Read Online Second Stone by Kelly Walker - Free Book Online Page B

he continued to walk, anxiety not allowing him to pause for even a moment. “Why won’t she wake?” It had been two days. Nothing they tried made any difference.
    “We’re concerned about her, too,” Jessa said, pulling her cloak tighter around herself in the chilly night air. “But if you don’t rest—if you wear yourself out—you won’t be of any help to her.”
    “I’m not of any help to her now .” Torian clenched his hands into a fist. It was an impossible situation. The two most important people in his life needed him…and he was useless to them both.
    “We’re going to have to make some decisions soon,” Garith said. “The troops are getting restless.” Spread like a web around their tent, the soldiers’ own tents weaved a large camp, sprawling in every direction. Raucous laughter occasionally wafted from the other campfires.
    Torian ran his fingers back absentmindedly through his hair, thinking hard. “I know…I know.” If I move her, and it causes more harm than good… Maybe I’ve already caused more harm… If only I knew what was wrong with her! Plus, what chance did he have of getting Oren released without her? For probably the first time in his royal life, he had no clue what to do.
    Footsteps from behind the tent betrayed someone’s tentative approach. Torian stopped pacing and peered into the darkness.
    Leil stepped into the firelight and Torian felt a surge of anger. He needed someone other than himself to be furious with. He was just about to open his mouth with a sharp remark to the man he still didn’t trust when Leil spoke first.
    “I just came to see how she was doing. Is there any change?” Leil’s voice was so hopeful, Torian’s anger evaporated. Deflated, he shook his head.
    Torian looked back and forth between Jessa and Garith. They both seemed to share his discomfort. He really wasn’t sure what to say to the man.
    Leil shuffled back and forth from one foot to the other in the uneasy silence. Finally, he looked up and met Torian’s eyes before glancing back toward Emariya’s tent. “Well, she’ll wake when she’s ready, I reckon. If there’s anything I can do…” He let the words trail off.
    “Have you eaten?” Garith asked.
    “No. I don’t really fit in with the soldiers, and I don’t really fit with the servants, either. No fire’s had a place for me.” Leil looked down at his feet.
    Torian huffed. There weren’t many people he’d be less inclined to share a fire with.
    Without waiting for a signal from Torian, Jessa offered Leil a seat. “I don’t really fit with the servants, either. You can sit with us. It’s what Riya would want.” She grabbed a nearby plate.
    She was right, of course. Torian nodded his begrudging consent. “You’re welcome with us anytime,” he said stiffly.
    Keeping his eyes turned away, Leil thanked him.
    “We’ve got to get moving if what your father saw will truly happen in the spring,” Garith prodded. “You’ve already sent more men after your sister. Why don’t we continue to Sheas harbor to rescue Oren? Or are you still thinking of going to Eltar?”
    “I don’t know.” Torian glanced up at the cloud-heavy sky as if he might find the answers written there.
    “Well, what good would going to Eltar serve? What can you do that your troops can’t?”
    Glaring, Torian wondered when Garith had gotten so damn logical. “I don’t know. I was counting on Emariya to be able to help negotiate with Rees Hendel. Without her…I don’t know if I will have any chance at all.”
    “How’d this even happen, anyway?” Rink asked between bites of his stew. Rink had almost gone with Commander Plank to help guide the extra forces Torian was sending through Eltar, but he had begged to remain with Emariya, and no one had the heart to deny him. “Where were the guards?”
    “With us.” They’d left only a small force at the castle. They just weren’t able to be everywhere, especially not with so many visitors still