Chapter Twenty-Three ~ Keeping Secrets

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"Man is not what he thinks

he is, he is what he hides."
~ André Malraux

Sophie narrowed her eyes and focused on Duke and Darius, who were sitting in the dirt by a campfire behaving like children. She smothered a chuckle as Darius poked a stick with a beetle on it at Duke. Duke hit the twig with his hand, flinging the beetle into the fire, and Darius stabbed him in the chest with the stick.

As she watched the two of them, she let all else fall into her subconsciousness. The two men had grown close over the past few weeks, and she often saw them together, many times acting half their age. While she was happy that they got along, it also made her feel a little guilty. 

Duke had agreed to go up north with her come evening—to that little clearing that she loved. Or had loved. He'd been sweet all week, though careful not to touch her, and she knew that it was because he was still trying to make up for the night they'd spent in the wood, tangled together in the grass.

Once or twice, he'd gotten close, leaned down and looked as though he was going to kiss her. Then he'd remember himself and pull away, and it made her want to grab his face and tell him it was alright—that she wanted him to.

She shifted around on her seat on the wooden bench near the entrance to the stone building and took a bite of the apple she'd gotten from the main room, eyes still on Duke and Darius. 

"Milady, Ethan's here," came Ghost's voice, and she looked up to see him rounding the corner of the stone building.

"Ethan?" she asked, her mind immediately going to what could be wrong—what could bring the leader of the Birch Clan to visit the Fire Clan in person instead of sending a messenger. "What does he want?"

"Something about Edward. He wants to speak to you." Ghost dipped his head, and when Sophie arose, he fell into step beside her.

"Well, well. If it isn't my favorite assassin." The cheerful voice of Ethan Hadwell rang through the camp. He came into view flanked by several of his men and a few of Sophie's.

"Ethan," she acknowledged, offering him a genuine smile. "It's been a long time. What brings you here?"

He laughed, a jolly sound, and spread his arms for a hug. "It's good to see you again. Still keeping things together here?"

"Ah. What can I help you with?" she asked, embracing him briefly.

He grinned at her, a lopsided smile that bunched the skin around his eyes. "All business as usual, I see. Do tell me, how is Edgar?"

"Well."

"I am glad to hear it. Give him my respects. Now, I came to tell you about Edward."

Sophie shook her head at him. "Of course. What have you done to anger him this time?"

Ethan grimaced and raked a hand through his gray-flecked hair. "Come now. It wasn't me. He is so out of sorts nowadays. His wife is pregnant again, and... well, she is a headcase, if you don't mind me saying."

"How is my sister?"

"Angie is fine as far as I know. Is this their eighth child?"

"Ah, I believe so."

"Well, she is a piece of work, Sophie." Ethan grinned, pausing briefly to accept a mug of ale from one of Sophie's men. "I'm not sure why Edward puts up with her."

Sophie nodded in agreement and motioned to the stone building. "Come, tell me what is happening."

Ethan followed her as she entered the dim interior of the structure, speaking only when they were alone. "Well, he's been awfully touchy. I'm not sure if you are aware, but he keeps sending scouts into your land. We've been keeping an eye on him, and he's not really causing any harm. Not yet. But the whole forest is tense, Sophie. I'm sure you've felt it. Edward is waiting for Aldrich to come at the Fire Clan, I'm afraid. Then he'll have free rein of your territory because you'll be too busy fighting the Forest Clan." Ethan stopped, taking in a deep breath and a draught of ale.

Sophie pressed her lips together, narrowing her eyes in thought.

Edward Brown was brutal.

Rumor had it that he'd once cut all ten of a man's fingers off simply because he'd been bored. Another story told the tale of two young lovers who'd stumbled into his territory by accident. They'd been found unburied several days later, throats slit and fingers still intertwined.

Though Edward's clan territory bordered that of the Fire Clan's, they didn't see much of him. Occasionally, his men would cross the line and do something insulting, but the Birch Clan—also to the east of the Fire Clan's camp—did a fine job of keeping Edward's attention, mainly because Ethan was more than happy to goad Edward, bringing out the man's volatile temper.

