Unbroken (Unarmed Trilogy #2) (15 page)

"Breathe out," Will said as he felt her exhale and released the arrow. It went a bit further than before, but still not close enough to the target. "You've already improved. Very good, sweetness." Will kissed her cheek and felt Tamzin smile. That was before Will and Tamzin heard Rolf's slightly asthmatic laugh.

"Are you sure you killed Junior Johansson?" Rolf asked before he doubled over with laugh. "I couldn't imagine you wielding a dagger when you can't have enough strength to send an arrow into the target!"

"You're on thin ice," Tamzin warned as she lowered the bow. Will thought about intervening further, but mostly he was happy to see Tamzin standing up for herself again. The frightened little girl was melting away.

"Thin ice?' That must be a Northern saying you've picked up. I hope Kendall didn't dumb herself down before she was stabbed," Rolf said, before his lips drew thin. Even he knew he had gone too far with that comment. Tamzin had looked down at her bow before she looked back to Rolf. Will couldn't see her eyes or much of her expression, but he watched as she threw down the bow. With her hand fisted in her dress, Tamzin approached Rolf with rapid steps before she raised her arm, his hand in a fist, and connected it with Rolf's nose.

The shock of it sent Rolf stumbling back, his hands clutching his nose as blood poured down the lower half of his face. Will felt complete shock overcome him, before it was replaced with a slight bit of pride. Tamzin stood over Rolf briefly before she clutched her fist.

"My God!" She screeched. "Was your face made of steel? Oh my god," she cried as she turned around to look at Will, where she held up her fist. "I think he broke my hand!" Tamzin continued to approach Will and winced when he took her hand in his.

"What's going on here?" Garrett's voice boomed as he came across the situation. Rolf's shirt was now stained with blood and various people tended to him as Roth soldiers approached Tamzin and requested to take her to Jacque.

"He insulted Kendall!" Tamzin said as she pointed to Rolf with her uninjured finger. "I am going to strip you of all your lands and titles! You have no right to speak that way of a heroine." Tamzin's warning fell on deaf ears as Will noted Seraphina standing behind Garrett. She wore a loose fitting dress, but he could see the slight protrusion of her belly beneath the dress. Had Tamzin noticed her yet? No, she couldn't have as Garrett lunged for Rolf and threw him to the ground. As Will nursed Tamzin's hand, he watched his best friend pound Rolf's face in with his fists.

"Garrett!" Will called out as he ran from Tamzin's side and to Garrett. He grabbed his friend by the shoulders and pulled him off of Rolf, whose face was bloodied and bruised. Garrett's fists were bloodied around the knuckles as he struggled against Will's restraint. "What are you doing?" Will whispered furiously as he watched Tamzin focus on Seraphina, who was left out in the open. "Did you want to bring attention to yourself and Seraphina? I cannot think of a better way!" It was then that Will saw Garrett turn to look at him. Garrett had tears in his eyes, which he wiped away with his sore knuckles. "Garrett?"

"Don't say it," Garrett responded as he looked up, where his eye caught Tamzin.

"You're hiding something from me," Will said absentmindedly as he focused on Seraphina. "What is it, exactly?"

"Do you trust me?" Garrett asked as he reached out and clasped his hand in Will's. "Do you?"

"You know I do. I trust you with my life," Will said as he looked down at their hands. Garrett was like his brother, the small bit of family he had.

"Then understand that me and my need to protect this girl. I can't tell you everything because I don't know it, but when I do, I will tell you everything. Do you trust that?" Garrett asked as he pulled his hand away. "I have to go," he said as he looked back to Seraphina, who was disappearing into a hut. "I will speak with you soon."

With that, Garrett pulled away completely and disappeared into the crowd that approached to see what the commotion was about. Roth soldiers had lifted Rolf up and held his arms over their shoulders as Will listened to the angry yells of Turner Roth.

"You two!" Turner screamed at Tamzin and Will. "In my study, now!"

Tamzin turned to look at Will as she nursed her bruised and slightly bloodied hand. Will approached her and laced her arm through his as he escorted Tamzin back into the palace. Turner was angry, but he had never heard that type of rage before. From the look on Tamzin's face, it appeared that she had not as well. Her arm slightly shook in his. Inside the palace, there were soldiers running about frantically, all of them in their battle armor as Tamzin took a sharp left and down a rarely used hallway.

