Read Online The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alex Lidell
Ads: Link
that’s great because you like the cause. And I think the Crown is about to get a bloody nose or worse!” She paused for breath and blinked, rubbing her forehead. “Speaking of tomorrow, I near forgot to ask . . . Would you be my Queen’s Day dinner bodyguard?”
Renee raised her brows. The Palace Guard was responsible for palace security and hated outside interference, especially from the military. “The Palace Guard will never permit it.” She could already see Fisker’s face darken at seeing a cadet interfere with his work. “And why bodyguards at a family dinner to begin with?”
“A compromise. With the recent unrest, the guard captain wanted extra palace security in the dining room and Lys didn’t. They finally agreed that Fisker’s team will remain outside and each guest will choose his own bodyguard to bring inside. I asked that you be mine. If you don’t mind, of course—”
Renee vaulted up to hug her friend, not bothering to muffle a cry of glee. She was going on her first field assignment. In the
palace
. With the Crown himself in attendance. “Do you know who will stand behind King Lysian?” she asked upon reclaiming some semblance of dignity.
“Last I heard . . . ” Sasha made a show of rubbing her lip in thought. “Who was it? Oh. Right. Servant Commander Korish Savoy.” She smiled. “He wanted you to come see him tomorrow. You two are the only ones coming from the Academy.”
“The only ones?” Renee echoed, licking her lips. The only ones. Just her and the commander of the Seventh.
Excitement roused Renee from bed before dawn the next morning. Her sword, sharpened and polished, hung on her hip. She ran her hand over the pommel, engraved with the crest of the de Winter estate. The sword had been intended for her brother, but Lord Tamath had gifted it to her back when he believed her capable of graduating, when he thought she’d grow as strong as Riley had once promised to be.
Still, it was her blade now, and together they were heading to their first real mission. Renee smiled. Her uniform was pressed. Her boots polished. And, despite her stomach’s rebellion at the thought of food, she was ready. She was not, however, suicidal, and thus confined herself to loitering outside Savoy’s quarters instead of waking him.
She was still there when a whirlwind of a boy in a nightshirt raced through the corridor and vaulted past her into the room.
“Korish!” Diam’s voice escaped into the hallway. “Korish! There’s someone under my bed.”
A pause. Renee held her breath.
The bed creaked. “Go kill it,” said Savoy.
“I don’t wanna kill anyone.”
A sigh. “Ask de Winter to do it. She clearly has no better activity for this hour of the morning. Guarding my room notwithstanding.”
Her cheeks heated. Taking the comment for invitation, Renee edged her way inside. With the furniture back in place, the quarters looked almost normal, except for the small boy curled at Savoy’s side.
“There’s somebody under my bed,” Diam informed Renee gravely, then turned back to his brother. “A page said Mother and Father couldn’t come today ’cause mercenaries aren’t allowed.”
Mercenaries?
Renee kept her face still. Soldiers for hire held little reputation for honor.
“Horse shit.” Savoy spoke to his brother but looked at her, daring a comment. When she made none, he extracted himself from the bed and tossed a blanket over Diam’s head. “They don’t come because they have a contract in the west, at the Devmani border, guarding a merchant caravan from unwelcome neighbors.”
“Why?” The wool muffled the question.
“Because a new king is an appetizing target.” He turned to Renee and sighed. “You’re attending this evening’s farce with me, aren’t you? All right. One—eat. Two—it’s Queen’s Day
dinner.
Early is good, this early is ridiculous. The day is yours until the second afternoon bell. I will meet you by the practice courts then.
Renee raised her brows. The Palace Guard was responsible for palace security and hated outside interference, especially from the military. “The Palace Guard will never permit it.” She could already see Fisker’s face darken at seeing a cadet interfere with his work. “And why bodyguards at a family dinner to begin with?”
“A compromise. With the recent unrest, the guard captain wanted extra palace security in the dining room and Lys didn’t. They finally agreed that Fisker’s team will remain outside and each guest will choose his own bodyguard to bring inside. I asked that you be mine. If you don’t mind, of course—”
Renee vaulted up to hug her friend, not bothering to muffle a cry of glee. She was going on her first field assignment. In the
palace
. With the Crown himself in attendance. “Do you know who will stand behind King Lysian?” she asked upon reclaiming some semblance of dignity.
“Last I heard . . . ” Sasha made a show of rubbing her lip in thought. “Who was it? Oh. Right. Servant Commander Korish Savoy.” She smiled. “He wanted you to come see him tomorrow. You two are the only ones coming from the Academy.”
“The only ones?” Renee echoed, licking her lips. The only ones. Just her and the commander of the Seventh.
Excitement roused Renee from bed before dawn the next morning. Her sword, sharpened and polished, hung on her hip. She ran her hand over the pommel, engraved with the crest of the de Winter estate. The sword had been intended for her brother, but Lord Tamath had gifted it to her back when he believed her capable of graduating, when he thought she’d grow as strong as Riley had once promised to be.
Still, it was her blade now, and together they were heading to their first real mission. Renee smiled. Her uniform was pressed. Her boots polished. And, despite her stomach’s rebellion at the thought of food, she was ready. She was not, however, suicidal, and thus confined herself to loitering outside Savoy’s quarters instead of waking him.
She was still there when a whirlwind of a boy in a nightshirt raced through the corridor and vaulted past her into the room.
“Korish!” Diam’s voice escaped into the hallway. “Korish! There’s someone under my bed.”
A pause. Renee held her breath.
The bed creaked. “Go kill it,” said Savoy.
“I don’t wanna kill anyone.”
A sigh. “Ask de Winter to do it. She clearly has no better activity for this hour of the morning. Guarding my room notwithstanding.”
Her cheeks heated. Taking the comment for invitation, Renee edged her way inside. With the furniture back in place, the quarters looked almost normal, except for the small boy curled at Savoy’s side.
“There’s somebody under my bed,” Diam informed Renee gravely, then turned back to his brother. “A page said Mother and Father couldn’t come today ’cause mercenaries aren’t allowed.”
Mercenaries?
Renee kept her face still. Soldiers for hire held little reputation for honor.
“Horse shit.” Savoy spoke to his brother but looked at her, daring a comment. When she made none, he extracted himself from the bed and tossed a blanket over Diam’s head. “They don’t come because they have a contract in the west, at the Devmani border, guarding a merchant caravan from unwelcome neighbors.”
“Why?” The wool muffled the question.
“Because a new king is an appetizing target.” He turned to Renee and sighed. “You’re attending this evening’s farce with me, aren’t you? All right. One—eat. Two—it’s Queen’s Day
dinner.
Early is good, this early is ridiculous. The day is yours until the second afternoon bell. I will meet you by the practice courts then.
Similar Books
