Read Online Jalia At Bay (Book 4) by John Booth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: John Booth
Ads: Link
gently. “Open the gate, Hala, you can’t run the fort on your own.”
“Haf, Lina, open the gate,” Hala said in a choking voice. Nothing happened for long moments.
“We’ll have to go and help them, Hala,” Pald said a few seconds later. “Lina and Haf aren’t strong enough to lift the bar.”
It was several minutes later that the left gate opened a crack. Daniel got down from Jet and helped the children pull one of the heavy wooden gates open.
The gate opened to reveal two pre-teen children, and a girl and boy even younger. Jalia and Donal rode into the compound while Daniel followed on foot.
“Is this all the clan children?” Jalia asked in surprise. “Are there no babies or toddlers?”
“This is all of us,” Hala Taldon said haughtily. “The Taldon’s do not breed like rabbits”
“The population is shrinking everywhere in Jalon,” Daniel remarked to no one in particular. “Couples barely replace themselves these days.”
“It sounds like the people of Jalon are getting more intelligent to me,” Jalia said tartly. “All right you miniature Taldons. Where do you keep the slaves?”
Malda drove the small cart through the gates with Dell sitting in his seat next to her. He looked white, as all the blood had drained from his face and he was about to faint. Standing up had taken the strength out of him. The four children said nothing and looked towards Dell for instructions.
“Where did the adults lock up the servants, Hala?” Dell asked.
“They are in the dungeons, of course.” Hala sniffed disdainfully. “Where else would Mallon lock up his stinking whores?”
Jalia leapt off Swift and slapped Hala so hard across the face that she flew to the ground and started crying.
“They are not whores, because they had no choice,” Jalia told the child, angry words dripping out like venom. “We could sell you into slavery or give you to the men of Sweetwater to use. What would that make you?”
“She knows no better,” Daniel said softly.
“Then she had better start learning fast, if she wants to carry on living.”
“Peasant bitch!”
Daniel stepped between the child and Jalia before Jalia could kill the girl.
“Dell, take care of your clan while you still have some left.” Daniel stepped sideways with Jalia, making it clear that she would have to go through him to get at the girl.
“Hala, you will be whipped for your words,” Dell shouted, trying to defuse the situation. “Apologize to Lady Jalia at once, or you will get far worse than a mere whipping.”
Hala stared defiantly at Dell who stared back at her equally strongly. It was Hala who looked away first.
“I apologize, Lady Jalia,” Hala said without a hint of contrition in her voice.
Jalia clenched her fists and looked into Daniel’s eyes.
“Let it go, Jalia. The slaves have probably been locked up for almost a day without food or water. They should be our concern.”
Jalia turned away and remounted her horse in one smooth motion. She kicked Swift into action and rode towards the buildings at the top of the hill.
“Punish the girl so she never forgets how close she came to death just now,” Daniel instructed Dell before swinging into Jet’s saddle and riding after Jalia.
10. Slaves
Jalia tried to let the anger ebb out of her as she rode between the buildings, looking for one that might contain a dungeon. The large circular building drew her attention and she stopped Swift outside its doors and dismounted. The dirty glass panels in its roof let through only a limited amount of light. Jalia walked slowly into the massive hall, letting her eyes acclimatize to the gloom.
There was grandeur about this building. The absolute silence inside it was eerie. It was as if ghosts or Fairie were about to appear out of thin air. The fire in the center of the room was nearly out. White ash covered what remained of the logs that fed it. Jalia approached the raised dais covered in animal furs and saw
“Haf, Lina, open the gate,” Hala said in a choking voice. Nothing happened for long moments.
“We’ll have to go and help them, Hala,” Pald said a few seconds later. “Lina and Haf aren’t strong enough to lift the bar.”
It was several minutes later that the left gate opened a crack. Daniel got down from Jet and helped the children pull one of the heavy wooden gates open.
The gate opened to reveal two pre-teen children, and a girl and boy even younger. Jalia and Donal rode into the compound while Daniel followed on foot.
“Is this all the clan children?” Jalia asked in surprise. “Are there no babies or toddlers?”
“This is all of us,” Hala Taldon said haughtily. “The Taldon’s do not breed like rabbits”
“The population is shrinking everywhere in Jalon,” Daniel remarked to no one in particular. “Couples barely replace themselves these days.”
“It sounds like the people of Jalon are getting more intelligent to me,” Jalia said tartly. “All right you miniature Taldons. Where do you keep the slaves?”
Malda drove the small cart through the gates with Dell sitting in his seat next to her. He looked white, as all the blood had drained from his face and he was about to faint. Standing up had taken the strength out of him. The four children said nothing and looked towards Dell for instructions.
“Where did the adults lock up the servants, Hala?” Dell asked.
“They are in the dungeons, of course.” Hala sniffed disdainfully. “Where else would Mallon lock up his stinking whores?”
Jalia leapt off Swift and slapped Hala so hard across the face that she flew to the ground and started crying.
“They are not whores, because they had no choice,” Jalia told the child, angry words dripping out like venom. “We could sell you into slavery or give you to the men of Sweetwater to use. What would that make you?”
“She knows no better,” Daniel said softly.
“Then she had better start learning fast, if she wants to carry on living.”
“Peasant bitch!”
Daniel stepped between the child and Jalia before Jalia could kill the girl.
“Dell, take care of your clan while you still have some left.” Daniel stepped sideways with Jalia, making it clear that she would have to go through him to get at the girl.
“Hala, you will be whipped for your words,” Dell shouted, trying to defuse the situation. “Apologize to Lady Jalia at once, or you will get far worse than a mere whipping.”
Hala stared defiantly at Dell who stared back at her equally strongly. It was Hala who looked away first.
“I apologize, Lady Jalia,” Hala said without a hint of contrition in her voice.
Jalia clenched her fists and looked into Daniel’s eyes.
“Let it go, Jalia. The slaves have probably been locked up for almost a day without food or water. They should be our concern.”
Jalia turned away and remounted her horse in one smooth motion. She kicked Swift into action and rode towards the buildings at the top of the hill.
“Punish the girl so she never forgets how close she came to death just now,” Daniel instructed Dell before swinging into Jet’s saddle and riding after Jalia.
10. Slaves
Jalia tried to let the anger ebb out of her as she rode between the buildings, looking for one that might contain a dungeon. The large circular building drew her attention and she stopped Swift outside its doors and dismounted. The dirty glass panels in its roof let through only a limited amount of light. Jalia walked slowly into the massive hall, letting her eyes acclimatize to the gloom.
There was grandeur about this building. The absolute silence inside it was eerie. It was as if ghosts or Fairie were about to appear out of thin air. The fire in the center of the room was nearly out. White ash covered what remained of the logs that fed it. Jalia approached the raised dais covered in animal furs and saw
Similar Books
