Read Online The Bloodsworn by Erin Lindsey - Free Book Online Page B

that would be the death of her husband. Her brother, meanwhile, was left holding the line against twenty thousand Oridians. Everything depended on what Alix did here, and how quickly she did it.
    Which was why she’d let Rig talk her into bringing along a civilian—a priestess, no less.
She’d better pull her weight
.
    As if sensing the thought, Vel’s expression smoothed, all business now. “I’m not sure how much you already know about the Resistance.”
    â€œOnly a little. They’re a fairly new phenomenon, from what I can tell.”
    â€œOur knowledge of them is, at any rate,” Vel said. “I have the impression that they are not quite as new as we suppose.”
    â€œA good bet,” Dain said. “Seems likely they’d be around for a while before word reached our ears of it.”
    â€œWhite-hairs are a prideful lot,” Ide put in, “being they used to rule the empire and all. Getting conquered can’t sit well with them. Probably been working against the Trionate from the beginning.”
    â€œThough how organised they are,” Vel said, “we cannot tell. Myself, I am not convinced that the Resistance operates as a single cohesive entity. General Black and I believe theymay be more of a loose coalition of cells operating independently.”
    General Black.
The priestess had yet to refer to Rig by his given name, or even as
your brother
. Deliberate, Alix judged, as was the reminder that she enjoyed Rig’s confidence.
She knows how you feel about all this, and she’s as uncomfortable with it as you are.
If anything, that only made things more awkward.
    â€œHow many are they?” Alix asked.
    Vel shook her head. “I asked few questions of that nature. General Black did not send me for the purposes of reconnaissance, but rather to establish contact. I judged that asking too many pointed questions would strain our fragile trust.”
    She had good instincts for a civilian, Alix had to admit. “How fragile is that trust, exactly?”
    â€œStronger now, I think, after we worked together successfully in the last battle.”
    â€œAnything else I should know?”
    â€œNot that I can think of, except perhaps to remember that these are hard, dangerous men. Wraith, especially. He is difficult to read. We should not anticipate a warm welcome. Nor, I think, should we anticipate charity.”
    â€œMeaning?”
    Vel shrugged. “Only that his first priority is the freedom of his country.”
    â€œAnd my priority is Alden’s freedom.”
And the freedom of her king
, Alix added inwardly.
    â€œMay those two priorities never diverge,” the priestess said, as solemn as a prayer.
    *   *   *
    They were making good time the following day when the priestess saw fit to stop—in the middle of a field, in broad daylight, where any Sam Stumble-Along could see.
    â€œWe need to keep moving,” Alix said.
    Vel scarcely seemed to hear. “I don’t understand it. Wraith’s men should have found us by now.”
    â€œ
Someone
certainly will if we don’t get out of the open.”
    â€œMaybe the Resistance has moved on,” Dain said.
    Alix shook her head. “That wouldn’t make sense. This areais teeming with Sadik’s men. If the Resistance wants to keep an eye on them, this is where they’ll be.”
    â€œThey are nearby,” Vel said. “I
know
it.” To Alix’s ears, it sounded more like wishful thinking than a statement of fact.
    â€œKeep moving.” Putting actions to words, Alix brushed past the priestess and continued across the field.
    Highmount had been right about the terrain being open. And Liam, she was forced to admit, had been right about it posing a problem. Avoiding the roads might lessen the odds of bumping into Oridian soldiers, but it also made their party look suspicious, tracking through fields of winter wheat without hoe or