Taming the Thorny Rose novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: The Gate

The Guild came up the hill at dusk the next day, sixty hunters in grey with torches and crossbows.

Crane rode at the front, and the captains rode behind him.

The summons had gone out in Osric's name.

It said the king had murdered his wife on the road, and the Guild should collect her body.

I watched them from the gatehouse with the ledger in my arms.

"They think I'm dead," I said.

"Then let us disappoint them," said Aldric.

He stood in the arch's shadow with a heavy cloak over his head, because the last of the light still lay red on the road.

"I will be here."

"Stay out of range."

"You have said that."

"I'm saying it twice."

I walked out the gate alone.

The torches stopped.

A murmur ran down the line of horses.

Crane reined in and stared at me with his mouth open.

"Kes," he whispered.

"Gods.

"You're alive."

"No thanks to you."

"They told us..."

"I know what they told you.

"They told you the same thing they told me for fifteen years."

I held up the ledger.

"I came to read you something."

The captains had edged forward.

There were five of them, hard people I had known since I was nine, and I looked at each one in turn.

The captain of the east watch.

The woman who ran the infirmary.

The old drill master.

The armory master, with his sleeves still smelling of oil.

The captain of the south gate, who would not meet my eyes.

"This is Commander Crane's book," I said.

"Astrid found it in a chest in Osric Venn's vault.

"He kept it, I think, to remind your commander who owned him."

"That's a forgery," said Crane.

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