The Warrior King: Book Three of the Seer King Trilogy by Chris Bunch

Author:Chris Bunch [Bunch, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy, cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents, Epic
ISBN: 9781440553592
Publisher: Prologue Books
Published: 2012-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

STALKING A KING

My idea was quite simple — to enter the Maisirian camp and make King Bairan come to me.

Then I’d murder him.

In the ensuing madness, I might even have a chance to escape.

“Three men,” Kutulu said. “Who?”

“Myself. Yonge, for he’s the best scout we have. For a third man, I’d like to have the archer, Curti, but he can’t move that well. I’ll take Svalbard, for even one-armed he’s more dangerous than anyone I know with a full set of limbs.”

For an instant, I thought Kutulu wanted to volunteer, but logic prevailed in his calm mind, and I was able to avoid embarrassment. Instead, the problem came from another quarter.

“You’ll need a magician, to ward off casting spells from their War Magicians,” Cymea said.

“Not you,” I said, instantly understanding her drift. “And you’re the only wizard I have here. The way I plan to approach the king can’t be done by more than three, and two would be best.”

“You’ll be naked to their spells,” Cymea said fiercely. “And die like a fool.”

“Some say I’ve lived like one,” I said. “No.”

“Yes,” Cymea said. “You’ve told me how you plan to get into the Maisirian camp. I’ll go with you, then drop off before your attack. I’ll be close enough,” she said, her voice excited, “to ward off any castings that might reveal your presence.”

There was merit to her words. A sorcerer would vastly increase the chance of success. It would be best if I took a combat-experienced magician instead of Svalbard, but I had none such with my raiders nor, with the exception of Sinait, with the army.

I thought of asking Cymea what would happen if the Maisirians found her, but we both knew the answer. It would be terrible, and the best she could hope was a swift death. Then I thought of a rather gruesome option.

“Very well,” I said, which got a look of surprise from both Cymea and Kutulu. “You can go. But there’ll be a fifth. Curti. And he’ll have orders that neither of you is to be taken alive.”

“I wouldn’t allow that in any event,” Cymea said. “But someone to guard my back when I’m mumbling nonsense and waving my hand around is a good idea. What are the chances of this succeeding?”

I thought honestly. “One in twenty … no, one in ten.”

“Better than some we’ve faced,” Kutulu said.

“Better than most I’ve seen,” Cymea agreed.

Kutulu looked at me for a long time. He licked his lips, began to say something, then pressed them together and hurried out.

“That man likes … maybe loves you,” Cymea said. “Not in a sexual sense.”

I thought of telling her about Kutulu’s former adulation for Tenedos, and how the once-emperor had betrayed that love, but didn’t. Cymea started to leave, then turned back.

“I sense … I feel … something strange about your idea,” she said. “This is more than just a maneuver, a tactic, to you.”

“It is.”

“You hate Bairan.”

“I do.”

“I think I need to know why,” Cymea said. “Not from curiosity,

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