A Court for Thieves (A Throne for Sisters—Book Two) by Morgan Rice

Author:Morgan Rice [Rice, Morgan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-10-05T22:00:00+00:00

***

When the island came into view, it was even smaller than Sebastian had suspected it would be. Just a few miles across, with scrub and grass, but more rocks than either. It was the kind of place that barely seemed big enough to warrant settling, let alone fighting over.

Even so, the far side of the island was out of sight around a spur of rock that jutted out into the water like the reaching branch of a tree. Perhaps there was more to it.

“Will we be sending scouts first?” Sebastian asked General Lanchster-Courte.

“And risk giving away the fact that we’re here?” the general replied. “Let’s not pretend that we’re walking into real danger here. It’s a few farmers. We have an entire company. We will advance as one and get this over with. Bosun, take us in close. It’s not as if this rabble will have the artillery to target us.”

“But General—” Sebastian began.

“Your highness,” the general said, cutting him off, “I am a man who does his duty, even if it means participating in this farce. But I will not stand here and be told how to do that duty by a man who has his rank because of his birth rather than because of any knowledge or skill. We will proceed to the landing boats and take this island. You will stay beside me and not even attempt to do something so foolish as issue orders. Do otherwise, and I will confine you to your cabin until this is over.”

They were the sternest words Sebastian had heard from anyone but his mother in a long time, and for the moment, they were enough to render him speechless. He fell into step beside the general, following him to one of the many landing boats, where soldiers were already waiting with a mixture of swords and axes, crossbows and clumsy-looking muskets. Some wore hints of armor, but most didn’t.

For his part, Sebastian wore a breastplate and gauntlets, but not the kind of full armor that might have been used for ceremonies. He had his sword at his hip, along with a dagger and a pistol whose powder he hoped would remain dry on the journey across, although it didn’t seem likely.

They rowed, although no one seemed to expect Sebastian to play a part in it. Indeed, it seemed that none of them really cared whether he was there or not. When they splashed up onto the beach, no one moved to help him. Sebastian had to scramble out on his own, the weight of his partial armor making the whole process take twice as long as it should in the water.

They moved up the beach in a great mass of men, although Sebastian noted that he and the general were toward the back. He suspected that the idea was to protect him even from the few fragments of danger that there were on the island, and he knew better than to argue.

A man called as he found a route up off the beach, and quickly, the soldiers started on their way.

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