Reece slouched in the carriage, elbow propped against the window frame, chin resting on his fist. He stared out at the gray, rocky landscape as it rolled by. Everything looked bleak and dull, and nothing interesting held his attention. With a sigh, he turned his head to glance across the cramped carriage.

  On the opposite seat, Emmett was sprawled out awkwardly as his limbs hung limp in an uncomfortable position. If it weren’t for the continuous wheeze when he breathed, one would think that the prince was dead. Sitting on the floor was a servant, barely more than a boy, wrapped in a thin blanket. His only purpose on this journey was to tend to Emmett and his needs.

  Despite the long, tiring trip, Reece’s thoughts were constantly on their plans and the next steps forward. Everything had gone as expected at Cuthbert Palace. With Rhett named king, the next stage of the coup was set to begin. Soon, Emmett would officially declare war against his brother—or rather, others would declare it in his name. All so Drurus could invade and take over Sylvaris.

  But not everything had gone so smoothly… The recent blizzard that went through the Nocktal Mountains made the northern route to Jux impassable. As a last-minute decision, Reece and the others decided to go south, taking a detour that would add a whole day to their journey.

  With little choice, the caravan had been forced to go on without any significant rest, stopping only briefly for meals, fresh horses, and necessities. Over three days of constant travel left Reece mentally and physically exhausted. But his misery seemed to only increase by the hour due to the prince.

  Emmett had managed to handle himself well during the first few hours, but the constant jostling of the carriage quickly wore on him. After a while, he grew irritable and whiny, like a child. Reece had anticipated this and prepared accordingly. Sleep tonics were acquired well in advance and given to the prince at regular intervals. While this kept Emmett quiet for hours at a time, it also had an unpleasant side effect: the prince was often unconscious during their brief stops and unable to attend to his bodily needs.

  More often than not, Emmett was forced to relieve himself inside the carriage. Chamber pots were used when possible, but on several occasions, the prince soiled himself. The servant would then be tasked with cleaning up the mess and changing Emmett’s dirtied clothing while Reece watched with growing disgust. The soiled clothes and makeshift diapers were then tossed out the window to rot on the roadside.

  If it weren’t for Reece being one of the few people capable of managing Emmett’s tempers, he would have gladly joined Kohen and Henrik in their carriage. Instead, he was trapped here, enduring the stench of someone who was more infant than man.

  Reece turned his gaze back to the window, looking for any sign they were nearing the end of the mountain pass. Their detour had taken them west to Walford before continuing north. But rather than going toward Jux, they went northeast, taking a narrow path through the Nocktal Mountains.

  Beyond this pass was the Burna River, where a boat awaited them. This would take them north, out of Sylvaris, and into the Lotus Marshlands of Drurus. After two days on the boat, they would then be only a day’s ride away from Dunstead, the capital of Drurus and home of King Arnav.

  Only a few more days and Reece could finally wash his hands of the sickly prince. No longer would he have to endure Emmett’s company or pretend to care about the man. Eighteen years of being tethered to him had tested every ounce of Reece’s patience, but the end was finally within reach.

  As the minutes passed by, the barren mountains outside the carriage window began to shift. It was subtle at first, with the occasional tree breaking up the monotony of snow and stone. But eventually, the mountains seemed to fade away, replaced by a dense forest. Reece straightened in his seat, eagerly scanning for any hint of the river.

  About an hour after leaving the mountain pass, the trees started thinning, revealing more of the open sky above. Then, as the carriage went over a hill, the frozen river came into view. Just ahead, there was an old stone bridge with a makeshift camp on top of it. Just beyond the bridge, along the riverbank, was the boat from Drurus. It was modest, as expected—small enough to navigate the narrow waterways of the marshlands but long enough to accommodate them. A small cabin at the rear of the boat had been constructed for Emmett, ensuring the prince could rest in relative comfort.

  As the carriage stopped, Reece wasted no time. He threw open the door and stepped outside, inhaling deeply. The air was cold but refreshingly clean compared to Emmett’s stench. He sighed in relief, but soon, his attention was drawn back to the carriage as the servant climbed out, clutching his thin blanket around his shoulders.

  “You!” Reece snapped, pointing a gloved finger toward the young man. “Stay in there until I tell you otherwise. The prince is not to be left alone. Do you understand me?”

  “Y-yes, my lord,” the servant stammered, flinching as he stepped back toward the carriage. “B-b-but what do I do if he wakes?”

  Reece rolled his eyes as his patience was tested.

  “Handle him as you’ve been doing,” he replied curtly. “If you need something, open the window and call for whoever’s nearby. Do not leave him alone.”

  Without waiting for further questions, Reece turned on his heels and walked toward the riverbank. A man stood waiting by the shore, bundled up against the cold.

