Read Online Cursed by Ice by Jacquelyn Frank - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jacquelyn Frank
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dies.”
“Then you would make a good master,” she said, her voice unfeeling.
They rode in silence awhile longer, Sarielle pointing to lead them. Dethan and their outriders remained several lengths behind them, following wherever they went.
“Do you see them yet?” Garreth asked, his breath warm against her ear and the side of her neck as he spoke, sending hot chills skittering down her neck and spine. She was already uncomfortable from her pain, but this was a completely different kind of discomfort. She did not understand it and could not have explained it had she been asked to give it voice. Again she felt that strange heaviness in her breasts, and she felt the need to shift in the saddle.
She shook her head in response to his query, unable to speak for that moment.
It was hard to see far in spite of the moon and it was frustrating her greatly. She wanted to be able to see hersisters more than anything, which was why she said nothing about the pain and nausea that began rolling through her, chasing all other sensations away.
Until her body told the tale for her.
She suddenly vomited over the side of the horse, unable to help herself. Garreth reined in sharply, holding her tightly as she panted for breath and tried to swallow back her pain and sickness. He grabbed her chin in his fingers and pulled her back to see her face.
“I told you to tell me when you needed rest!” he snapped.
“I don’t need rest!” she insisted stubbornly. “I’m just not used to being on something that moves so much,” she lied. Quite convincingly.
“Are you able to continue?” he asked her.
“Yes! Now, please …”
He looked at her hard in the darkness, then finally spurred the horse onward. Relieved, she sat back against his chest with a quiet sigh. Her sisters were counting on her. She had to come through for them. They had no one else in the world. She had to protect them. Even if it meant trusting this odd man. This man who said he did not believe in slaves.
“I see them!” she cried suddenly.
She could. A dark shape in the distance. It had to be them. Who else would be riding in such darkness? Garreth relayed the message to Dethan.
“How are we supposed to fight that which we cannot see?” Dethan asked of them.
“The mage will be counting on that,” Sarielle agreed. “However, they must stop to rest eventually. He has to sleep at some point.”
“But if we can see them, then they will soon be able to see us. They will know they are being followed,” Garreth said.
“Then we dog their steps until they drop,” Dethan said.
“No!” Sarielle and Garreth said at the same time. She looked at him in surprise. She knew why she had said no. She was afraid they would use her sisters in some nefarious way if they thought they were trapped. But why had he said no?
“She will not last long enough for that,” he said, nodding to her. “She can barely keep the saddle as it is.”
He was right. She was finding it nearly impossible to sit upright. But she had thought she was hiding it effectively from him. He was more attuned to her than she had realized.
“I have an idea,” Garreth said. “We get ahead of them. Ride around full about them so they are coming up to us and not we to them. They will not think we are traveling from Kith, coming from the other direction. We are faster and lighter than they are. That way we can approach them without them having their guard up until the last possible moment.”
“When you’re upon them the mage’s magic will not be able to hide them any longer. Not when you know to look for them,” Sarielle said.
“Then it seems we have a plan. Let’s ride!” Dethan said, spurring his horse hard. It leapt forward. The outriders dashed off behind them.
Garreth did not hurry in their wake at first. He looked down at her. “We cannot continue like this at full speed. I am going to turn you around in the saddle so you may put your arms around me and hold on to me. It
“Then you would make a good master,” she said, her voice unfeeling.
They rode in silence awhile longer, Sarielle pointing to lead them. Dethan and their outriders remained several lengths behind them, following wherever they went.
“Do you see them yet?” Garreth asked, his breath warm against her ear and the side of her neck as he spoke, sending hot chills skittering down her neck and spine. She was already uncomfortable from her pain, but this was a completely different kind of discomfort. She did not understand it and could not have explained it had she been asked to give it voice. Again she felt that strange heaviness in her breasts, and she felt the need to shift in the saddle.
She shook her head in response to his query, unable to speak for that moment.
It was hard to see far in spite of the moon and it was frustrating her greatly. She wanted to be able to see hersisters more than anything, which was why she said nothing about the pain and nausea that began rolling through her, chasing all other sensations away.
Until her body told the tale for her.
She suddenly vomited over the side of the horse, unable to help herself. Garreth reined in sharply, holding her tightly as she panted for breath and tried to swallow back her pain and sickness. He grabbed her chin in his fingers and pulled her back to see her face.
“I told you to tell me when you needed rest!” he snapped.
“I don’t need rest!” she insisted stubbornly. “I’m just not used to being on something that moves so much,” she lied. Quite convincingly.
“Are you able to continue?” he asked her.
“Yes! Now, please …”
He looked at her hard in the darkness, then finally spurred the horse onward. Relieved, she sat back against his chest with a quiet sigh. Her sisters were counting on her. She had to come through for them. They had no one else in the world. She had to protect them. Even if it meant trusting this odd man. This man who said he did not believe in slaves.
“I see them!” she cried suddenly.
She could. A dark shape in the distance. It had to be them. Who else would be riding in such darkness? Garreth relayed the message to Dethan.
“How are we supposed to fight that which we cannot see?” Dethan asked of them.
“The mage will be counting on that,” Sarielle agreed. “However, they must stop to rest eventually. He has to sleep at some point.”
“But if we can see them, then they will soon be able to see us. They will know they are being followed,” Garreth said.
“Then we dog their steps until they drop,” Dethan said.
“No!” Sarielle and Garreth said at the same time. She looked at him in surprise. She knew why she had said no. She was afraid they would use her sisters in some nefarious way if they thought they were trapped. But why had he said no?
“She will not last long enough for that,” he said, nodding to her. “She can barely keep the saddle as it is.”
He was right. She was finding it nearly impossible to sit upright. But she had thought she was hiding it effectively from him. He was more attuned to her than she had realized.
“I have an idea,” Garreth said. “We get ahead of them. Ride around full about them so they are coming up to us and not we to them. They will not think we are traveling from Kith, coming from the other direction. We are faster and lighter than they are. That way we can approach them without them having their guard up until the last possible moment.”
“When you’re upon them the mage’s magic will not be able to hide them any longer. Not when you know to look for them,” Sarielle said.
“Then it seems we have a plan. Let’s ride!” Dethan said, spurring his horse hard. It leapt forward. The outriders dashed off behind them.
Garreth did not hurry in their wake at first. He looked down at her. “We cannot continue like this at full speed. I am going to turn you around in the saddle so you may put your arms around me and hold on to me. It
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