Free Arcanius by Toby Neighbors Page B

with his father over the years. When Rafe was old enough, he moved out and lived in the barracks with the other soldiers in the earl’s war band, but his father’s quarters had always felt like home. They went in, and Grentz found bread, cheese, fruit, and a canister of nuts. It was the kind of simple meal that Grentz preferred. Since Rafe had moved out, he rarely cooked, taking food from the earl’s kitchens occasionally but mostly just relying on simple foods that didn’t need much preparation.
    As they ate, Grentz outlined his rudimentary plan.
    “I think it would be a good idea to capture one of the war ships,” he said with no warning.
    Rafe almost choked on is food. Once he was able to swallow, he asked a question.
    “Why?”
    “You’re going to need to get out of the city, probably quickly,” Grentz explained. “At some point the king’s soldiers will come en masse. You can’t hide here. And if you try to leave on foot, they can follow you. If we take one of the war ships, you could go anywhere. It wouldn’t be perfect, but the four of you could handle the ship, and they’re faster than the larger vessels. They even have weapons.”
    “Okay,” Rafe said, still not quite sure what to think. “I’m not sure how we could do that, though.”
    “You and I can do it,” Grentz said. “I’ll call to them, say I’ve got news from Sparlan Citadel. We get on board, kill all the soldiers.”
    “Just like that,” Rafe said with a grin.
    “Simple,” Grentz said. “The best plans are the simplest.”
    “You do that and you’ll be a wanted man,” Rafe said.
    “Not necessarily,” Grentz said. “You’re here, Tiberius is here. We make it known that you were here and you stole the ship. There’s no reason for anyone to think that I helped. I can just say I didn’t know anything about it.”
    Rafe felt scared and honored. His father was the most feared swordsman in the nine cities, yet he had never acted as if Rafe were his equal. Now, he was plotting to help Rafe steal one of the king’s war ships and trusting that Rafe could hold his own, back to back with his father.
    “What about the other ship?” Rafe asked.
    “They don’t have to know anything about it,” Grentz said. “We wait until nightfall then dump the bodies into the mist. They’ll think that it’s still being crewed by their guys.”
    “Won’t we need some help?”
    “Not taking the ship. There isn’t a lot of room on those ships. Don’t get me wrong, they’re big enough, but with the catapults and rigging, involving more people will only make it harder. We’d end up getting in each other’s way. And you can’t use your rapier. It’s too long for close work. You need two short swords.”
    “All right,” Rafe said. “When do you want to do it?”
    “As soon as you’re finished eating,” Grentz said. “The sooner you have a solid way to escape if trouble starts brewing, the better I’ll feel.”
    “Dad, you don’t have to put your neck on the line for me,” Rafe said. “I made my choice and I don’t regret it. But I don’t want to drag you down with me.”
    “You think I wouldn’t die for you right now?” Grentz said. His jaw was set, and he glared at his son. “You think I didn’t go to the earl and beg for a pardon when Leonosis banished you? You think I wouldn’t have left with you that day if Aegus hadn’t assigned two experienced men to keep me in sight at all times until the three of you entered the mists?”
    “No, I just…” Rafe wasn’t sure what to say. “I thought you were angry.”
    “I was angry. I was furious over what happened, and with Leonosis, and with the earl. I was even mad at Tiberius, and all he did was stand up for you. But most of all I was furious with myself. I spent my whole life trying to make sure you could have a better life. Making sure that no matter who challenged you, you were prepared to meet them on equal terms. Protecting the earl and raising you were the