The Destined Queen by Deborah Hale

Author:Deborah Hale [Hale, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Epic, Magic, Witches, Fantasy fiction, Quests (Expeditions), General, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9780373802432
Publisher: Luna
Published: 2005-07-31T23:00:00+00:00

Rather than waking from a nightmare, Maura woke to one.

She found herself astride a horse—her feet tied to the stirrups of its saddle and her hands lashed to the pommel. The horse’s reins were attached to the mount of her Hanish escort.

Twisting around in her saddle, she could see Delyon trussed to the back of another horse like a piece of cargo. She almost envied his continued stupor. At the same time it worried her.

Would she be able to revive him before they reached Venard? If not, what would she do then?

No need to go searching for trouble, she reminded herself of an old Norest saying. It always finds its way home.

Plenty of trouble had already found its way home to her. Behind them the sun was setting, but their Hanish escort detail did not show any sign of stopping to sleep or eat. Overhead a fat bundle of clouds threatened rain.

On the bright side—at least they were moving toward Venard many times faster than they had been. Since leaving the town where they’d been captured, Maura judged they had traveled a distance that would have taken her and Delyon many nights of hard walking.

Shaking herself fully awake, she looked around. There were many other soldiers on the road besides their small party—some marching in groups, others riding. Maura had never seen so many Han. Were they all on their way to battle Rath’s forces? How many other roads in the kingdom were flooded with troops?

To have any hope of prevailing against such a host, Rath would need the magical Staff of Velorken. Somehow, she must find a way to revive Delyon and make their escape before they fell into the hands of the Echtroi.

The soldier guarding Maura glanced up at the sky and said something to the one guarding Delyon, who replied with a curt word and a nod.

What was he agreeing to? Maura wished she understood a little Hanish. If only she had asked Rath to tutor her—that would have been a far more productive use of their last days together on Margyle than arguing with him and avoiding him. Now she concentrated on remembering that every mile the horse carried her was a mile closer to Rath.

Before the sun had fully set and before the clouds had done more than spit a few drops of rain, Maura’s party reached a village about the size of Windleford. As they approached the local garrison compound, the soldiers slowed their mounts and halted. Both climbed down from their saddles. Delyon’s guard held the reins of both horses, while Maura’s guard went inside. He returned shortly and motioned for them to enter the courtyard.

“We bide the night here,” he informed Maura as he unbound her hands and feet from the saddle.

Her feet prickled fiercely when the ropes came off. She clung to the horse as she slid down from the saddle, fearing her legs would not support her. Pride would not allow her to lean upon a Han—she would sooner fall.

“Come.”

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