Read Online Gate to Kandrith (The Kandrith Series) by Nicole Luiken - Free Book Online
Authors: Nicole Luiken
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strike again.”
Sara felt daunted. “Unless I can uncover proof of the Slavelanders’ guilt.”
“No,” her father said. “I told you, it’s too late to stop the war with Qi. What I need from you is the secret of the Slavelander’s magic, so that we can protect ourselves from future attack.”
Sara shivered. Yes, Sylvanus must be protected.
She stood up. “I will leave you then. As you say, there is much to do.” Her maids would already have begun packing both her trunks and their own. She suddenly realized that Rochelle couldn’t go. Not with an ailing child, and it would be too cruel to separate them. She would need another maid to replace Rochelle as well as a cook and enough guards to stand all the watches…
Sara’s mind was busy sorting, but she paused on the threshold of the chamber. “Can you offer me any advice on how to accomplish my task?”
Her father chuckled. “Ah, Sarathena, I don’t think you understand how most men are affected by your beauty…what a man will do for a smile from you.”
Sara’s heart turned to stone in her breast. So. This wasn’t any different from bringing in an advantageous marriage offer. She was still to use her body.
How stupid of her to think otherwise. As her father had gently pointed out a time or two, she had no head for politics, and her ability to add and multiply numbers quickly wouldn’t be much help in this kind of situation.
Sara schooled her face into blankness. To keep her family safe, she would do whatever she had to do.
“Is something amiss, Lady Sarathena?” Julen asked with fake solicitude.
“Of course not,” she said at once. “I was just thinking I shall have to add a translator to my household.”
But her father shook his head. “No need. Most, if not all, Slavelanders will speak Tembori. They must, just to communicate among themselves. Slaveland is a hodge-podge of peoples—Gotians, Elysinians, Grasslanders—whose only common trait is that they were once Republican slaves.” He paused. “In any case, I’m afraid a household is impossible. You are permitted to bring only one companion. The King of Slaves mislikes foreigners crossing his borders.”
“Only one?” Sara repeated, aghast. “But, without my own household, who will protect me from poison and assassination?”
“They won’t dare touch a hair on your head,” her father said grimly. “While their magic makes Slaveland strong, it is not impregnable. They won’t risk open warfare with the Republic. Or they would not have resorted to this cowardly attack in the first place.”
Sara appreciated her father’s attempt to reassure her, but knew that if she was caught spying, she risked death.
So she wouldn’t let herself be caught.
Taking a deep breath, Sara took refuge in practicalities. “What about my maid? Does the companion rule include her?” She would need another woman as a chaperone for the journey if nothing else.
“Servants aren’t companions. They can’t mean to exclude your personal maid,” her father assured her. “Why don’t you ask your friend Hespera to accompany you?”
Sara shook her head. Hespera was an acquaintance, not a friend, and, in any case, no highborn girl’s family would permit her to come.
Sara tried desperately to think of someone else. Aunt Evina would never leave the gambling pursuits and amusements of the city. She had no cousins.
“Might I suggest a suitable companion, my lady?”
Sara looked up at Julen’s handsome, smiling face and knew she would hate whoever he suggested. He was enjoying rubbing her nose in the fact that she had no friends. Instinctively, she struck back. “Why, Julen, how kind of you to volunteer.” Satisfaction surged through Sara at Julen’s horrified expression. She savored it for a moment before letting him off the hook. “It’s too bad Father can’t spare you.”
“You know, that’s an excellent suggestion,” her father said thoughtfully. “I should have thought of it
Sara felt daunted. “Unless I can uncover proof of the Slavelanders’ guilt.”
“No,” her father said. “I told you, it’s too late to stop the war with Qi. What I need from you is the secret of the Slavelander’s magic, so that we can protect ourselves from future attack.”
Sara shivered. Yes, Sylvanus must be protected.
She stood up. “I will leave you then. As you say, there is much to do.” Her maids would already have begun packing both her trunks and their own. She suddenly realized that Rochelle couldn’t go. Not with an ailing child, and it would be too cruel to separate them. She would need another maid to replace Rochelle as well as a cook and enough guards to stand all the watches…
Sara’s mind was busy sorting, but she paused on the threshold of the chamber. “Can you offer me any advice on how to accomplish my task?”
Her father chuckled. “Ah, Sarathena, I don’t think you understand how most men are affected by your beauty…what a man will do for a smile from you.”
Sara’s heart turned to stone in her breast. So. This wasn’t any different from bringing in an advantageous marriage offer. She was still to use her body.
How stupid of her to think otherwise. As her father had gently pointed out a time or two, she had no head for politics, and her ability to add and multiply numbers quickly wouldn’t be much help in this kind of situation.
Sara schooled her face into blankness. To keep her family safe, she would do whatever she had to do.
“Is something amiss, Lady Sarathena?” Julen asked with fake solicitude.
“Of course not,” she said at once. “I was just thinking I shall have to add a translator to my household.”
But her father shook his head. “No need. Most, if not all, Slavelanders will speak Tembori. They must, just to communicate among themselves. Slaveland is a hodge-podge of peoples—Gotians, Elysinians, Grasslanders—whose only common trait is that they were once Republican slaves.” He paused. “In any case, I’m afraid a household is impossible. You are permitted to bring only one companion. The King of Slaves mislikes foreigners crossing his borders.”
“Only one?” Sara repeated, aghast. “But, without my own household, who will protect me from poison and assassination?”
“They won’t dare touch a hair on your head,” her father said grimly. “While their magic makes Slaveland strong, it is not impregnable. They won’t risk open warfare with the Republic. Or they would not have resorted to this cowardly attack in the first place.”
Sara appreciated her father’s attempt to reassure her, but knew that if she was caught spying, she risked death.
So she wouldn’t let herself be caught.
Taking a deep breath, Sara took refuge in practicalities. “What about my maid? Does the companion rule include her?” She would need another woman as a chaperone for the journey if nothing else.
“Servants aren’t companions. They can’t mean to exclude your personal maid,” her father assured her. “Why don’t you ask your friend Hespera to accompany you?”
Sara shook her head. Hespera was an acquaintance, not a friend, and, in any case, no highborn girl’s family would permit her to come.
Sara tried desperately to think of someone else. Aunt Evina would never leave the gambling pursuits and amusements of the city. She had no cousins.
“Might I suggest a suitable companion, my lady?”
Sara looked up at Julen’s handsome, smiling face and knew she would hate whoever he suggested. He was enjoying rubbing her nose in the fact that she had no friends. Instinctively, she struck back. “Why, Julen, how kind of you to volunteer.” Satisfaction surged through Sara at Julen’s horrified expression. She savored it for a moment before letting him off the hook. “It’s too bad Father can’t spare you.”
“You know, that’s an excellent suggestion,” her father said thoughtfully. “I should have thought of it
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