Sophie had long ago concluded that Edward was simply fond of causing a ruckus, or perhaps it was the woman on his arm who was pushing to be so disagreeable and uncompromising. Angie was a conniving woman who had somehow managed to sail through life with the uppity attitude of a high-class noble despite her poor upbringing. Of course, there was also the fact that the two of them had never gotten along. Sophie was sure that Angie would be more than happy to be on the opposite side of a war if it came to that.

"So, you think he'll become unmanageable once Aldrich attacks?" Sophie asked.

Ethan shrugged his shoulders. "I'd guess that. He'll wait till you are occupied. He's not stupid."

"No..." Sophie replied, chewing her lip in thought. "But Aldrich hasn't directly threatened us either. We've been waiting for him to, but I think we've some time yet before he decides he needs us gone."

"Well, you know the Birch Clan will keep an eye on Edward and his men, and in the case of the war, we'll side with Edgar. Aldrich will only come after us if he wins."

Sophie raised her chin in agreement. "That he will. I was planning on riding along part of our territory line today. I'll ride some of the way back with you and see for myself."

Ethan nodded. "Right. Well, we can go whenever you're ready."

"I'm ready now. Let me speak to Ghost." Sophie brushed past him and stepped out into the late morning sunlight once more.

"Half a dozen and Karl too," she said to Ghost, who'd been waiting by the door, now with Darius. He ducked his head and turned away to follow her order.

"Ethan," Darius greeted, shaking the man's hand and giving him a hearty clap on the back. "Here because of Eddie?"

Ethan snorted. "Ah, he's been up to no good lately."

"Can't say I'm surprised." Darius scratched his arm, shifting back and forth on the balls of his feet. "Sophie, are you going to the territory line?"

Sophie waited until Ethan had meandered back to his horse to reply. "Yes, and you can't come."

"Oh, come now, love. He and I get along quite well," Darius countered, face alight with mischief. "Or at least Angie will listen to me, and we all know that Ed is on her leash."

Sophie raised her eyebrows. "And naturally Edward wants you dead. If he sees you, he'll be even more difficult. You can't come."

"Fine, fine. Whatever," Darius replied, grinning widely. "Tell Ang I was asking about her."

"Darius, you are being a fool," Sophie snapped. "Stay away from her. She'll kill you." Darius' bad habits, the ones involving women, had always irritated her. 

Darius shrugged a shoulder. "Ang wouldn't hurt me," he replied, tone flippant, and Sophie shook her head in annoyance. "But I'll stay here," he said in a decided voice. "She can come around if she wants to see me."

"If Edward is planning something, she'll kill you. Don't think for a second that she'd put you before her husband. Please don't go near her, Darius. It worries me when you do." She took his arm, looking at him pleadingly. "Please."

"Of course, love," he resigned. "I'm not leaving Fire Clan territory, at least not today. Go on, I'll be here when you get back."

"Thank you, Darius. I may be back late. I will be up north this evening," she informed him. She'd told Duke that she would meet him at the clearing because she had to be there before he was—to speak to Owen. She still couldn't quite believe that he'd agreed to spend an evening with her in the forest. It was easy to tell that he was uncomfortable with what had happened and wanted to make sure that things didn't go that far again.

One of her men brought Ellisar to her, and she mounted, offering Darius a weak smile.

"Be careful, love. Who knows what that man is up to," Darius warned, ducking his head to her and patting Ellisar's shoulder. "I'll wait up for you."

"No need to do that." She coaxed Ellisar into a trot and moved away from him. The evening wasn't going to be a pleasant one, that much was for sure. The last thing she needed was for Darius to be concerned.

She brought Ellisar neck and neck with Ethan, and they rode into the forest together, their men trailing behind them. The pathway grew small and winding once they were out of sight of the camp, and Sophie pulled her horse back to allow Ethan to go first. Directly behind her was Karl, sitting straight and silent on his mount.

Edward Brown's territory ran along the Fire Clan's eastern border and was not far from the camp—only about three hours' ride.

The time passed quickly with Ethan's pleasant conversation and occasional jokes, which he threw back over his shoulder.

