Page 122 of Destiny of a King

Remarkable seemed far too ordinary a word for what he had witnessed today.

“The attackers?”

“Six dead. The rest fled. I sent men after them, but not far,” Seger said. “I don’t want to tempt our luck here today and lose a man.”

“Wise decision. Get the wounded mounted. We leave as soon as they’re ready.”

Seger nodded and walked off.

Dravic’s arm remained around Adira.

Adira had heard their every word and was relieved to know there was no loss of life for any of Dravic’s warriors. She continued to listen to the voices around her as the men prepared to leave, though she caught only pieces of what they said. Healer reached her more than once. So did dead. And alive.

Whatever had happened while she lay unconscious had left the king’s warriors shaken in a way the battle itself had not.

Dravic lifted her onto his stallion to sit sideways, then mounted behind her. His arm immediately settled around her waist, drawing her firmly against him.

His secure hold was not necessary since Adira eagerly pressed against him. She felt safe there in his embrace and welcomed the feel of it. Now she had even more to welcome and to cherish: the faint sound of his breathing close to her ear, the occasional murmur when he spoke to one of his men, the deeper tone his voice took when issuing an order. It made being held by him somehow more intimate than before.

They were well away from the site of the attack when Seger rode up beside them.

“It bothers me that they knew where to find us.”

“It bothers me more that I don’t know who they were,” Dravic said.

Adira felt his arm tighten slightly around her.

“Mercenaries?” Seger asked.

“Some, perhaps. Men who fight together that poorly generally fight for coin rather than loyalty.”

“Then someone paid them.”

“Aye,” Dravic said, the thought gnawing at him.

Seger looked toward the surrounding forest. “Someone Tharne has planted here?”

Dravic was silent long enough that Adira wondered if she had missed his answer.

“A good possibility and, if so, how many more loyal men has he managed to plant here?”

“Hunters search. They will find them, my king.”

“Hunters have never failed me. I do not expect them to start now.”

“We won’t, my king.” Seger started to ride off, then stopped. “There is something else I nearly forgot.”

“What is it, Seger?”

“Some of the men have noticed symbols carved into trees along the way. None recognize them. We thought nothing of it at first. This is Driochmor, and we assumed they were markings belonging to the people here.”

“Why mention them now?”

“Because we’re seeing more of them. At first, it was one here and there, but they have grown more frequent.”

Dravic glanced at the trees surrounding them. “What kind of symbols?”

“Several different ones. None that mean anything to us.”