Read Online 08 Blood War-Blood Destiny by Connie Suttle - Free Book Online
Authors: Connie Suttle
Tags: Vampiros
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newcomer. The other, also a Captain, decided to stay in step with us and insult me at the same time. Well, he could multitask; I'll give him that.
"That's not tall enough to take a good swing from regular army, even."
"You think I'll let regular army insult me in that way?" Solis' hand fell to the hilt of his sword.
"Not at all," the other one held his hands up in a placating gesture. I wanted to tell him that I'd take him on and he'd be dead in a blink, but I kept the words behind my teeth.
"I'll bet she doesn't know how to take care of your blade," the other one said.
"Liss, do you know how to care for a blade?" Solis flung behind him.
"Yes, sir." I did—Drake and Drew made sure of that. I could clean, sharpen and polish, even though my blades, made by Grey House, didn't need sharpening. Drake and Drew had brought old blades to me and watched carefully while I did it, until I'd passed inspection. Falchani are funny that way. You don't mistreat a blade around them—they get downright serious about it.
"See?" Solis wasn't even looking at the Captain at his side. "Desmun, if you don't have anything constructive to say, I have other things more pressing."
"I'll trade my runner for her." Desmun had a motive and it just became clear.
"No, the assignment has already been recorded and I don't have the patience to go back and change it now. You're stuck, Desmun. Besides, I don't expect Liss would welcome you in her bedroll. Good-bye, Desmun." Desmun stopped walking and Solis and I soon left him behind. I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
"This is our tent, and will be for the next three days," Solis announced as I dumped my duffle inside. "After that, we'll pack up and move out. Regulars set up the officer's tents, and the tents with a single green stripe are the Sergeant's tents. Two green stripes are Lieutenants, and three green stripes are the Captains' tents. General's tent is all green. Got it?" Solis pulled me through the tent flap into sunlight again, and swept out an arm. Five more Captains' tents surrounded ours, all with the designated three green stripes. Beyond them lay eight tents with two green stripes, and twelve with a single green stripe. A sea of plain canvas tents surrounded us past that point.
"Yes, sir." I nodded at Solis' gesture. He led me inside the tent, again, which was divided into two sections by a canvas drape. He pointed out his portion; it was the section at the back of the tent. "I use this space as my sleeping quarters and office. Understand?" I nodded again.
"Good. The space inside the flap is yours, and it's your job to guard me while I sleep. Regulars are supposed to keep watch during the night, but you need to at least trip anyone coming in without permission."
"Oh, I'll do more than that, sir."
Solis smiled briefly. "Good," he nodded. "Stow your gear and we'll go watch the exercises. Wear your blade."
Solis was waiting outside the tent when I walked out of it, wearing black leathers with both blades strapped to my back.
"You use both of those?" Solis lifted an eyebrow.
"When I have to," I said. The hilts of my blades lay conveniently over my shoulders so I could put my hands on them quickly if needed. The Falchani knew what they were doing when they designed those sheaths and leather harnesses.
"The Pelipu's troops will be arriving by sea this afternoon, and will march from the port to meet us tomorrow. I expect trouble when they arrive. Some are mercenaries, although they wear the uniform of the Temple. Don't ever let that fool you, Liss."
"Don't you worry, sir." I was back to walking slightly behind him, down a trampled grass trail between tents. We were into the tents for the Regulars, and eight Regulars slept in a single tent slightly larger than Captain Solis'. We passed the Regular mess tents on the way to the sparring grounds.
"The officers' mess is on the other side of the officers' tents," Solis said, as sounds of metal blades clanging and wooden
"That's not tall enough to take a good swing from regular army, even."
"You think I'll let regular army insult me in that way?" Solis' hand fell to the hilt of his sword.
"Not at all," the other one held his hands up in a placating gesture. I wanted to tell him that I'd take him on and he'd be dead in a blink, but I kept the words behind my teeth.
"I'll bet she doesn't know how to take care of your blade," the other one said.
"Liss, do you know how to care for a blade?" Solis flung behind him.
"Yes, sir." I did—Drake and Drew made sure of that. I could clean, sharpen and polish, even though my blades, made by Grey House, didn't need sharpening. Drake and Drew had brought old blades to me and watched carefully while I did it, until I'd passed inspection. Falchani are funny that way. You don't mistreat a blade around them—they get downright serious about it.
"See?" Solis wasn't even looking at the Captain at his side. "Desmun, if you don't have anything constructive to say, I have other things more pressing."
"I'll trade my runner for her." Desmun had a motive and it just became clear.
"No, the assignment has already been recorded and I don't have the patience to go back and change it now. You're stuck, Desmun. Besides, I don't expect Liss would welcome you in her bedroll. Good-bye, Desmun." Desmun stopped walking and Solis and I soon left him behind. I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
"This is our tent, and will be for the next three days," Solis announced as I dumped my duffle inside. "After that, we'll pack up and move out. Regulars set up the officer's tents, and the tents with a single green stripe are the Sergeant's tents. Two green stripes are Lieutenants, and three green stripes are the Captains' tents. General's tent is all green. Got it?" Solis pulled me through the tent flap into sunlight again, and swept out an arm. Five more Captains' tents surrounded ours, all with the designated three green stripes. Beyond them lay eight tents with two green stripes, and twelve with a single green stripe. A sea of plain canvas tents surrounded us past that point.
"Yes, sir." I nodded at Solis' gesture. He led me inside the tent, again, which was divided into two sections by a canvas drape. He pointed out his portion; it was the section at the back of the tent. "I use this space as my sleeping quarters and office. Understand?" I nodded again.
"Good. The space inside the flap is yours, and it's your job to guard me while I sleep. Regulars are supposed to keep watch during the night, but you need to at least trip anyone coming in without permission."
"Oh, I'll do more than that, sir."
Solis smiled briefly. "Good," he nodded. "Stow your gear and we'll go watch the exercises. Wear your blade."
Solis was waiting outside the tent when I walked out of it, wearing black leathers with both blades strapped to my back.
"You use both of those?" Solis lifted an eyebrow.
"When I have to," I said. The hilts of my blades lay conveniently over my shoulders so I could put my hands on them quickly if needed. The Falchani knew what they were doing when they designed those sheaths and leather harnesses.
"The Pelipu's troops will be arriving by sea this afternoon, and will march from the port to meet us tomorrow. I expect trouble when they arrive. Some are mercenaries, although they wear the uniform of the Temple. Don't ever let that fool you, Liss."
"Don't you worry, sir." I was back to walking slightly behind him, down a trampled grass trail between tents. We were into the tents for the Regulars, and eight Regulars slept in a single tent slightly larger than Captain Solis'. We passed the Regular mess tents on the way to the sparring grounds.
"The officers' mess is on the other side of the officers' tents," Solis said, as sounds of metal blades clanging and wooden
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