He pushed the philosophical thoughts aside as they reached the summit of a high hill and the town of Ebton stretched out before them.
On the outskirts, poorer homes lined dirt streets that were still muddy from the recent rain. The wooden houses had thatched roofs, and every bit of fenced-in yard was dedicated to growing food. Farther into town, the streets were paved with cobblestones and flanked with larger buildings of brick and stone, two and three stories high, roofed with gray slate. Along the river, small ships had docked at the numerous piers, and merchandise was being carted to and fro.
From their vantage point on the hill, he could see the town squares where merchants ran their shops and vendors set up stalls to sell fruits and vegetables. The streets and squares were crowded with people, and the noise they made sounded like a dull roar. They had no idea, Leo thought, that their king used them as hostages in order to keep him and his army from rebelling.
The bell tower of the Church of Enlightenment rose above the town, its gold-plated bells glowing in the sun. And just beyond the town, the outer curtain wall of Ebton Palace stretched for miles to encircle the enormous fortress. Inside the wall, the huge square-shaped keep overshadowed numerous smaller buildings. Attached to the fortress, a long bridge spanned the river with a wooden drawbridge in the middle for boats to pass through.
Beside him, Luciana gasped. “There are so many people. And I didn’t realize Ebton Palace was so huge.”
Leo nodded. “My family built the drawbridge over the river several centuries ago. Any boat that wishes to sail through must pay a toll. That was the beginning of the Benwick family’s wealth and power.”
She bit her lip and gave him a worried look.
He reached out to take her hand. “We can do this.”
With a nod, she squeezed his hand. “Together.”
Chapter Thirty-five
Slowly they rode through town. Without his uniform, Leo garnered only a few curious looks. The townspeople were far more interested in the coffin being escorted by a few soldiers. As the people pressed closer, asking who had died, Leo worried that one of them would get too close to him and accidentally receive a shock. As nice as it was not to be feared for a change, he couldn’t risk injuring anyone.
He motioned to his squire. “Edmund, you’ll need to announce me, not as a duke but…”
“Aye, I understand,” Edmund muttered, then forged ahead through the jostling crowd. With a loud voice, he yelled, “Make way for Leofric of Benwick, Lord Protector of the Realm!”
By the time Edmund repeated the announcement twice, the crowd had reacted with shouts of panic. Some ran away, while others pressed against buildings, watching with expressions of terror as Leo passed by. Uncle Fred had done a good job of making sure people feared him. The path before them was now clear, and whispers of the Beast floated through the air.
Luciana gave him a sympathetic look.
“I’m used to it.” He motioned toward the fortress. “The news of our arrival will reach the king before we do.”
Sure enough, when they arrived at the gatehouse, the guards there waved them on through. As they pulled to a stop in the courtyard, the king’s chief minister, Lord Morris, rushed toward them.
“Morris,” Leo greeted him as he dismounted. He’d never cared much for the minister. Morris, a former priest and spy, had been rewarded with land and a title. A scrawny man with beady eyes, he’d risen to power due to his willingness to do the king’s dirty work. No doubt, he was the one who had dispatched the assassins to kill Leo and Luciana.
“Lord Benwick.” Morris sketched a small bow. “I see you have brought the Lady of Vindalyn as ordered.”
“Yes.” Leo helped Luciana off her horse. “But my title is now the Duke of Vindalyn, and my wife is the duchess.”
Morris smirked. “I would not press that matter, if I were you. Your recent letter to His Majesty angered him greatly. He was reading it again just moments ago.” He bowed to Luciana. “My lady.”
She curtsied. “My lord.”
“I have urgent news for the king,” Leo said. “If you will escort us—”
“In good time.” Morris waved a dismissive hand. “The king is enjoying his midday meal at the moment and doesn’t wish to be disturbed. He requested that you wait here.”
Leo clenched his gloved hands. Not only was Frederic making them wait, but he was purposefully not inviting them to join him at his table. To be even more insulting, he was not having them shown to some rooms where they could wait in comfort. Unfortunately, it was typical behavior for dear Uncle Fred.
Morris motioned to the coffin. “Did one of your men die on the journey? You should have buried him—”
“I had intended to tell the king first,” Leo interrupted. “As I said, the matter is urgent. I have brought the body of Prince Tedric.”
Morris blinked. “That can’t be. I saw him here at court just a few hours ago.”
Leo tensed. “He was here?” When Morris nodded, Leo continued, “That was an imposter. The real prince is here in this coffin. He was murdered.”
Morris gasped. “You—you killed him?”
Leo gritted his teeth, while Luciana huffed.
She glared at Morris. “My husband would never kill his cousin. Or any innocent man, for that matter.”
Leo’s heart warmed at the way his wife defended him. “Let me explain what happened.” He reported all that had transpired at Benwick Castle, but Morris gave him a skeptical look.