Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Author:Melina Marchetta [Marchetta, Melina]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2008-10-21T16:00:00+00:00

Finnikin watched Aldron of the River strut around the bathhouse before making himself comfortable next to Trevanion. The young guard reminded Finnikin too much of Lucian. Unlike Finnikin’s pale, lean frame, Aldron had the coloring of the River people and had lost his leanness years before. Finnikin tried hard not to compare himself with any of the Guard in their nakedness.

“I hear we are to split up to travel to Lumatere, Captain Trevanion,” Aldron said.

Trevanion nodded. “We have exiles to collect from other kingdoms,” he explained. “I will speak of it tonight.”

“And, of course, Aldron will be the first to volunteer to escort our younger visitors,” one of the older guards joked.

Finnikin turned to Aldron. “Evanjalin and the boy travel with me,” he said coldly. “It’s best to keep things simple.”

“Simplicity would have you traveling with Perri and Moss, and a few of the older men who can teach you a thing or two about defense, Finnikin,” Aldron said.

“It takes great character to handle Evanjalin and Froi,” Finnikin went on. “You would have much to fear.”

“What is the worst that can happen?” Aldron scoffed.

“She could have you imprisoned in the mines. Or sell you to the slave traders of Sorel,” Finnikin said with a shrug.

“You are trying to scare me off. Does she belong to you, Finnikin? If she does, say the word and I will bite my tongue and look the other way.”

The men turned toward Finnikin, waiting for a response.

Did Evanjalin belong to him? No, he wanted to say, she belonged to their future king, his boyhood companion whom he had loved like a brother. But there were moments, as he lay beside her deep in the night, when he hated beloved Balthazar. When he wished to covet it all.

“I think you need to find yourselves wives,” Finnikin said.

The men chuckled.

“Well, here is our dilemma,” Moss began. “There are those who refuse to betray their bonding vows and consider themselves still joined to their women in Lumatere, and those who are free to come and go as they please. Except the first rule of Pietrodore is that their young women are off-limits.”

“Tomas and I are bonded to each other,” Bosco said from a lower step.

“Which we are forced to be reminded of each night.”

“While the rest of us go with nothing,” Aldron sulked.

“You’re most welcome to join us any time, Aldron,” Tomas joked.

The others laughed.

“Anyway, each month we enjoy a day or two in Bilson,” Moss said with a grin. His face instantly reddened when he found Sir Topher’s gaze on him.

“And what is it you do there, Moss?” Sir Topher asked politely.

Finnikin exchanged a look with his mentor, who was trying to hide a smile.

“Ah, of course,” Sir Topher said, as if a thought had just occurred to him. “With such diverse places of worship and the tastiest delicacies, it would be hard to keep away.”

“Not to mention the reading rooms,” Finnikin said, catching Sir Topher’s grin. “I once spent a whole week there reading about the sixth-century fighting techniques of the Leticians.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.