Later that night, the news finally reached Alistor and me that the king had died in the battle. How? Had the king's guard turned on him? The king's guard was under heavy questioning.
Everyone that had been Keltcher would be beheaded the next morning for high treason. Anyone thought to be involved with the Keltcher would be held in the dungeons.
"When can we expect the prince?" I asked Octavian.
He looked at me sadly. "Alistor and you are going to ride to meet him and tell him the news. You two were close in training were you not?"
I bit my lip. Yes. Christopher had been one of my closest friends besides Alistor. He had said one of the reasons he had admitted to his feelings was out of fear Christopher asking for my hand.
"Aye, Captain," I whispered, chancing a glance at Alistor.
Out of all our tasks, this was the first one that worried me. How would Christopher take this news? Would he accuse me of treason? Would he lash out? Christopher was known to act out in fits of rage.
As if hearing my thoughts, he produced a written document sealed by the royal wax coat of arms and the king's ring. My hands shook as I took it from him.
"When do we leave?" I asked quietly.
"As soon as you are packed."
"Will we be alone?" I asked.
"Aye," he said with a quizzical look on his face. "Is there a problem, Guardian Eveline?"
"Nay," I said worriedly. "I'm just … the news."
He nodded. "I will see you in the stables within the hour."
With that, he turned on his heel. I looked down at the document and the ring. This wasn't an easy task he had given me. Why not one of his closer comrades? Then a chilling thought hit me; what if they had all died or were hurt worse than me?
"Eve, you okay?"
"Just … sensory overload I think."
He didn't say anything for a moment.
"Do you even have a clue where the prince is?" I asked.
"Nay. He'll probably tell us in the stables. Come on, we better get packed."
I sighed swinging myself off my cot, grabbing my boots before following Alistor. When he turned left, I turned right to head outside to the girls' barracks. If we were leaving, I would ask Alistor to stop in the lower city. I wasn't leaving without telling Sasha.
****
The prince was in the city of Nifar, which lay to the south west of Reytor. It was about a week's ride away and would take me right past my home. We would most likely stop there for the night after next. I sighed. If I survived this trip, there wasn't much more that could kill me.
Alistor had no complaints about stopping in the lower city before we left and I was grateful. I think at that moment, he would have said anything to see me crack a smile or seem alive. I felt like a shell. So much had happened in a day; too much for me to take in. How was Alistor still so functional?
I swung off my horse and walked the short distance to Sasha's shack and knocked. Sebastian opened the door hesitantly, until he saw it was me.
"Where have you two been? We thought the Keltcher had taken you to the inner city for treason or something."
"Is Sasha here?" I asked.
"Nay. She's in the market," he said. "Come in. She should be back soon."
I looked at Alistor. Did we have time to wait? He looked at me, his eyes telling me it was my decision. I sighed. We didn't. We really didn't.
"We… we can't. We have our next task, but it won't keep us away for long. We were pardoned. Tell Sasha we will be back within the month, weather permitting."
He nodded sadly. "I will tell her. She will be upset she missed you."
"I know… I feel bad, but this task is rather important," I said then whispered, "the king is dead."
A look of shock crossed Sebastian's face. "What is your task?"
"To bring back the prince," I said. "He hasn't yet heard the news."
Sebastian looked awestruck. "That is rather pressing…Thanks for stopping. You should get going."
"Thank you, Sebastian."
He said nothing and shut the door in my face. The news had really taken him by surprise. I mounted my horse wordlessly and rode in front of Alistor confused by Sebastian's reaction. Once back in the upper city, we left through the main gate towards Nifar.