Read Online Exile by Rowena Cory Daniells - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rowena Cory Daniells
Tags: Fantasy
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holy warriors.
There had to be a weakness in King Charald’s defences. Not physically, the king was far too experienced for that, but an army was made up of individuals, whose allegiance extended no farther than the next man in the chain of command.
While conquering the kingdoms of the Secluded Sea campaign, Sorne had seen Charald turn men against their kings and use them to his advantage.
Walking the camp revealed where each baron had pitched his tent, which told Sorne something of their allegiances. There were the five southerners who had risen to the position of baron while serving Charald in his Secluded Sea campaign. He had rewarded them with land and wealth upon returning to Chalcedonia. They were ruthless, ambitious men. Then there were the six original Chalcedonian barons who, when Charald’s cousin had stolen the crown, had given their allegiance to King Matxin. When Charald returned, they had bent over backwards to prove their loyalty.
The southern barons had pitched their tents on the south side of King Charald’s tent, while the Chalcedonian barons were camped to the north.
Clearly neither group trusted the other.
Baron Nitzane occupied an odd position, camped between both sets of barons. King Matxin had banished him and his brother because they were related to Charald through his marriage. They had gone straight to King Charald and served him loyally, so Nitzane and his brother had served with the southern barons. The king had rewarded the eldest brother with the kingdom of Navarone, which he ruled under High King Charald, while Nitzane now owned the estates that had once belonged to both his mother’s father and his father, so he was also a Chalcedonian baron.
It struck Sorne that Charald was right to fear the young baron. If anyone could unite both the southern barons and the Chalcedonian barons against the king, it was Nitzane. This division of loyalties and mistrust could be turned to the Wyrds’ advantage but, as yet, Sorne did not see how.
When he returned to the tent, Zabier appeared more relaxed. As they went outside to join the king, he noticed Zabier’s eyes seemed glassy.
Sorne knew the signs. His brother was an addict.
From what Zabier had said, it had to be pains-ease. Sorne wanted to say something, but he had to be careful. He knew from personal experience that an addict could justify anything.
I MOSHEN DIDN’T LIKE Charald. There was something wrong with the king. And it wasn’t just the way he kept addressing Hueryx and Paragian, even when she spoke directly to him.
‘Winter is upon us. Soon the roads will be impassable,’ Imoshen said. ‘We need to send messages to our estates and they need to travel here or meet us at the port. Many of our ships are at sea. We need to recall them. It would make more sense to start the exile process in the spring, with the aim of leaving by midsummer–’
Charald gave a bark of laughter. ‘I could order my barons to ride out and raze every one of your estates tomorrow. You leave in ten days.’
‘If you razed all of our estates, there would be no reason for us to leave in ten days,’ Imoshen said.
Charald had been watching her, and now his gaze slid past her shoulder to Paragian. She stole a look at Sorne. Was he serving the king?
‘You can send your messengers now and leave on the first day of spring,’ Charald told Paragian.
‘The roads will still be deep in snow,’ Imoshen said. ‘If you want us to travel fast, then mid-spring would be best.’
‘New small moon after spring cusp,’ Charald said. ‘That is my final offer.’
It was what Imoshen had hoped for. ‘Very well, we’ll hand the city over then.’
They had saved their estates and had until new small moon after spring cusp to come up with a plan. If it was possible. If it wasn’t, it would give the brotherhoods time to adjust to the idea of exile.
S ORNE FELL INTO step behind the barons as they left the causeway, crossed the town square and
There had to be a weakness in King Charald’s defences. Not physically, the king was far too experienced for that, but an army was made up of individuals, whose allegiance extended no farther than the next man in the chain of command.
While conquering the kingdoms of the Secluded Sea campaign, Sorne had seen Charald turn men against their kings and use them to his advantage.
Walking the camp revealed where each baron had pitched his tent, which told Sorne something of their allegiances. There were the five southerners who had risen to the position of baron while serving Charald in his Secluded Sea campaign. He had rewarded them with land and wealth upon returning to Chalcedonia. They were ruthless, ambitious men. Then there were the six original Chalcedonian barons who, when Charald’s cousin had stolen the crown, had given their allegiance to King Matxin. When Charald returned, they had bent over backwards to prove their loyalty.
The southern barons had pitched their tents on the south side of King Charald’s tent, while the Chalcedonian barons were camped to the north.
Clearly neither group trusted the other.
Baron Nitzane occupied an odd position, camped between both sets of barons. King Matxin had banished him and his brother because they were related to Charald through his marriage. They had gone straight to King Charald and served him loyally, so Nitzane and his brother had served with the southern barons. The king had rewarded the eldest brother with the kingdom of Navarone, which he ruled under High King Charald, while Nitzane now owned the estates that had once belonged to both his mother’s father and his father, so he was also a Chalcedonian baron.
It struck Sorne that Charald was right to fear the young baron. If anyone could unite both the southern barons and the Chalcedonian barons against the king, it was Nitzane. This division of loyalties and mistrust could be turned to the Wyrds’ advantage but, as yet, Sorne did not see how.
When he returned to the tent, Zabier appeared more relaxed. As they went outside to join the king, he noticed Zabier’s eyes seemed glassy.
Sorne knew the signs. His brother was an addict.
From what Zabier had said, it had to be pains-ease. Sorne wanted to say something, but he had to be careful. He knew from personal experience that an addict could justify anything.
I MOSHEN DIDN’T LIKE Charald. There was something wrong with the king. And it wasn’t just the way he kept addressing Hueryx and Paragian, even when she spoke directly to him.
‘Winter is upon us. Soon the roads will be impassable,’ Imoshen said. ‘We need to send messages to our estates and they need to travel here or meet us at the port. Many of our ships are at sea. We need to recall them. It would make more sense to start the exile process in the spring, with the aim of leaving by midsummer–’
Charald gave a bark of laughter. ‘I could order my barons to ride out and raze every one of your estates tomorrow. You leave in ten days.’
‘If you razed all of our estates, there would be no reason for us to leave in ten days,’ Imoshen said.
Charald had been watching her, and now his gaze slid past her shoulder to Paragian. She stole a look at Sorne. Was he serving the king?
‘You can send your messengers now and leave on the first day of spring,’ Charald told Paragian.
‘The roads will still be deep in snow,’ Imoshen said. ‘If you want us to travel fast, then mid-spring would be best.’
‘New small moon after spring cusp,’ Charald said. ‘That is my final offer.’
It was what Imoshen had hoped for. ‘Very well, we’ll hand the city over then.’
They had saved their estates and had until new small moon after spring cusp to come up with a plan. If it was possible. If it wasn’t, it would give the brotherhoods time to adjust to the idea of exile.
S ORNE FELL INTO step behind the barons as they left the causeway, crossed the town square and
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