  “You the captain?” Reece inquired, pulling his cloak tighter against the wind.

  “I am,” the man replied, nodding and extending a hand to Reece. “And you must be the Earl of Walford?”

  “Soon to be Duke,” Reece corrected curtly, ignoring the offered hand. “How long before we can take off?”

  “Well, you’re late,” the captain replied bluntly as he dropped his hand. “It’ll take us a few hours to warm up the icebreaker.”

  Reece’s jaw tightened as he exhaled slowly, turning his gaze to the front of the boat. On the front edge was a large metal attachment meant to cut through the frozen river. But it relied on an internal fire to work, and currently, there wasn’t even a little flame going.

  “It’s not as if we could’ve predicted a blizzard blowing through a week ago,” Reece muttered irritably.

  “Doesn’t matter,” the captain said casually, clearly unfazed by Reece’s tone. “We can’t keep the fires burning unless the boat’s moving, so we’ll need time to get it going. A few hours, at least. Anything else, Your Grace?”

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  Reece’s eyes narrowed at the captain’s subtle sarcasm, but he held his tongue. Instead, he shook his head and turned away, grumbling as he headed back toward the carriages.

  “You don’t look too pleased,” Kohen remarked as Reece approached.

  “The captain says it’ll be at least a few hours before we can leave,” Reece scowled. He glanced back toward the boat, where the captain and another man had started working to prepare the icebreaker.

  “More waiting, then,” Kohen groaned as he rolled his shoulders. “Just what we needed.”

  “Come on,” Reece said, motioning toward the bridge. “Let’s warm up by the fire and see if they have any updates for us.”

  Kohen grumbled under his breath, pulling his cloak tighter around himself as he trudged through the snow behind Reece. Several men were already standing around the fire at the center of the camp, wearing uniforms marked with Walford’s sigil. These were Reece’s soldiers—trained and paid personally by the Earl. They immediately stood at attention at the sight of their young lord, bowing their heads and stepping aside to make space around the fire.

  Reece held his gloved hands out toward the flames, sighing as the warmth seeped through the leather. After a moment, he looked around at the gathered men.

  “Is Jux under lockdown?”

  “Yes, my lord,” one of the soldiers answered. “We’ve done as instructed. The city gates are secured, and we’ve surrounded the perimeter. The people from the nearby villages have also been rounded up and brought inside the city walls.”

  “There was some resistance,” another man added. “The first two days, we had to deal with over two dozen men who tried to fight us. They’ve been dealt with, though. Now they’re rotting in the castle dungeons, freezing and starving for their actions.”

  “And Joel?” Reece inquired. “Did you find him?”

  The first soldier hesitated before replying.

  “No, my lord. We’ve gone door to door, but there’s no sign of him. He’s either hiding well or escaped before we arrived.”

  Kohen, who had been rubbing his hands together near the fire, raised an eyebrow.

  “Why are you worried about him? If he’s trapped within the city, what can he do? Where can he possibly go?”

  “Do you know what those rebels did to Jux during the rebellion?” Reece questioned as he frowned. When Kohen didn’t answer, the young lord continued. “They built explosives powerful enough to blast holes through the city gates. Joel was one of their leaders, so he is resourceful and dangerous. If we let him slip through our fingers, he’ll find a way to escape, and the first thing he’ll do is go to Rhett. The last thing we need is that dragon to put together his army before we’ve solidified our position.”

  “You’re right,” Kohen said quietly as he lowered his head. “I apologize.”

  “There’s no need for apologies,” Reece replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Just… go fetch the other rebel leader. The one who swore an oath to Cerys.”

  “Myles?”

  “Yes,” the Earl confirmed. “Bring him to me. I’m finally in need of his assistance.”

  Kohen nodded before reluctantly stepping away from the fire. A few minutes later, he returned, with Myles trudging behind him. The man was bundled in several layers, muttering complaints under his breath as he stomped toward the fire.

  “Why the hell did you pull me out of my warm carriage?” Myles demanded as he shook the snow from his boots. “This weather is shit…”

  “Because I have work for you,” Reece retorted, frowning at the commoner. “Weren’t you the one who pledged to the princess that you would serve her father faithfully?”

  “Yeah, I remember,” Myles grumbled, stuffing his hands into his pockets to keep them warm. “What is it you need of me?”

  “I need you to go to Jux and look for Joel,” the Earl replied. He reached into his cloak and retrieved a medallion with his family’s crest, which he then tossed to Myles. “Show this to the soldiers, and they’ll grant you access to walk the city freely. Take a few days and see if you can track him down.”

  “And if I can’t?” Myles inquired as he looked over the medallion.

  “Then, like a good dog, return to your master,” Reece smirked.

