[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
all, he was in love with Iwona.
* * * *
Blood Harvest [Dark Brothers of the Light Book VII]
by Janrae Frank
267
Talons' and Warenhari's errand had stretched into the evening. They returned
with a solemn mon named Eurus, whose white beard hung to the middle of his
chest. He was a
Willodarian physician with a strong Reader's gift. Eurus elicited stares from
the servants, the guards, and many of the passing nobles. Captain Yevhen
started to pass them in the great hall as they were walking to the stairs, did
a double take, and fell into step behind them.
"Why did you bring Eurus here?" Yevhen demanded.
Talons glanced from the side of her eyes. "Why shouldn't
I?"
"It isn't safe." Yevhen said and quickened his pace to come up beside her. His
eyes focused on her runes and widened.
"Guildsmon."
Page 127
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"I don't see why you're surprised."
Warenhari, who was still sorting everything out that he had learned earlier,
glanced at Yevhen. "What's that?"
The captain grabbed Warenhari and pulled him aside to whisper into his ear.
"She's an assassin."
"She's a what?"
"Shut up." Yevhen grabbed him again and they trotted to overtake Talons and
Eurus. They caught up to them at the stairs. "Where are we going?"
"Berran's chambers," Warenhari replied. "He's usually resting his leg at this
time of day."
They knocked on the door to Berran's suite.
"Who is it?"
They could tell from the edge in Berran's voice that he was hurting, which was
why they had brought Eurus.
Blood Harvest [Dark Brothers of the Light Book VII]
by Janrae Frank
268
"Warenhari."
"Come in."
They found Berran laying in bed with his bad leg propped.
His color looked off, which suggested that he was hurting more than usual.
Warenhari suspected that Berran was spending more time on it than was wise
since coming to
Varsyava.
Vernados sat in a chair near the bed, sharpening his dagger.
Berran raised an eyebrow when he saw all the company that his cousin had
brought him, and tried to push himself up in bed. A loud groan escaped him and
he fell back onto the bed with a wan smile.
"I think I overdid it."
Warenhari gave him a displeased look. "I think you did too. Sometimes I think
I should tie you down."
"You can't do that to a general."
"He can if I help him," interjected Vernados.
Talons chuckled.
Warenhari left the room, dropped the bar into the corridor, and stalked back
to the bedroom. "Now, I want to make a few things known before we go any
farther. Just what the hell did you mean by telling me that Talons is an
assassin, Yevhen?"
Berran tensed. "Were you sent here to kill someone?"
Talons crossed her arms. "I was sent here to help someone."
"Furthermore, she's a princess of Creeya," continued
Warenhari.
Blood Harvest [Dark Brothers of the Light Book VII]
by Janrae Frank
269
"Talons Trollbane, of course, of course." Yevhen smacked himself in the
forehead. "You're Grand Master Takhalme Gee's granddaughter."
Talons favored Yevhen with a thin smile. "Which god do you serve?"
"I?" Yevhen faltered.
"You know too much for a Crisoran. Speak up." Talons put her hand in front of
his face and summoned her silver runed tiger claws. A gasp ran around the
chamber.
Yevhen squared his shoulders. "If there was any doubt about your identity,
princess, you have banished them now."
He reached inside his tunic and brought forth a golden chain from which hung a
single sword.
Page 128
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Talons dismissed her claws. "Badonthian."
Yevhen nodded. "I helped Stefan hide the oracle."
"The oracle still exists?" Berran sounded dumbfounded.
Yevhen nodded again. "When it prophesied his death, I
helped him choose who to take with him and who to leave behind. We feared that
the nobility would turn on Lukasz because of his mixed blood. So we sent all
the adult males of the nobility with him, holding back only a handful of
youngest sons."
"You've given me so many revelations to consider," said
Berran. He turned to Eurus. "Who are you?"
"A healer, my lord. With a few odd talents, previously forbidden by law."
"What kind?"
"I'm a Reader with a very minor gift for Mending. May I
examine your leg?"
Blood Harvest [Dark Brothers of the Light Book VII]
by Janrae Frank
270
Hope flashed into Berran's eyes for the first time in months. "Can you help
me?"
"I can try. First I need to examine you."
Berran pointed at his bad leg.
Eurus pushed Berran's pants leg up and ran his hand over the calf, then he
gripped it firmly and Berran felt a tingle run through his body. The pain
disappeared, leaving him dizzy with relief.
Eurus frowned deeply. "I can do some to make it easier for you to walk. But
only a lifemage can completely heal it. There aren't any left alive."
"There's six left," Talons corrected Eurus. "Five journeymyn and one master.
And two children that are showing signs of the gifts."
"Praise be to the Nine," exclaimed Eurus.
Talons turned to Berran. "When I'm certain it's safe, I'll fetch one. A
general should not be crippled at sixteen."
Berran looked at Talons with gratitude in his eyes. "You have made my
suffering bearable. Thank you."
* * * *
It started out like any other night, first the meeting in the
Kill Room. But there were no victims waiting this time, no enemies of the
realm to be slain. Instead, Brainerd led them out by a secret door and to the
stables where saddled horses waited. He took Gunther and his friends beyond
the walls of
Varsyava at midnight to a glade concealed from all eyes. Six of Brainerd's
soldiers waited there watching over seven scruffy street boys tied to slender
trees.
Blood Harvest [Dark Brothers of the Light Book VII]
by Janrae Frank
271
Gunther's eyes widened. "What is this about?"
His companions whispered amongst themselves uneasily.
Only Adolf seemed completely at ease.
"For this to go forward with the mongrel duke, you must not hesitate at the
sticking point." Brainerd regarded them with his arms crossed and a commanding
look.
"We've all killed several times now, Brainerd," said
Gunther.
"The hot blood killings you have done before don't count.
It takes strength of character to open your enemy up in cold blood. This is a
test of your brutality toward the scourges of the realm. Cruelty in its most
Page 129
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
exquisite form against those who would corrupt our people and drag us down
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]