"My father keeps two studies. He uses this one when things are very bad," Tamzin whispered as fear began to rise in her throat. The corridor was empty, save for a few servants clearing out rooms that were used for guests.

"What is happening?" Will asked as his hand touched her uninjured hand. Their fingers laced together.

"Something very bad," Tamzin replied as she stopped at the third door, curled her hand, and knocked. A stern 'come in' came from the other side and Tamzin reached for the handle and opened it. Will and Tamzin entered the windowless room, which was kept lit by a large candle chandelier on the ceiling.

Turner sat behind a large oak desk, which was covered in various parchments and quills. One of his advisors sat on the other side and it appeared that they had just finished an argument from before.

"Father?" Tamzin questioned before Turner shooed his advisor away.

"Sit down, both of you," Turner said as he glared at Will, who pulled out the chair for Tamzin as he brushed past the advisor. As Tamzin sat in the chair, Turner began to sign more papers and his irritation was evident on his face. "We have a problem."

"I gathered as much," Will replied sarcastically before he felt Tamzin slap his arm.

"Stop," she warned before she turned her attention back to her father. "Father, what is wrong?"

"Your brother's tournament is tomorrow, and after that, I must ask you and your men to leave," Turner said before he sighed and rested his head in his hand. "The roads farther south have not been safe, so I have ordered more patrols. Towns that lie outside the major territories in the south have been attacked by what we thought were bandits..."

"Johansson men?" Will asked as he felt Tamzin's fingers grasp his arm tighter.

"Johansson men with Northern weapons," Turner replied before he looked up to face Will. "Has your father been sending them weapons?"

"Perhaps they are rebels?" Tamzin offered before her arm covered her stomach protectively. "Maybe they are against Douglas Johansson's regime and Gregory Thurston is helping them?"

"They're burning entire villages to the ground, Tamzin," Turner exasperated as he shoved his papers off his desk. "Gregory Thurston is helping my enemy..."

With those words, Will stood up defensively and reached for the dagger on his hip.

"My father is not helping the enemy," Will growled as he slid the dagger out of its sheath. "Because Southern rebels got their hands on Northern weapons does not mean my father supplied them. The rebels could have attacked and raided a delivery caravan?" Will suggested as he looked at Tamzin's frightened face. Slowly, he slid the dagger back into the sheath.

"Tell me, William, do you know where your father is?" Turner asked as he placed his hand on the back of his neck, where he massaged the muscle. "Tamzin told me he was to travel North with your Aunt, but have you received word of them arriving?"

"What are you suggesting?" Will asked gravely. His chest suddenly felt constricted, as he hadn't heard from his aunt in the weeks he had been staying in Roth. How had he not noticed?

"What I'm telling you is that family means nothing if you can have a crown," Turner said as he walked from behind his desk, approached Will and took him by his shoulder. "You're heir to Bradford, as well as Thurston, and your Aunt's territory if something were to happen to her and her children..."

"My father is not bloodthirsty like you think..." Will tried to plead as the realization slowly came to him. Tamzin's hand reached out and curled around his hand.

"He is, Will," Turner frowned as he placed both hands on Will's shoulders to steady him. "He couldn't take my land by conquering me, so he had you marry my daughter. I thought it would settle him, as he would have a family member be in every Northern-leaning territory. He wanted Tamzin for himself, to make his claim to my throne stronger, but I told him no and he reluctantly allowed you to marry her..."

"My Aunt, how do you know about her?" Will asked as he angrily wiped away the tears. He was ashamed that he allowed Turner Roth to see him so vulnerable.

"I don't know, but I know it is possible," Turner said as he gently swept the tears off Will's cheek. "I know she is your family and I know why this upsets you. You will leave tomorrow night, in the middle of the night, with your men and my daughter. You will take some of my best archers as well for further protection. Will, you need to understand that one of two things is going to happen on the road to Bradford: you are going to meet the men you have trained or you are going to meet angry Southerners with similar weapons. When you make it to Bradford, you are not moving until I come for you two."

