The Gathandrian Trilogy 02 - Hallsfoots Battle by Brooke Anne

Author:Brooke, Anne [Brooke, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-10-18T16:00:00+00:00

Fifth Lammas Lands Chronicle

TEMPERANCE AND GREED

Ralph

When morning comes, he has lain all night in the secret room, the pouch containing the seven emeralds clutched in his hand. The mountain dogs are still in the bed-area, but they have not tried to reach him. Eventually, the howling eased and his heart began to beat with an easier rhythm.

The mind-executioner is still missing. Ralph cannot sense him. It is impossible to know when he will return and astonishing to realise Gelahn has not done so yet. Ralph must make the most use of the time, he knows it. Already, he has squandered the remainder of the night and he cannot afford to lose more of this strange and fragile advantage.

Even if Gelahn sends him to the death that is no death when he returns, Ralph must do something. If he does, then, perhaps, when the Overlord is no longer here, the people he is pledged to protect may not be entirely enslaved.

Where there is breath, tomorrow remains ours. A saying of his mother’s, something to encourage him in a way that his father’s traditions have never fully done, a spur to his feet.

Pulling himself upright, Ralph finds his legs are even weaker than he anticipated. Damn Gelahn’s dogs. His mind, too, lies shattered within, but at least it is no longer under attack. He has no time to wait for recovery. He must act now.

In the yard, he blinks in the sun and accustoms his eyes to the glare. He sees nobody. At this time of the morning, the enclosed land around his home should be full of people setting up to trade, greeting each other, the clash and shouts of the soldiers, the laughter of children. It has been the background to Ralph’s life for so long that the lack of it once more pierces his mind. It will be here again one day, he swears. Now, however, he is glad of the emptiness, the thought of anyone seeing him in the condition he is in makes his skin grow cold.

Still, someone will have to see it because he knows where he is heading. It is the only idea he has, although, that doesn’t mean he has to like it. He stands for too long outside the entrance, fighting against the instincts his father instilled into him almost from birth—honour, integrity, pride and, last and most important of all, the family name. In spite of everything that has happened, Ralph continues to hear his father’s voice. He is sick of it.

He pushes aside the curtain and walks into the kitchen-area, the place he visited only the night before. At least he means to walk, but his wounds have weakened him more than he realises and, in fact, he stumbles, almost falling.

At his appearance, the sound of talking and labour ceases. Ralph finds himself staring into the eyes of Jemelda. Next to her stands her quiet husband. The man’s eyes flick from one of them to the other, as if waiting for a fight to start.

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.