Sophie replied only when it was necessary, losing herself in thoughts of Aldrich. The Forest Clan king worried her, but his Clan Protector concerned her even more. Jorgen was a formidable enemy, and he and Sophie, like most Clan Protectors, had never been comfortable with one another.

Being a Clan Protector meant matching your wits against some of the most feared outlaws in the forest. One slip-up, and you lost the respect of the other Protectors. Jorgen was the worst of them—the slyest and certainly the most dangerous in Sophie's mind. This was because of the king he served so loyally. Aldrich wasn't a good man—at least not any longer. Sophie didn't know exactly what had happened to turn him against the good in the forest, but she supposed that his power had gotten to his head, and now he wanted a tighter and wider rule. 

"Well, here we are." Ethan's voice jolted Sophie's thoughts from Aldrich and back to the problem at hand.

Ethan slid from his horse, feet landing among the thick ferns that grew along the side of a creek.

Sophie followed his lead, dismounting and walking to the very edge of the water. The sweet sound of it filled her ears. Though most didn't know, it marked the exact edge of the Fire Clan's territory. The other side was Edward's.

"Well, we didn't meet any of his men," Sophie said, scanning the trees on Edward's side of the territory. "That's good at least."

"Right," Ethan agreed. "But look." He walked a little way down the creek and kicked at a pile of half-burned logs on the Fire Clan's side of the brook. "See? He's testing you."

Sophie fingered her clan ring, eyeing the small mound of ashy wood. "Well, I don't think now is a good time for us to get involved with him. I'll talk to Edgar about this, of course, and I'll have some scouts watch this area, but we can't really afford a big fight with the risk of Aldrich attacking."

Ethan nodded. "I figured you'd say as much. I have men watching this area as well, so you needn't worry about it. I'll send someone to notify you if he does anything more."

"Thank you."

Ethan dipped his head and walked back to his horse. "Of course, if you need anything, you can send someone. Your clan is much stronger than mine, but if Aldrich attacks you, let me know as soon as you can, and I'll keep closer watch on Edward."

"Thank you, Ethan." Sophie ducked her head to him, and he acknowledged the deference with a nod and turned back to his horse.

"Well then, I'm headed back to my clan. I wish you luck against Aldrich if it does come to war."

Sophie watched him ride onward with his men, swallowing hard as she thought of the looming possibility of a fight with the Forest Clan. She hoped it didn't come to that.

"Sophie?" Karl asked. He'd been behind her, and now he stepped forward, eyeing the old campfire. "Do you think it'll be a war?"

"I don't know, but we needn't worry the clan about it," Sophie replied. "He hasn't made a move yet."

"Right," Karl agreed, gaze still on the pile of burnt wood.

"Now Karl, I'm going to leave you with these men. Some of them need to stay up here to watch the border. I want a few of them up here at all times, but they'll need to switch out at least twice a day. You can take care of that."

"Ah, of course," Karl replied, drawing himself up and squaring thin shoulders. "How many?"

"How many do you think?"

"Well, if it's not to stop Edward's men, but to watch them, then perhaps three?" Karl asked.

"Why three?"

"Because three is a small enough group that they won't be noticeable, but if something should happen, they can protect each other, and one would surely get away if Edward attacked," Karl answered with a little more confidence.

"Good. Yes, three will do. You can go back to camp with the other three, and remember to send up fresh men for overnight," Sophie instructed. "I also want you to post extra guards around camp just in case. I'll be back after dark, and I expect to see you then."

Karl nodded. "Yessum."

"No."

"Yes, Sophie. I'll be awake."

"Thank you. You'll have Ghost there if you need anything." She went back to Ellisar, gripping the stallion's reins between her thumb and forefinger. A bad feeling had settled in her stomach, and years of experience told her that it was not something to be ignored.

She swung her leg over Ellisar and turned away from the little campfire. Really, she wasn't worried about Edward. Not yet. It was Aldrich that wouldn't leave her thoughts. She would've gone back to camp to be with Edgar, but she needed to speak to Owen first—to make sure that Charles wouldn't complicate things further. Once this day was over, she could once more focus on the threat that the Forest Clan was posing.

