The Kira Chronicles Fantasy Trilogy Bundle by K. S. Nikakis

Author:K. S. Nikakis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd
Published: 2011-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Tierken remained staring at Commander Marin long after he had fallen silent. He should have heard report of a routine scouting expedition, but instead Marin told of Shargh riding Ashmiri horses with a Tain troopsman as a prisoner. These things were extraordinary and neither of them augured well. The Shargh didn’t come north of the Azurcades, nor did they ride, nor did they burden themselves with captives.

‘Are you sure they weren’t Ashmiri,’ he asked, but knew it wasn’t possible.

Marin shook his head. ‘Shall I get Slivkash to bring the Tain to the fire?’ he asked. ‘The Tain might be able to offer expla nation.’

‘Best keep him separate. Get Jarvid to set another fire and bring some cotzee and jackin,’ said Tierken, moving off.

When Tierken arrived, Slivkash stood stiffly to attention, but the Tain shook, and could barely stand at all. Slivkash’s grip on his arm was all that kept him upright. Jarvid had dug a fire-hole and was busy transferring coals from the cooking fire into it.

‘Has he said how he came to be captured?’ Tierken asked Slivkash.

‘No, Feailner. He hasn’t spoken at all.’

The Tain looked young for a troopsman, or perhaps it was just that he was slightly built. His head hung forward, a tangle of hair hiding his face. He still wore his pack, Tierken noted with surprise. He’d have thought it would be the first thing the Shargh would’ve taken.

‘You’re now under Terak Kirillian protection,’ he said slowly in Onespeak.

There wasn’t even a flicker to show the Tain had heard him.

‘Did you check him for injuries?’ Tierken asked Slivkash.

‘No, Feailner.’

Jarvid had finished his fire-building and Tierken gestured for Slivkash to lower the Tain beside it. The small fire showed the Tain’s hair to be fair but still he didn’t look up and Tierken quelled his impatience. The man had been blindfolded, gagged and bound. Irid only knew what else had been done to him.

The Tain chafed his hands, probably to get the blood flowing again. There were deep rope burns on his wrists, now clear in the firelight. He had beautiful, fine-boned hands, and Tierken stiffened. Then he caught the Tain’s chin and forced his face to the firelight. The Tain clamped his eyes shut and cowered away, but Tierken had seen enough.

‘Are the Tain so short of men they send their women on patrol?’ he demanded, unsettled. What were the odds of her looking like him? Surely it was a trick of the light. She was fair, and he was dark – but maybe the Tain had Kessomi blood. He had half a mind to force her face to the light again, but she had hunched into a ball, hands gripped round her knees, shivering giving way to violent shaking.

Had the Shargh taken her for rape? Was that why she hid her face from him, recoiled from his touch, and shook like a tree in a gale? Tierken recalled how when Laryia crashed through the Kristlin ice, the water had been freezing, but it had been shock that caused her to shake so violently she could scarcely stand.

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