Not Princess Material

Chapter 26

Arthur stared at Tannon across the fire waiting for an answer. "Don't just sit there staring at me, tell me what you think."

"I think it's a bad idea and most of my men will end up dead."

Beside him, Robbie chuckled. "You don't have much faith in us do you, Tan?"

Tannon sent him a glare. "He wants you to be a bloody distraction!"

"I heard the man, it's as good a plan as any we've had. I think it's better than attempting a full-on raid with the small numbers we have." He looked at Arthur. "I'd like to suggest a small tweak to your idea, if I may."

Arthur nodded. "Yes, what is it?"

"Instead of merely a distraction, as if we're some mauraders attacking the keep, why not make it seem as if we've been hired to come after the princess. If Campbell is busy protecting her he'll never look to the dungeon as a possible target."

Arthur considered it. "It's a good plan, but if he believes you've come for her he will show no mercy and Tannon is correct, many of your numbers will perish." He stared steadily at Robin.

"I understand as do the rest of the men here but if it means rescuing Marsten they will take on the risk. His father was a good man and if it means restoring Kingsley, we will take the risk of rescuing him.

Arthur shifted on the fallen log he sat on, his gaze dropping from Robin's. "You'll risk it even if Codey doesn't wish to take his father's place here? Even if after he's free he leaves Kingsley, leaves and lets the King choose someone else to replace Campbell?"

Tannon shorted. "That went well the first time."

Arthur sent him a glare. "The King didn't choose Campbell, we all know that."

"He didn't exactly send a force to oppose him, either."

"No, he didn't, now isn't the time to ask the questions about the why's, we can do that when this is over. Whether you go in there with me or not I am going to try and get him out of there."

Noble sat beside Robin, silent until now, watching everything, studying faces, listening to the words spoken. "I'll go, even if Marsten doesn't wish to take his father's place he doesn't deserve to die by that bastard's hands. He doesn't deserve any of this. He's suffered enough in this place." There were nods and grunts of agreement from some of the other knights sitting around the fire.

Tannon blew out a long breath and looked up from the dancing flames of the fire to meet Arthur's eyes. "I suppose that answers that then. We're with you. Tomorrow night then. We invade the keep and free Marsten."

Robin slapped him on the back. "That's the spirit!"

***

Sky stared blankly out the window of her room, legs curled beneath her body where she sat curled in the seat beneath the wide window. A book was abandoned on the opposite side of the bench, forgotten splayed face down. She'd barely read the first few pages before flinging it away in frustration. She couldn't concentrate, not when she was wondering if Codey were free, far away from this place. Pain slice through her chest, cleaving her heart in two. Would she ever see him again? She'd told Arthur to go and warn her father about Campbell. Would Codey go with him, help him? Tears swam in her eyes but she blinked them away, refusing to let them fall.

She'd cried over him too much. He wasn't hers to cry over, not anymore. It was time to let him go because he was part of her past, her childhood. Despite Campbell's deception in that room with that woman, she'd seen nothing in Codey's eyes for her. No emotion. Not a single drop. No one was that good at hiding things. Were they? She blinked again rapidly, forcing the tears away. No, whatever had once been between them was gone. When Codey separated from her at the castle, when he went to train and become a knight he left silly things like a friendship with a lost and lonely princess who didn't fit in, behind.