Hero of Arcadia by Annathesa Nikola Darksbane

Author:Annathesa Nikola Darksbane [Darksbane, Annathesa Nikola]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: A lesbian harem fantasy adventure novella
Publisher: Darksbane Books
Published: 2019-03-29T04:00:00+00:00

5

Treason

Jone stared at Sir Francis Drake from across the table.

She hated the man, possibly more than was reasonable, always driven by that gnawing desire to avenge her own death.

But she also wasn’t going to turn down free food.

“They’ll be here soon,” he commented, watching her eat with a combination of amusement and mild disbelief written across his face. “This is the beginning of the final act, Jonelise. You’ll have to help me convince them.”

Jone shoved aside another emptied stew bowl, stacking it neatly with the other three, and glared at him. “No.”

The Drake sighed, running a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, and signaled to the middle-aged proprietor to bring Jone more food. “Please, Jonelise. Despite our differences, despite your stubbornness, I truly have always respected you.”

“He’s had a funny way of showing it.”

“Can you not put things aside until this is over?” The Drake continued. “This is our chance. Yours and mine alike. For once, our goals are unified.”

“Uh-huh,” Rote’s smoky figure ruffled with distrust in the back of Jone’s mind.

“It’s not that,” Jone finally replied. She smiled her thanks as the proprietor thumped down another bowl of stew and a moderately hard loaf of daybread in front of her, then glared at her as he trudged away.

“Then what is it?” the old soldier replied, leaning an elbow on the table, his stormy eyes tired.

Jone looked around. Through the glassless windows, she could feel the wafts of open air, fresh from the Elizabethian sky, its scent stained with hints of industry and steam. Airships of myriad sizes flitted occasionally past her view; the run-down wooden tavern The Drake had led them to was far from the more civilized core of Elizabethia proper, instead sitting toward the far end of an old, re-purposed pier covered with clustered, near-condemned buildings.

The Arcadian was pretty certain that her nemesis had planted them squarely in the middle of what passed for an Elizabethian slum, though even the poorest of Queen Elizabeth’s subjects seemed frightfully well off by her standards.

“I’m not convincing anyone of anything until you explain what happened after the fall of the Revenge, and after I was captured.” Jone dug into the stew, sopping her bread in the meaty juices, but she kept her eyes always on The Drake. “And until you explain what you meant back in the dungeons. About getting Elizabeth to let you go.”

“Well, that first one is easy, at least.” The Drake knitted his fingers together and leaned forward. “As you now no doubt realize, the Queen’s Revenge and the three brothers Leszczynski, were decoys.” He smiled thinly. “Of course, it was no mere feint, as per my design. Had you chosen to ignore the Revenge, it would simply have pounded Arcadia to dust, much as you feared it would.”

Jone frowned. “And the news about you being recalled to the Queen’s side and punished for your failures against me?”

Drake shrugged. “It was effective misinformation, wasn’t it? Though I won’t say I wasn’t berated most harshly. She’s not accustomed to my failure.

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