’t fall and break a leg, of course.

That’s more than I’ve got. Lead on.

Eryk slipped past her, then paused again to get his bearings. Taking her hand so that they wouldn’t become separated in the dark, he led her deeper into the forest while veering slightly north, or so he hoped. He couldn’t see the sky under the new spring leaves above, but he thought they were moving in the right direction.

Finally reaching a clearing, Eryk looked up to the sky, trying to determine their location. Seeing he’d wandered off course, he cursed softly.

We’re not where you wanted us to be, are we? Aislynn asked.

No, we’re not, Eryk confirmed. I’ve never felt so unprepared in my life, and that’s saying quite a lot.

Aislynn chuckled, knowing that he was referring to his rather unexpected inheritance of the Bacovian throne. She’d been there to witness his transition, and while it hadn’t been entirely without issue, Eryk really hadn’t struggled too much with ruling.

You’re selling yourself short, she told him. It’s quiet, so we’re not in any immediate danger. Just take your time.

A rustling in the undergrowth a moment later belied her words, and Aislynn felt Eryk tense beside her. There was no moon, so there was little light to show them anything that might be lurking, but the assassin wasn’t too worried. Still, she drew her dagger, just to be safe.

The rustling came again, this time followed by a burst of motion. A rabbit dashed into the clearing, and Aislynn flipped her dagger over in her hand. Leading her target, she brought the weapon up to her shoulder and then let it fly. The projectile flew through the air, rotating end over end, before catching the rabbit in the side. The animal faltered, then fell, and Aislynn smiled as she walked across the clearing to claim her prize.

"Okay, so food then shelter, I guess," she said, turning back to face her husband. The grin dropped from her face when she saw Eryk, standing with his hands held out and away from his body, at the end of a sword. 

Chapter 2

Amanda led the group through the escape tunnel beneath the palace, as she’d promised. Nobody spoke for the entire time, and Branden suspected that everyone was simply too rattled, trying to process what had happened. One minute they’re discussing the plan to defend the city, and the next, they’re all on the run. He knew that he was still reeling from the change of situation, so he certainly couldn’t fault any of the others for feeling the same way.

You’re sure you’ll be okay? the lieutenant asked, turning to face Branden as they reached the end of the tunnel. Afternoon sunlight lit the way just ahead, their exit back above ground.

We’ll be fine, Branden assured her with a smile that he hoped looked confident. It was still quite a distance to his home, but Amanda had her own group of refugees to worry about, and didn’t need to spend any further time on him and his. 

Stephanie’s gift should give us at least a bit of warning if there’s danger, and Mateo knows what he’s doing. I’m not bad with a sword myself, you know.

His attempt at levity fell flat, and Branden grimaced. 

Just go on, all of you, he said with a gesture to Amanda and the pair of mages standing beside her. Get Drake to safety, and don’t worry about us.

"Like that’s ever going to happen," the lieutenant muttered, but she gestured for Chelle and Mortimer to follow her anyway.

What about the cubs? Mortimer asked, shifting an armful of fur.

Good point, Chelle commented, turning to look at Branden. You’re going to head back into the city, right?

Yes, he confirmed. I can’t just leave Marja and our daughter to face all of this alone.

Then we’ll take them both, the mage said. "If you get caught, there won’t be any way you can hide Viktor. Any mage would recognize an eesprid ."

After the cubs and babies were redistributed among the various adults, the two groups moved apart slightly, getting ready to go their separate ways.

I assume that you have no idea how to hold an invisibility spell, do you? Chelle asked Stephanie.

The young woman shook her head, her eyes wide with fright. Still, she rocked Viktor in her arms, keeping him asleep and seemingly unaware of the danger he was in. The master mage sighed, and then turned away to follow Amanda, shifting her grip on Drake as she moved. With a muttered spell, the group faded into invisibility as they stepped out into the sunlight, and Branden sighed himself.

I certainly can’t deny that it would be nice to have that little trick at our disposal as well, the chief advisor commented, but we’ll make the best of what we have. Is everyone ready?

When Mateo and Stephanie nodded, Branden took a deep breath and led the way out of the tunnel and up into the light.  They emerged outside of the city, in the foothills of the mountain range that separated Bacovia from Evendell and Cembrance. Eaglecrest was spread out below them, and Branden scanned the visible area, checking for continued fighting.  Everything seemed quiet, and oddly deserted, and he turned back to his travelling companions.

Do you think it would be better to head through the city to get home or circle around to get closer first? he queried, hoping to trigger Stephanie’s gift. The young maid had a minor healing talent paired with a touch of precognition. Sometimes she got spontaneous bursts of insight into the future, and sometimes they needed to be prompted by an event or comment. Not having any real idea how the gift worked, and knowing that Stephanie had no control over it, Branden figured that talking about options aloud wouldn’t hurt and could help.

It’s late enough in the day now that the shadows from the mountains are starting to move into the area below, he continued when neither of his companions said anything. That might help us stay hidden, or it might encourage the citizens to come out of hiding for a bit of looting and mischief.

The