Read Online Lord Protector by T C Southwell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: T C Southwell
Ads: Link
will work for a beggar if he has the money to pay for it."
"But lately you only work for queens and regents."
"I've had no other offers." He glanced at the rolling pin. "What were you planning to do with that?"
She shrugged. "Beat some sense into you."
He smiled. "You wouldn't do that."
"I would, to save your life." She slipped her arm through his, and he tolerated her possessive touch with a wry smile. "Now tell me how you plan to kill this Cotti."
"I'll employ the tactics I told you about earlier. The best way to kill an assassin is to waylay him, preferably in a crowded place."
"So you'll go to the inn."
He nodded. "Even if he's not staying there, which he probably is, he'll go there to drink."
Her grip on his arm tightened. "But you'll be careful, won't you?"
"Afraid you'll lose your meal ticket?"
"You see?" Lilu turned to her daughter. "I told you he still thinks I saved him for his money. And it does no good to point out that when I found him, I didn't know he had any."
"No," Blade agreed. "Because you thought that even if I had none then, I'd make some in the future."
"I didn't even know you'd live."
"But you hoped I would."
Lilu gave a snort of frustration and released him, marched across the room and collected her rolling pin on the way. At the door, she paused to look back at him.
"One of these days I really will beat some sense into you."
He chuckled. "You'll have to catch me first."
Chapter Six
That night, Blade retired to the library with a bottle of wine after supper, as he usually did. He wanted to get to the inn while it was still busy, without his guards. Picking up the hooded coat he had brought to the room earlier, he donned it before going to the window and pulling it open, admitting a gust of freezing wind and snow.
Slipping over the sill, he climbed down the wall, his fingers finding cracks between the rough stones. Without gloves, his hands soon grew cold, and the icy stones made the descent treacherous. He recalled the time, long ago, when he had leapt from a hall window on the same floor to escape capture, breaking his leg in the process.
Dropping the last few feet, he landed in a deep drift and struggled from it, rubbed and blew on his hands before he pulled on his gloves. The library window overlooked the wild lands at the back of the castle, so he did not have to avoid the guards in the courtyard. He set off towards the distant village at a brisk pace, the fact that he could have taken a horse if not for the soldiers souring his mood.
Snow drifted from a moonless sky, and the freezing air chilled his lungs and nose. Frozen ironwood trees bordered the road, their boughs heavy with ice and snow, their roots hard in the chill earth while their sap slumbered. Starlight silvered the pristine whiteness of occasional fields and glades where shy beasts slipped from view. He floundered through a few deep snowdrifts, but the exertion warmed him and his fitness meant that the journey, though onerous, was not unduly taxing. Nevertheless, he was glad to reach the village's outskirts, and avoided the muddy roads on his way to the dilapidated inn.
Blade pulled up his hood and pushed open the door, entering with a gust of wind and snow. He glanced around at the crowded, dimly lighted room. Like most such establishments, it had a seedy, run-down air that was the legacy of too many brawls and not enough cleaning. Tarnished copper pots hung over a fireplace in the far wall, and battered furniture provided seating for the customers. Dirty sawdust covered the floor, stained in places with spilt ale or wine, perhaps even a little blood. A roaring fire crackled, and a bored looking boy turned a carcass, too shrivelled to be identified, on a spit over it. A few patrons looked at Blade, but most did not bother to interrupt their conversations. Storm sat on the far side, his back to the wall, in the favoured position of assassins. The Cotti had shaved off his beard, but was otherwise
"But lately you only work for queens and regents."
"I've had no other offers." He glanced at the rolling pin. "What were you planning to do with that?"
She shrugged. "Beat some sense into you."
He smiled. "You wouldn't do that."
"I would, to save your life." She slipped her arm through his, and he tolerated her possessive touch with a wry smile. "Now tell me how you plan to kill this Cotti."
"I'll employ the tactics I told you about earlier. The best way to kill an assassin is to waylay him, preferably in a crowded place."
"So you'll go to the inn."
He nodded. "Even if he's not staying there, which he probably is, he'll go there to drink."
Her grip on his arm tightened. "But you'll be careful, won't you?"
"Afraid you'll lose your meal ticket?"
"You see?" Lilu turned to her daughter. "I told you he still thinks I saved him for his money. And it does no good to point out that when I found him, I didn't know he had any."
"No," Blade agreed. "Because you thought that even if I had none then, I'd make some in the future."
"I didn't even know you'd live."
"But you hoped I would."
Lilu gave a snort of frustration and released him, marched across the room and collected her rolling pin on the way. At the door, she paused to look back at him.
"One of these days I really will beat some sense into you."
He chuckled. "You'll have to catch me first."
Chapter Six
That night, Blade retired to the library with a bottle of wine after supper, as he usually did. He wanted to get to the inn while it was still busy, without his guards. Picking up the hooded coat he had brought to the room earlier, he donned it before going to the window and pulling it open, admitting a gust of freezing wind and snow.
Slipping over the sill, he climbed down the wall, his fingers finding cracks between the rough stones. Without gloves, his hands soon grew cold, and the icy stones made the descent treacherous. He recalled the time, long ago, when he had leapt from a hall window on the same floor to escape capture, breaking his leg in the process.
Dropping the last few feet, he landed in a deep drift and struggled from it, rubbed and blew on his hands before he pulled on his gloves. The library window overlooked the wild lands at the back of the castle, so he did not have to avoid the guards in the courtyard. He set off towards the distant village at a brisk pace, the fact that he could have taken a horse if not for the soldiers souring his mood.
Snow drifted from a moonless sky, and the freezing air chilled his lungs and nose. Frozen ironwood trees bordered the road, their boughs heavy with ice and snow, their roots hard in the chill earth while their sap slumbered. Starlight silvered the pristine whiteness of occasional fields and glades where shy beasts slipped from view. He floundered through a few deep snowdrifts, but the exertion warmed him and his fitness meant that the journey, though onerous, was not unduly taxing. Nevertheless, he was glad to reach the village's outskirts, and avoided the muddy roads on his way to the dilapidated inn.
Blade pulled up his hood and pushed open the door, entering with a gust of wind and snow. He glanced around at the crowded, dimly lighted room. Like most such establishments, it had a seedy, run-down air that was the legacy of too many brawls and not enough cleaning. Tarnished copper pots hung over a fireplace in the far wall, and battered furniture provided seating for the customers. Dirty sawdust covered the floor, stained in places with spilt ale or wine, perhaps even a little blood. A roaring fire crackled, and a bored looking boy turned a carcass, too shrivelled to be identified, on a spit over it. A few patrons looked at Blade, but most did not bother to interrupt their conversations. Storm sat on the far side, his back to the wall, in the favoured position of assassins. The Cotti had shaved off his beard, but was otherwise
Similar Books
