Page 32 (1/2)
“There lower from Insha ka Forna
“Leave him!” she said “Thishurts hihts?” Frentis asked Lernial in a gentler tone
The brother shook his head “Brother Caenis only It’seasier that way” He gave a wan sh even thetask”
Frentis nodded his thanks and rose fro away to confer with Banders and Sollis “Three days until Winterfall Eve,” the baron said “Scant ti I’ve had ines, but none are ready yet”
“Which makes the sewers our only option,” Frentis said “We know frohts that Aspects Elera and Dendrish are in the Blackhold, perhaps Aspect Arlyn too I don’t give much for their chances if the city is attacked I can secure theate is more important,” Sollis said
“The Aspects”
“Are aware that the Faith occasionally requires sacrifice We will secure a gate to allow Baron Banders’s knights into the city, then aze was steady, yielding no rooument “Brother, you have led your company well, and they are loyal to you But your loyalty is toto call yourself a brother?”
“I will never callto colour his face
Sollis merely blinked and turned to the baron “We’ll set out at dahich should enable us to approach the city under dark in three nights” He looked at Frentis “Choose your people and be ready”
• • •
They followed the Brinewash towards Varinshold, h to prevent any betraying dust cloud Frentis chose Davoka, Draker and Thirty-Four to acco Arendil and Illian to loud protests at being excluded Davoka sternly rebuked the lady for her petulance, and Banders refused to even countenance the thought of Arendil leaving his sight “You’ll stay by ht, the fief will have need of a new lord by the week’s end”
They stopped after a two-day trek, occupying a shallow dip in the ground just south of the Brinewash, Varinshold out of sight just over the horizon Sollis’s brothers scouted the surrounding country, rass and expanses of ash left by the de the Volarians see “Could be they’ve no cavalry left for such duty,” Erested “We killed hundreds back at the Spur”
They settled down to rest as night set in, huddling in cloaks against the chill as fires could not be risked Frentis sat watching the others sleep, deterhting exhaustion with every step At one point he had snapped awake finding hi his head at her stern entreaties to rest coht She waits for me there, he kneith a cold certainty
“Will it end to a few feet away, swaddled in a cloak taken fro only the pale oval of her face peering out froht So small You would never know, as no one knehen they looked at her Annoyed by the co his voice low
“The war,” she said, shuffling closer “Draker said it’ll all be over coave a rueful smile “Then he said he’d buy a whorehouse with his spoils”
“I doubt there are any left to buy, my lady”
“But we’ll be done? The ill end?”
“I hope so”
She seely rare pout on her lips “No o off and rule his fief, Draker to his whorehouse, you to the Order”
“And you, my lady?”
“I don’t know I have no idea if my father lives, if his house still stands”
“And your mother?”
Illian’s expression soured a little “Father used to tell me she died when I was little One day I heard two of themother took off with a sea captain when I was noshe owned stripped froe of her I don’t even knohat she looked like”