Knight's End (The Knight Trilogy) (27 page)

“Oh.” Looking down, Jade slowly lifted the lid. Her eyes
widened when she saw the little
silver bracelet sitting inside, her face breaking into a grin. The bracelet was nestled on a small square of
black
velvet. Hanging from the chain were two charms; one was a silver heart with a small ruby in the top, right corner. The other w
as a small, thin
silver sword, emeralds set into the hilt. It was perfect.

“Aston… it’s amazing,” she said. Aston smiled at her and lifted the bracelet from the box, clasping it around her wrist. “How did you… I mean... it must have cost so much,” she said, meeting his gaze.

“You don’t need to worry about that, Jade.”

“Thank you, Aston. I love it.” Jade stood and wrapped her arms around Aston, smiling as she felt his arms close around her. He took her chin in his hand and lifted her face, giving her a light kiss.

“Now, no matter where you are, I will always be with you. I love you, Jade,” Aston whisper
ed
. It was the first time he’d told her,
but the time felt right. Though everything seemed to be fine and worked out, he couldn’t help but feel that their biggest trials lay ahead.

“I love you, too,” she replied. Jade released Aston from her arms and grabbed his hand, leading him back out of the maze. They needed to get to her father. They’d wasted enough time.

Past the garden, Aston could see the entrance to the palace. A cobblestone path, wide enough for a carriage, wove its way through the grounds and to the stairs before making a wide circle and then creating
a path back out again. In the center of the circle was a large, marble fountain. The statue on the fountain was a beautiful woman, clad in only a shawl that wrapped around her
ample frame before trailing off behind her and into the water. Water ran from a book she was holding, out over the pages and into the waiting trough below. Aston raised an eyebrow and turned to Jade, who shrugged.

“My family loves books. You should see our library,” she said. Aston laughed at her, but he cut the sound short. Today was not a day for laughter. Today was the day his fate was decided. If he was still alive the next morning, he would laugh as much as his heart desired. For today, he promised to be subdued.

Jade practically pulled Aston up the stone steps. His feet weren’t working right anymore. As they entered the palace, Aston found himself staring straight ahead, paying no attention to the various doors they passed or the paintings on the
walls. A few turns later, he
found himself looking into the throne room.

Tall
white doors had been left open and Aston watched Jade walk through them and start down the green carpet. The color fit, as all members of the du Halen line were born with emerald eyes. It was a trait passed down from King Aric’s grandfather and it had never been broken. Jade turned to stare at him and motioned for him to follow her, which he did, reluctantly. His feet sank into the soft carpet and the feeling relaxed him. His steps became less tense and more determined as he made his way down the carpet, staring at the man he had always considered a friend.

When he reached the foot of the thrones, Aston bowed. “Your Majesty,” he said, lifting his head to look into King Aric’s shining eyes.

“You received my message, Aston Smith. You’ve brought my daughter back to me,” Aric said, standing and pulling Jade into a hug.

“I’m sorry, Father. I hope you understand why I left.”

“Why you left, yes, but not why you have returned. Surely one knight couldn’t drag my daughter back. Even Jacob, who has been looking for you for over a month, could not find you. He arrived back just yesterday! He will be overjoyed knowing you have returned!” Aric said, a laugh in his voice.

Jade frowned.
“No, Father. Aston didn’t have to drag me back. I came willingly. There is something we must discuss,” Jade told him, leading her father back to his seat and settling him. She returned to her spot at Aston’s side once her father was comfortable, ignoring his comment about Jacob. That was a conversation best saved for later, once Aston was free and she could tell her father who she
really
wanted to marry.

“Well then, dear child, do tell me. What is so important that you would come back when you wanted to leave so badly?”

“Aston Smith.”

“I know who he is, daughter.”

“That’s why I came back. I need to talk to you about Aston, Father.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,
daughter.” The king furrowed his brow, his eyes wandering back and forth between Jade and Aston.

“What she means, your Majesty,” Aston interrupted, “is that I never received an order to bring her back to you.”

“I sent King Donn the letter almost two months ago. Surely he received it by now?”

“Yes, sire, he did, but he never told me those orders because I wasn’t at the palace at the time.”

“Oh, you had another mission then?” King Aric asked.

Jade answered him.
“He didn’t have a mission, Father. He was sentenced to death.”

“Blasphemy. I see the man standing before me now,” King Aric said, sticking his chin out.

If the situation hadn’t been so dire, Jade might have laughed.
“Prince Talbot told his father a story about Aston, about the ni
ght Duke Aeron was killed,” she
told him.

Aric frowned.
“Tell me more, daughter.”

“You saw Aston come back from chasing
t
he Rogue, right Father?”

“Yes, yes. I set my hand on his shoulder as I passed him in the hall,” Aric said, glancing at Aston. Aston nodded.

“Talbot told King Donn that
he
was the one who chased The Rogue Royal while Aston stayed behind,” Jade told him.

“So, King Donn blamed me for the death of Duke Aeron and sentenced me to hang,” Aston added.

King Aric nodded
, his eyes narrowed.
“I understand. Why are you here, then, Aston Smith?”

“Talbot and King Donn know I am here. The Rogue targeted Prince Talbot two nights ago, but Talbot came to me requesting a deal. He told me that if I saved his life, he would tell his father the truth about that night two months ago.”

“And you agreed?” King Aric asked. Aston nodded. “Talbot and Donn will be coming here?” Aston nodded again. “And you want to be here when they arrive?”