  “What did you just call me?” Myles demanded, taking a step forward. But before he could get close, Kohen intervened, holding up a hand to stop him.

  “Easy,” he whispered calmly. Once Myles stepped back, Kohen looked at Reece. “Actually, I have a better idea for him.”

  Reece raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly.

  “I’m listening.”

  “In the event Rhett and his army overwhelm us during battle, we’ll need a way to distract him—something that would force Rhett away altogether.”

  “And what do you propose?”

  “There’s only one person who could take the dragon’s full attention—Amara,” Kohen explained. “If we can…cause an accident…Rhett will drop everything to return to her side. Especially now that she’s with child.”

  “You clever man,” Reece muttered, jealous that he wasn’t the one to come up with the idea. He had long wanted to punish Amara for marrying Rhett and getting pregnant with his spawn. So, like a jilted lover, Reece was eager to go with Kohen’s plan. He turned back to Myles as a smile formed. “Alright. Forget Jux for now. Head to Walford instead. There’s someone staying at the barracks on the eastern side you’ll want to reconnect with—an old friend of yours. Willie.”

  “Willie?” Myles blinked in surprise. “That’s where he’s been hiding?”

  “Indeed,” Reece nodded. “Now, here’s what I need you two to do. Once Rhett leaves Casshire, keep an eye on our new Queen. Make sure Willie doesn’t act too impulsively, though. The timing has to be perfect. He’ll need to wait until we’re ready to pull Rhett off the battlefield.”

  “How will we know when that is?” Myles inquired curiously.

  “I’ll have one of my soldiers—”

  “Actually, I’ll handle that,” Kohen interrupted. “I will stay behind in Jux and oversee the front lines. When the time comes, I’ll send messengers to key locations—Casshire, Onlon, and Apathle. There’s a pub in each city with a crown on the sign outside. Check them every morning and evening. If you see red paint smeared across the crown, you’ll know it’s time to act.”

  “And what are we supposed to do with the little queen?” Myles questioned with a wicked grin.

  “Whatever you want,” Reece replied coldly. “It doesn’t matter what happens to her or the babies. Do whatever is necessary to draw Rhett’s attention back to her. Just get the job done.”

  “Got it,” Myles said, tucking the medallion securely into his cloak. “So, should I take a horse, or can I get a carriage to Walford?”

  “We’ll take one of the carriages,” Kohen interjected, stepping away from the fire. “Go wait for me. We’ll leave shortly.”

  With a satisfied nod, Myles turned and rushed back to his carriage. Reece watched him go for a moment before turning his focus to Kohen.

  “So, you’re suddenly staying behind?” Reece inquired with an arched brow. “That’s not the original plan.”

  “I felt I’d be of better use here,” Kohen replied nonchalantly.

  “You’re just afraid of what Cerys will do when she sees Emmett,” Reece chuckled dryly.

  “Of course, I’m afraid,” Kohen hissed through gritted teeth. “That woman is unpredictable, and I have no interest in being on the receiving end of her wrath. Which is why I’m proving my usefulness by staying here and handling things.”

  Reece leaned back slightly, crossing his arms.

  “And what about your uncle?”

  “Henrik has lived a long enough life,” Kohen scoffed. “He knew the risks of serving dragons, just like the rest of us.”

  “Well…” Reece murmured as he considered something. “I suppose I should give you Emmett’s declaration of war. You can send it off to Casshire in two days.”

  Kohen took in a deep breath before nodding. He followed Reece off the bridge, back toward the Earl’s carriage. Reece opened the door briefly, ignoring the servant and sleeping Emmett as he grabbed a bag tucked under the seat. As he pulled it free, he slammed the door shut, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

  “If I have to smell his shit one more time, I’m going to stab someone,” he muttered to himself. Reece rummaged through the bag, pulling out a rolled parchment. He shoved it into Kohen’s hands without much care. “Here. Deliver this and keep the rest of us informed on what happens. I don’t want to hear any surprises from Jux or Casshire.”

  “Got it,” Kohen replied, tucking the parchment securely into his cloak. He paused as he adjusted the fabric, pulling out a folded piece of paper. He held it out to Reece with a serious expression. “Would you be willing to give this to Anwen on my behalf?”

  Reece glanced at the letter and then back at Kohen as he furrowed his brows.

  “A letter? How sentimental of you.”

  “Just give it to her,” Kohen snapped. The earl smirked faintly as he took the letter.

  “Since there’s a chance you might die while fighting for Drurus, I guess it’s the least I can do. She’ll probably appreciate it more than I do.”

  Kohen didn’t take the bait and instead pressed his lips into a thin line. Without another word, he turned on his heels and walked away to where Myles was waiting. Reece watched him go, shaking his head before tossing the letter down onto the snow.