Pierce, Tamora - Protector 02 by Pierce Tamora

Author:Pierce, Tamora [Pierce, Tamora]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-08-15T16:19:37+00:00

Thoroughly depressed, she reached the pages' wing and saw that her door was open. She heard her friends' voices. Kel straightened her tunic and tried to rub color into ice-pale cheeks. She wouldn't say anything about this.

Kel waited all night, but no word came from Lord Wyldon. Somehow she got through the next day - helping friends who were sponsors show the first-years around - and the day after that, when training commenced. Fighting practice helped -

with four new weights on her harness, she barely had the strength to think about her weapons and her horse, let alone Balor's Needle. She nearly dozed off in afternoon classes.

That night the king came to supper as he did every year to look them over and talk to them briefly. He dined with Lord Wyldon on the dais, then urged the pages to pursue their studies and train hard. In years before, he had left the mess hall before the pages could even rise to bow to him. This year he did not. He waited until they were on their feet, then said,

"Might I see Keladry of Mindelan? The rest of you may go."

Kel felt her skin go numb. This was it, she realized. She was about to be dismissed. Blindly, leaving her tray on the table, she walked to the dais. Jump followed, tail wagging.

When she reached the dais, Lord Wyldon and the king were seated. Their page - Yancen, Kel noted - had cleared away everything but a pitcher and three cups, which Lord Wyldon was filling. As Kel bowed to the men, the king raised his brows.

"Pages weren't allowed pets in my day," he commented. "Have a seat, Keladry." He waved her to an empty chair. Kel looked at Lord Wyldon, startled.

He gave her the tiniest of nods and told King Jonathan, "The dog's not a pet, sire - he's a palace stray who attached himself to the pages. I see no harm, if he doesn't distract them. He earned his way several times over during the incident I told you of."

While Lord Wyldon talked, Kel eased herself into the empty chair. Surely if they were going to dismiss her, she ought to be standing. Her nervousness grew when Lord Wyldon put one of the cups before her. It contained grape juice with a touch of spice in it, she discovered as she sipped. She had to grip it with both hands to keep the men from seeing that she trembled.

The king was gently tugging Jump's lone ear, a trick the dog loved. "Yes, that incident. Page Keladry, Lord Wyldon told me what passed this summer between your group and the bandits. I would like to hear the story from your own lips, if you would." The king leaned back in his chair, his very blue eyes on Kel's face. "You were a hunting party, I believe?"

"Just as you told it to me," murmured Lord Wyldon.

She didn't disobey, exactly. She did neglect to mention that the older boys had been too surprised to make the instant decisions that would mean their survival.

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