Read Online A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin - Free Book Online Page B

mouth tightened. “And
you
see fit to loose the Kingslayer. You had no right.”
    â€œI had a mother’s right.” Her voice was calm, though the news about Highgarden was a savage blow to Robb’s hopes. She could not think about that now, though.
    â€œNo right,” Edmure repeated. “He was Robb’s captive, your
king
’s captive, and Robb charged me to keep him safe.”
    â€œBrienne will keep him safe. She swore it on her sword.”
    â€œThat
woman
?”
    â€œShe will deliver Jaime to King’s Landing, and bring Arya and Sansa back to us safely.”
    â€œCersei will never give them up.”
    â€œNot Cersei. Tyrion. He swore it, in open court. And the Kingslayer swore it as well.”
    â€œJaime’s word is worthless. As for the Imp, it’s said he took an axe in the head during the battle. He’ll be dead before your Brienne reaches King’s Landing, if she ever does.”
    â€œDead?”
Could the gods truly be so merciless?
She had made Jaime swear a hundred oaths, but it was his brother’s promise she had pinned her hopes on.
    Edmure was blind to her distress. “Jaime was
my
charge, and I mean to have him back. I’ve sent ravens—”
    â€œRavens to whom? How many?”
    â€œThree,” he said, “so the message will be certain to reach Lord Bolton. By river or road, the way from Riverrun to King’s Landing must needs take them close by Harrenhal.”
    â€œHarrenhal.” The very word seemed to darken the room. Horror thickened her voice as she said, “Edmure, do you know what you have done?”
    â€œHave no fear, I left your part out. I wrote that Jaime had escaped, and offered a thousand dragons for his recapture.”
    Worse and worse
, Catelyn thought in despair.
My brother is a fool
. Unbidden, unwanted, tears filled her eyes. “If this was an escape,” she said softly, “and not an exchange of hostages, why should the Lannisters give my daughters to Brienne?”
    â€œIt will never come to that. The Kingslayer will be returned to us, I have made certain of it.”
    â€œAll you have made certain is that I shall never see my daughters again. Brienne might have gotten him to King’s Landing safely . . .
so long as no one was hunting for them
. But now . . .” Catelyn could not go on. “Leave me, Edmure.” She had no right to command him, here in the castle that would soon be his, yet her tone would brook no argument. “Leave me to Father and my grief, I have no more to say to you. Go.
Go
.” All she wanted was to lie down, to close her eyes and sleep, and pray no dreams would come.

ARYA
    T he sky was as black as the walls of Harrenhal behind them, and the rain fell soft and steady, muffling the sound of their horses’ hooves and running down their faces.
    They rode north, away from the lake, following a rutted farm road across the torn fields and into the woods and streams. Arya took the lead, kicking her stolen horse to a brisk heedless trot until the trees closed in around her. Hot Pie and Gendry followed as best they could. Wolves howled off in the distance, and she could hear Hot Pie’s heavy breathing. No one spoke. From time to time Arya glanced over her shoulder, to make sure the two boys had not fallen too far behind, and to see if they were being pursued.
    They would be, she knew. She had stolen three horses from the stables and a map and a dagger from Roose Bolton’s own solar, and killed a guard on the postern gate, slitting his throat when he knelt to pick up the worn iron coin that Jaqen H’ghar had given her. Someone would find him lying dead in his own blood, and then the hue and cry would go up. They would wake Lord Bolton and search Harrenhal from crenel to cellar, and when they did they would find the map and the dagger missing, along with some swords from the armory, bread and cheese from the kitchens, a baker boy, a