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But today, no mere border guards attempted to stop the invasion of five thousand strong. They had retreated to join the main Auranian force a few miles inland.
“Nice armor on the Limerians, huh?” Brion commented as he and Jonas marched side by side. They hadn’t been given horses like many of their countrymen. Instead, the chief had given them the task to keep an eye out for any stragglers and to ensure that everyone continued to move forward toward their destination. Brion likened this to being dogs trained to keep sheep properly herded.
“Very shiny,” Jonas agreed.
The Limerians were much better equipped than the Paelsians. He could spot most Paelsian recruits from fifty feet away. No helmet. No armor. And if a recruit held a sword, it was one that appeared rusty or blunt. Or, more likely, the Paelsians carried cruder weaponry carved from wood and studded with spikes. Still worked well enough to beat down an enemy, but it was far from perfect.
“Have you stopped obsessing about Princess Cleo yet?” Brion asked.
Jonas shot him a withering look. “I’m not obsessing.”
“If you say so.”
“I’m not.”
“Didn’t see her myself. Who knows? Maybe she was worth obsessing about. Gorgeous blonde, right?”
The mention of the princess had stripped any brightness from Jonas’s current mood. “Close your mouth.”
“Just remember, Laelia wants you back safe and sound, so try not to think too much of the princess. Got to get back to your betrothed as soon as possible.”
Jonas grimaced. “I never agreed to any marriage.”
“Good luck telling the chief. He’s already picking out your wedding gift.”
Jonas couldn’t help but grin just a little, despite the subject matter not being remotely amusing to him. He had no intention of ever marrying Laelia Basilius.
But Brion was right about one thing. He had been obsessing about Princess Cleo ever since he returned home to find that she’d escaped from the shed, her rescuers rendering Felicia’s husband and two of her friends unconscious. They were lucky they hadn’t been killed. Felicia had been furious about the entire situation and swore she’d never forgive Jonas for getting her involved. It would take time for her to cool off.
By now, the princess was very likely back behind the Auranian palace walls, safe and sound. The golden-haired viper was full of surprises.
Jonas cast another glance over the men who surrounded him. Some from Paelsia were as young as twelve years old. Not men at all. And the numbers weren’t nearly equitable. There were far more Limerians here. Probably three of them to every Paelsian.
Brion raked a hand through his messy hair. “Tomas would be proud his death has caused this kind of uprising. He would have liked to be here to help us destroy these greedy Auranians.”
“Right.” But Jonas wasn’t so sure. He’d been thinking way too much, ever since the meeting with King Corvin. The moment he’d looked at King Gaius and questioned his motivation—questioned why he’d split Auranos with the chief. Something about that interaction rang true to him.
King Gaius wasn’t to be trusted.
Jonas’s hatred toward Auranian royals drove his desire to crush those who lived here, to take what was theirs so his land could prosper—and that was what the Limerian king offered. He focused on following orders and marching like everyone else, eyes forward on the path ahead.
But something still bothered him. Confusion wasn’t a new development for him, but at a time like this, when he’d pledged his life to the defeat of another land, he’d like to fully believe in the core reasons for the battle. He wanted the pure clarity he’d had before.
The clarity that his people were dying, his land was fading, and while most—like his father—believed that it was fate, Jonas did not. The clarity that Auranos had everything and refused to give assistance or to return to the trade agreement that had gotten Paelsia into their grape-ridden mess in the first place. The clarity that, just like poaching from their land to feed the hungry bellies of his family, he could gladly poach their riches as well in the name of his brother.
Easy. With this army, Jonas believed they would succeed.
King Gaius had stepped in and offered his assistance and proved himself to the chief’s satisfaction. He’d earned the chief’s trust. But he’d never helped Paelsia in any other way before this. Only in this siege against Auranos did he suddenly appear with ideas and plans. With his ready army, trained for battle from oppressing his own people.
“What is it?” Brion asked. “You look like you’ve been chewing on the ass end of a goat.”
Jonas looked at his friend, opened his mouth, but then closed it again. “Forget it. It’s nothing.”
He couldn’t share his current thoughts with Brion, not when they were so dark and revolutionary. But still they rose to the surface and demanded his attention.
What if King Gaius changed his mind? What if he wanted all of Auranos to himself? If King Gaius played things the right way, he could conquer not one land...but two.
Everything would be his.