It was dark by the time Sophie neared the lovely little clearing. She dismounted and tethered a tired Ellisar half a mile from the glade. She wanted to travel by foot since it was easier to slip through the wood unnoticed that way.

When she reached the clearing, Owen was already there, leaning against the smooth, papery bark of a birch tree. Sophie stopped at the sight of him, wanting nothing more than to turn and run.

"Sophie," he acknowledged, slouching even farther into the tree. "I must say, I'm surprised to see you."

"What is it you want?" she asked, forcing her arms to her sides and relaxing her fingers. It wouldn't do to look frightened.

"Well, I want what Charles wants. We've always been good friends. Tell me, is Duke coming?" Owen straightened and came toward her, and Sophie took a step back, putting her hands up.

"Stay where you are. Yes... yes, he is."

Owen stopped, and his eyes traveled over her, turning her muscles tense with fear. "Good. Then come here, would you?"

"I'll stay here."

"Sophie, you owe me a lot, you know. After what you did to me. Don't you think?"

"I'm sorry. Truly."

"Are you really? Because you don't seem sorry."

Sophie took a few steps toward him, trying desperately to calm her racing heart.

"Does Darius know?" Owen asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Darius knows everything."

"Hmm."

"I'm here for Duke. You need to leave him alone. That's the only way I'll cooperate with Charles."

"Right, right. Well, I don't think Charles wants to come down here, Sophie. So, if you leave the Wilson alone, he'll live. Unless I tell Charles that you are still hanging around with him." A wicked grin slid over Owen's freckled features. 

"Owen, please."

Owen laughed, a harsh, brittle sound that made Sophie cringe. "Why don't you come here, Sophie?"

"No."

"You've been spending quite a bit of time with him according to Rodger. I'll bet he loves you. It doesn't take long, you know. You can fall in love just like that and spend the rest of your life miserable. You'll have to come here, Sophie. He's not going to leave you alone unless he has something to be angry about."

"No."

"Well then, so be it. I'll just have to head up north and tell Charles what a pill you are being."

"I'm not afraid of Charles."

"Uhm, you should be. You really should be. Not for yourself, perhaps, but for that man you've managed to fall for. What is it, Sophie? What did he do that made you love him?"

"I don't love him," she snapped back. "I just don't want him hurt, is all. You stay away from him."

"Oh, it's not me you have to worry about. It's Charles. But you already know that, I believe."

Sophie took a step nearer him though the action made her heart throb in her ears. "Owen, what will it take for you to leave us alone?"

Owen's brows drew together, sloping over his nose. "Hmm. A little fun perhaps."

"Fun?" Sophie instinctively took a step back and clasped her hands behind her so that he couldn't see them trembling.

"How do I put this delicately, Sophie? You let me kiss you in front of him, and then I'll let Charles know that everything is taken care of."

Sophie took another step back. Her clothes suddenly felt tight, and she could feel her vision growing blurry. "N-no."

By the glint in Owen's eye, Sophie knew that he'd caught her fear—it would've been impossible to miss. He came at her, shoving her against a tree.

"No!" she hollered, twisting away from him. "No, don't touch me! Don't touch me!" She was fumbling for a knife, but her fingers were too shaky to cooperate, and she realized that if he did force himself on her, she wasn't going to be able to stop him. "Please," she whimpered. "Please don't."

"Seriously?" Owen remarked, his voice rising in disgust. "I really thought better of you. I put my hand on your arm, and just like that, you go into a panic. What's wrong with you?"

"Get away from me!"

"Fine," Owen snarled. "Fine, whatever you want. When will Duke be here?"

"Soon, I'm sure."

Owen took several steps back and put his hands on his belt. He stood silently, eyes on her. She huddled against the tree and kept her gaze on the ground. 

There they stood, neither speaking for what had to be ten minutes. Sophie wished Duke would hurry up. As much as she didn't want to hurt him, being alone with Owen made her feel rather faint and she hated it—the feeling of helplessness. It reminded her of the past that she'd given anything to

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