The Archer's Heart Book Three by Astrid Amara

Author:Astrid Amara [Amara, Astrid]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: epic fantasy
ISBN: 9780978986131
Publisher: Blind Eye Books
Published: 2010-06-18T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 50

Jandu stood still as a statue, too shocked to move. Suddenly, Suraya ran to him, gripping him fiercely, sobbing onto his breastplate.

“It’s all right,” Jandu said, rubbing her back, although he didn’t know why he said it, because it wasn’t true. “It’s over.”

Suraya’s reaction seemed almost strange to him. A deep, icy coldness welled up inside him. Yudar’s words were too cruel to ever be forgiven. If Jandu felt anything at all, it was almost relief, relief that Yudar could no longer break his heart, because he had no love left for his brother.

But he still loved Suraya, so he comforted her as if the insult was hers.

Baram’s eyes filled with tears, but he squeezed them constantly, as if letting tears fall would be an admission to something unacceptable. Baram said nothing to Jandu, but he spat on the ground by Keshan.

“You have taken my brother from me,” he growled. And then he left the tent.

Jandu wanted to go to Keshan. Keshan looked more fragile than he had ever seen him, standing by the tent flap, eyes dark with pain. Jandu disentangled Suraya’s arms from around him. He wiped her face and tried to give her a reassuring smile.

“At least he didn’t have us executed,” Jandu said. “Not that we would have stayed around for that.”

Suraya shook her head. “I can’t believe you told him! I just can’t believe it!” She wiped her eyes. “What will you do now?”

Jandu picked up his helmet, which had fallen off in his tussle with Yudar, and brushed off the sand. “We’ll go to the forest outside the camp. I’m not leaving the battlefield, regardless of what Yudar says. If there’s a way I can help from the sidelines, then I will do it.”

Suraya nodded, as if making a decision herself. “Give me a few minutes. I’ll pack you some provisions.”

Jandu kissed the top of her head. “What would I do without you, Suraya?”

“I will speak with Baram,” Suraya said. “Maybe he will see reason.” She left the tent.

Jandu wanted to pull Keshan to him, but something about Keshan’s expression stopped him.

“We should go quickly before word spreads,” Keshan said.

Jandu nodded. It would only be a matter of time before everyone in camp knew what happened. Yudar would be required to give some explanation as to why his brother, the general of his army and fourth in line for the throne, was suddenly banished. Jandu doubted that Yudar would tell the whole truth, but he also knew Yudar well enough to know he wouldn’t lie outright. So as Jandu numbly made his way towards his tent, he began to imagine what all these people would think when they saw him again. Right now, he was a respected leader of men, a hero about to begin a war for his family’s honor. By tomorrow, he would be, at best, an exile shunned by his family, and at worst, a sexual deviant.

Inside Jandu’s tent, he and Keshan worked quickly. They packed anything that could be eaten or that could kill.

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