Master’s dwelling. They directed her to the Supreme One, telling her only the House of the Lord and Lady kept the archives.
Feeling like the day had been wasted, Brianne headed to the fortress only to be stopped at the entrance. “I’m staying here.” Her tone was polite, none of her annoyance leaking through.
“I’ve had no word of anyone new living at the fortress,” the soldier said.
He was a different soldier to the first one Brianne had met, but seemed to be equally as difficult. “I’m staying with the General and his family.”
“No one has informed me. If you have no proof, I can’t let you in.”
How was she meant to get proof? “Send for one of them. Any of the General’s family could tell you I’m staying here.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t disturb the General unless it’s an emergency.”
Brianne glared at him, his arrogant tone increasing her annoyance. “Then have someone fetch Garnet.”
“I can’t have the General’s daughter brought before someone who might be a stranger and a risk to her.”
A scream of frustration stirred inside her. “Then fetch Talon.”
The soldier shook his head. “I’m afraid you’ll have to find some other way to prove you’re meant to be here. Now please move on and stop causing trouble.”
There was no other way she could prove she was meant to be there. It was impossible. Frustration filled her and she stepped away, staring into the city as she tried to figure out what to do. Would Garnet wonder where she was when she didn’t turn up to dinner? A glance over her shoulder showed the soldier still watched her. Was this normal behaviour or had the General ordered them not to let her back in if she returned alone. She needed to get into the fortress. How could she return to her people with nothing to help them? She couldn’t. Taking another couple of steps forward her eyes searched the area. There were no answers.
No way in and nowhere else to go. Her right hand curled at her side, wishing she had her sword. Then she’d have shown the guard what she thought of his attitude. Him and his fellow guard. No one had been able to beat her in any of her classes. She sighed. None of her training had helped. She rubbed at her shoulder. Not one single bit.
“Why are you standing here?”
Brianne turned to see Talon. He’d snuck up on her while she’d been busy wallowing in self-pity and she hadn’t noticed. She had to be more careful. “They won’t let me in.” She glanced towards the soldiers guarding the main entrance.
“Why?”
“Apparently I have no proof I’m staying here and they wouldn’t fetch anyone who could vouch for me.” Talon remained quiet long enough that she began to think he mightn’t be willing to vouch for her.
Then he nodded and held out his hand. “Come on.”
She took the hand with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
“I haven’t gotten you inside yet. Maybe he’s decided neither of us are welcome back.”
Brianne didn’t need to ask who ‘he’ was. She walked beside Talon, unable to resist giving the soldier a smile as she stepped into the building. It looked like it was only her who wasn’t welcome.
Chapter Fourteen
Talon
Pushing the food around on his plate, Talon made a pretence of eating. The pain had been steadily increasing and he didn’t think the food would stay down if he ate it. He was tempted to rise from the table and leave. It couldn’t make his father any more angrier with him. The meal seemed like it would last forever and everything Lacey had said about what she’d done that afternoon had sounded so plausible. Maybe too plausible. He didn’t know what to think.
Garnet was telling their mother something and Talon couldn’t focus enough to work out what she was saying. He’d had enough. Rising to his feet, he pushed away from the table.
“Where are you going?” Barrett demanded.
“Out.”
“You haven’t finished eating.” Barrett pointed towards the barely touched plate
Feeling like the day had been wasted, Brianne headed to the fortress only to be stopped at the entrance. “I’m staying here.” Her tone was polite, none of her annoyance leaking through.
“I’ve had no word of anyone new living at the fortress,” the soldier said.
He was a different soldier to the first one Brianne had met, but seemed to be equally as difficult. “I’m staying with the General and his family.”
“No one has informed me. If you have no proof, I can’t let you in.”
How was she meant to get proof? “Send for one of them. Any of the General’s family could tell you I’m staying here.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t disturb the General unless it’s an emergency.”
Brianne glared at him, his arrogant tone increasing her annoyance. “Then have someone fetch Garnet.”
“I can’t have the General’s daughter brought before someone who might be a stranger and a risk to her.”
A scream of frustration stirred inside her. “Then fetch Talon.”
The soldier shook his head. “I’m afraid you’ll have to find some other way to prove you’re meant to be here. Now please move on and stop causing trouble.”
There was no other way she could prove she was meant to be there. It was impossible. Frustration filled her and she stepped away, staring into the city as she tried to figure out what to do. Would Garnet wonder where she was when she didn’t turn up to dinner? A glance over her shoulder showed the soldier still watched her. Was this normal behaviour or had the General ordered them not to let her back in if she returned alone. She needed to get into the fortress. How could she return to her people with nothing to help them? She couldn’t. Taking another couple of steps forward her eyes searched the area. There were no answers.
No way in and nowhere else to go. Her right hand curled at her side, wishing she had her sword. Then she’d have shown the guard what she thought of his attitude. Him and his fellow guard. No one had been able to beat her in any of her classes. She sighed. None of her training had helped. She rubbed at her shoulder. Not one single bit.
“Why are you standing here?”
Brianne turned to see Talon. He’d snuck up on her while she’d been busy wallowing in self-pity and she hadn’t noticed. She had to be more careful. “They won’t let me in.” She glanced towards the soldiers guarding the main entrance.
“Why?”
“Apparently I have no proof I’m staying here and they wouldn’t fetch anyone who could vouch for me.” Talon remained quiet long enough that she began to think he mightn’t be willing to vouch for her.
Then he nodded and held out his hand. “Come on.”
She took the hand with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”
“I haven’t gotten you inside yet. Maybe he’s decided neither of us are welcome back.”
Brianne didn’t need to ask who ‘he’ was. She walked beside Talon, unable to resist giving the soldier a smile as she stepped into the building. It looked like it was only her who wasn’t welcome.
Chapter Fourteen
Talon
Pushing the food around on his plate, Talon made a pretence of eating. The pain had been steadily increasing and he didn’t think the food would stay down if he ate it. He was tempted to rise from the table and leave. It couldn’t make his father any more angrier with him. The meal seemed like it would last forever and everything Lacey had said about what she’d done that afternoon had sounded so plausible. Maybe too plausible. He didn’t know what to think.
Garnet was telling their mother something and Talon couldn’t focus enough to work out what she was saying. He’d had enough. Rising to his feet, he pushed away from the table.
“Where are you going?” Barrett demanded.
“Out.”
“You haven’t finished eating.” Barrett pointed towards the barely touched plate
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