Read Online Redemption by Richard S. Tuttle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richard S. Tuttle
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stand out without my wagon," protested Kerzi. "No one will believe you are a merchant warrior without a merchant."
"I will not be traveling in disguise," declared the Salacian prince. "There is no need to. The Borundans are not searching for me, only Antion. I am sorry, Kerzi. I know that you want to go, but it is not possible this time. I will see that Talot and Monte are replaced with a squad of Salacian soldiers for your protection."
"Don't bother," Kerzi said dismissively. "The Anatar-Kyland Road is so thick with Arin soldiers that no self-respecting bandit would come within a hundred miles of it. I will need no escort. You boys take care of each other. I want to see you all return safely."
* * *
The Borundan officer walked into General Ortega's office and waited to be noticed. The general stood staring at a wall map and finally turned around to look at the officer.
"Has there been any communication from General Wikner?' asked General Ortega.
"None," the officer shook his head. "We have not heard a word since King Garrick left the palace."
"Most unusual," frowned the general. "Are you sure about the reports of his troop movements?"
"Positive," nodded the officer. "The whole district between Tarent and Dulga is devoid of troops. They have all been ordered to the eastern border, supposedly for some training exercise."
"Bah," snorted General Ortega. "Since when did Wikner take such an interest in training? Something is afoot, and I do not get a good feeling about it. I leave Tarent for a week, and everything is amiss when I return. Where is Prince Zinan?"
"He has been gone for some time," replied the officer. "He appeared for a single day about two weeks ago and then disappeared again. As usual, he told no one where he was going."
"And what about Naveena?" asked the general.
"Something is strange there," frowned the officer. "She has not come out of her room for two weeks now. Servants deliver trays of food and collect them empty, but no one has seen Naveena or talked to her."
"Well," the general declared forcefully, "someone is about to talk to her. I must know what is going on. Wikner did not move his troops for a training session, and if he is doing something that might start a war, I need to be prepared for it."
"I would advise caution," warned the officer. "She has a temper at times."
"I am well aware of that," replied the general. "I have been the target of her tantrums before, but we have a country to protect."
The officer nodded and retreated from the office while General Ortega removed some papers from his desk. The general left his office and proceeded to the chambers of Naveena. He banged loudly on the door, but there was no response. Boldly, the general opened the door and entered the room. He found Naveena on the floor next to a tray of half-eaten food. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her nose appeared broken. One arm was twisted grotesquely, and her eyes were deep dark hollows that seemed devoid of life. She looked up at him and glared.
"Get out!" she demanded. "No one is to enter my chambers."
General Ortega refused to move. He was well aware of her power, and he was deathly afraid of it, but he could not leave.
"You need a wisper," he said softly. "What happened to you?"
"I am a wisper," retorted Naveena. "I will heal myself."
"If you have been healing yourself for the two weeks that you have been hiding in this room," frowned the general, "I can only imagine what shape you must have been in. Who did this to you?"
"Get out." Naveena tried to scream, but it came out in a choking voice.
Tears formed in the dark hollows of her eyes, and the general moved to her side. He bent down and extended his hand to the wisper.
"Let me help you onto the bed," offered the general. "The cold floor will not help your healing any."
"Help me and you will incur the wrath of the Crown," warned Naveena.
"Then let me incur it," shrugged the general. "You need to be in bed. Give me your hand."
Naveena
"I will not be traveling in disguise," declared the Salacian prince. "There is no need to. The Borundans are not searching for me, only Antion. I am sorry, Kerzi. I know that you want to go, but it is not possible this time. I will see that Talot and Monte are replaced with a squad of Salacian soldiers for your protection."
"Don't bother," Kerzi said dismissively. "The Anatar-Kyland Road is so thick with Arin soldiers that no self-respecting bandit would come within a hundred miles of it. I will need no escort. You boys take care of each other. I want to see you all return safely."
* * *
The Borundan officer walked into General Ortega's office and waited to be noticed. The general stood staring at a wall map and finally turned around to look at the officer.
"Has there been any communication from General Wikner?' asked General Ortega.
"None," the officer shook his head. "We have not heard a word since King Garrick left the palace."
"Most unusual," frowned the general. "Are you sure about the reports of his troop movements?"
"Positive," nodded the officer. "The whole district between Tarent and Dulga is devoid of troops. They have all been ordered to the eastern border, supposedly for some training exercise."
"Bah," snorted General Ortega. "Since when did Wikner take such an interest in training? Something is afoot, and I do not get a good feeling about it. I leave Tarent for a week, and everything is amiss when I return. Where is Prince Zinan?"
"He has been gone for some time," replied the officer. "He appeared for a single day about two weeks ago and then disappeared again. As usual, he told no one where he was going."
"And what about Naveena?" asked the general.
"Something is strange there," frowned the officer. "She has not come out of her room for two weeks now. Servants deliver trays of food and collect them empty, but no one has seen Naveena or talked to her."
"Well," the general declared forcefully, "someone is about to talk to her. I must know what is going on. Wikner did not move his troops for a training session, and if he is doing something that might start a war, I need to be prepared for it."
"I would advise caution," warned the officer. "She has a temper at times."
"I am well aware of that," replied the general. "I have been the target of her tantrums before, but we have a country to protect."
The officer nodded and retreated from the office while General Ortega removed some papers from his desk. The general left his office and proceeded to the chambers of Naveena. He banged loudly on the door, but there was no response. Boldly, the general opened the door and entered the room. He found Naveena on the floor next to a tray of half-eaten food. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her nose appeared broken. One arm was twisted grotesquely, and her eyes were deep dark hollows that seemed devoid of life. She looked up at him and glared.
"Get out!" she demanded. "No one is to enter my chambers."
General Ortega refused to move. He was well aware of her power, and he was deathly afraid of it, but he could not leave.
"You need a wisper," he said softly. "What happened to you?"
"I am a wisper," retorted Naveena. "I will heal myself."
"If you have been healing yourself for the two weeks that you have been hiding in this room," frowned the general, "I can only imagine what shape you must have been in. Who did this to you?"
"Get out." Naveena tried to scream, but it came out in a choking voice.
Tears formed in the dark hollows of her eyes, and the general moved to her side. He bent down and extended his hand to the wisper.
"Let me help you onto the bed," offered the general. "The cold floor will not help your healing any."
"Help me and you will incur the wrath of the Crown," warned Naveena.
"Then let me incur it," shrugged the general. "You need to be in bed. Give me your hand."
Naveena
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