Star Legend book five, The Dauntless is nearly here! There’s just one more day to go before the next episode in the story of Taylan Ellis, Major Wright, and a certain mythical figure from British history.
Did you miss chapter one? Start the story here.
Chapter Four
Taylan curled on her side in her cell and wept. How could she have been so stupid as to think it didn’t matter what she did to see Hans? Of course he was right. You didn’t just walk out of prison in West BI because you knew someone important. Things hadn’t worked like that before the invasion. There was no reason they should work like that now.
How long would it be before she could get to Australia? The sentence for terrorism had to be long, even for fake terrorism. It would be years before she was released. Patrin and Kayla might not survive, and if they did she might never find them.
Her eyes were nearly swollen shut and her throat was raw but she couldn’t seem to stop crying. In all the days of darkness since she’d stupidly handed her kids over to another’s care, she’d never been so low.
She almost didn’t hear her cell door open and someone walk in.
Jonte had come back.
She sat up and pointlessly wiped her sodden face and runny nose.
His expression told her all she needed to know about how she looked, but she didn’t care. She sniffed. Had he come to say he would get her a good solicitor or she might get a reduced sentence? “Tell me you have good news,” she croaked.
“I have very good news,” he replied, smiling.
There was something about Jonte, something secretive and scheming, that always left her feeling on edge. She could never fully trust him. Even now, when he seemed to be helping her, she guessed his efforts were for his own benefit too.
“Is it the best news?” she asked, hardly daring to dream she might not have to wait years to be released.
“It is the best news.”
She leapt up. “I can leave?!”
“Not quite yet. Your case still has to be processed. But you should be allowed out by early tomorrow at the latest.”
She grabbed him in a tight hug. She didn’t care if he was helping himself too. It didn’t matter as long as she was set free. “Thank you! Thank you so much. I’ll never forget this.”
He chuckled and patted her back. “It isn’t me you need to thank.”
“Oh?” She released him, confused. She didn’t know anyone else who could have manipulated the justice system to make an exception for her.
He stepped to the open doorway and beckoned someone outside.
A familiar figure stepped in.
“Arthur!”
The dim light hit him unflatteringly, creating lines on his once-ageless face. Yet if, as Jonte implied, he was responsible for her release, he was the most wonderful sight she had ever seen. She grabbed him into a hug too and fresh tears poured from her eyes, tears of relief. “I don’t know what you did or how you did it, but I’ll be grateful forever.” She released him and glanced at his sword before adding, “You didn’t have to kill someone, did you?”
“No,” he replied. “No one has died. I’m pleased to see you and glad I could help.”
Hans laughed. “I might not have the influence to override a lawful charge, but who would question King Arthur, newly returned to resume his throne?”
Taylan said, “I’m guessing…nobody?”
“Exactly,” Jonte replied, looking like the cat that got the cream. “Not yet anyway, though I impressed upon the local police they must expedite their process. I told them the king is leaving in the morning and he wants you to accompany him.”
“Huh? I can’t go anywhere with Arthur. I have to go to Australia as soon as I get out of here. Or did you only tell them that to make them hurry up?”
“I do want them to push your case through the system quickly before anyone higher up in the chain notices what’s happening. There is a chance someone could object. We need you out of prison and both of you to be long gone before that happens.”
“I don’t understand.” She looked from Jonte to Arthur and back again.
“I am coming with you to Australia,” said Arthur. “Hans explained it very well. I’m unhappy in my new role. You know me, Taylan. I’m not cut out for politicking.”
“You’re coming with me? But…”
Everything was moving very quickly. She’d gone from the depths of despair to elation and now to utter confusion. The idea of King Arthur accompanying her on her search for her children had never entered her wildest dreams. How would that even work? She couldn’t imagine him trekking through the Australian bush, his sword clanking at his side.
Besides, he was supposed to be Dwyr Orr’s consort, a new head of state leading the BI into a peaceful future.
“I don’t think you can just walk away from your job, though,” she said, before checking with Jonte, “Is this a condition of my release?”
“No, you will be released, barring any last-minute interference from London.”
“Phew!”
“The question is,” Arthur said, “what is my role now? Am I the king here or aren’t I? If I’m the king of the BI, then I can do what I please. If I’m not the king, then I have no authority and shouldn’t be treated as if I have. I shouldn’t be signing documents or attending opening ceremonies or sitting in on meetings about subjects I don’t understand.”
“I can…see your reasoning,” She glanced at Jonte, wondering what was going on.
Yet it was obvious, in a sense. Though she didn’t understand why, it was clear that Jonte had put Arthur up to this. The king would never have come up with a plan involving him neglecting his duties on his own. Her release from prison was only a fortunate side-effect of Jonte’s scheme.
“So you’re going to help me find my kids?”
“I know you’ve been searching for a long time,” said Arthur, “and Hans told me you have a good idea where they are now, only you lacked the means to travel there. I have plenty of money…” he raised his wrist to show her his credchip scar “…and you’re welcome to all of it. I never cared for gold in my previous life. It’s also better not to travel alone in the lawless lands beyond the BI’s borders.”
“The lawless lands?”
He had no knowledge of Australia. That was obvious and not surprising. In his time, no one in the West had even known of the country’s existence.
“The place you believe your children were taken to,” he explained.
“I know what you mean,” she said. “I’m just not sure it’s a good idea.”
His face fell. “I see.”
Jonte said, “You need to understand, this expedition would be a way for Arthur to take a break, to get away and regenerate.”
“But right now?” she asked. “When things are still so unsettled? Do you really think the BA will agree to it?”
“They don’t need to agree to it,” Jonte argued. “He’s the king. They have no authority over him.”
She wanted to ask him why he was doing this. Why did it suit him to have Arthur out of the country? Didn’t he want the BI to return to normality?
“I will check in with the people in London from time to time,” said Arthur. “Hans said it will be easy even though Australia is very far away.”
“Yes, you can use comms,” she said, “but we’ll be in the outback, and we don’t have military-grade equipment. We could be out of touch with civilization for days at at time.”
Arthur tapped his credchip. “I can buy anything we need.”
She was about to voice another objection but she snapped her mouth shut. What was she doing? Jonte said she could go free whether or not she agreed to take Arthur with her, but he was devious. He might only have said that to appease the king. Arthur wouldn’t like it if he thought she was being coerced, and Jonte was definitely looking uncomfortable at the direction of the conversation.
“Arthur, I would be happy to take you with me. It’s a deal.”
The king grinned like a five-year-old.
This is the final snippet from The Dauntless. The next and final book in the series, The Defiant, comes out in September 2022.