A Fate So Cold (Cursed Kingdom Book 2) by Ellie Cassidy

Author:Ellie Cassidy [Cassidy, Ellie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-05-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Doctor Lossing cleaned and redressed my wound and declared himself cautiously satisfied with my health on the condition I be kept under observation for the next twenty-four hours.

“I don’t need a babysitter,” I informed Nathanial as we left the clinic. “I’m perfectly capable of monitoring my own body and sending for the doctor if required.”

He didn’t argue. “Are you up for a ride?”

“Where?”

“Ferndale,” he said. “We can take the carriage if you prefer.”

I never preferred old creepy crawly over anything.

An hour later we set off with James and Amelia on horseback. I hadn’t mentioned last night’s adventure and neither did Nathanial. Whatever lotion Doctor Lossing had applied numbed the blistering throb at my thigh for the moment, and that was enough for me to put the entire incident from my mind.

It was a pleasant day for the five mile canter to the Ferndale barony, a large estate that farmed cattle and sheep and provided much of the kingdom’s meat. Hence the Ferndale barony was not only responsible for manufacturing our firearms, but there was a large scale operation in process to strip and cure meat for the protein rations vital to sustain our army while it was deployed across the kingdom, and our civilians up on the mountain.

“Don’t forget the fleeing rats,” Amelia declared as Lord Ferndale led us on a tour through the curing rooms. “God knows if any animals survived out there for hunting.”

I was surprised she had given the rats any thought at all.

“Their provisions will only be limited by what they can carry on their rafts,” Lord Ferndale assured her. “So long as this war doesn’t drag out too long, there’s plenty for all.”

Amelia huffed. “They will need sacks of wheat and preserved fruits, too. It will be any wonder their rafts don’t sink straight out the gate.”

James took her hand in his. “That’s the spirit, my dear. Load them with enough provisions to sink the bloody lot.”

I swallowed a laugh. “You know, we were always meant to leave Cairn once the shield came down. One could almost say the ‘rats’ are simply forging ahead and not allowing unfortunate circumstance to derail the original plan.”

Amelia threw me a high-browed look. “It reeks of cowardice and stupidity.”

Nathanial stepped in.

“It is neither,” he told her sternly. “Those people cannot contribute to the fight in any meaningful way. Up on the mountain, they are mouths to feed and bodies to be protected. Leaving is taking their destiny into their own hands. I heartily approve.”

Her mouth opened and closed.

“My only concern is their lack of leadership,” Nathanial went on. “As our previous mayor and current Steward of Commerce, you are uniquely qualified for that position, Amelia. Consider it,” he added smoothly in a tone that was part praise and part command.

James looked on with a satisfied smirk, as if he had orchestrated the entire conversation...of course he had! I’d told him to appeal to Amelia’s nature and she was a royalist first and foremost.

I pulled him aside and whispered, “You enlisted Nathanial’s aid.

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