White Star by Elizabeth Vaughan

Author:Elizabeth Vaughan [Vaughan, Elizabeth]
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Romance, Fantasy, Fiction, Supernatural, General, Romance - Fantasy, Fiction - Romance, Paranormal, American Light Romantic Fiction, American Science Fiction And Fantasy, Occult fiction, Romance: Gothic, Women healers, Women priests
ISBN: 9780425227015
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2009-04-07T04:00:00+00:00

TWENTY- ONE

Later that eve ning, after the gear was packed and blades were sharpened, they sat and started to plan their route.

Orrin had taken some charcoal from the smithy, and they’d drawn a rough map on the stone hearth of the fire place. This was more for Evelyn’s benefit than anything else, since they all knew the place. They’d reviewed the path they’d take from the village to the walls of the Keep, and how they’d enter the Keep proper. It turned out that Reader had kept his set of keys. He shrugged. “Ya never know when things might be useful.”

“So, we’ll assume that the odium are still standing watch in the places we put them,” Orrin said. “There’s a chance that they’ve moved, but our watch locations were good ones.”

Archer nodded, reached out, and tapped a position by one of the towers on the inner wall. “I’ll take position here and wait.”

Orrin shook his head. “I can’t leave you there.” Archer’s face grew very still. “Gotta cover the retreat.” “I need you down there,” Orrin said quietly.

The silence between the two men grew. Evelyn gave Reader a questioning look.

“He don’t like tight places,” Reader explained. “Make him sweat.”

“Not that.” Archer hunched his shoulders. “What good’s an archer in them corridors?”

Orrin just looked at him.

Archer sighed. “And I don’t like tight places much.”

Orrin nodded. “But you throw a dagger better than any man here.”

“No good hand to hand,” Timothy said.

Evelyn’s eyes opened in surprise. She expected Archer to object, but the man just shrugged his shoulders. “Nah, he’s right. Not much good at fighting close. Never have been.”

“We need to know each other’s strengths and weak nesses.” Orrin leaned back and took a mug of kav. “Even if the truth hurts.”

Sidian laughed. “I’m good with my weapons in a fight, but I need room to swing.”

“Decent with a bow,” Archer said.

Sidian smiled, his teeth gleaming against his dark skin, and gave Archer a nod of thanks.

“Timothy and Thomas are good with swords and shields, but better with pole arms.”

Timothy nudged Thomas. “Long pointy sticks.” They both chuckled, as if at some private joke.

Archer wrinkled his nose. “Can’t throw for shit.”

“True, but the way they work together as a team is un canny,” Orrin pointed out. “I still think you are twins.” He pointed at the map of the dungeon. “Where we can go two abreast, they are behind the front line. They attack, thrust ing their spears between us, and do a good deal of dam age.”

“Who takes the front?” Evelyn asked.

“Sidian and I.” Orrin turned his head to look at her. “You’ll walk with Mage, and Reader and Archer will bring up the rear.”

Reader nodded. “I’m best with a dagger, and I’m fast. Can sometimes slide through and get behind them, some times. That lets me hamstring them, and take them down.”

“He’s good with locks, too,” Sidian said. “Hands like a lady.”

They all chuckled as Reader looked offended.

“That leaves me, ma’am,” Mage offered. “I’m decent with spells. Not much with weapons, but I’ve been trying to practice.

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