WarDance by Elizabeth Vaughan

Author:Elizabeth Vaughan [Vaughan, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Birch Cove Press
Published: 2017-04-10T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

The city guards hustled Amyu to the Castle, hugging the sides of the buildings, keeping a wary eye for the flying beasts as they trotted along deserted streets.

The Castle was a brooding presence, guards with bows and crossbows at every window. The Palace guards rushed her through the gardens and the kitchens, avoiding the courtyard. The monster that had attacked the day before was still laying there, its carcass being rendered for removal.

“Nobody’s tried to eat it yet,” one of the guards muttered. “But there’s interest in the leather and other bits.”

Amyu nodded silently.

“The Queen’s in the Council Chamber, with the Overlord. The Seneschal’s there, with the others.”

Amyu nodded again. Up the stairs then and through the corridors. She knew the way, but the guards didn’t leave her side. Amyu didn’t complain; everyone was jittery and on edge.

So was she, if she were honest.

As they climbed the stairs, Amyu realized that Eloix’s blood was still on her hands and leathers. Amyu shuddered, trying to conceal her fear. She’d never been in battle, never killed another, never watched a warrior bleed out before her eyes.

Maybe being a child was not such a bad thing.

But before she could scold herself for such a cowardly thought, they reached the double doors of the Council room, and heard voices raised inside. Amyu paused, drawing a steadying breath, and then opened the doors, hoping to slip in quietly.

The large stone room was darker than normal, with wooden shutters drawn closed over the windows. Candles flickered as her entrance stirred the air, causing the tapestry behind them to rustle against the wall. The airion on the tapestry almost seemed alive as the cloth moved. A blend of horse and eagle, its wings flaring in the candlelight.

All of the chairs that normally surrounded the large Council table had been pushed back. The table was covered with large swaths of paper. ‘Maps,’ as Xyians called them. Many people were crowded about the table, but Amyu focused on the Warprize and her Warlord.

The Warprize was the first to speak, her fey blue eyes wide. “Amyu, is that blood?”

The talk in the room went silent, and every eye focused on her.

Amyu flushed, and looked down at the blood smeared on her leathers. “It is not mine,” she assured her. “I was at Master Healer Eln’s when a messenger from the Plains was brought in with a wyvern-sting.” Hopefully, none would question as to why she had been there. Amyu lifted her gaze, only to be caught by the Warlord’s piercing blue eyes as he stared at her.

“Report,” he commanded.

Faces grew grimmer all around as she explained Eloix’s injury. They’d known the warrior and they knew what happened to those wyvern-stung. But the Warprize held out hope. “Was Eln able to counter the poison?” Lara asked. Her face fell when Amyu shook her head.

“Were Eloix’s rites seen to?” Wilsa asked, her face a mask of pain. She stood next to Lord Marshall Warren.

“I aided her to thank the elements before she went to the snows.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.