The Tenets in the Tattoos (The King's Swordsman Book 1) by Becky James

Author:Becky James [James, Becky]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Clarkenhome Press
Published: 2021-08-08T16:00:00+00:00

Evyn and Aubin came back supporting Queen Ellesmere between them. I tried to lever myself upright, getting only to my knees before a wall of pain forced me back. When the queen saw me, she baulked. “Luc?”

“No, Elley, this is Thorrn,” Evyn reminded her gently.

“Oh! Uh. Thorrn, yes, Thorrn.” She glanced at my sword on my lap. “A soldier in the Regulars.”

I frowned. Ellesmere knew me by sight. “Thorrn Shardsson, Special Forces, at your service in life and in death,” I said.

“Oh, yes, sorry. I’m a bit fuddled from the sleep.” She held a hand to her head, then glanced at Tuniel. “And the Journey Mage of Stone. Well met.”

“Well met, Your Majesty.” Tuniel made a complicated hand signal.

Ellesmere’s eyes narrowed and then she smiled. “Ah yes. Yes, of course.” She made a sign in return. Tuniel nodded slowly.

“Who is Luc, Your Majesty?” I asked her.

“I don’t think I will be answering questions from Special Forces,” Ellesmere said.

Evyn raised her eyebrows at me over her head.

The queen sat next to the heatstone warming her hands. “Have you ought to eat?”

“A stew, Your Majesty. Simple fare.” Aubin offered her a bowl.

Soon we were all eating. My arms could rest in my lap but bringing the spoon to my mouth was painful. Pushing through the pain made my arms shake. Evyn tried to take it from me, but I put the food down; I could not afford to reveal how weak I was. That some strength had returned heartened me, but I was acutely aware that the full extent of the damage – and what it meant – was still unknown. That uncertainty tamped down any hope I might harbour of a quick recovery.

“When you’re ready, Elley, we need to try and wake Gadamere and Gough,” Evyn said.

“I have a mental link with both through my magic. Similar to what you did for me, I can take you to them,” the queen said. “All of you.”

“All of us?” Aubin took a step back, mouth tight.

“Yes. It would need all of us to help break their enchantments from within. I was able to succeed, but Gadamere and Gough may be trapped further in dreamlands of their own creations. Who knows what hazards we may need to overcome.”

Aubin’s mouth worked. “I will stay here to guard in the real world.”

“No. I do need you all. That is an order.” Ellesmere was firm.

Tuniel glanced at her soul. “I will stay to guard. Rhona is down there with monsters, assisting a contingent of Special Forces back up the ravine.”

“You dare to disobey a direct order?” The queen straightened up.

Tuniel raised an eyebrow. “A direct order from the queen to her subjects. I am not one of your subjects.”

“Ah yes. Yes of course.” Ellesmere’s beatific smile spread across her face. “I suppose I cannot argue with that.”

I glanced at Evyn. Ellesmere was acting strangely. Evyn shrugged at me. I suppose I had never seen Queen Ellesmere in a situation where she had to take charge and rescue her husband and her soul.

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