“Yes, Sire.”

Aric looked at his daughter. “Is this story true? Did Talbot really lie to King Donn about that night, get Aston sentenced, and then offer him a deal to regain his freedom?”

“Yes, Father. I was with Aston when Talbot came and made the deal,” Jade answered.

“Very well. There is only one thing I can do until Talbot and Donn get here,” he said. Jade looked at Aston, who glanced back at her before returning his eyes to the king.

“And what is that, your majesty?”

King Aric sighed. “Guards!” he called. “Arrest this man! Bring him to the dungeons!”

“When I saw
you, I was afraid to meet you.
When I met you, I was afraid to kiss you.
When I kissed you, I was afraid to love you.
Now that I love you, I’m afraid to lose you.”
- Unknown Author –

“Father, please!” Jade exclaimed, pushing Aston behind her. “Don’t arrest him!”

King Aric looked at his daughter and sighed. “There’s nothing I can do, Jade. King Donn has labeled the man behind you a traitor. I have to arrest him.”

“But you
know
Talbot lied to King Donn, Father! You saw Aston coming down the hall after Talbot left my room! Surely you could talk to Donn and make some sort of deal,” Jade said, her voice bordering on pleading.

“I’m sorry, princess. There’s nothing I can do.” King Aric looked at the ground. The guards chose that moment to rush in, grabbing Aston’s arms and wrenching them behind him.

“No! Don’t hurt him! Let him go!” Jade cried, rushing to her knight and throwing her arms around him. She buried her face in his chest, allowing her tears to seep into his shirt.

“It’s okay, Jade,” she heard Aston say. She looked up and her eyes met his. She could see fear in them, but his love for her shone brighter and she found herself believing him.

“You promise?” she asked, holding on to the childish idea that promises were always kept.

“I promise.” Jade let go of Aston, then, and watched her father’s guards take him away. Fear settled into her and she wished she’d kissed him before he disappeared.

**

His wrists were rubbed raw, his shoulders sore from the strain of being held above his head. Aston pulled at his restraints one last time before giving up. His wounded shoulder ached at its awkward angle, but he supposed it was fitting. Prisoners weren’t meant to be comfortable.

How many men had he put in this same predicament? How many times had King Donn told him a man was guilty and then watched as Aston brought the man down?

How many of those men had been innocent, like him? Jade had been right about him and Ernst being the same.

Aston cursed under his breath. He was terrified. Ernst wouldn’t come forward as The Rogue Royal and Aston couldn’t reveal him without hurting Jade. If there was one thing he could never bring himself to do, it was hurt her.

The knight tilted his head back, his eyes travelling to a hole in the r
oof no bigger than a rabbit. The full moon
above him allowed the dungeon some light, saving Aston from being immersed in darkness. It also allowed him a detailed view of his dungeon mate, a man who was no more than bones, chained across the room from him.

Is that to be my fate? To be left here, forgotten, until I completely disintegrate?
He shivered at the image that passed
through his mind. After all he’d been through, with all he’d found out, he still wasn’t ready to die.

*
*

“I don’t understand, Father. I don’t understand why you think there is
nothing
you can do. You are the
only
one who can save him.” Jade was seated on her throne, her father beside her. She wouldn’t look at him. She had promised herself her eyes wouldn’t return to her father until he set Aston free.

“What do you want me to do, Jade? Do you want me to release Aston Smith, let you run away with him, and tell King Donn he escaped?”

“No, Father. I want you to tell King Donn what you know about the night Duke Aeron was murdered. I want Aston to be able to live without being hunted. I want him to be given back his honor, and his title as a knight,” the princess answered, setting her eyes on the throne room’s doors when they threatened to turn to her father.

“So, you want me to tell Donn what I
think
to be the truth.”

“You
know
it is! And so does Talbot! How many people did the prince address outside my room that night? They all know the truth as well! Even
I
know Talbot was with me when The Rogue managed to escape!”

“I’m sorry, dear. I can try, but I don’t know how much good it will do your knight.”

Now, Jade looked at her father, a smile forming on her face. “Thank you, Father! I am going to tell Aston!” She stood to leave, but her father grabbed her arm.

“Donn and Talbot will be here momentarily. Stay for now. If everything works out,
then
go
and tell the
knight. Don’t give him hope when it might be wrenched away again.”

Jade nodded and sat back down. She knew her father was right, but she wanted to see Aston. She wanted to kiss him and hold him. She wanted to assure him that everything would be fine.

*
*

Aston blinked as candlelight from the hall met his eyes, watchi
ng as a tall shadow came toward
him. His eyes widened as he recognized the figure.

“What are you.
.
.” Aston started.

“Don’t say anything,” the person said.

Aston furrowed his brow in confusion; then, his eyes wandered from his visitor’s face to their hands. One was clenched in a fist at their side. The other was holding a sword that was dripping blood onto the concrete floor.
His sword.
Aston struggled against his restraints, but still they held. He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to leave Jade behind. In all of his years as a knight, Aston had never once begged for his life to be spared. Now, in the face of death, with his princess somewhere above him, he knew that was what he had to do.

“Jade
--
”

“Jade won’t know. No one will. The guard outside the door is dead. By the time Jade gets down here,
o
r anyone, for that matter, you will be too.”

“Please…I swear… as soon as everything is settled, I will leave. You’ll never see me again,” Aston pleaded, setting his eyes
on the sword. His visitor’s sword hand twitched, but otherwise didn’t move.