Lakhoni by Jared Garrett

Author:Jared Garrett [Garrett, Jared]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Future House Publishing
Published: 2016-01-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

Orphans

The long, polished oak table shone orange and yellow in the light of the huge fire in the hearth. Tall-backed chairs also shone in the bright, wild light, eight of them occupied. Torches lined the wall, adding more illumination to the cavern room.

Shelu sat tall in his chair, his back stiff as frozen granite. He fixed his expression to one of calm anger, knowing the scars on his face only enhanced the effect. To his right, at the head of the table, sat his lord. Bonaha of the Separated. The small, mighty man who would lead the true heirs to take possession of the land. On the other side of the Bonaha sat Gimno, his panther tattoo barely visible under the red paint of the halkeen. “She has not spoken of the sword yet,” he told him.

“Perhaps you are not asking the right questions,” said the Bonaha.

“Perhaps you should not have let one of your people get away!” Shelu shifted forward in his seat, directing his anger at Gimno. “You endanger everything!”

“He is harmless.” Gimno flashed a white smile. “He knows nothing of our plans and was an impatient orphan who learned slowly anyway.” Gimno turned to Vena, who nodded confirmation.

“An orphan?” A pang of alarm drove through Shelu. He pushed forward again, his muscles tight, ready to pounce like a great jungle cat. “What do you mean?”

“His village was razed,” Gimno said. “Probably by one of your cohorts.”

Shelu sprang to his feet, his chair tipping backward to land with a dull thud on the thick furs layered on the floor. He glared at Gimno, who was far too casual at this critical point in the plan. “When did this ‘orphan’ come to your village?”

“Calm yourself,” the Bonaha said. His voice dripped with sweet danger, like poisoned honey. He lifted a hand, as if to lower Shelu back to his seat.

“Months ago. He was near death.” The soft tones of Vena’s voice slid across the polished wood of the table. Her body leaned close to her red-painted husband. “A head wound, his side torn, he was the last one of his village. The raiding party must have thought he was dead.”

Shelu pounded the table, growling. Why would these people not answer sufficiently? “What village? Where did he come from?”

The Bonaha stood now. “You have no cause for this! Explain your outburst.”

Two tall, lean guards at the entrance of the cavern approached. The Bonaha waved them off.

“An orphan. The only one living. So is my captive!” Shelu fed the fury in him with deep, powerful breaths. He leaned over the table on his fists. “Who is this one who you let escape?”

“Surely not from the same village.” Gimno flashed another smile, this one less confident. “Three, perhaps four miles southwest of here.”

Tempted to draw a weapon and slice the smile from Gimno’s face, Shelu instead turned to sit. He found his chair upended and turned back. “Exactly when? When was this village raided?”

From the corner of one eye, Shelu saw one of the guards approach, right his chair, and move away.

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