"Do they know we're coming?" Tamzin asked before she brought Will's hand to her lips.

"No," Turner replied. "I don't trust sending a message on these roads. Will, you are going to face something out there. You have to be sure of that," Turner continued as he returned to sit behind his desk. "I don't know how else to say this, but your father cannot be trusted."

"He is my father," Will said as he placed his hands over his eyes in frustration. "Why would he burn his own territory to the ground? Why would he murder his own people? Why?"

"To blame you. To kill her," Turner pointed to Tamzin. "It hasn't all come to my attention, but the more clues that come my way, the more they point to your father. Your answers are in Bradford. That, I know for sure."

"The only proof you have is that Southern rebels may or may not have Northern weapons," Will replied grimly. "That's not proof enough for anything."

"But it is enough to make you wonder, doesn't it?" Turner said as he dipped his quill into the inkwell. "I have told Rolf and his men to pack up, before you punched him in the face."

"Not him. Anyone but him," Will almost pleaded. Tamzin's hand tightened around his.

"You may not like him, but he is the best that I can spare. The point is that I left you alone with her and this is where it has gotten me. If you think you're competent enough to be a King, you are wrong," Turner scolded Will like a child as he signed his final paper. "Somehow, by fate, you can become heir to the entire North if the correct people die in the right order. The same can be said of your father if you and others die. Tomorrow night, you have one job and that is to get her, yourself, and your men, as well as mine, to Bradford. I don't know what will be waiting."

"Your vote of confidence is overwhelming," Will replied, his Northern accent more obvious with each punctuated syllable. "If you really thought I was a stupid young boy that needed instruction, you wouldn't have married your daughter to me."

"It means I think you have potential and are different than your father," Turner replied tiredly. "And you've been silent the whole time," he nodded to Tamzin.

"Sometimes, it is best to let someone share their idiocy," Tamzin said with a false smile. "For you to not believe in him, it means you do not believe in me."

"Did I say those words?" Turner asked.

"No, but the point is that he and I are a team. His failures are my failures, just as our successes will be together. Will isn't stupid and he isn't naive. You've always told me never to underestimate your enemies, but you should also not underestimate your allies as well," Tamzin said as she stood unsteadily from the chair. Will grabbed her elbows to steady her before Tamzin gave her Father a final look. "I know I am softhearted and I often think too much with my heart without my brain to intervene, but I believe in him. I don't say this as a lovesick girl; I say this as a future Queen. Together, Will and I will face our enemies, but we will do it together. That means we will be triumphant, but we need your help. Everyone needs help."

Turner pondered her for a moment before he sat down in his chair.

"This is not official, yet, but you can count on my word. If it comes to war against your father and the Johanssons, I will join you. I won't just send supplies. I will be by your side," Turner said before he turned to Tamzin. "We are Roths, Tamzin. That means we convince our enemies we are nothing but sheep to lure them closer. We are no sheep," he breathed as he grabbed his quill again. "We are the wolf."

How does someone sleep after hearing what Will had heard about his father? Tamzin sat up with him for most of the night, where she finished sewing him a new tunic. Will sat in a chair next to a column and stared out at the ocean and the dark sky, framed by the bright stars. He wasn't angry with Tamzin or her father; he was too numb to feel much of anything at that moment.

His head told him that Tamzin and her father had valid arguments about his father, but Will's heart kept him from dismissing his father. Will thought to his child inside Tamzin, and how much he loved that child without ever meeting them. How could his father not feel the same way?

Tamzin placed her sewing needle and tunic on her vanity as she stared at Will. He was still lost in his thoughts as she stood from her chair and walked silently over to him. Gently, Tamzin placed her hands on his shoulders, where she began to massage lightly. Will sighed, awoken from his thoughts, and reached over to touch her hand.

"I did promise you a swim in the ocean, if you're still up for it," Tamzin said as she leaned down and kissed his cheek. "After the Tournament tomorrow, we will have to leave."

"I am sorry we couldn't stay longer," Will said genuinely as he brought her hand to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to her knuckle before he turned around. "Your other hand. I didn't go with you to have it checked..."