Harlowe continued, “You may not know, but Mathis had a younger brother. When he was still an infant, he was stolen away by his nurse, an Avenian woman who demanded a large ransom for his return. I would’ve paid it, but never heard from the woman again. It was a terrible winter that year — likely neither of them survived it on the run. My wife never fully recovered from that loss; I’m sure that sorrow eventually led to her death. But I take comfort that if she cannot be with me, at least she is with my sons now in the afterlife.”

“You believe in the afterlife, then?” I asked.

His eyes remained steady on me. “I know it exists. My family waits for me there.”

As my family waits for me.

“I suppose I’m telling you this because although I would never aspire to the role of a king, sometimes I think of you as my own son. I had to go after you in that camp, because I could not bear to lose you too.”

No response came to my mind, so I only wrapped the blanket tighter again. After a long rest, I asked for news of any developments in the war.

“There’s been no word yet from Kerwyn,” Harlowe said. “Let us hope that means he is continuing to work with King Humfrey of Mendenwal, and nothing worse.”

“Their army broke through our borders three days ago,” I said. “They tore through our defenses near Benton and moved northward.”

Harlowe reacted with surprise. “Yes, they brought thousands of soldiers, numbers Carthya could never compete against. But how did you know?”

“Nobody thought I would ever leave that camp,” I said. “They weren’t always as cautious as they ought to have been in their conversations near me. I know far more than Vargan would like to believe. What I don’t know is Mendenwal’s plans now that they’re here.”

“I might be able to help with that,” Harlowe offered. “One of our spies intercepted a message from Mendenwal to Avenia. The bulk of Mendenwal’s armies are taking up camp at Falstan Lake, where they’ll wait for further instructions from Avenia.”

“Then you must send more of our men to Falstan Lake too. We have a good camp in the highlands above the lake.”

“We don’t have nearly enough men to win a battle there, sire.”

“That battle won’t be about numbers. And no one should act until I can get there.”

Tobias, who had been listening, cut in. “Are you sure, Jaron? You may have information now about Avenia. But they know us better too. In your bargain with Commander Kippenger, you told him all your strategies.”

I turned enough to grin at him. “Did I? Why else have I practiced lying in my life, but for that moment?”

Tobias chuckled. “You gave him false plans?”

“Is that an accusation, Tobias? Do you doubt that I am burying the wealth of Carthya in secret caves in the hills of Benton?”

“There are no hills around Benton,” Tobias said. “Nor caves.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Maybe that’s what makes them so secret. Do you doubt that I am melting our warriors’ swords and using the metal for armor? Or that I am seeking peace with Mendenwal by offering to give my future child to their king? Do you? Because Kippenger didn’t doubt any of it. I learned from them, but they got nothing from us.”

While the others laughed, Harlowe picked up our old conversation. “We can get you to Falstan Lake, if you wish. But I urge you to first take time to rest.”

“I’ll rest on my way there. Make sure it’s widely known throughout Carthya that I am alive, and that I’ll be at Falstan Lake.”

“If I send out word, our enemies will hear it too,” Harlowe warned.

“I’m counting on that. But I won’t be there right away. There’s something I must do first.” I turned and asked Mott, “Do we have weapons with us?”

Mott reached in front of him in the boat and withdrew my sword and its sheath. “I was able to get this when they put it in storage a couple of nights ago.” I held out my hand for it, but he only lowered it near him again. Normally, I’d have insisted on taking it, but that seemed like too much effort, and it would’ve been hard to hold anyway. Then Mott gestured to a wrapped bundle near him in the boat. “More weapons are in there too, though we shouldn’t need them. We’ll cross back into Carthya soon. Then get as far as we can from this place.”

I shook my head. “Turn the boat around. We need a safe place to land inside Avenia.”

Mott grimaced and his fists clenched. Something about me kept Mott at the edge of his temper, or beyond. At least this time I understood why, and tried to hedge the argument by saying, “I have reasons.”

He wanted to yell at me — I knew that, and he would’ve been justified in doing so — but he only took a deep breath and said, “Remember where we are, Jaron. We are nearly to Carthya, where we can dock safely. Your orders will take us deeper inside Avenia.”

“We’ll dock in Avenia, preferably on their western shore.” Mott groaned, and Harlowe started to object, but I said, “It’s a safer plan anyway. It won’t be hard for Vargan to get men on the Carthyan side of the swamp. They could be waiting for me there. Nobody expects me to stay in Avenia.”

“There’s a reason nobody expects it,” Mott said. “It’s too foolish, even for you.”

I turned back to Harlowe, to give him the details he would need for this next phase of the war. “Of course, Your Majesty,” he said once I had finished. “But at least tell me why you’re staying in Avenia.”

I shared a look with Tobias and Mott before I said, “We’re going to the pirates. It’s time they answered the call of their king.”

Our landing at an Avenian dock was so easy, I almost wanted to remind Mott that I had made the better choice. Of course, we had a dangerous road ahead and so it was too early for any celebration. Mott, Tobias, and I were still dressed as Avenian soldiers, which would help us move through the countryside without trouble. At least, I hoped there wouldn’t be trouble. Much as I tried to hide it, Mott clearly understood that I was in no condition for a fight.

The three of us left the boat; then I ordered the rowers and coxswain to return my prime regent safely to Drylliad. I reminded Harlowe of my strategies, but was firm that his first priority was to send out a search for Princess Amarinda. If Fink made it to Bymar, then I hoped he would either stay there where it was safe, or return to Carthya in the company of Bymar’s army and under their protection.

To avoid any argument, I explained only what was necessary of my plans. Mott’s mouth was pinched in a thin line of disapproval and Harlowe didn’t look much happier. Tobias clearly thought I had gone insane during my time in captivity, and as that wasn’t entirely impossible, I didn’t contradict him. In the end, they agreed to all that I asked, and Harlowe made Mott and Tobias promise to keep me safe. Mott replied that he could protect me from everyone but myself, which I thought was a fair compromise.

After Harlowe left, Mott, Tobias, and I obtained some food and three sturdy horses from a farmer on the outskirts of the swamp. Vargan’s camp was farther south than our position, and I hoped our path would keep us far from there. I couldn’t stomach the thought of returning, willingly or not.