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“It seems we both have hard roads ahead of us”
“It would be best if you don’t share your course with me If she found me and somehow took me alive, Idoubt I could keep secrets fro back from the sea, sorrow plain on his brow “I searched for you for such a long tiht liain and have no song to find you in any case”
“I have er in sight of his victiht “We’ll find each other in Volar, of that I’ve no doubt”
• • •
The headache was everything Brother Kehlan promised, the pain alleviated somewhat by the welcome realisation that the concoction worked His sleep had been free of dreams, absent any further horrors or entreaties to surrender to her will He had continued to sleep at the Blackhold in the days since his release, he and Lekran now uard roo now stripped of all but two occupants, the queen having quickly redeployed her guards duties He found the for with all the speed and precision instilled by years of conditioning and battle Instead of the usual tords today he wielded an axe, whirling as he fought an arreeted Frentis, co a little from the exertion He had forsaken the razor since his liberation and a dark stubble had formed on his face and head “Your chief-woift” He hefted the axe, grinning broadly It was a double-bladed weapon of Renfaelin design, the flat steel of the inner blades inlaid with an intricate pattern of gilded gold Probably one of Darnel’s toys, Frentis decided, once again feeling a pang of regret that he hadn’t been the one to kill the Fief Lord
“There are no slaves here,” Frentis told hied to repeat several ti of a land free of slavery He was fulso so the wild mountain country beyond the northern provinces, his tribe’s principal occupations seehbours
“Good stuff” Lekran said after a hearty gulp of wine “You have any more?”
Frentis gestured to a stack of bottles nearby, found beneath the bed of the Free Sword officer who had command of this place The city had turned out to be rich in hidden stashes of wine and assorted loot The Volarian ar as all booty was declared and subject to a one-tenth tax, but clearly many had felt disinclined to abide by this policy
“Your chief-woain with bottle in hand “She has a man?”
“She’s called a queen, and no”
“Good I’ll claiantly “How many heads will it take, do you think?”
Apparently it was the custom of Lekran’s tribe to offer the heads of fallen enemies to prospective brides as proof of husbandly worthiness “A thousand should do,” Frentis advised
Lekran frowned and gave an annoyed huff “So many?”
“She’s a queen They’re expensive” He watched the forulps and knew, for all his bluster, this was ato drown thewere you Kuritai?” he asked him
“I had nineteen years when they took me Now I see my father’s face when I look in the ristones
“You don’t remember it?” Frentis pressed “I recall every instance of eting for a ether, casting a hungry glance at the wine “I reh”
“Alucius Al Hestian, you reuard him?”
A very faint smile played over Lekran’s lips “Yes He wanted a drink too”