Konley gave a chuckle. “Is that supposed to be acting?” He shifted his attention to Cole. “Who are you, kid? How come you can fly?”

“I don’t know,” Cole said. “Maybe because I wasn’t afraid to try?”

Jace looked away, a spasm of unreleased laughter briefly making his shoulders twitch.

Konley scowled. “Are you calling me a coward?”

“Were you hoping for ‘hero’?” Cole exclaimed. “You gave him your sword! I’m surprised you didn’t shine up his armor!”

Jace couldn’t hold it and laughed hard.

“The boy has a point,” Skye said. “Both of these children attacked the Rogue Knight. Where were you?”

“That’s not the issue,” Konley said uncomfortably. “I carried out my duty as I saw fit.”

“Every coward has his reasons,” Cole murmured.

“What was that?” Konley asked.

“Something a real soldier once told me,” Cole replied.

Konley placed his hands on his hips. “Some important people are looking for a group that matches your description. There was particular interest in the girl. An escaped slave.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Skye said. “None of us are slaves. The Rogue Knight wiped away our seemings. Do you see slavemarks on us? Did you note the freemark on my daughter? I’m living a nightmare, and you’re accusing us of . . . what?”

Monroe came over, a hand on the hilt of his sword. Apparently, the knights had let him retain it. “Is there a problem here?”

“These people were under disguise,” Konley said.

“Lots of people prefer to travel incognito,” Monroe said. “Two of the merchants used seemings as well. One of your party too. These people paid for passage under my protection.”

Konley sneered. “Fine protection you provided.”

“My men died to protect us,” Monroe said. “The one who lived only surrendered after a failed attack. Look to your own people. This remains my caravan. Don’t harass my clients.”

“I was asking after the girl the Rogue Knight took,” Konley said. “I can’t help without information.”

“If you want to help the girl,” Monroe said, “you and your men are welcome to ride to her rescue.”

“We’re not currently equipped to threaten those outlaws,” Konley hedged. “I’ll need reinforcements before I hunt the Rogue Knight.” Konley glanced at Skye. “I never caught your daughter’s name.”

“Eleanor,” Skye said smoothly. “After her grandmother.”

Konley gave a nod. “Right. Carry on, then.” He patted Monroe on the arm. “Let’s get these coaches back on the road.”

Konley walked off. Skye stepped close to Monroe. “I’ve had some involvement in the resistance. I think he’s aware.”

Monroe gave a nod. “Aye. He’ll make trouble if we let him. What do you mean to do about your daughter?”

“I sent two servants to try to help her,” she said. “It’s all I can do for now. We need to get to Merriston.”

“Do you require anything from your coach?” Monroe asked.

“Not anymore,” she said.

“Then take mine,” Monroe said. “I’ll tell the driver to push hard, and you’ll reach Merriston late tonight. After that you’re on your own.”

“Thank you,” Skye said.

“Least I can do,” Monroe replied, looking around. “Worst disaster of my career. Here’s to hoping the officials in Merriston make it right.”

Monroe led them to his coach at the front of the caravan. Cole and Jace climbed in while Skye and Monroe went to talk to the driver.

“You were brave back there,” Cole said.

Jace folded his arms across his chest. “Don’t.”

“What?” Cole replied. “You were!”

“I was no better than that Konley guy,” Jace said.

“He didn’t even try,” Cole said.

“No point in trying if you can’t get it done,” Jace said. “At least you gave the Rogue Knight something to remember you by.”

“I failed too,” Cole said.

Jace looked away. “I noticed.”

“This isn’t over,” Cole said.

“It kind of is for me,” Jace replied. “You heard Joe. I would just slow him down. I would have worsened his chances to help her. And he was right. That’s why I didn’t argue.”

“He just thought you’d be better at helping Honor,” Cole consoled.

“Yeah, right,” Jace huffed. “I bet her guards will be in terror of some kid who doesn’t even know how to use a sword. I’m useless without that rope.”

“Not useless,” Cole said. “Mira needed somebody, and you stepped up.”

“She needed somebody to save her,” Jace said. “Not somebody to get pinned down like a weakling. Do you know what the Rogue Knight said to the other knight who held me? ‘There is no honor in harming a child.’ And he was right. I wasn’t even a threat. I was a baby having a tantrum. If I had my rope, I would have shaken that knight like a bug in a can. They wouldn’t have held me down and shown me mercy. They would have been too busy dying to care how old I was.”

“Mira appreciated what you did,” Cole said.

“She shouldn’t have,” Jace said. “Good intentions aren’t enough, Cole. Remember the sky castles? How many of those scouts do you think intended to die? Here’s a clue—none of them. How many survived? Only a few. Your intentions don’t matter. All that matters is what you can do.”

“We’ll find a way to help her,” Cole said.

“I’ll try,” Jace said. “Even if my best is a pathetic joke, I won’t quit. She’s all I care about. But I’m not what she needs. She deserves so much more than me.”

“She needs people just like you,” Cole said.

“Knock it off! Don’t try to cheer me up. I know what happened. I know what it means.” He started to get choked up. “Mira’s gone, and I couldn’t stop it.” Gritting his teeth, his expression miserable, Jace regained control of himself. “If you want to help, stop bugging me and figure out how you charged up that sword. That might actually be useful.”

Chapter 17