Deny (The Blades of Acktar Book 2) by Mingerink Tricia

Author:Mingerink, Tricia [Mingerink, Tricia]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Sword & Cross Publishing
Published: 2015-11-30T05:00:00+00:00

22

As dusk settled around the meadow, Renna sat near Leith around the small campfire he’d deemed it safe enough to risk. He and Shadrach were discussing what to do if Shadrach’s Resistance contact didn’t show up in the next few days. She glanced toward the trees where Jamie and Brandi brushed each of the horses in turn.

Blizzard’s head jerked up. The horse froze, ears pricked towards the northwest, a tuft of grass sticking forgotten out of his mouth.

Leith tensed. His eyes darted around their clearing. “Someone’s coming. Take cover near the horses.”

Renna hurried across the clearing. Jamie was already motioning Brandi into cover behind a large tree. Renna leaned against a tree near Blizzard and peered at the clearing. Had a Blade discovered them?

Shadrach and Leith took a stand behind the first row of trees in front of the horses. Leith had knives in both of his hands, his eyes hard, while Shadrach strung his bow and nocked an arrow to the string. Jamie crept into position beside Leith and also pulled out a pair of knives.

Renna shuddered. All of them, even Jamie, were prepared to fight, and perhaps kill, to protect her and Brandi. Would it come to that?

“It could be the person who’s supposed to meet us.” Shadrach fixed his gaze on the tree line across the meadow.

“Or it could be a Blade that stumbled on our camp.” Leith’s gaze darted back and forth.

Renna held her breath. A danger or a friend? She trembled. A swarm of Blades might burst from the trees at any moment.

Blizzard snorted softly, his eyes fixated on the trees across the meadow. A dark brown horse broke from cover, its rider an indistinct mass on its back. He halted his horse by their fire ring and swung down. Renna caught sight of the quiver of arrows and unstrung bow strapped to his back. A sword glinted among the packs on his saddle. He didn’t look like a Blade. They never carried any other weapons besides knives.

“Hello the clearing!” The man’s voice boomed against the surrounding rock face.

Shadrach grinned, placed the arrow back in his quiver, and unstrung his bow. “He’s one of ours.” Stepping from his place behind a tree, Shadrach strode towards the stranger. “Hello yourself!”

Renna tiptoed out of hiding as Shadrach and the man shook hands. Leith’s hands, still gripping his knives, hovered above his sheathes. He glanced at her. She shrugged, not sure what to tell him.

Shadrach waved them forward, a grin splitting his face. Brandi bounded from the trees towards the newcomer. Renna started forward. Even if the man was a threat, she wasn’t going to leave Brandi out there by herself. Behind her, two sets of knives whispered into their leather sheathes.

“And this is Renna.” Shadrach tugged her forward. “This is Walter Esroy. He used to serve in the army before Respen took over. He’s going to be your guide to Eagle Heights.”

Walter bowed towards Renna. He looked to be in his mid-fifties with abundant wrinkles and sparse patches of hair covering the back of his head.

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